Amiga 500 intermittently reboots for no reason!

[circlip]

Hi all... sorry @ orange for nick mix up. I just saw "Defender of Faith" and automatically took it for your nick for some odd reason.

Anyways, I'm going to crack open the A500 unit again, and see what the go is.

I'll try the "no keyboard" trick too, and PSU after 1/2 hour of off time. Only problem is that sometimes it won't play up as it should (like last time) so I'll have to check back a few times to see if everything definately is ok. I'll try gently pushing a few chips again too.

Ebay is one of my sources for stuff too TjLaZer, I saw an A520 modulator, new in the box and plastic wrapping! :-o

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@ rkauer

It is written on the mobo this:

B52 / ROCK LOBSTER
GRR/I3P/GUAY/FISH
RVW/VFA/DCA
HJM/CJW/TC/SMK
GET/LLK

A500 REV 5

btw, what is a keyboard header? Is it the plug? (sbsolute newbie here.)

[circlip]

So I've checked the keyboard header... seems fine. The wires are ok too... I might put more insulation on under the keyboard pcb someday.

So, one question about the "flashing" Caps Lock key... does it mean it really COULD be the keyboard being the problem? It flashes constantly, no real pattern to it, just on-off-on-off really quickly.

I tried disconnecting the keyboard, and it hasn't reset itself in a while. I tried plugging it back in, and it reset itself constantly at 1 second intervals. Unplugged it again.. nothing. Plugged in again, didn't seem to reset again either.. so I'm thinking probably a broke keyboard. There is a cheap keyboard or two on ebay... should I give it a shot?

Circlip.

ED: meega, I found a little yellow sticker that fell out when I opened the A500 up again. it said "A500 P" and then a serial number. What's the difference between an A500 and A500+ ?

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oh, didn't realise I had a reply!

Well, I switched it off between plugging/unplugging, just thought it was a good idea.

There seems to be nothing spilled on the keyboard... I still see no sort of "pattern" to the Caps Lock key led "flashing". It just flashes continuously, that's all.

I edited my last post (on page two) but I'll put it again here.

@meega and all, I found a little yellow sticker that fell off the pcb or somewhere, and it said "A500 P", could this mean an A500+ ? What are the differences between the two?

EDIT: DrDekker... is there a way I can test the Denise chip with a multimeter, and how to do this? I could spring for a Denise next week.

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Meega, we were right before, it's an A500, not plus. Don't know what that sticker was about.. it had A500 and a serial number on it.

DrDekker, yah.. Denise is a cheap one on ebay, she looks like a good purchase.

Darklight! How are you mate? I might actually be moving to Briz next year... but hopefully I can stay here. My mum actually said "Well, what do we do with your Amiga? We might not be able to bring it with us." Even if I toss the monitor.. my Amiga will come along, I'm NOT about to leave it behind! Even if it has to sit on my lap for the trip up!
Money is a bit tight for me atm, so even if I have to get stuff piece-by-piece, like I'm doing, it's the only way for now. I saw an Amiga in Vic for about 60 bucks (excl shipping, PSU, monitor, cables (but I've already got those)) and I just can't do it. Next year maybe when I have some cash, but not now, and I'm impatient to really start using it.

I pretty much got the whole lot "as-is" for 30 bucks, which was a steal, buying each piece (A520 Mod, PSU, two joysticks, monitor) would've been painful, some ppl on ebay are selling each thing seperated.

Well next week or the week after, I'll try Denise. See how she likes her new home. ;-)

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Darklight,

Yeah.. I love Sydney. Brisbane isn't too bad though, but not much to do there. We got all the shops, pubs, clubs, everything here, and our George street is bigger than Brizzy's Queen street mall. I don't know how they do with such a small strip of "city".

Well I'm out on the East Hills train line, (yeah the one with the stops for the airport). Not bad out here, but boring. I've been skulking salvo's and other op-shops, trying to see if anything turns up. I once bought a Playstation 1 for 3 dollars, and it wouldn't load a disc, so I got a guide online to adjust the trimpots and it worked!! I've got my sources for games for it too, which is cool.

I'll have to check the Saturday Telegraph paper then, it's interesting some of the things you find, huh? Another man's trash is another man's treasure. :-)

[circlip]

Thanks guys...

I've bought a keyboard and Denise chip, and will test these out.

DigitalQ, if these don't work, I'll spring for a PSU.

Anyone have any tips on removing and rplacing a chip? I figure it's pretty nasty to attack it with a screwdriver, right? ;-)

Circlip

[circlip]

Hi everyone.

I have tried changing the Denise chip, and also replacing the keyboard. Both were tested 100% working before sold to me.

I think it might be the PSU giving me problems, as someone mentioned earlier. I'll try that next.

Thanks,

Circlip

[circlip]

Hi guys, thanks for all the help. It was just a faulty PSU. Everything is working ok now, and I have workbench 1.3 now too.

Thanks to the Amigan friends in Sydney, you guys rock!