A4000 showconfig says 'Denise', no AGA modes

OverDose · 30 March 2011, 09:26

This is a strange one. In OS 3.1 on an A4000 showconfig is reporting Alice and Denise. In Preferences, I can only choose OCS screenmodes (PAL and NTSC, 16 colours).

I installed OS 3.9, and showing now Lisa and Alice. But still only can have 16 colours and PAL/NTSC screens.

The only thing I can think might be a problem, is I have a Cybervision3D/64 with flicker fixer.

alexh · 30 March 2011, 09:31

Try an AGA demo? Something which bangs the metal. If it doesn't work... probably motherboard damage... maybe due to battery leaking?

StingRay · 30 March 2011, 11:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by OverDose

This is a strange one. In OS 3.1 on an A4000 showconfig is reporting Alice and Denise. In Preferences, I can only choose OCS screenmodes (PAL and NTSC, 16 colours).

Check if Setpatch is executed in your startup-sequence.

OverDose · 31 March 2011, 13:34

AGA demo worked (Trsi's Artifice). I am assuming Setpatch is running ok, it's a fresh 3.9 install...
I think I might have a dodgy board.

StingRay · 31 March 2011, 14:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by OverDose

I am assuming Setpatch is running ok, it's a fresh 3.9 install...

Assuming != knowing.

Open a shell and execute Setpatch there, then you'll know for sure.

OverDose · 31 March 2011, 14:22

Given the other weirdness I had with this board, I decided to swap in the old one. And it works. Still need to get it all back together, but looks like progress.

alexh · 31 March 2011, 14:53

If the demo worked... then it is more likely to be a software / OS issue.

Hewitson · 31 March 2011, 16:22

It's surely got to be something to do with setpatch. Never assume anything with computers (or women).

OverDose · 31 March 2011, 17:15

If I get another CPU card, I will put this strange board into a spare A4000 case I have, and have a bit more of a play around.

The software is the same on the new system and the old system, so it is a hardware/software interaction. After booting, I opened Preferences -> Screenmode, and all the missing screen modes were there (super72, vga etc) and 256 colour was there. So, without any software changes, and just a mainboard swap, it worked.

The demo may have worked, because it didn't bother checking if the AGA was there and working, whereas the OS probably did check, and found something amiss.

Hewitson · 01 April 2011, 01:30

The reason Super72, VGA, etc. didn't show up on your other machine is because they were still in their default location of SYS:Storage/Monitors. They need to be copied/moved to DEVS:Monitors if you want to use them.

OverDose · 03 April 2011, 04:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hewitson

The reason Super72, VGA, etc. didn't show up on your other machine is because they were still in their default location of SYS:Storage/Monitors. They need to be copied/moved to DEVS:Monitors if you want to use them.

Lol, yeah I did copy them, but still didn't show up on the old board, although I should have still been able to select 256 colour modes for the PAL/NTSC screens. They showed up straight away on the new board, without any software changes.

However, after swapping in this new board, it crashed out after a restart with amber screen on boot. Suspecting RAM (it did this also on the old board before I swapped out the RAM, but I put the original RAM back in), I took it apart to swap it out. Then it wouldn't boot with the busboard installed, and now not at all.

I suspect that both boards have damage (or maybe it is the CPU board?), so the A4000 is on hold until Scott returns from the Antarctic. I'll send off one or both boards for repair. Reading around, I would not be surprised if there is either more battery damage, or the caps need replacing.

So, I've moved the A1200 back to the desk, and will try to get that running satisfactorily. Funnily enough, the A2000 has been no trouble.

altcomputing · 04 November 2013, 22:59

Just got very similar problem with the A4000 board i'm working on repairing. Battery has eaten quite a bit, especially around the U891 so it has gone off and taken pads with it, also some damage was to U177 and U976. Everything was repaired and seems to work fine (FastRAM is recognized correctly, as well as RTC chip). The board is running completely stable. But, I cannot get AGA modes to work.

I run a setup of a bare A4000/030 + 16Megs of Fast. Kick 3.0, fresh ClassicWB FULL setup. AGA chips are properly recognized. This must be a HW issue, as Scout reports 16bit (1x), single CAS bandwidth to ChipRAM instead of 32bit (4x) double CAS as is the case with my other A4000 and A1200. So there must be some signal missing somewhere around RTC area that causes Alice to use only 1/4 the bandwitdh.

Any ideas?

Attached here are pics of how it look in Scout and ScreenMode prefs.

altcomputing · 04 November 2013, 23:37

PROBLEM SOLVED!

I had to replace U976 with new IC. After that, works like a charm!

See:

Tumo007 · 06 November 2013, 01:03

What is U976? The board is which rev? B? Could you post a pic of the area?

Thanks

zipper · 06 November 2013, 09:22

U975/U976 - 74HCT166T (SMD)

Loedown · 06 November 2013, 09:36

Captain Obvious I know, but that board needs some urgent attention Zipper!

hooverphonique · 06 November 2013, 10:08

yes, that board needs some TLC, for sure!

pin 2 and 3 of U976 configures if the system is single or double access and 16 or 32 bit. the rest of its inputs are connected to the J975 connector.

zipper · 06 November 2013, 10:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loedown

Captain Obvious I know, but that board needs some urgent attention Zipper!

Somebody other's problem (pic link from Amibay)
I did have a similar but much smaller prob, just one via needed repair.

zipper · 06 November 2013, 10:52

part of schematics:

30 March 2011, 09:26	#1
OverDose Lover of teh classic Join Date: May 2009 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 128	A4000 showconfig says 'Denise', no AGA modes This is a strange one. In OS 3.1 on an A4000 showconfig is reporting Alice and Denise. In Preferences, I can only choose OCS screenmodes (PAL and NTSC, 16 colours). I installed OS 3.9, and showing now Lisa and Alice. But still only can have 16 colours and PAL/NTSC screens. The only thing I can think might be a problem, is I have a Cybervision3D/64 with flicker fixer.

06 November 2013, 10:52	#19
zipper Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: finland Posts: 1,837	part of schematics: Attached Thumbnails

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30 March 2011, 09:31	#2
alexh Thalion Webshrine Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oxford Posts: 14,331	Try an AGA demo? Something which bangs the metal. If it doesn't work... probably motherboard damage... maybe due to battery leaking?

31 March 2011, 13:34	#4
OverDose Lover of teh classic Join Date: May 2009 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 128	AGA demo worked (Trsi's Artifice). I am assuming Setpatch is running ok, it's a fresh 3.9 install... I think I might have a dodgy board.

31 March 2011, 14:22	#6
OverDose Lover of teh classic Join Date: May 2009 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 128	Given the other weirdness I had with this board, I decided to swap in the old one. And it works. Still need to get it all back together, but looks like progress.

31 March 2011, 14:53	#7
alexh Thalion Webshrine Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oxford Posts: 14,331	If the demo worked... then it is more likely to be a software / OS issue.

31 March 2011, 16:22	#8
Hewitson Registered User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Melbourne, Australia Age: 41 Posts: 3,771	It's surely got to be something to do with setpatch. Never assume anything with computers (or women).

31 March 2011, 17:15	#9
OverDose Lover of teh classic Join Date: May 2009 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 128	If I get another CPU card, I will put this strange board into a spare A4000 case I have, and have a bit more of a play around. The software is the same on the new system and the old system, so it is a hardware/software interaction. After booting, I opened Preferences -> Screenmode, and all the missing screen modes were there (super72, vga etc) and 256 colour was there. So, without any software changes, and just a mainboard swap, it worked. The demo may have worked, because it didn't bother checking if the AGA was there and working, whereas the OS probably did check, and found something amiss.

01 April 2011, 01:30	#10
Hewitson Registered User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Melbourne, Australia Age: 41 Posts: 3,771	The reason Super72, VGA, etc. didn't show up on your other machine is because they were still in their default location of SYS:Storage/Monitors. They need to be copied/moved to DEVS:Monitors if you want to use them.

04 November 2013, 22:59	#12
altcomputing MC68060@85MHz Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Poland/Wroclaw Age: 38 Posts: 76	Just got very similar problem with the A4000 board i'm working on repairing. Battery has eaten quite a bit, especially around the U891 so it has gone off and taken pads with it, also some damage was to U177 and U976. Everything was repaired and seems to work fine (FastRAM is recognized correctly, as well as RTC chip). The board is running completely stable. But, I cannot get AGA modes to work. I run a setup of a bare A4000/030 + 16Megs of Fast. Kick 3.0, fresh ClassicWB FULL setup. AGA chips are properly recognized. This must be a HW issue, as Scout reports 16bit (1x), single CAS bandwidth to ChipRAM instead of 32bit (4x) double CAS as is the case with my other A4000 and A1200. So there must be some signal missing somewhere around RTC area that causes Alice to use only 1/4 the bandwitdh. Any ideas? Attached here are pics of how it look in Scout and ScreenMode prefs.

04 November 2013, 23:37	#13
altcomputing MC68060@85MHz Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Poland/Wroclaw Age: 38 Posts: 76	PROBLEM SOLVED! I had to replace U976 with new IC. After that, works like a charm! See:

06 November 2013, 01:03	#14
Tumo007 Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Location: Montreal, CANADA Posts: 56	What is U976? The board is which rev? B? Could you post a pic of the area? Thanks

06 November 2013, 09:22	#15
zipper Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: finland Posts: 1,837	U975/U976 - 74HCT166T (SMD)

06 November 2013, 09:36	#16
Loedown Precious & fragile things Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Victoria, Australia Posts: 1,946	Captain Obvious I know, but that board needs some urgent attention Zipper!

06 November 2013, 10:08	#17
hooverphonique ex. demoscener "Bigmama" Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Fyn / Denmark Posts: 1,624	yes, that board needs some TLC, for sure! pin 2 and 3 of U976 configures if the system is single or double access and 16 or 32 bit. the rest of its inputs are connected to the J975 connector.

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