A4000T booting

[patrik]

@reidster:

An A4000T should not have a DB9 RGB connector nor a DIN RGB connector if not a third-party addon is fitted. The only DB9 connectors it has as standard are the mouse/joystick-ports and the only thing it has resembling a DIN RGB connector is the keyboard connector. The port for the A4000T's native RGB-output is the DB23 female.

If you can take a picture of the back of your A4000T and post it here, I am sure you will get help with identifying all the connectors.


/Patrik

[billt]

If you have an Amiga RGB monitor (not SVGA), make sure the A4000T's monitor output is working, I'm not sure what these DB-9 or DIN connectors are that you speak of, my A4000T doesn't have them. Perhaps they're some video editing cards that aren't usable for the OS Workbench/desktop display?

If an Amiga monitor works this way, you should be good, and find out what the heck those other connectors are coming from. Once you know what card that is you can start finding out if you can use Cybergraphics or Picasso96 drivers with it to possibly run the OS display instead of through the A4000T's monitor output.

If the Amiga monitor don't work, you may need to reseat the A4000T's video riser card. I used to have a problem with that and/or the SCSI riser coming loose as they'r eboth on pin headers, and I eventually got sick of it wacking out every time the tide came and went and used some hot glue to hold them in place better. I always hated PCs that used hot glue and I wanted to change something, but my A4000T really needed it! (Now I build my own PCs instead of taking on old hand-me-downs from crazy older manufacturers)

[reidster]

The DB-9 connector I speak of is the RGB connector on the back of the monitor.  I am using the DB-23 connector on the A/V riser.  I have already tried reseating it.  The two video cables I have available are the DB-23 to DB-9 cable and a DB-23 to DIN cable.  Two of the Commodore monitors I have have  DB-9 RGB connectors, the other has a DIN RGB connector.

[X-ray]

Is it possible that when you tested the barebones system, you took out too many cards? By that I mean that a barebones A4000T system still has the following cards/daughter boards installed:

1) CPU card
2) Ports module (connected by two ribbon cables to the motherboard)
3) Disks module (the one with the internal floppy and SCSI connector and the Micro-D external SCSI connector)
4) AV Module (D-23 video, L + R RCA audio, and 3.5 headphone jack)

If you haven't already tried that barebones configuration (minus any hard-drive and other cards), then try that first. If still no luck you could try to get hold of an RF modulator and see if you can get a display through your TV set. If you want to make sure the whole AV module isn't broken, you could ask a US member to send you a public domain game on a floppy (something with loading music), and you can see if you at least get audio out of the RCA connectors on the AV module.

[Abou27]

Does the harddrive seeking continue indefinitely?  After the several minutes you speak of, do you have a "stable" system? I.e. does power led remain constant and floppy keep on clicking?  What is the reaction to putting in any floppy disk?

[reidster]

ok, I've tried the "barebones" setup as described.  nothing new.  with the hard drive disconnected, the clicking continues indefinitely.  Inserting a floppy causes the light to come on momentarily, then the computer just sits there.  

With the room finally quiet, I discovered that the hard disk seeking continues for about 20 seconds, stops, hard disk light goes out.  Inserting a floppy at this point does nothing.

I found a bunch of disks today, nothing useful I'm afraid.  I have a driver disk for the DKB 3128 ram board and 46 Video Toaster 4000 disks.

cable wise, I have a DB-23 to DB-9, a DB-23 to round 6 pin connector.  I do not have any sort of composite or RF adapter.  I've tried 4 Commodore monitors now.

[X-ray]

That sounds promising. Basically, aside from the blank screen the computer seems to be doing all the things it sould be as a barebones system. If nobody closer to you volunteers, I will send you a floppy disc that plays music so you can verify that this is a display issue alone. I also may have a spare AV module that I can lend you for the purpose of testing. Give it a day or two and if nobody offers, PM  me your address and I'll send the disk to you (and the AV moduloe, if I can find it).

You must get that baby working, it is a fine classic Amiga.