A500/GVP HD8+ issues.

[Munchkin]

Last year I recapped my rev 5 A500 and replaced the original PSU with a Meanwell one. I replaced the Agnus and converted it to 1MB chip way back in the early 90's. It also havs an

It works just wonderful as it is. If I connect my GVP SCIS controller it works just fine as well. (Kinda weird that the original 120MB Quantum drive from 1992 is still working since it's been in storage for 20 years)

However. I've had a VXL-30 with it's RAM-32 board in it that worked fairly well. Also had 4MB ram on the harddrive controller, and it worked even if as I'm told nowadays it shouldn't have.

I've concluded that something's wrong with the memory of the Ram-32 board. I get memory errors and the system freezes or crashes quite quickly. So, I removed the accelerator and put the 68000 back.

Next problem is. I cannot have any memory sticks in the GVP controller. It just won't boot if I do, even if I set the jumpers correctly. Only way to get the system running is to have no memory on it at all, which leaves me with 1MB chipram. Then the system is rock solid but I can't do very much with it with only 1 MB ram.

So. Either those old 30 pin 1 MB ram sticks are all faulty or something is wrong with the GVP controller.

With no memory in the controller and only the 68000 installed the system runs absolutely rock solid.

Don't really know where to go from here.

I would love to find an accelerator to replace the VXL with. I prefer it to be an internal one because I want to continue to use the GVP controller as I have a Syquest and a SCSI CD-Rom that can connect to it.

I have a Vampire V2 on order but whenever that will happen, if ever, I don't know.

Suggestions?

[Munchkin]

Yes, I've tried different configs. I have the manual for it so I know how to set it up. But, I think all 4 sims are dead, I might even have damaged one or two of them myself trying to take them out since they were really difficult to remove. There has to be at least two, not only one, so can't test them one by one. Which ever two I test with I get a board fault at bootup. Hunting for working 30 pin sims is probably futile these days. I know there are plenty on ebay but how many of those are scams?

Well. If I can get a replacement for the VXL with at least 4MB, preferably 8 or more, then the memory in the controller won't matter anyway. Never gonna do any heavier stuff on it, I have an A4000 for that.

If I run the controller without ram and the 500 without accelerator everything works just perfectly, but 1 MB chipram only is not fun at all.

[Munchkin]

It worked when I put it in storage over 20 years ago. Then when I took it out it just wouldn't work properly. At first I recapped the 500 and replaced the PSU. Still no go.

Well, maybe I should get a diagrom to test all parts on the motherboard. Using Systest 1.2 (that's the one I have on the harddrive at the moment) reveals no issues though. Have no way to get a newer version to the 500 right now since my A4000 is taken apart to be restored and no floppy on any of my PC's.

I have reseated all socketed chips, except for Agnus (8372A) since I'm a bit worried that the socket might break, it is 32 years old after all.

I think I made one mistake when I took it out of storage. I should have cleaned everything properly and reseated everything before trying to start it up. But hindsight is always easy.

[Munchkin]

Been thinking about that actually. Though, with no ram in it and no accelerator in the 500 everything runs rock solid. No memory errors with the onboard and memory expansion on the 500.
Did replace my A500 PSU with one from Meanwell just after I took it out of storage as well.

[Munchkin]

Oh, this is perfect. Perhaps this wouldn't have worked with the original "heavy" 2.5A PSU but with the new Meanwell PSU it most certainly will.

Thanks for the tip.

I have external SCSI CD-Rom and Syquest drives but they have their own power supplies so I doubt that will be an issue.

If a v6 SCSI2SD will work well on this setup I'll certainly get one.

[Munchkin]

I know the feeling. I have 5 computers in this room now. C64, A500, A4000 and two Amdows machines. Also a simrig so there just isn't any more room. Need a huge house!