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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: IloveInterceptor on December 12, 2016, 07:46:34 PM
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Hi there, first post. I'm getting my A500 back in working order. It's a UK model from 1987ish. It powers on and works, but I have a few relatively minor issues I could use help with.
First is, it has a 512k trapdoor expansion that seems not to work. With it switched on (my dad added a flying lead and switch to the case back in the day), I get a guru meditation error.
Second, either some of my floppies have degraded, or the drive needs a clean. Some work, others don't.
I can't get the mouse ball out of the mouse to clean the rollers. I remember it was an anti-clockwise rotation but it's as stiff as a boot.
Finally, the video quality through the modulator (composite video into my AV surround amp) is a bit ropey, with 2-3 slight ghosts. Is there any way to improve this, perhaps there's a way to get component video out? I'm not sure if my tv/amp supports RGB.
I'd also like to add a CF card with a load of games preloaded, but I understand this is something the A500 might struggle with?
Oh and are there any obvious caps I should replace either inside the computer or its PSU?
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Hi,
I expect you are right about the floppies degrading, lots of mine have died. Suggest you have a look at getting a Gotek or HXC drive for using USB instead of floppies.
Might have persevere with the mouse, not sure why it would be so stiff. You can buy Amiga to PC ps2 adapters to use more modern mouse.
Amiga to RGB / Scart would probably the best picture you can get from a stock A500.
Not sure about the guru/ram expansion problem, maybe someone else on here can suggest something.
Hard disks are a bit of a pain on the A500, a few expansions around. I quite like the look of ACA500 and the Vampire 500. Although slow the Gotek is a good starting point
Probably a good idea to open up the Amiga and just check things over, personally never needed to replace caps in any of my Amigas or other old kit, maybe my stuff has had an easy life. Read a few other posts about caps in the PSU so have a look at that as well.
Good luck
Oli
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Check for battery leakage on the internal ram expansion.
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Hi,
I expect you are right about the floppies degrading, lots of mine have died. Suggest you have a look at getting a Gotek or HXC drive for using USB instead of floppies.
Are these just plug and play?
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Check for battery leakage on the internal ram expansion.
No battery that I can see, here's a couple of pics of the expansion:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/soundman/30797262773/in/dateposted/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/soundman/31491103131/in/photostream/
/edit - I just noticed the flying lead has come unsoldered, I wonder if that's the problem there. Can anyone confirm, it's the small pin with the track leading to the connector that needs to be resoldered? I can do that tomorrow.
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No battery that I can see, here's a couple of pics of the expansion:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/soundman/30797262773/in/dateposted/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/soundman/31491103131/in/photostream/
/edit - I just noticed the flying lead has come unsoldered, I wonder if that's the problem there. Can anyone confirm, it's the small pin with the track leading to the connector that needs to be resoldered? I can do that tomorrow.
Looks like it goes next to the one still soldered. Its the only thing around with solder on the pad.
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Check for battery leakage on the internal ram expansion.
yeah there is probaly something wrong with that lead and switch.. its probably in the "Off' position to disable the mem
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So if I bought this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-5-inch-1000-Floppy-Disk-Drive-USB-emulator-Simulation-1-44MB-Roland-Keyboard-Z-/142161210825?hash=item211977edc9:g:L2wAAOSwo4pYEJkU
And one of these:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FTDI-USB-to-TTL-3-3V-I-O-Serial-Cable-6-Way-OEM-FTDI-TTL-232R-3V3-Cable-/272476722451?hash=item3f70e0d513:g:3aUAAOSwA3dYRyg7
And a bit of wiring, I'd be able to flash Amiga compatible firmware to the drive, transfer a load of ADF files onto a usb stick and play to my heart's content?