Amiga.org
Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: EnyGmaTiK on June 02, 2004, 06:27:52 PM
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(I posted earlier on another thread but i thought i could get more expose creating a new one)
I bought this accelerator off e-bay, but when i plug it to my A1200, i get a black screen and nothing more...
What could cause this?
PSU not delivering enough power?
Dead Blizzard? :-(
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Unlikely on PSU. What PSU is it btw, the stock A1200 one? If you have an A500 one that is a more powerful one.
I don't know the error colour codes, try searching the net for them, or someone else here will help you out (you might want to change the subject line of the original post to get more appropriate attention). Are you sure you plugged it in properly?
Could be a dead card.
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Thanks. The PSU is from a stock A600.
I've searched the forum and i came up with this:
-Black
Opening screen
Initial Hardware tests passed
Initial system software tests passed
Final initialisation test passed
:-?
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Try this:
Take the card out and the put it your expansion port. Now the machine should boot up. I had this problem once.
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Usually happens when the accelerator is not properly plugged in, or when the accelerator doesn't like the on-board memory SIMM.
Make sure that your memory-speed jumper is set accordingly in regards to what your SIMM speed is (e.g. 60ns or 70ns).
Take out the memory simm (if you have it installed) and try booting without it.
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As i'm trying now without any SIMM (to narrow down the problem) it's not a incompatibility with the SIMM...
As for the card may not be properly plugged in... i've pressed the card until it ' clicked ' on the port, so it must be right...
Any ideas?
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amiga1260 wrote:
Try this:
Take the card out and the put it your expansion port. Now the machine should boot up. I had this problem once.
Could you explained it better?
Take the card out, and put it back again?
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I mean that you take your Blizzard card out and insert the Blizzard card again. Then switch the power button.
I now hope you know what I mean.
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Yes I do :-D .
Tried no luck.
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@EnyGmaTiK:
As the A600 powersupply only can supply 3A on the 5V rail, make sure to try without harddrive, extra diskdrive etc connected to get as much power as possible available for the accelerator.
(edit): Btw, the port is not designed to give any clicking sound when inserting the accelerator. The connector is of the type used for example in PCI-bus connectors which you can find on a normal PC-motherboard. Maybe if you insert it extremely fast it will make a sound when the circuitboard part on the A1200 motherboard hits the bottom of the connector on the accelerator, but thats about it.
/Patrik
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Yes I do :-D .
Tried no luck.
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When you power on do the powerled light up twice, blink or it stay in the "dimmed" state constantly?
The 23W PSU you have is not strong enough to power your machine with the card and you can count on it to either fail powering up your machine or at the very least be grilled in short. A 50W A500 PSU should do it.
Are you sure it's a Blizzard1230IV? Those cards did as far as I know only come in 50Mhz versions (earlier revs came in 40Mhz versions) so you might in that case have a card that have been tampered with already.
If a stronger PSU don't do the trick it might be one of many other Ebay "as is/no warranty" sales that most often are dammaged goods. :-(
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Yes, i'm sure it's the 1230IV ( is stated on the board itself) and you're right is 1230/50... my bad :-D
When i power on the Powerled lights up, and stays on, it does not blink.
As for the PSU being not strong enough i tried earlier powering up the miggy with only the Bliz, i removed the FD and HDD... and no luck... same black screen.
I don't know if this is prove that the PSU is powerfull enough for the Blizz, but i hope it isn't... and that i just need a new powerfull PSU.
P.S. My PSU is 20w
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@EnyGmaTiK:
20W is even less than the stock A1200 powersupply I am afraid. Can you check how much current it gives on the 5V rail? I am pretty sure the stock A1200 powersupply always was a 25W model, atleast everyone I have seen have been. When I got a Blizzard1230IV/50 (without the 68882 FPU) for my A1200, it was enough to just power the A1200 with the Blizzard1230IV/50 with a 4MB simm, but nothing more. If I added a harddrive it just kept guruing (flashing the powerled) when I powered it up.
/Patrik
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I was wrong, it's indeed 25W ( i don't know where i've seen 20W :-P )
230~240V ~ 300mA 50Hz
Output:
+5v ~ 3.0A
+12v ~ 500mA
-12v ~ 100mA
That is the specs of the PSU
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Still it don't prove that there's power enough. If you can't get hold of an A500 PSU then try get hold of an old AT trafo. On the motherboard powerplug connect orange (PowerGood) to yellow (+12v), then connect one of the diskdrive power connectors to the diskdrive and another one to the motherboard.
I burned a 50W A500 PSU by running my A1200 with 2 external diskdrives, one 3.5" Harddrive and a Blizzard1230III (though it did take some time). So don't write of the card before you are sure it's not a power issue.
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I was wrong, it's indeed 25W ( i don't know where i've seen 20W :-P )
230~240V ~ 300mA 50Hz
Output:
+5v ~ 3.0A
+12v ~ 500mA
-12v ~ 100mA
That is the specs of the PSU
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Brian wrote:
Get hold of an old AT trafo. On the motherboard powerplug connect orange (PowerGood) to yellow (+12v), then connect one of the diskdrive power connectors to the diskdrive and another one to the motherboard.
Can you explain this bit better?
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Brian wrote:
Get hold of an old AT trafo. On the motherboard powerplug connect orange (PowerGood) to yellow (+12v), then connect one of the diskdrive power connectors to the diskdrive and another one to the motherboard.
Can you explain this bit better?
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The ordinart AT PSU you find in older PC's have 2 flat connectors, with 6 pins in each, that powers the motherboard. One of these connecotr have an orange (Power Good) and a yellow whire (+12V) and you need to connect these two whires together in order to get the PSU to work.
Then you should find some power connectors on the PSU that goes to harddrives and diskdrives (you should have 2 power connectors for diskdrives, though there are quite a few PSU with just one). Connect one of them to the diskdrive so it have power, then connect the other to the motherboard so it get more power. Then power up both the AT PSU and the original PSU at the same time.
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I sucessfully modified an AT PSU, but the problem persists... black screen :-(
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Then it shouldn't be a powerproblem... Can you try the card in another A1200 to see if the problem continue there cause then it's likely a dead CPU card and time to contact the seller I think.
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I can't reach other A1200... As for the board being dead... hope not :-(
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Hi EnyGmaTiK,
try to insert the card NOT fully (only at 70-80% or so).
We have a Blizzard that works only in this way.
Ciao
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I think at this point i've tried everything...
I think i've got a dead blizzard... :-(
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I think at this point i've tried everything...
I think i've got a dead blizzard... :-(
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Don't panic yet.
I used to have that card.
I belive it is able to work only with memory on-board.
So ether you have wrong SIMM or no SIMM at all it will refuse cooperation.
BTW. I didn't know about problems with EDO at that time and I've bought one that appeared to be EDO, but luckilly for me it was working for me.
Good luck
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I've been asking the same questions of another board, and there they told me, that this accelerator ( actually all accelerators ) work without a SIMM... i just don't know now :-(
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Hello,
A good thing to try, it to clean the A1200 CPU slot connector and that of the card. Isopropyl Alcohol (used in tape head cleaner fluid ) on a cotton bud, rub it across the A1200 motherboard connector for the card.
If you can get some contact cleaner, spray it into the connector of the Blizzard 1230.
Ian
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@EnyGmaTiK:
There are two jumpers on the card. One for the ramspeed and one for MapROM. Make sure the MapROM feature is disabled as you havent got a SIMM installed. There should be instructions for the jumpers printed on the card.
/Patrik
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No use i must have a dead bliz.
I've cleaned the board, also i've cleaned the contacts with alcohol, no dice...
I kept one jumper on the first 2 pins (No Map) as i don't have any SIMM connected.
Still got a black screen.
If i keep the miggy on for a couple of minutes, the bliz is warm. I don't know what this means exactly, maybe a dead CPU?
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No use i must have a dead bliz.
I've cleaned the board, also i've cleaned the contacts with alcohol, no dice...
I kept one jumper on the first 2 pins (No Map) as i don't have any SIMM connected.
Still got a black screen.
If i keep the miggy on for a couple of minutes, the bliz is warm. I don't know what this means exactly, maybe a dead CPU?
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Hi,
A long shot here.
Does the card have a crystal oscillator next to the 68030 (a small square metal can)?
If the card has been overclocked in the past the oscillator could have been socketed and fell out.
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Yes, it has a small square can.