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Author Topic: Commodore A4000T troubleshooting  (Read 5392 times)

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Offline bitmanTopic starter

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Commodore A4000T troubleshooting
« on: March 24, 2013, 12:40:24 AM »
Today I picked up a Commodore Amiga 4000T (pictures) - it was bought as untested/not working, since we couldn't get it up and running at the seller.

After some troubleshooting (replacing processor, mem and disabling all cards), I found out that it only  works if I kill the IDE disc (have tried 2 HDs).

The machine is stripped down - so only Floppy and SCSI CD rom is connected to the drive module. And the IDE disc is connected to the IDE pins on the mobo.

But it wont boot with the IDE attached - any known issues (have consulted the manual)
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BigBookOfAmigaHardware.com. C A4000T/060/PIV, 4xA4000/040, A4000/030, 2x A600, 5 x A500, 2xA500+, 3xA2000, A1200/030@50/4mb, A1200/ACA030, A1200/030@50/32mb, A1200/030@50/32mb, A1200/020/4mb, 2xA1200/020/8mb, 2xA1200, CDTV, 2xCD32, A1000, 4xC64, C128D, C128 + many more
 

Offline esc

Re: Commodore A4000T troubleshooting
« Reply #1 on: March 24, 2013, 12:50:13 AM »
It won't boot, as in black screen?  Different color screen?  Does it give you the "insert disk" screen?

Also, I saw you got an A3000 mobo in the lot.  I have an empty a3000 case.  Maybe we can work something out...send me a pm.  :)
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Offline Akiko

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Re: Commodore A4000T troubleshooting
« Reply #2 on: March 24, 2013, 01:06:49 AM »
is that an original Commodore A4000T?
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Offline bitmanTopic starter

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Re: Commodore A4000T troubleshooting
« Reply #3 on: March 24, 2013, 01:07:17 AM »
Yes, just black screen.
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BigBookOfAmigaHardware.com. C A4000T/060/PIV, 4xA4000/040, A4000/030, 2x A600, 5 x A500, 2xA500+, 3xA2000, A1200/030@50/4mb, A1200/ACA030, A1200/030@50/32mb, A1200/030@50/32mb, A1200/020/4mb, 2xA1200/020/8mb, 2xA1200, CDTV, 2xCD32, A1000, 4xC64, C128D, C128 + many more
 

Offline bitmanTopic starter

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Re: Commodore A4000T troubleshooting
« Reply #4 on: March 24, 2013, 01:07:57 AM »
Quote from: Akiko;730123
is that an original Commodore A4000T?

Yes, very original.
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BigBookOfAmigaHardware.com. C A4000T/060/PIV, 4xA4000/040, A4000/030, 2x A600, 5 x A500, 2xA500+, 3xA2000, A1200/030@50/4mb, A1200/ACA030, A1200/030@50/32mb, A1200/030@50/32mb, A1200/020/4mb, 2xA1200/020/8mb, 2xA1200, CDTV, 2xCD32, A1000, 4xC64, C128D, C128 + many more
 

Offline Akiko

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Re: Commodore A4000T troubleshooting
« Reply #5 on: March 24, 2013, 01:09:18 AM »
Wow.. Congrats :)
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Offline bitmanTopic starter

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Re: Commodore A4000T troubleshooting
« Reply #6 on: March 24, 2013, 01:11:52 AM »
@Akiko

Thanks - this is what the beauty looks like:
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BigBookOfAmigaHardware.com. C A4000T/060/PIV, 4xA4000/040, A4000/030, 2x A600, 5 x A500, 2xA500+, 3xA2000, A1200/030@50/4mb, A1200/ACA030, A1200/030@50/32mb, A1200/030@50/32mb, A1200/020/4mb, 2xA1200/020/8mb, 2xA1200, CDTV, 2xCD32, A1000, 4xC64, C128D, C128 + many more
 

Offline midway

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Re: Commodore A4000T troubleshooting
« Reply #7 on: March 24, 2013, 02:27:21 AM »
Nice!

Ide cable intact? Hd on cable select, master or slave? Set on the terminal connector? Sometimes the ide cable is misplaced connecting not all pins...
Although you would have seen that.

Try another ide harddisk, maybe its dead. Does it spin up? Feel with your finger if you cant hear it.
Try a cdrom (ide) if you dont have another hd.
Can you take some pictures from the inside?
« Last Edit: March 24, 2013, 02:30:38 AM by midway »
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Offline smerf

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Re: Commodore A4000T troubleshooting
« Reply #8 on: March 24, 2013, 05:26:50 AM »
Quote from: bitman;730120
Today I picked up a Commodore Amiga 4000T (pictures) - it was bought as untested/not working, since we couldn't get it up and running at the seller.

After some troubleshooting (replacing processor, mem and disabling all cards), I found out that it only  works if I kill the IDE disc (have tried 2 HDs).

The machine is stripped down - so only Floppy and SCSI CD rom is connected to the drive module. And the IDE disc is connected to the IDE pins on the mobo.

But it wont boot with the IDE attached - any known issues (have consulted the manual)


Hi,

Hate to tell you this but it sounds like a weak power supply breaking down under load, but if you have another hard drive try that first, doesn't have to be super huge, just something to hook up that you know runs well in another computer. If it still blanks out then you know your power supply can be breaking down under load.

smerf
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Offline smerf

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Re: Commodore A4000T troubleshooting
« Reply #9 on: March 24, 2013, 05:29:28 AM »
Hi again,

If you can try hooking up a cdrom instead of hard drive, if it still blanks out, then disconnect the cdrom, and see if it runs again. In other words try to load down the power supply and see what happens. If you have other things in there that you can disconnect like 64 megs of memory, try reducing it down to say 8 megs, or if you have a graphics card, try disconnecting. In other words keep the hard drive in but disconnect other things to lighten the load, this will show if you are overloading the Power supply or if it is breaking down under load.

smerf
« Last Edit: March 24, 2013, 05:32:59 AM by smerf »
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Offline dannyp1

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Re: Commodore A4000T troubleshooting
« Reply #10 on: March 24, 2013, 05:36:18 AM »
Could you post a picture of the label with the serial number from the back of the tower?  Thanks!
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Offline Markus_Bieler

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Re: Commodore A4000T troubleshooting
« Reply #11 on: March 24, 2013, 07:28:05 AM »
- If you have a spare powerunit, then connect  the HDD to that one and try again.
 - The hdd is spinning up?
 - press both mousebuttons on startup (early boot/startup screen), tell what you see there
 - Sometimes a bad RDB can issue this failure

But I guess it is a bad powerunit. They are old now and at that time C= hadn't as much money as to the times of the A3000, so they used cheaper parts.

Could also be leaking electronic components on the motherboard.

Markus (A4000T, but AT-version)
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Offline bitmanTopic starter

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Re: Commodore A4000T troubleshooting
« Reply #12 on: March 24, 2013, 09:15:07 AM »
HD jumper is set to Master - have a few other HD's and CD-cards that I can test out. Will also test it with an extra power supply, but the drive spins up without problems.

Will also test the IDE cable.
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BigBookOfAmigaHardware.com. C A4000T/060/PIV, 4xA4000/040, A4000/030, 2x A600, 5 x A500, 2xA500+, 3xA2000, A1200/030@50/4mb, A1200/ACA030, A1200/030@50/32mb, A1200/030@50/32mb, A1200/020/4mb, 2xA1200/020/8mb, 2xA1200, CDTV, 2xCD32, A1000, 4xC64, C128D, C128 + many more
 

Offline bitmanTopic starter

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Re: Commodore A4000T troubleshooting
« Reply #13 on: March 24, 2013, 09:29:15 AM »
Here's a few more pics from the inside. Note that the sticker on the back says EU and the silverlabel has a note about "funkenstort".

To my knowledge, the seller worked at CBM Denmark.

The two mobo pictures is available as highres at BBOAH
« Last Edit: March 24, 2013, 09:58:07 AM by bitman »
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BigBookOfAmigaHardware.com. C A4000T/060/PIV, 4xA4000/040, A4000/030, 2x A600, 5 x A500, 2xA500+, 3xA2000, A1200/030@50/4mb, A1200/ACA030, A1200/030@50/32mb, A1200/030@50/32mb, A1200/020/4mb, 2xA1200/020/8mb, 2xA1200, CDTV, 2xCD32, A1000, 4xC64, C128D, C128 + many more
 

Offline Amiga_CDTV

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Re: Commodore A4000T troubleshooting
« Reply #14 on: March 24, 2013, 11:42:53 AM »
Congrats! It's a gorgeus machine. And wow, from CBM Denmark. Does the machine have an original HDD installed? Any insider-CBM software in there?

Is there something wrong with the front door or is it just taped for transport?

If you want to replace the PSU, get a ATX to AT PSU adapter (like this). I use one in my (AT) A4000T.
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Commodore KIM-1, PET-2001, CBM 8032, CBM 8050, CBM 8250LP, D9060, VIC-20, C64, C64c, 1541, 1541-II, 1571, 1581,
Amiga A1000, A1060 Sidecar, A500, CDTV, CD32, 1084S, A1200, A1200 Magic Pack from Petro, ex-custom-case A3000T (now a complete A3000T), repaired A4000T and looking for more :)
 
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