Strange BPPC happenings....

[Ryu]

I have a BlizzardPPC card that has an 040@25mhz and a 603@240mhz, with onboard scsi. When she works she works fine... but this is the 2nd time in a week it has gone haywire, the only way I can bring it back to life is to reflash it... Whats up with that? it seems to be loosing its flash or its getting corrupted somehow.. but I cant see how. Naturally I would email DCE, but I very much doubt I would get an answer so thought id ask here, since its about my only option :-)

Thanks to all in advance for any light you might be able to shine on this gloomy matter.

[Ryu]

I must always pick the unanswerable questions :-)

[bloodline]

Ryu wrote:
I have a BlizzardPPC card that has an 040@25mhz and a 603@240mhz, with onboard scsi. When she works she works fine... but this is the 2nd time in a week it has gone haywire, the only way I can bring it back to life is to reflash it... Whats up with that? it seems to be loosing its flash or its getting corrupted somehow.. but I cant see how. Naturally I would email DCE, but I very much doubt I would get an answer so thought id ask here, since its about my only option :-)

Thanks to all in advance for any light you might be able to shine on this gloomy matter.

I have the Same card. I have never had your problem, but my guess is maybe the Flash chips have become heat damaged.

-Edit- I've seen a Sony Memory stick get senial, but that was due to heavy use.

[Ryu]

hmm yeah could be heat damage I guess so long as I can reflash it when it goes screwy then I can live with it, but if i cant then she'll be dead. I aint sending it anywhere near DCE!

[Ryu]

I dont spose anyone knows which chips are the flash chips?

[Neo]

Usually, a rectangular chip labeled 28C400, 29C400 or similar. (Doesn't have a BPPC)

[Jose]

Try contacting www.Amiga.fr
They repair PPC cards and are very helpfull in giving tips by mail. Don't just send the card to them cause it might be expensive, ask for a budget first.

[Brian Hoskins]

I have never heard of this problem with BPPC cards.  What exactly happens when the card goes faulty?

We do get general problems with Flash memory chips in some models of TVs we service at work, where a reflash will temporarily cure the problem.  This is not necessarily "heat damage", sometimes these devices just get damaged through general use.  They don't normally get hot on their own, and I'm not sure of the location of them on a BPPC board.

I have a BPPC Board here - I'll see if I can find out which is the flash IC! If the Flash is faulty, normally a replacement will restore normal operation

BrianH

[Brian Hoskins]

Ryu,

I think I may have found the Flash Mem IC.  I just had a quick look on the board, and I recognised an AM29F040 Flash Mem IC on there.  Looked it up on my IC database and returned the following results:

Am29F040

 4 Megabit (524,288 x 8-Bit) CMOS 5.0 Volt-only,

 Sector Erase Flash Memory

 DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS

 s

 5.0 V

 Â±

 10% for read and write operations

 â¤" Minimizes system level power requirements

 s

 Compatible with JEDEC-standards

 â¤" Pinout and software compatible with single-

 power-supply Flash



------------------

This IC is a slim, rectangular shaped device located on the RAM side of the board, to the right of the PPC Fan.

It might be worth confirming with someone who is faimilar with the workings of a BPPC that this is the main flash mem for the BPPC board (I think so).  If so, it can easily be replaced by a trained person with experience in SMD soldering.

I assume that once a replacement was fitted, a reflash would be possible and hopefully problem solved!

Talk to me on #AmiHelp and we'll discuss it

BrianH