Possible to determine A500 board revision without opening the case?

[Colani1200]

Is there a software tool to determine the board revision of an A500 without opening the case? Or any other possibility?

[shaf]

use Sysinfo to determine the Agnus Revision, only the last boards v7 had a 2M Agnus.

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Is there a software tool to determine the board revision of an A500 without opening the case? Or any other possibility?

I think this question has been asked before, and AFAIK no, not with any certainty.  A couple ideas though:  an older model will typically have a red power light (revision 3, 4, or 5), newer model will have a green power light (revision 6 or 8 motherboard).  This is not with 100% certainty, however, since many motherboards and keyboards get swapped around.

Another suggestion would be to check amount of available chip memory - a newer model would be more likely to have 1MB or 2MB.  Again, not 100%.

Am sure others will come along with other tips!  

[orange]

I think mine has red power LED and its rev 6.
kickstart version might be helpful.
also, perhaps, serial number and date (if there is one).

otherwise get some tiny camera and use vent slots?

[Astral]

I have never heard of a tool to do this. What benefit would there be besides saving a few minutes of undoing a few screws to visually check yourself?

If there was a tool, as others have hinted at, I don't think there would be one to do it accurately. "Educated guess" "likely scenario" results would be possible based on hardware configuration such as RAM, Agnus and so on...........but not an "accurate conclusion". Too many possible overlapping variables and user hacks/modifications would be why it would only be a "guess".

[Colani1200]

I have never heard of a tool to do this. What benefit would there be besides saving a few minutes of undoing a few screws to visually check yourself?

Intact warranty seal. + Saving time when you have to check a large number of machines.

[Tenacious]

Intact warranty seal. + Saving time when you have to check a large number of machines.

I probably don't see your requirement.

If you never intend to open it up, why would you care?  SysInfo will reveal how the memory is mapped, report the KS version, and distinguish the ECS (versions?) from the OCS chips.  Is there something else?

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Intact warranty seal. + Saving time when you have to check a large number of machines.

Just what are you getting at here?  How many machines do you have?  

[psxphill]

Is there a software tool to determine the board revision of an A500 without opening the case? Or any other possibility?

No, the motherboard revision can only be determined by opening the case.
 
You can find out the kickstart version & whether it's OCS/ECS but that doesn't pin down the motherboard revision.

[Astral]

If you never intend to open it up, why would you care?

Because knowing if it's OCS or ECS, may satisfy your OCD! OMG LOL

[smerf]

Intact warranty seal. + Saving time when you have to check a large number of machines.

Hi,

Oh no, I just opened up and repaired my Amiga 500, does that mean I lost my warranty with Commodore?

Not only that but I found out that my book with the same version B didn't match up with the computer V B. Then after looking around I found out that there were 3 different version B rock lobsters (all that I could find) and yet my ver B did not match any of the three. (sigh).

and then today I find out that I lost my warranty with Commodore? Could things get any worse?

Oh, woe is me!!!

smerf

[Tenacious]

Gee wiz!  This is a tuff thread.

[AndyFC]

Simply the motherboard revision can't be determined in software.

On other platforms where software can recognise the motherboard, because that information is stored on one of the chips e.g. the BIOS, the software might still not pick up an individual revision. A real example is that I have a PC with an Asus A8N-SLI motherboard which was replaced under warranty. The new board was ever-so slightly updated with a fan power header in a different place and so probably some other changes. But it was still an A8N-SLI and nothing reported any differences.

On an Amiga 500, the motherboard is the green circuit board containing the tracks and sockets. The other bits such as the actual chips and LEDs can be interchangeable. (I THINK that some people have even taken an A500 OCS and put in ECS chips to effectively make it a 500+). So if the information to determine a motherboard is stored in a chip, and you have swapped that chip out, the information reported back would be wrong.

[Colani1200]

I probably don't see your requirement.

If you never intend to open it up, why would you care?

Just out of interest. And if it is a revision that can be easily expanded to 1 MB chip RAM onboard, I might decide to open it.

Just what are you getting at here?  How many machines do you have?  

6 or 7 (I think).

Oh no, I just opened up and repaired my Amiga 500, does that mean I lost my warranty with Commodore?

Yes, it's wothless now. Better give it to me.

Gee wiz!  This is a tuff thread.

Sorry for starting this...

[Astral]

I've come up with an idea to avoid opening the case and destroying the warranty seal to view the revision.

Just drill a big fricken' 2" round hole through the top of the case and through the sheidling. It will be there in all it's glory. Dada - warranty seal intact!