A1200 - lots of graphics but no "other" memory ???

[bluecarrot92]

I just unpacked my A1200. It has been boxed up the last 15 years and I have no clue anymore... I'm thinking of selling it on Ebay.
When I open the workbench it shows 1,746,808 graphics memory but 0 other memory. Zero other memory? Is that normal or is this an indication that something is broken? The programs seem to work.
I have pictures here:
http://amiga1200-ca.blogspot.com
Edit: the images were updated after I got help in the posts further down! (They don't show the problem anymore.)

In the first picture, are there any other hints of anything that's broken? Ram disk 100% full, 0 k free?

Another question: The last picture shows some extension card (trapdoor). Is that additional RAM? Where can I find out about how much memory or RAM this is adding?

Any help would be much appreciated.

[thomas]

An A1200 without any expansion has 2 MB graphics memory (a.k.a. chip RAM) and nothing else.

Ram Disk is always 100% full because it grows and shrinks dynamically with its contents.

So everything is fine.

Edit: well, looking at the trapdoor picture, there is obviously something in it. If this is a RAM expansion, then it's not working any more. You should remove it and check if there is a leaking battery on it. If so, cut it off immediately, otherwise the acid can cause irreparable damage to the board.

[Retro-Nerd]

You should remove the expansion card and take a photo of it.

[bluecarrot92]

Originally Posted by Retro-Nerd

You should remove the expansion card and take a photo of it.

Good idea. Thanks. Do you think I can just pull it out or do I need to remove the back cover?

[Retro-Nerd]

You can remove it with opening the case.

[bluecarrot92]

Originally Posted by thomas

looking at the trapdoor picture, there is obviously something in it. If this is a RAM expansion, then it's not working any more. You should remove it and check if there is a leaking battery on it. If so, cut it off immediately, otherwise the acid can cause irreparable damage to the board.

the battery would be mounted on the extension board?

Originally Posted by Retro-Nerd

You can remove it with opening the case.

Vielen Dank!

[8bitbubsy]

Just get a grip on the board and pull it towards the open gap in there (don't pull up or down), then you can get it out. Take pictures of both the back side (the side we could see in your picture) and the other side. Maybe we can find any damage or faults from the pictures.

[fitzsteve]

Sad I know, but I'm pretty sure thats a DKB1202 as it takes a coin battery so there should not be any leakage but the simm(s) could have come loose or it might not be plugged in properly (perhaps it has moved in transit)

Either way you should remove the card and inspect it, check the jumpers are set correctly and refit.

You may also need to clean the contacts between the expansion and motherboard with IPA.

Steve.

[bluecarrot92]

I added a new image:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xenHLV1160.../amiga+002.jpg


The shop that sold me the Amiga installed this extension. I remember them telling me that it's slightly too big? Not really meant to be installed in a 1200?
There always have been connectivity issues, sometimes after moving the Amiga. The routine was to open the trapdoor and push a little to reconnect the card.
However i had problems just pulling it out. Not enough space. Maybe the shop had to remove the floppy drive to fit this in?

Steve was right. DKB1202.

[fitzsteve]

Originally Posted by bluecarrot92

I added a new image:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xenHLV1160.../amiga+002.jpg


The shop that sold me the Amiga installed this extension. I remember them telling me that it's slightly too big? Not really meant to be installed in a 1200?
There always have been connectivity issues, sometimes after moving the Amiga. The routine was to open the trapdoor and push a little to reconnect the card.
However i had problems just pulling it out. Not enough space. Maybe the shop had to remove the floppy drive to fit this in?

You wouldn't need to remove the floppy drive, it looks like its already disconnected in your picture though because at the end with the cut out there would be some clearence between the board and case.

Is should really slide out (by pulling away from the Motherboard) and this is easier done with the case open.

Once out, try to remove and refit the Simm and carefully refitting the card.

Hope that helps,

Steve.

[bluecarrot92]

Originally Posted by fitzsteve

Sad I know, but I'm pretty sure thats a DKB1202 as it takes a coin battery so there should not be any leakage but the simm(s) could have come loose or it might not be plugged in properly (perhaps it has moved in transit)

Either way you should remove the card and inspect it, check the jumpers are set correctly and refit.

You may also need to clean the contacts between the expansion and motherboard with IPA.

Steve.

I don't know how to do any of these steps. I'm thinking of getting a new coin battery as a first step. Would that make sense?

[Lord Aga]

Could also be a problem with a memory module. Mine needed a bit od reseating when I changed the 4MB for a 8MB one.

[fitzsteve]

Originally Posted by bluecarrot92

I don't know how to do any of these steps. I'm thinking of getting a new coin battery as a first step. Would that make sense?

No, if the battery was flat it would just not keep the time, the board would still work. As I say it appears to not be plugged in at all in your picture, perhaps come loose in transit. Try sliding it back onto the Motherboard connector. Its quite tight to fit so be careful. You may need to lift the motherboard sheild a bit in case that is getting in the way.

Steve.

[bluecarrot92]

After opening the back I had tried to pull the card out. That's why it's unplugged.
Thanks for the battery tip. It must be something else then. How would I do the thing with the simms? I don't even know what they are.

[8bitbubsy]

Now you've pulled the card out as much as you can, now it's time to pull the card upwards/downwards to get it out. This is 100% normal, the card is not too big and it is made for an Amiga 1200.

[DDNI]

One of the lugs that holds the SIMM in doesn't look to be fully seated...

Also J4 (Jumper 4 ) looks set to Disable?

[fitzsteve]

Originally Posted by DDNI

One of the lugs that holds the SIMM in doesn't look to be fully seated...

Also J4 (Jumper 4 ) looks set to Disable?

Well spotted - he does indeed have it disabled I just checked on my DKB1202, that explains it lol.

Swap the jumper round, make sure the memory chip is well seated and refit.

Then as long as the card is functional you should see your extra Ram

Also you have all three Jumper 1-2-3 set to off which means 8mb, if you only have 4mb ram you need to change those to J1 off and J2-3 on

Jumper settings are printed on the board.

Steve.

[bluecarrot92]

I actually just plugged it back in.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gWWbjbVbf8...1600/amiga.jpg
Success! Thanks guys!
So, with the DKB1202, is it normal to sometimes jiggle loose? If I offer the A1200 on Ebay is that something I should mention?
Also, how well can the A1200 be expected to survive shipping? I wonder if it wouldn't be best to sell it locally (with pick-up). If I can find a buyer in my area.

[desiv]

You can always find a buyer for an A1200.. ;-), especially one with a memory expansion already.
I wouldn't bother mentioning the card slipping loose, as that's always something that can happen.. Unless it's so loose it falls off when you tip it on it's side.. ;-)
If it's easy to replace the card (slide it back in without taking the whole case off), I might remove the card for shipping tho, to be nice/safe..
My A1200 had a hard drive flopping loose that I probably would have preferred been stabilized or removed for shipping..

desiv

[bluecarrot92]

Would it be correct to say that my A1200 comes with a DKB1202 RAM extension card with 8 MB? http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gWWbjbVbf8...1600/amiga.jpg

[desiv]

Based on the pic above, yep.
In fact, I'd say with an 8M Fast RAM expansion, so they know you have 2M for the Amiga + 8M Fast RAM..

desiv

[bluecarrot92]

Originally Posted by desiv

You can always find a buyer for an A1200.. ;-), especially one with a memory expansion already.
I wouldn't bother mentioning the card slipping loose, as that's always something that can happen.. Unless it's so loose it falls off when you tip it on it's side.. ;-)
If it's easy to replace the card (slide it back in without taking the whole case off), I might remove the card for shipping tho, to be nice/safe..
My A1200 had a hard drive flopping loose that I probably would have preferred been stabilized or removed for shipping..

desiv

That's a good tip. I was not able to get the card out properly, though. There was an L shaped plastic bar holding it in place and between that and the plastic on the other side it was too tight. I must be missing something that's probably really easy once you know how to do it.

All this is great info for me. Much appreciated!
I'm also wondering if I should sell the peripherals that I have separately. I bought the A1200 new in 1997 and used it for 3 years as a pencil test system for hand drawn animation, before putting it in storage. That was the reason why I needed Fast Ram. I never used it for games.
I have the animation software "Take2", a VidiAmiga framegrabber, software "Megalosound" with audio digitizer, a switch box (4 inputs) for the parallel port so that I can quickly switch between the framegrabber and the audio digitizer.
I'm not sure if anybody would be interested in buying these animation specific items.
Would most potential buyers be interested in the A1200 for games?