**Need Setup HELP** with Classic Amiga 2000 HARD DISK (Bridgeboard)

[wbrejnia]

thought you might be interested in this, depending if price stays low ?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Kipper2-8MB-Ram-expansion-for-Amiga-500-or-2000-/192161132915?hash=item2cbdb23173:g:zuEAAOSwmCVY9KFP

Thanks Darkage,

I can count on you to support my A2000 Over spending habits

I think I don't really need this, since I got a GVP A2000-HC+8
http://amiga.resource.cx/exp/impact2000hc8

It already gives me 8MB or RAM so I think I should be souped up enough for now.

(Not sure if it's the SAME kind of RAM since the GVP say's it's RAM is not ZORO RAM, but DMA'ed RAM).  Not sure what is the difference (other than Speed).

[wbrejnia]

Amiga 2000 Keyboard (Cleaning/Fix-Up) Can I remove Bottom COVER?

Some of my A2000 keyboard keys were not the most reliable.

So I cleaned all the contacts on my Amiga Keyboard, and all keys are working like NEW.

I did it by pulling off each keycap and lightly cleaning the gold contacts with Contact Cleaner. Then putting cap back.

Now I want to install that SHIFT CAP key which I lost years ago, and got a replacement CAP/TOP.

Since it's not the same kind of mount, I need to glue it on top of my Keybutton. So I want to remove the whole key to glue it nicely.

I can't find any pictures or YouTube Videos about the Amiga 2000 Keyboard.

Is it safe to remove the bottom cover of the A2000 keyboard (removing screws)?

Or will all the springs fall out and it will be a nightmare to put back together.

SO I GUESS NOBODY HAS ANSWER FOR ME?
Can I open up the A2000 Keyboard (Safely)?

[wbrejnia]

I better give you more support

http://www.ebay.com/itm/GVP-GForce-68030-50mhz-Combo-Accelerator-fo-Amiga-2000-2000HD-2500-Video-Toaster-/282427844611?hash=item41c202e803:g:LnMAAOSwdGFY3iIC

haha.

Thanks.

But if I was to go accelerator wouldn't it be better to go with a Vampire card?
But you never know, the older original accelerators might be more compatible.
I saw for sale this week a vampire with an a2000 adapter being sold since it appears the seller gave up due to compatibility issues. I could be wrong, but that is what the ad said.

Either way, too soon to consider accelerators. i have a 68010 chip on the way to improve WHDload, exit button. I haven't even install whDload, but i did download it, with a bunch of game bundles.

[wbrejnia]

Vampire would have a long waiting list.. isnt it 1.5 to 2 year wait ? If I saw a good deal on a accelerator card, I would still go for it. I actually recently purchased a 040 accelerator, even though I already have a 030. Plan to DIY upgrade the 040 to 060. it was a good deal at the time

68010 can be your baby step, next year you can walk with a 030, then the following year run with a 040 or 060 depending on pace. See, helping you more right ?

 If I do an accelerator upgrade it will be one Shot.
 I hear the Vampire 500 has gone mass production, so may be available sooner than later.  http://www.majsta.com/
I do have my name on waiting list, and willing to wait a year or more.

[wbrejnia]

Sure. Of course you can. Assuming there's not something significantly wrong with it it's not going to fall all to pieces just by removing a few screws, haha. :lol:

Thanks. So now I understand what's inside as A2000 Keyboard.
I thought those Springs were part of casing and loosely placed (thus would pop out), but they are part of PC-Board secondary casing.

Taking apart that PC-Board (which is possible with a few more screws) is the dangerous part, and I won't do that.

Here is the backside of PC Board of the Amiga 2000 Keyboard.



And here is the front Side of PC Board.



SO ITS A FAIRLY complex SMART-keyboard, compared to today's DUMB Purely Switch based keyboards.

My keyboard is long overdue for a vacuum and wipe down.

But what I learned is to clean any key contacts, you don't need to take keyboard apart.

The keys contacts are under the keycap, so well designed.



It's important not to bend the spring foil contacts, since if bent too far, they could fail to close on one another. Bending inward could be difficult if not impossible.

[wbrejnia]

Some liquid Glass Cleaner, a toothbrush and some paper towels, and the Keyboard Case is like new.

Quite impressed that all the Yellowing/Stains came out.  Much easier to clean all-around/in-between with the PC-Board out.



The (PC board/Keys) is going to be a bit more fine cleaning work.

[wbrejnia]

Pat,

You are welcome, and if you want a High Res, better quality photo of the Keyboard PC board, just PM me.

So I finished and Amiga 2000 keyboard restore, and below documented the steps.

--> I pryed off all the keys (lightly with a screw driver ON either side).
--> Clean and scrubber each key with toothbrush and Glass Cleaner.

--> Vacuumed/Brushed the board with my Miele Computer Assessory kit that I haven't used since I got it years ago.
--> Cleaned the Top surface with a Q-Tip cotton swab



--> I cleaned each gold contact with Contact cleaner.


--> Didn't spray the contact cleaner on contact (which would make a mess).  
--> Instead just sprayed the cleaner into a Small Vial, and used medicine dropper to drop the liquid onto each contact, and applied some light friction with a toothpick.




--> Put back all the Cleaned Keys



Then came the big part of the project.  [[ THE REPLACEMENT SHIFT KEYCAP ]]

The keycap I got Looked Exactly like an A2000 from top.



But underneath THE KEY CAP it is quite different from a Mount Perspective.

I learned that you can actually remove the Key Stem if you carefully insert a small FlatHead Screw Driver at the Top and Bottom and pry out delicately.

There is a spring in the middle that you have to be very careful to center, when push key stem back in.



I had to design a way to mount the Stem onto the keycap.

--> The KeyCap also has a stem that was too long, so I ground it down with a Dremil grinder.
--> That stem was too narrow to provide support and contact surface for attaching Stem.

The Keycap did come with a different kind of stem, that nicely fit into the Keycap Stem shaft.

--> So I sliced off a thin ring to add to the Keycap.



Then I installed the Stem Ring, onto the KepCap.

BUT I COULDN't GLUE to two together since there is a steel spring bar on the keyboard assembly (that get's in the way) so Base Stem needs to be snapped in first.



--> So I first snapped in the Base Stem.
--> Got things lined up.
--> I covered the top hole with tape to make sure no Hot Glue enter the key, (to gum up the Spring) and (and to not get glue into the gold Contact)

AND THEN I PUT HOT GLUE into the CAP, and PRESSED it ON to the STEM (HOLDING till GLUE COOLED)



The Key holds, and works even with some aggressive tapping.

KEYBOARD IS FULLY RESTORED.

[wbrejnia]

The MINUS KEY Mystery SOLVED!!

I forgot to mention the best part of the Amiga 2000 Keyboard Restore

The Minus key on the Keypad Never Worked for as Long as I can remember, but I had the (-) key over the (P) key so it didn't concern me.

I figured it was a Software Bug with Keyboard Mapping.



During the restoration Cleanup, I found the reason.


It was a Bug, but not software related.  It was in the Gold Contact Area of the Minus Key.  Web Nest Cocoon!!

Under the Magnifying Glass you can guess yourself whatever that BUG Was.


No more eating at the Keyboard like in the Good Old Gaming Days!!

[wbrejnia]

Modern keyboards are smart, the electronics are just 30 years smaller.

And modern keyboards don't come with 20 year OLD real BUGS

[wbrejnia]

you need more serious help.. I think this should do the trick


http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Amiga-A4000T-4000T-68060-Cyberstorm-PPC-604e-CyberVision-64-3D-ScanDoubler-/332186219098?hash=item4d57d7725a:g:NSIAAOSwSypY853g

It's current price is actually more than double what my 1st car costed me.

Hmmm.  I would buy two but shipping is too expensive

[wbrejnia]

Hmmm - have you already tried to create a bootable floppy disk with Kickstart 3.1 and to copy all the content of this 'JANUS install SW'-disk over to it?
That's what I would try...

Make an "OS 3.1 - JANUS install SW"-disk and try it again with that...

Yes, I want to try that, and I will.
I was thinking all the Bridgeboard install programs are designed for Workbench type disks (1.2,1.3). But maybe it will work for OS3.1 too.
If not then simple copy of Janus.library, binaries (Djmount) and /devs might do the trick.

But if it doesn't work, I am not concerned.
Once I have ROM switcher then I'll have a working Workbench Disk (Gotek) to boot from a ROM that works with Bridgeboard.

I found that if I put GVP Driver into EXPANSION the Amiga SCSI Hard Drive shows up (even with Autoboot off), so then I can do backups to Briageboard ISA/IDE/CF Drive.

[wbrejnia]

PM sent with email address.

Pat, I sent you pics via PM and Email.

I am in limbo on this whole Amiga project, till ROM switcher arrives.  The Kickstart 1.3, and 2.04 ROMS did arrive.  So I have 1.2, 1.3 , 2.04, and 3.1 ROMs.

Good thing on the slow package delivery on switcher since I am taking care of fish tanks.

[wbrejnia]

was expecting new activity within this thread :-/

Yes things got quiet.  I'm alive and fuming  Unhappy

As mentioned above.  I am completely stalled.

I won't go forward for final build/SW install till I have a ROM Switcher.
Many reasons, but I don't want to keep pulling out roms to try figure out Bridgeboard, and other OS's.

I am on a waiting list for this ROM, but at rate of builds, I will be waiting months.  I am #25 in queue. http://www.amibay.com/showthread.php?60790-A500-A2000-Automatic-Kickstart-Switcher-New-project!
 
I have a better chance getting a Vampire sooner


So I lost hope till I found this Unitech switcher on Sale on Ebay.  http://www.bigbookofamigahardware.com/bboah/product.aspx?id=684

I won the Auction. It was mailed April 2nd (from Australia), Registered, no tracking.  It hasn't arrived.  I have to wait till May 18th for AusPost Investigation and Refund.

So I am thinking of building my own.  It not complicated.  Each ROM has a CS (CHip Select) and OE (Output Enable) pin.  It you wire the Amiga ROM socket pin to pin between the two ROMs but leave out Either CS, or OE then you can select which ROM is used by connecting the [CS or OE] to the A2000 MB Socket[CS or OE] though a buffer (using a 7400 NAND chip with a simple jumper select or Toggle Switch).

Something like in this Thread.  http://www.a1k.org/forum/showthread.php?p=100270  

So it's easy, but the hard part is all the 40 pin wire runs, which I wanted to avoid doing.

So I'm stuck.  Unless I find a easy wiring solution, which I am researching.

[wbrejnia]

DIY AMIGA Kickstart ROM Switcher ( Time to move on ).

DARKAGE, you woke up the bear!!! No I gave up on switcher coming from your homeland (Australia).  Appears they haven't learn things like Epacket Service.

Today the Ebay Seller and I have decided the package with the ROM switcher isn't ever going to arrive. Formal case started with Australia Post.
 Paypal and the Post Insurance should take care of things money wise, but much time lost.

I've decided to build my own Kickstart ROM switcher to start up the project again.

I actually finished that Aquarium DOSER Build so have time.
Here is the Aurdino Aquarium Doser Test Running on Your Tube (if Curious)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFAtzBtKVhA&t=26s
6 Month project, but this Amiga Project became a un-planned disruption.  
Most of the time was the User Friendly/FaultSafe Coding which you can see some of the results in the Video.

SO for short term. I'm building a SIMPLE Switcher. Just using a switch or Jumper.

Got some of these parts today.  Most are my China Aliexpress Collectables.
I have a few options for how it will be built (Sockets, Risers, Connectors, Switch or Jumpers)




To save on massive (hand wiring) effort with a wirewrapper, or even bigger effort/cost to design and etch a PC board.
I found some cool Ardiuno Interface Breakout-Board/Header Circuit Boards that have 40 Pin sockets points, with a header for a 40 wire ribbon cable.
I bought them unassembled, for building options. $6 CDN each.

http://www.technologicalarts.ca/shop/store/details/508/13/adapters/adapter,-40-pin-dip-socket-to-ribbon-cable.html

I got these a while ago to use them as an Extension for the Switcher, but looking at the designed, I can use them TO MAKE A SWITCHER.

I'll eventually add some Nand Gates, and make it a more intelligent switcher, but for now, THIS IS THE PROTYPE concept.



Basically like all/most memory chips there is a CE(Chip Enable PIN) and OE(Output Enable PIN). DECODING Address from CPU fetch, activates the ROM/RAM, etc.
The ADDRESS PINS and DATA PINS can all be connected to the MotherBoard ROM SOCKET.  ROM only wakes up on CE signal.
The AMIGA Kickstart ROM socket is already decoded on either (CE, OR or Both) with the appropriate address lines for ROM range.
I will try CE first.

So I'll plug in the DIP SOCKET Adapter into the MOtherboard ROM DIP. Cut the CS-PIN on the adapter/DIP and route through a jumper or switch to send CS-from MB to the appropriate ROM of choice.

I find it astounding that nobody has documented this anywhere in the Forums (much more).

I had to research and figure this out myself. Having done that thesis on Eprom Burner helped. Plus this GERMAN thread was handy to confirm my thinking http://www.a1k.org/forum/showthread.php?p=100270

The Primary ROM will be plugged into the MB ROM SOCKET so close.  The 2nd Rom will be via a short ribbon cable, so should be ok for Clocking Speed Noise.
The Jumper (for the CE broken connection) has to be fairly close to ROM to avoid NOISE. I will eventually buffer via NAND Chips, so I can extend the Jump to be a switch.
May need a Power Pin Capacitor, and possibly a Resistor or two.
If it works, then I may even expand and make it 4 ROM, since I have KS 1.2,1.3,2.2,3.1 ROMS.

Eventually if I wish, I can build extra logic to choose the ROM via ALT-ALT-AMIGA(KEYBOARD) which would be driven via the RESET pin of 68000 CPU CHIP.
That would need no external Mechanical switch.  But I'd rather go 4 ROMs with switch out of CardSlot-Port, then 2 via keyboard.

THIS SIMPLE VERSION IS Near ZERO RISK to the Motherboard, so I'm ok doing it.

[wbrejnia]

oh my lord..  ha why didnt you just tell me, and I can burn 3 or 4 kickstarts on a 1meg eeprom with a toggle selector switch.    just have to locate my eprom burner first  

good post by the way

Tell me more... How is that done. Use 2 Address lines to switch select Memory range on Epprom (0,0)(0,1)(1,0)(1,1).

I'll gladly buy a BURNED EPROM off you if you find your burner.  I can provide extracts from my Original ROMS (using Amiga Explorer).

If you can't find your burner, I probably can make a Parrallel Port Burner using the parts I have.   Hardest part is software coding.

I can hold off on building if you can confirm your assistance.
But this first build is so simple.  I only want KS1.2 and 1.3 to start with.  Then 1.3 and OS3.1 next.
With the Ribbon cable extension, i will have easy access to one ROM, the other under the DRIVE cage.

[wbrejnia]

Darkage,

I haven't heard from you on your offer or at least on how  make the Multi Kickstart on A single Larger  EPROM.  I assume the Large EPROM has more address pins and your convert down the the 40 Pin Motherboard IC Socket.

I guess you are busy or away.

However I since I'm getting a full refund on the Other Switcher, and I can return all the parts, I've decided to go with one of these.

It's the Circuit board I'm after.   Made for Music ROMs. But Sam 27C400 EPROM /pinout as a kickstart ROM.

 I'll mod it with a Couple of Nand Gates to buffer the switch, and also the switch to not be noisiy with the Mhz Frequency of the CS pin.



Plus I'll have I'll 4 of my Original Kickstarts Installed (which will be better then sitting in a box).