Non booting A4000 when PicassoIV installed!!!

[Jose]

Hi. I thought when a card had some problem (as long as it wasn't fried I guess) it just wouldn't be recognized or would work badly. But today I finally took some time to try to install a PIV I won on eBay and the A4000D (the 4000T is waiting for a disks module to arrive...) stopped booting!!! The screen just stays dark grey. The IDE drive seems to try to start spinning a 2nd time but stops right away (as in the 1st). Jumpers are set to ZIII and I see nothing else that could affect it. Card is well pushed in (already also tested with a CV64 that works withoug pushing it into the zorro slot as much).... I also took off the Paloma and Concierto modules just in case... same result. Can't reflash the card as it doesn't boot at all, (floppy drive doesn't start clicking either...)

Any ideas ? :-(

[Jose]

No luck...

[Jose]

Ok, just an update:  Removing the two 8 pined chips next to the Zorro connector, as suggested on another thread, the thing boots again! But the PIV is not recognized.
So that means at least the FPGA is working:)

[Jose]

@Blade

Actually I do! Why ? It's a Rev 3.1 card.

[Jose]

@Blade
That would rule! But in my search I've seen some references to apparently working combinations of those 2 cards.

I'll of course try with a WarpEngine when I get home :-)

[Jose]

Hi. I just tested without the 2 8 pin chips and also with the WarpEngine. The computer does boot with those chips removed. Strange enouph, if I plugged in my 4091 at the same time it wouldn't boot.
As for with the WarpEngine, pretty much same result, except the with the 3640 it seemed to try to boot 2 times, with the WE the screen changes tone of grey in around 2 or 3 seconds interval. I guess the WarpEngine is smarter and tries to boot constantly while the 3640 gives up at 2nd time.

@MastaTabs
Any chance you can check up the card for me ?

[Jose]

Update, this is getting weird...

Just tried a bunch of stuff...
The A4000 boots if I set the PIV to Z2 mode!!

[EDIT] But the card is NOT recognized


BUT:
1- The flicker fixer diplays nothing!!. The PIV boot menu never appears (yes, I have it connected to a VGA multiscan (>30hz) monitor too).
2- After installing Picasso96 software it says it can't create board context and after that it can't open PicassoIV.resource.
3- I tried to run P4info and P4FlashUpdate but both say PicassoIV card couln't be detected!!! :-o  :-o

[Jose]

Hi. I think I prefer tp not try returning the card (probaly very hard), specially considering I got it for a very good price with the Paloma and Concierto modules (I'd probaly get the money back if I sell the modules seperately on eBay).

So does anyone know of a good place that could repair it ?

Should I take Tahoe's offer on the flash chip and ask him to try to find it ? Or given the symptoms it's unlikely that's the problem ?

[Jose]

Not that it makes much difference but I just discovered that the card is actually never recognized. The ZIII device that appears is boards list is actually related to the WarpEngine (maybe the Scsi controler). So the card is never recognized, it hangs in ZIII mode but not in ZII mode.

[Jose]

@X-ray
When the ports module for my A4000T arrives I'll also be able to test it there 8-) I have a Cybervision64 and A4001 that work well on the A4000D though...