Installing an A500 512k Upgrade

Steve · 31 March 2003, 13:27

How the hell do you install this thing? I've just bought it off eBay and recieved it today. I've attempted to install it and have ripped my hands to absolute shreds trying to get the bastard to fit. The RAM board has a little on/off switch and lines up perfectly with the pins but it won't push down no matter how hard I put pressure on the thing. It just goes down the the first couple of millimetres and then refuses to go any further. If I power up the A500 it just keeps on reseting itself when it tries to bring up the kickstart boot screen. Help!

Severin · 31 March 2003, 13:39

first check the edge connector for bent tabs, something wedged it there etc., if they're ok you've just got a very tight connector, the best way is to fit it from the top, so remove the cover and keyboard, line it up and use a screwdriver at the back edge to lever the bl**dy thing in

I had one I actually had to strip the 500 down to just the motherboard and hammer the expansion on - carefully and very technically of course

As for the switch, 'push'? most of them slide

It could be knackered if so just take it off and solder a link accross the 'on' position until you can get another switch (Maplins should do something that will fit).

Syko · 31 March 2003, 15:12

Yup, had a 1MB job for the A500+ and had to strip it to fit it. Used the 'basterd driver' that doubles as a tyre iron... like Severin says, make sure there's nothing obstructing it and no bent connector bits when fitting, and it should be fine.

Unknown_K · 31 March 2003, 15:37

Is it the commdodore 501 memory addon? Mine just popped in easily via the trapdoor. No major force required.

Antiriad · 31 March 2003, 16:35

This reminds me of the shit i went through when i first bought an 030 Accelerator for me A1200. I thought something was wrong with it, turned out it was just that i couldnt push it in any further cos of the damn metal case. It can be a real bugger putting cards in ANY Amiga.

As everyone else has said, if you have to, dismantle the bastige down to the motherboard and shove that darn thing on!

Severin · 31 March 2003, 22:20

Quote:

Originally posted by Antiriad
It can be a real bugger putting cards in ANY Amiga.

hmmm, never had any problems with 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000, 4000's. Zorro slot stuff is easy to fit

of course cdrom drives are a bugger to fit in desktop 4000's, most are to long and wont fit in the case properly, leaving about 1cm sticking out the front

Djay · 31 March 2003, 22:46

Quote:

had one I actually had to strip the 500 down to just the motherboard and hammer the expansion on - carefully and very technically of course

LOL- now thats funny

scaf · 31 March 2003, 23:09

i didn't want to buy another A501, so i soldered RAM chips on the mobo

.

My A501 has no on/off switch. Only the RAM chips and a battery.

Unknown_K · 31 March 2003, 23:14

Quote:

Originally posted by scaf
i didn't want to buy another A501, so i soldered RAM chips on the mobo .

My A501 has no on/off switch. Only the RAM chips and a battery.

The A501 was fine for me, Im not into doing mods on stock boards. Especially when the 501 are so cheap to get.

scaf · 01 April 2003, 15:41

well...
i have an 500 (rev6a) i use for the mods (1Mb Chip RAM + converted PC drive),
and an 500+ (rev8) i keep as original, and that has the a501.
i have 2 meg of ram chips left to unsolder. They're on old 68000 based telecom cards

Syko · 01 April 2003, 16:04

Severin,

fitting a SupraModem card (2600 WOW!) to the A4000D and had to cut the card support slots along the back so it would fit! The speaker digs into the slot

But it was cheap and does fine for testing

Steve · 03 April 2003, 17:11

Thanks guys for your help so far. Some more RAM questions:

The RAM has some sort of code on the back:

AMRAM-NC-Issue 2

Anyone know if this is the right RAM for the A500? I think it should be. Anyway taking the advice I recieved I decided to use Severin's careful and technical "hammering" technique. Well with a bit less of the careful. I nearly bashed the thing to pieces trying to get it into the slot. Smashed up quite a few makeshift hammers as well. I think I'll have to use a real one next time.

Anyway since I gave it a damn good hammering it... still doesn't work. I tried a 1MB game and it came up with the same "this games needs 1MB of RAM" message.

Although now it half-works. The computer doesn't go into a continous rebooting loop anymore. It boots properly which makes me think that it is installed correctly. I hammered it as far as it could go. There is still about 1mm of the pins left visible though. Do the pins have to be 100% all the way in for the expansion to be recognised?

Steve · 03 April 2003, 17:17

Here is a picture of my RAM expansion card:

Severin · 03 April 2003, 22:39

it looks like an A500 ramboard to me...

to see if its working, bung a workbench disk in and boot without startup, then type avail. you should get somwhere around 500,000 for both chip and fast. if fast is less then there might be a duff ram chip on the board or the switch is it the wrong position...

if the switch is naffed, cut it off close to the switch and use a jumper or a bit of wire wrapped round 2 pins as a switch (good enough for testing, you can always replace the switch or if you find you don't need it just solder the 2 'on' pins together).

1mm of visible pins is fine

scaf · 03 April 2003, 23:37

the only AmRAM card i found is for a600 :
http://www.amiga-hardware.com/amram6001.html

But it doesn't look like yours....

Steve · 05 April 2003, 20:48

Quote:

Originally posted by Severin
it looks like an A500 ramboard to me...

to see if its working, bung a workbench disk in and boot without startup, then type avail. you should get somwhere around 500,000 for both chip and fast. if fast is less then there might be a duff ram chip on the board or the switch is it the wrong position...

Cool. Thanks. It looks like it's working at last. I booted into Workbench and typed avail into the shell. Here is the result:

Quote:

Type----Available---In-Use----Maximum-----Largest

Chip-----447496----75736-----523232-----446936
Fast-----398464----118424----516888-----393664
Total----845960----194160---1040120-----446936

Now to test it with a 1MB game...
I thought the RAM expansion was a Chip RAM expansion. I didn't realise it was a Fast RAM expansion. I wonder if some games need 1MB of Chip RAM to run?

Edit: AT LAST!!! Dungeon Master loads up!!! The RAM works. Woohoo.

I guess that means it doesn't matter that it's Fast RAM. Excellent. I was afraid with all that hammering that I'd buggered up one of the chips or one of the pins. A happy ending. Thanks guys.

scaf · 06 April 2003, 02:05

Each a500 ram expansion is a FAST ram expansion.
But you can modify your A500 to have 1M chip instead of 512K chip+512K FAST. Just 2 jumpers to change to have a different memory adressing.
There are info on aminet, in the hard/hack section.

I did it on my a500 rev6A, and it works very well.
But : some 1M games refuse to work because of the memory adressing.

Steve · 06 April 2003, 17:56

This RAM I've bought must be shit! It's now decided to stop working.

It was perfectly fine yesterday and now it doesn't recognise it anymore. On top of that the Amiga keeps on crashing. Usually when the modulator is slightly moved by the tiniest touch. This is really pissing me off now. The RAM is probably buggered or it's a bit moody and temporamental and has decided to go on holiday for a day or two.

Unknown_K · 06 April 2003, 20:00

A500 expansion ram is cheap get another one from ebay

Syko · 09 April 2003, 22:55

Hit it with a stick! It might not make it work better, but you'll feel great...

31 March 2003, 13:27	#1
Steve I Identify as an Ewok Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: North Lincolnshire Age: 45 Posts: 2,356	Installing an A500 512k Upgrade How the hell do you install this thing? I've just bought it off eBay and recieved it today. I've attempted to install it and have ripped my hands to absolute shreds trying to get the bastard to fit. The RAM board has a little on/off switch and lines up perfectly with the pins but it won't push down no matter how hard I put pressure on the thing. It just goes down the the first couple of millimetres and then refuses to go any further. If I power up the A500 it just keeps on reseting itself when it tries to bring up the kickstart boot screen. Help!

03 April 2003, 17:11	#12
Steve I Identify as an Ewok Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: North Lincolnshire Age: 45 Posts: 2,356	UPDATE: Thanks guys for your help so far. Some more RAM questions: The RAM has some sort of code on the back: AMRAM-NC-Issue 2 Anyone know if this is the right RAM for the A500? I think it should be. Anyway taking the advice I recieved I decided to use Severin's careful and technical "hammering" technique. Well with a bit less of the careful. I nearly bashed the thing to pieces trying to get it into the slot. Smashed up quite a few makeshift hammers as well. I think I'll have to use a real one next time. Anyway since I gave it a damn good hammering it... still doesn't work. I tried a 1MB game and it came up with the same "this games needs 1MB of RAM" message. Although now it half-works. The computer doesn't go into a continous rebooting loop anymore. It boots properly which makes me think that it is installed correctly. I hammered it as far as it could go. There is still about 1mm of the pins left visible though. Do the pins have to be 100% all the way in for the expansion to be recognised?

03 April 2003, 17:17	#13
Steve I Identify as an Ewok Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: North Lincolnshire Age: 45 Posts: 2,356	Here is a picture of my RAM expansion card: Attached Thumbnails

06 April 2003, 17:56	#18
Steve I Identify as an Ewok Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: North Lincolnshire Age: 45 Posts: 2,356	Oh Now I'm Pissed Off This RAM I've bought must be shit! It's now decided to stop working. It was perfectly fine yesterday and now it doesn't recognise it anymore. On top of that the Amiga keeps on crashing. Usually when the modulator is slightly moved by the tiniest touch. This is really pissing me off now. The RAM is probably buggered or it's a bit moody and temporamental and has decided to go on holiday for a day or two.

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31 March 2003, 13:39	#2
Severin Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Gloucester / UK Posts: 700	first check the edge connector for bent tabs, something wedged it there etc., if they're ok you've just got a very tight connector, the best way is to fit it from the top, so remove the cover and keyboard, line it up and use a screwdriver at the back edge to lever the bl**dy thing in I had one I actually had to strip the 500 down to just the motherboard and hammer the expansion on - carefully and very technically of course As for the switch, 'push'? most of them slide It could be knackered if so just take it off and solder a link accross the 'on' position until you can get another switch (Maplins should do something that will fit).

31 March 2003, 15:12	#3
Syko Now got GSX750F :)) Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Halifax UK Age: 59 Posts: 584	Yup, had a 1MB job for the A500+ and had to strip it to fit it. Used the 'basterd driver' that doubles as a tyre iron... like Severin says, make sure there's nothing obstructing it and no bent connector bits when fitting, and it should be fine.

31 March 2003, 15:37	#4
Unknown_K Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: Ohio/USA Age: 55 Posts: 1,380	Is it the commdodore 501 memory addon? Mine just popped in easily via the trapdoor. No major force required.

31 March 2003, 16:35	#5
Antiriad The Sacred Armour Of Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Sussex, UK Age: 44 Posts: 1,141	This reminds me of the shit i went through when i first bought an 030 Accelerator for me A1200. I thought something was wrong with it, turned out it was just that i couldnt push it in any further cos of the damn metal case. It can be a real bugger putting cards in ANY Amiga. As everyone else has said, if you have to, dismantle the bastige down to the motherboard and shove that darn thing on!

31 March 2003, 23:09	#8
scaf Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: france Age: 48 Posts: 116	i didn't want to buy another A501, so i soldered RAM chips on the mobo . My A501 has no on/off switch. Only the RAM chips and a battery.

01 April 2003, 15:41	#10
scaf Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: france Age: 48 Posts: 116	well... i have an 500 (rev6a) i use for the mods (1Mb Chip RAM + converted PC drive), and an 500+ (rev8) i keep as original, and that has the a501. i have 2 meg of ram chips left to unsolder. They're on old 68000 based telecom cards

01 April 2003, 16:04	#11
Syko Now got GSX750F :)) Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Halifax UK Age: 59 Posts: 584	Severin, fitting a SupraModem card (2600 WOW!) to the A4000D and had to cut the card support slots along the back so it would fit! The speaker digs into the slot But it was cheap and does fine for testing

03 April 2003, 22:39	#14
Severin Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Gloucester / UK Posts: 700	it looks like an A500 ramboard to me... to see if its working, bung a workbench disk in and boot without startup, then type avail. you should get somwhere around 500,000 for both chip and fast. if fast is less then there might be a duff ram chip on the board or the switch is it the wrong position... if the switch is naffed, cut it off close to the switch and use a jumper or a bit of wire wrapped round 2 pins as a switch (good enough for testing, you can always replace the switch or if you find you don't need it just solder the 2 'on' pins together). 1mm of visible pins is fine

03 April 2003, 23:37	#15
scaf Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: france Age: 48 Posts: 116	the only AmRAM card i found is for a600 : http://www.amiga-hardware.com/amram6001.html But it doesn't look like yours....

06 April 2003, 02:05	#17
scaf Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: france Age: 48 Posts: 116	Each a500 ram expansion is a FAST ram expansion. But you can modify your A500 to have 1M chip instead of 512K chip+512K FAST. Just 2 jumpers to change to have a different memory adressing. There are info on aminet, in the hard/hack section. I did it on my a500 rev6A, and it works very well. But : some 1M games refuse to work because of the memory adressing.

06 April 2003, 20:00	#19
Unknown_K Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: Ohio/USA Age: 55 Posts: 1,380	A500 expansion ram is cheap get another one from ebay

09 April 2003, 22:55	#20
Syko Now got GSX750F :)) Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Halifax UK Age: 59 Posts: 584	Hit it with a stick! It might not make it work better, but you'll feel great...

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