This really is a nice forum. Been on quite a bit since I found the place and signed up last night. I got into computers in 1981 with a vic 20 then a C64 a C128 (sold it) then my A1000 with an 020 Ronin internal accelerator and the Dave Haynie memory mod (still have it plus a parts A1000) and my A2000 B rev 6.2. Why yes I do still have my C64 and disk drives as well.
So I finally decided to get my old Amiga 2000 running again. It's been sitting collecting dust since late 1993 when the 1080 monitor blew up (and I still have it). The flyback transformer started making zaping noises and the picture would be in and out. The local dealers at that time wanted an out of this world price for a new Amiga monitor (almost $300) so I just tossed in the towel. This happened right around the time that C= was looking shaky and I thought I was going to be stuck with a couple of orphans (sadly yes). so I pretty much just gave up computers for 5 years or so because neither the PC or Mac computers were up to Amiga standards at that time.
I didn't pick up the computer habit again until I built a PC clone in 1998. Since then I must have built at least 10 or so PC systems. Been a Linux fanatic since I installed that after a bad experience with Windows 98 and too many viruses. I am however an ardent gamer. So I do keep Windows XP around for now to play games on. Can't wait for Portal 2 next week, I pre ordered it as soon as they would let me . I'm really only getting my A2000 going so I can play all my old games . Will love playing Fairytale adventure and Dungeon Master/Chaos Strikes Back again after all these years. I will probably sell off my plethora of Amiga books (way to many to count) and programming software (lots of stuff there to).
Anyway back to the resurrection. System has one good floppy drive and 1 dead one. 1GB Quantum fireball HD in an external enclosure hooked up to an A2091 with 2meg installed on it. A Supra ram board with 2meg installed. Amiga OS 2.04 switchable with 1.3. First thing I did was power it up with no HD connected and after 17 years collecting dust it powered right up and asked for the workbench disk in both 2.04 and 1.3. I was amazed. Most of my old floppy disks seem to be OK. Right now I have it torturing the hard drive by formatting 2 partitions at once the slow way. I always did dislike the way the 2091 disk utility for 2.04 worked. After it's done formatting I'll get to see if all my old backups to floppy are still good.
So um what about that monitor problem well I still have that problem. I'm running the composite line into a TV card on my main PC system. Once I get the video set to the correct mode I'll at least be able to plug it into an older 19" CRT that can sync down to 30kHz. I won't be able to run any games but at least I'll have a desktop to mess with. First I have to retool an older adapter with a 15 pin vga female D-sub. I made it for using the monitor port and a 9 pin vga female D-sub for an older monitor/tv that is long gone. Money is in short supply here right now or I'd have bought an Indivision ECS to solve my monitor problem.
After I get the 2000 running right I'll probably take a stab at my highly modified A1000 020. I really hacked that poor little devil up. You don't see too many A1000's with the hand wired Dave Haynie memory mod and an internal Ronin 020 board. I did 5 of those memory mods for my friends and still have the logic chips and memory chips for one more.
That's it for now.
Jim
