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Offline MrChockyTopic starter

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Amiga 3000 new owner
« on: October 19, 2025, 12:45:48 AM »
First of all, I know this is going to be FAQ questions etc, but I'm not even sure what questions I ought to be asking right now. In my defence, I have read this:

https://www.zimmers.net/cbmpics/cbm/amiga/a3000guide.txt

Please send me to any other material I ought to read up front, before even posting here, etc, etc.

I am extremely familiar with Acorn machines and PCs of the era, but my practical Commodore knowledge is very limited.

Anyway, I have just received a Amiga 3000. It boots to kickstart 3.1. What I *don't* have is a workbench floppy. It is trying to boot from the internal drive (the LED is on anyway), but the machine came with a SCSI scanner, CD drive and switch box, so perhaps the termination was changed - I don't know.

One thing I did check was the CMOS battery situation - looks like someone replaced it with some Radio Shack version with some velcro and clips which, and one lead was not particularly attached to the motherboard, so I have removed it for now. I understand some of the SCSI setup is tied up in that. I'm well aware that the SCSI drive might already be dead, or if not, is not likely to last.

The machine was not well packed, and one corner of the chassis was beat up on the corner with the audio out (was able to bend back) - I think it's going to be OK, but it's not impossible there is other damage.

The one single floppy I do have is for the "Advanced Amiga Analyzer". This shows me that the tank mouse I got is not behaving well vertically, although I did take it apart and clean it up a bunch. The memory test crashes. It will also boot to this from an external floppy drive that came with it.

There was a Great Valley IO expander and Video card fitted - I have taken those out for now just in case they are causing problems.

So what ought to be my first port of call here? Should I chase down a Work Bench disk so I can actually try things out?

Thanks in advance.
 

Offline Tumbleweed

Re: Amiga 3000 new owner
« Reply #1 on: October 19, 2025, 04:53:46 PM »
Welcome to the world of Amiga  :D

If the machine is booting to the kickstart screen thats a positive. Get a copy of Workbench on floppy WB3.1 is easily available. Also get a copy of Amiga Test Kit (on git hub here https://github.com/keirf/Amiga-Stuff/releases); VAT (Versatile Amiga Test Progam) is also worth getting hold of (Aminet) https://www.aminet.net/package/util/misc/VATestprogram. You can use both to test the machine for hardware faults.

If the 3000 is your only amiga writing to floppy is going to be a challenge.

One option would be to use a Gotek drive either internal or external. I had this challenge with an A2000. My solution was to get a gotek and install it replacing DF0: (main floppy drive). https://www.amigakit.com/amiga-gotek-floppy-drive-emulator-grey-p-1284.html?aksid=aemcuud9uoelsli3islsvsj474&currency=GBP&aksid=aemcuud9uoelsli3islsvsj474 I could then download the .adf's and write them to a USB stick and used that to boot into WB3.1.

Good luck.

Weed


« Last Edit: October 19, 2025, 04:56:24 PM by Tumbleweed »
A3000T, Cybervision64, CSMKII 060; A3000D, PicassoII, Z3 Fastlane; A2000D, 040, PicassoII; A4000D, A1200, Blizzard 030 MKIV  (not working - next project)