A1200 doesn't spin up HDD after trying a CF adapter

[ovale]

Hello, today I decide to try a CF I prepared on my A1200.
This is a stock A1200 with 80MB HDD, I'm the only owner and it was never opened... till today...

Short story:
* The CF and the adapter never worked on this A1200 but are working fine on a A600.
* The HDD previously working now doesn't spin up, the screen remains dark gray.
* The same HDD with same cables spin up and boots on a A600.
* I used the same power supply for both the Amiga.

Long story:
* The first thing I did was to remove the old HDD.
* I then connected a new CF adapter and a new CF I just bought.
* I disconnected only the connector attached to the HDD (the one with the blocked hole).
* So it was impossible I connected it in reverse.
* Result: the HDD led on the Amiga and the one on the CF adapter remained always on.
* I waited a bit and then I did a keyboard reset.
* After the keyboard reset the CF was ignored and the insert floppy screen showed up.
* I repeated the experiment another time with same results.
* Then, if I remember correctly the led just blinked and the CF was not recognized.
* I have an A600 with it cable, CF adapter and CF.
* I tried this on the A1200 and all the combinations, no luck.
* I then retried the original HDD and it was spinning up but is wasn't recognized and the floppy screen was showed.
* After a few more tries the HDD wasn't even spinning up anymore.
* I'm pretty sure I never connected the cables in reverse.
* As last test, I tried the 2 CF, the 2 CF adapters, the 2 cables and the old HDD on the A600 and they are all working.
* I used the same power supply for both the Amiga.
* The IDE connector on the A1200 board doesn't have some pins. I checked the cable and they were not inside. So, I presume it was built in this way.

What could have happened to my beloved A1200 when I connected the CF?
How can I repair it?

UPDATE:
I tried again and the results are slightly different now:
* With the HDD
* The HDD spins up 80% of power cycles.
* When doesn't I can hear a tick every 1 second if I stay very close to the HDD
* It is never detected therefore after around 10 seconds it shows the "insert floppy screen"
* If press both the mouse buttons I can reach the boot menu and there is only DF0 and CC0.
* With the CF (both)
* The scree remains gray (the one before the purple) forever
* The led on the CF adapter is always on
* I cannot reach the boot menu

Thanks for any suggestion,
Ovale

[-Acid-]

If there are pins missing from your A1200 IDE connector there is your problem. There shouldn't be any missing from the 44 pins.

[ovale]

Originally Posted by -Acid-

If there are pins missing from your A1200 IDE connector there is your problem. There shouldn't be any missing from the 44 pins.

Indeed ... the pins were in the connector, they were not visible but using a needle I found them.
So, they have been broken in the moment I touched the cable on the other side ...

Thanks -Acid

[Hewitson]

A leaking capacitor may have caused the pins to come off the board. I suggest doing a thorough inspection.

[ovale]

I don't see any sign of corrosion. The pins didn't come off the board.
They broke down at top of the base of header, at least 2 mm above the PCB.



| . <-good pin and broke pin
### <-header base
------- <-pcb

[Daedalus]

That can still be caused by corrosion within or hidden by the base of the connector. It usually takes a few bends back and forth to break a "healthy" pin like that, but corrosion can make them very fragile. Looks like you need to get that connector replaced.