A1200 slowly dying?

[Lurch]

So it has been the week from hell, not sure what is going on with my A1200. All started when I installed a new FastATA. (Brand spanking new from Amigakit)

FastATA would access the HDD, the HDD light would come on and try and boot but would give up after 10-15 seconds and take me to the kickstart screen. Tried to get into the early boot menu but it wont let me.

Tried several reboots no luck getting into the early boot menu. Remove the HDD (leaving the FastATA installed) and I can get in every time which is no good as I wanting to see if it actually detected the HDD.

Use to have a FastATA with this board which worked fine so puzzled.

So removed the FastATA and just had the mediator attached as I was using it to power on the Amiga. The Amiga would then work for a few seconds and turn off, so thought it must be shorting on something. Even though it's been installed in this case and working fine for awhile.

So stripped it down to just the mainboard, indi AGA and FastATA set up the Amiga on a bench outside of the case and I get a black screen. Took out the FastATA and put in the kickstart chips and now I get a quick glimpse of the kickstart screen but it's corrupted looking and then it goes to a purple screen with no picture.

Had a look around and I can't find my original 3.0 ROMs but might try that tomorrow if I can find them.

This is where I gave up, the more I touch the thing the worse it gets. So if I have no joy tomorrow not sure what my next step would be.

I have a bid in on another 1200 motherboard, fingers crossed it doesn't go too high. If it does sad to say but will part it out and sell it.

Oh the caps and timing fixes have been done by Amigakit so it can't be caps.

[Lurch]

Yep she is having a sleep at the moment so maybe she will come too again, weird stuff.

[Lurch]

@gizmo350 It's not right LOL Spend time and money on it and it then decides no, I'm not going to work now.
The more addons you get the more the A1200 wants to revolt, one day it can be working 100% next it decides to fall over.
It is like a downward spiral, starts with one thing then something else decides not to work until nothing works.
So now on the hunt for a replacement board, probably be my last Amiga purchase as the budget is dry LOL
The annoying part is my current board has had the caps and timing fixes applied so works great with just about any accelerator. Well did work great.
Finding replacement motherboards is hard work, was hoping Amiga reloaded might be an option but doesn't look promising.
Amigas their name fits them so well.

[Lurch]

No old Amiga PSU here, ATX 600W. I've tried another PSU still samething, not sure about getting it to boot.

With the kickstart screen showing corrupted. Might plug in a gotek.

[Lurch]

Did you manage to try a different pair of rom chips yet?

I have a FastATA MkIII with Apollo1260. I remember when I was first building this system, it wouldn't boot with KS3.0 roms, just a black screen. And I can't remember whether it was the FastATA or just the fact that the FastATA was combined with the Apollo, but anyway - 3.1 roms worked and 3.0 roms didn't (black screen). Just something to consider if you decide to test with 3.0 roms. It may have even been with the Apollo1240 not the 1260, I can't remember exactly...

Interesting, haven't found my 3.0 roms. Use to have the original FastATA with 3.1/custom 3.9 roms that use to work so thought it would be a simple case of installing the FastATA.

Only have my 3.9 roms, might have to buy some 3.1 roms and see if it's the 3.9 roms causing the issue.

But more worrying is the corrupt kickstart screen, I have an svideo adapter here so going to hook that up and see what happens.

Hopefully it's not my Indi as I can't afford another one at the moment.

I've stripped it back to just the indi and I get a corrupt kickstart, so svideo adapter next. But might be a case of the board failing.

[Lurch]

So it's not the indi, but it appears to be the kickstart roms. I now get a purple only screen no animated disk.

So going to see if I can find my 3.0 roms, if not try and find some cheap 3.1 roms :-)

[Lurch]

You haven't been having a disco in your room again with that strobe and ultraviolet flouro ?  Here's hoping it's the ROMs. Less $ for sure.

How did you know?? ;-) I'm hoping that is the case, I have a bid on a motherboard fingers crossed it doesn't go too high just in case. Touch wood!

If its the kickstarts I'll be a very happy man, just had a quick look nothing local so it might be Amibay or Amigakit :-/

[Lurch]

So after purchasing some new kick roms same issues -

FastATA = Black screen/no life.

No FastATA = Scrambled corrupt boot screen picture.

RGB + Svideo adapter = Black screen/no life.

Conclusion dying/faulty motherboard and possibly a faulty FastATA. (Brand new FastATA from Amigakit)

Back to searching for a new motherboard :-(

[Lurch]

Thanks gertsy, will have to resort to emulators to play anything AGA. Have the A500, but the plus board died so it's just a standard A500 now.

Hardware getting old and finally falling over :-/

[Lurch]

That would be great, I'm not sure what to offer though from the huge range on pricing I've seen. Pretty keen if it's a live.
Might leave it up to you what price you want to sell it for :-)
It would certainly be going to a good home, I was using the A1200 daily :-(

[Lurch]

The Amiga, it's an exercise in frustration at times. When it's working it's great but just around the corner it will stop working again.

Then when it is working and you upgrade hardware or change a line in the startup-sequence it breaks.

Even new hardware from Jens and Elbox have issues, but when people put forth anything bad about these products the defenders shoot you down or they ignore you.

The Indivision AGA MK2 is a prime example, a real bitch to setup. Once setup fantastic. The software for it is extremely bad but of course it sort of works so Jens wont improve on it or even finish it properly.

The rolling of the dice when you push the power button, should be the slogan.

[Lurch]

Will pull it out tonight to make sure its working. If it's operating D'you want the whole 1200,or just the MB?

Would be kind of sad to pull it apart, although you could use the case and keyboard for spares?

Always sad when an Amiga is pulled apart. If you are okay with it the MB would be fine, might be cheaper to send?

That's why I will NEVER get rid on my Indi AGA MKI!

Hold on to that puppy and never let it go :-)

Any experience with the reliability of the ACA500? It looks like an incredible product, but is it too good to be true?

Most of his stuff is reliable, the ACA500 is really good. Less hassle than the A1200. Sometimes very tempted to just go with the ACA500. Was going to sell mine to cover the costs fixing the A1200 but in two minds about it.

Most hardware and software feels incomplete though. Like the Indivsion ECS, mine had to be fixed twice for it to work properly with the A500 plus.

I'm just glad Amigakit was helping me out with that! :-)

[Lurch]

Agree. But It's probably safer to keep the MB in it's case. Got it out last night turned on okay. Left it running over night. Will let you know how it went tonight. The house didn't burn down last night so that's a good thing. Both the case and keyboard have uneven yellowing as unit was in a video generator case in a retail store.  I'm tempted to take the floppy out as a spare.

How is a$100 for the unit minus the floppy plus postage to Orkland ?
If you think that's too much just let me know.

Yep sounds good to me, It will be well looked after. I'll take a photo of it when it's all up and running in its new home :-)

The case should protect the motherboard nicely, although wouldn't want the case breaking. I can always retrobrite it to see if I can remove the yellowing?

Don't need a PSU either :-)

Just let me know the cost for P&P could be a shocker from Aussie. I'll PM you my addy?

Appreciate this so much, I'm like a kid in a lollie store (candy for US).

Don't forget the compatibility issues with the Rev. 5 NTSC A500 and the ACA500, otherwise that's all I've heard as far as issues. Isn't it sold out now anyway though, and he's working on a "Mk. 2" version of the ACA500? Might be worth researching before plunking your money down.

Forgot about that, yeah there is a MK2 so not sure how that is going to turn out. Not sure if I'll spend more money on Jens hardware. Possibly if a 060 FPGA accelerator comes up.

[Lurch]

Thought the postage would be scary, weird that something from the US is cheaper.

Looking good from the photos, interesting how it has tanned LOL. Bubble and Squeak is still a good game, nostalgia is kicking in seeing it.

So worse option I'll be looking at $53, still okay with that. Let me know what you decide on how to pack it.

NZ post can be a pain too, US have it so much better.

[Lurch]

@smerf interesting, I have the original PSU in a box so might give it ago. I don't think I'll give up on it, when it comes to Amiga hardware I keep on trying to get it working.

Not many around down here anymore.

Will try it tomorrow and let you know.

The current PSU is a 600W Thermaltake that I've been using with it for sometime. Did try another ATX PSU and it wont even turn on. Anyway will try the original :-)