I got ripped off on a dead Amiga 4000

[Daedalus]

Google's my friend :-) I agree with AlexH, he's just trying to fob you off. It doens't matter who you tell, your rights aren't affected. Mind you, it's probably courteous to try and sort it out with someone in private before telling the world about it, because at the end of the day, it could well have been working when he shipped it. But if you want to claim for it, you're no less entitled to do so just because you posted it on a forum.

Personally, if I sold something as working and it was DOA, I'd expect a chargeback; however, I'd also expect to get the broken item back because there's a change I might get it repaired, rather than the buyer just keeping his money and my item. But hey, that's not the real world any more, is it? *sigh*

[PulsatingQuasar]

They don't have to bulge or leak. They just dry out and don't perform their job anymore.

If you have capacitors with green writing on it then believe me, they are broken.

I have replaced the capacitors on 11 Amiga 4000 motherboards now and not a single one had green capacitors that were OK. Some didn't even look like they had leaked but snapped right off after applying some preasure because the pins had corroded underneath the capacitor.

So in short. ALL Amiga 4000 need repairs.

[tone007]

ALL Amiga 4000 need repairs.

What about one that's just been repaired?

If it ain't broke, don't fix it I say.  You may be correct in saying "ALL Amiga 4000 will need repairs," but if it's currently working, changing parts wouldn't be considered a repair, but preventive maintenance.

As for this thread, it has chronicled ceaser's complete disassembly of the machine in what could be considered amateurish attempts at repair.  I wouldn't expect the seller to take responsibility for a machine that was pulled apart and poked at by someone who may or may not be qualified to do so, not that this seller had taken any responsibility in the first place.  No guarantee means no guarantee.

[alexh]

They don't have to bulge or leak. They just dry out and don't perform their job anymore. If you have capacitors with green writing on it then believe me, they are broken.

Not sure I do believe you. However you have empirical evidence I don't, other than I have two working A4000's that have never had a repair and do not visually look like they need a repair. (Watch them break tomorrow

I have replaced the capacitors on 11 Amiga 4000 motherboards now

Who are you? And how come people are sending you their motherboards?

[wawrzon]

from what was discussed over and over on german a1k.org forum by aware people *all* a4ks will need cap replacement session some time soon. there even is a video instruction how to do it, unfortunately in german as well. just to admit, i have had one flaky board refurbished but for the rest i still didnt move my a**. since all is working for the time being. my bad.

[ceaser]

As for this thread, it has chronicled ceaser's complete disassembly of the machine in what could be considered amateurish attempts at repair.  I wouldn't expect the seller to take responsibility for a machine that was pulled apart and poked at by someone who may or may not be qualified to do so, not that this seller had taken any responsibility in the first place.  No guarantee means no guarantee.

You're stuck up aren't you?  I didn't take anything apart until it was definite that it wasn't working.  This motherboard was crapped out when I got it.  That's just it.  I don't repair motherboards.  I don't desolder and replace chips on them.  I just did the basics.  Maybe you fix computers in an "amateurish" fashion.  WTF does that even mean?

I took $100 back from this loser of a seller because I wanted the case and the Highflyer expansion card and the Amtrade HD floppy drive.  He sold it as "working" and per Ebay rules, that means it was supposed to be "working" when I got it.  This chip didn't just suddenly stop working in the 2-3 days while it was in shipping.  He was stupid to sell it as "working."  You should always sell old hardware "as-is."  This guy wouldn't talk to me and I waited about 18 days before I posted about it on a forum.  I put the auction number because I don't have a good digital camera and there were good pictures on the auction.

I didn't get the option to get my money back and keep his computer.  That isn't how it works.  I only had the option to haggle for a long time or a short time for a partial refund.  And no broken computer is worth a lot of money.

[save2600]

They don't have to bulge or leak. They just dry out and don't perform their job anymore.

Caught this comment and a reply where AlexH was kinda getting upset at the prospect of his
Miggy's needing repair someday (it's inevitable anyway), but as an electronics repair guy for
the last 30 years - I can confirm that PulsatingQuasar's above statement is factual. It's
actually more rare (and a serviceman's dream) that there *is* physical evidence that a
component has failed. Makes our job that much easier and it's usually never
"easy"!   :-(

And yeah, it's total BS that some ratfink talked to the seller about this and his response
of no longer obligated to help. Totally counterproductive. Wasn't it something like 18 days
before he had actually heard from the seller? Weird. In any event, I do agree though and
this has been mentioned before - there are too many unprofessional sellers on ePay, but
at the same time, probably just as many clueless buyers that have more dollars than cents.
Not saying this is the case at all. Just seems the people with money spend it a little more
foolishly than those who know exactly what they are buying. Hence the (often) outrageous
prices old computer stuff goes for on ePay - where "buyers" from a specialised forum such
as this would never pay those rates. Just an observation.

[ceaser]

Hey I wasn't going to ever goto this post again because I thought I had fixed my problem.  I bought a motherboard and as soon as I get it all closed up and working again, it started a little tiny bit yesterday, but now there's this HUGE ear ringing audio interference.  I tried turning off electronics next to it and stuff yesterday and it stopped but just like anything broken it got worse.  Irony is that the guy who's motherboard I couldn't get the key lock problem fixed on (without me trying to solder in a chip that might not have even been the right chip) had actually had his audio connectors replaced.

So this is a different motherboard.  Battery has been removed by myself.  It was exploded when I got it.  And please don't tell me "oh the battery suddenly just releaked junk that wasn't there and it broke your sound."  Give me constructive advice on how to a) get those audio connectors off the other motherboard and solder them onto this one.  b) how to ground the audio connectors from this motherboard or SOMETHING so they stop getting interference from everything within 20 ft (maybe an unprofessional style fix that's worked for someone in the past without me having to completely resolder the new audio connectors on, but I know no matter what that's what I'll end up doing because it's looking like Amiga audio cards are hard to find.  At least I don't see one up at Fleabay, and I guess you already have to know specific models to buy from amibay, kind of.  I don't even know the brand of someone who makes one).

Man my luck really sucks.

http://amiga.serveftp.net/audio_repair.html

Is this what I actually have to do???

See it's both of them so it looks like that means some capacitor needs replacement maybe.  Maybe the audio jacks are just fine.

hey this says it happens regularly only on these boards and i got a A4000 rev. B not D or T
"A common fault exists with "classic" Amiga motherboards based on surface mount device (SMD) technology.
These are the A600, A1200, CD32, A4000D and A4000T."

that other motherboard was rev. C that i was working on before

from that link just above

[coldfish]

Sound's like you're in over your head.

I've been "messing about" with electronics for 30 odd years and a surface mount motherboard with "issues" is one of those jobs I'd give myself a 10% chance of solving. If I cant solve it in the first hour of testing and observation I probably cant fix it.

I suggest taking it to a electronic engineer/repairer and saving yourself the headache.

[ceaser]

I am, but guess what.  I pulled out a speaker wire to do the old grounding trick, put a wire from a hardware screw on the case to a screw on a big power supply beneath the computer desk.  It buzzed still pretty bad.  So I loosed the screw on the opposite side to put another speaker wire to a different place to ground.  The loosening of those 2 case screws caused it to stop buzzing.  Not just a little.  I mean it's back to normal.  I assume this is going to need a full workup on all caps that deal with the sound if I want it back to original but instead I got what I wanted maybe... If it stays working.  I'm going to look for a really nice Amiga Zorro sound card and buy that and not use the regular Lisa chip audio again.

The battle with this odd machine is won again for now.

[Mightyzorlac]

For too long now we've had to put up with being ripped off on ebay with lowlife sellers flogging  15-20 year old hardware that barely works :madashell: or arrives dead, I mean some people wanting over 250 quid for A1200 are u out of your mind?
 
The best way to go is the Minimig or Sam 440 way. I for one will never use ebay or Erip off as call it to buy any more amiga hardware:furious:

[gertsy]

The best way is to ask questions before you buy, and not expect a postal or courier service to deliver 15yo electronics mixed with metal intact.  The other option is not to buy, or only use pickup. then you can also test it on site..

Gertsy (Bed time..goodnight, there's only "7 minutes to midnight")

[amiga4000freak]

hi m8

I have there same problem but my power led is flickering and im getting a grey screen

[magnetic]

@Ceaser,
If you are going to own an Amiga system, you MUST NOT be afraid to remove and reseat chips and components. That's common sense 101 when dealing with vintage computers.

Using a very small flat blade screwdriver, you may carefully pry up one end of a chip (I.C.). When you feel the pins have moved up slightly, you may then press down on the chip to reseat it. That "fixes" most chip/socket problems. If not, the more aggressive thing to do is remove the chip completely (working your screwdriver from one end to the other carefully and slowly) and press it back in again.

Save 2600 though you are a long time amigan and vintage collector I dont think this is good advice at all especially for a noob.

1. If you are NOT comfortable working on your vintage machine yourself Please DO NOT do so and get an expert who can. Preferbly a dealer or former service tech.

2. DO NOT use a "screwdriver" on ANY chip extraction if you can help it. Use the proper tool. (an ic chip puller)  Not sure why  he recommended using a plcc pullern (which is correct for socketed PLCC chips - even though this Can be done with a screwdriver if you are foolish)  and not recommending an ic puller instead of a screwdriver for the other chips..

[psxphill]

Not sure why he recommended using a plcc pullern (which is correct for socketed PLCC chips - even though this Can be done with a screwdriver if you are foolish) and not recommending an ic puller instead of a screwdriver for the other chips..

If you are careful you can get away with a screwdriver on a DIP chip a couple of times before the legs bend so much they break. Then you end up soldering new legs on or replacing the chip. It's not that hard to fix your mistake.
 
With PLCC it's different. The force you put on the socket causes it to crack and replacing a PLCC socket on a board is a very long and boring task. That is speaking from experience when I was young and thought that a PLCC puller was too expensive and a screwdriver would do :-)

[mechy]

I had the exact same problem before.  I absolutely could not get it running again.  The problem started on a very hot day in 1997 when the air conditioning was broken.  So I figured something melted and it was hopeless.

So my poor A4000/040 sat in a box for several years.  Finally, in 2004 I gave it away FOR FREE to an experienced Amiga guy.  He got it running on the very first day!  He didn't even swap out any parts!  WTH!?  He said he just took everything apart, cleaned it thoroughly and put it all back together and it worked.

Then he sold it on Ebay for a zillion $.

Not to hijack this guys thread BUT:
you quote this ridiculous story on many message boards every few years and get it wrong 90% of the time. that guy was ME! :rolleyes:
the 4k you sent had rat piss(or cat piss) and droppings in it. It had cap leaks that ate a trace on the 3640 that i repaired,and battery leakage as well as audio circuit problems.broken simm connectors i had to replace. I sent your items asap and you took many months to send me the 4000. I didnt get it free, i traded you working parts for a sight unseen amiga 4000 and even tossed in a new amiga mouse because you had whined your current mouse was bad.
the only part you got right was i did get it working in a day,but it did need lotsa parts(caps,coin cell battery,massive cleaning etc) and work to fix it.
I still have the 4000 here today and i did not sell it on ebay and make a zillion $$.
I'm sorry you have sour grapes,but there was a fair deal done here-i sent what you asked for quickly and you sent what i took a chance on (many months later.) You forgot to mention the rat terds and pee in the thing and battery damage and broken simm connectors but you didnt hear me whining about it since i took it sight unseen.

Mech