Apollo 1230 MK 2 Upgrading issues

[Kin Hell]

Originally Posted by quiet1

To be honest I forgot about the PSU test, so I found an A500 PSU but again same yellow screen or flashing LED.

It looked like it actually tried to boot once, as the compact flash hdd was flashing away for a few moments before the power led started to flash again, it usually doesn't do that.

Pull the CF. - This is another "could be" issue compounding resolution. Funny that it almost tried to boot.

Originally Posted by quiet1

As for the guru, I'm seeing if I can get it to show the guru error again but it prefers the yellow screen at the moment.

Definitely Yellow & not green, yes?

Originally Posted by quiet1

I'm fairly sure the error was 8000 000D though, if that means anything (edit: yes same code each time; when it rarely shows it)

Make a note of the code every time you see it....

Originally Posted by quiet1

extra note: the FPU does get a bit warm - not hot though

That would be normal, meaning it is getting power.

Have a good hard look at the Motherboard & it's components. - Can you see any anomalies like broken tracks, suspect solder points lacking solder. Pay particular attention to the back of the Extra SIMM Socket on the card too. - This could have been a "Ted-in-the-Shed" event.

[quiet1]

Got the error with the FPU & 40mhz xtal, it seems there is more likely for the guru to appear when it has been left powered off for a while - clear ram / cap discharge?

The error is 8000 000D

[quiet1]

I took out the CF, (this was only in because I was reverting it all back to normal 'working' setup), sortof interesting that it attempted.. actually it seems if I leave it off for a good few minutes (this is still the 40mhz with FPU config) the machine on first boot will work for about 10 seconds. I even got in to the boot menu (I tried disable cache etc) but once it has failed it always causes the flashing power LED on any further attempt.

I can confirm the screen goes yellow (and not green) correct. not that often though.

The guru is always 8000 000D - the task number changes though.. is it worth noting the task number down?

I took a look at every solder point on the board, I actually found a dry joint on the additional RAM socket, but that was just pin 1 GND. The soldering is very good on the RAM sockets. I fixed the dry joint regardless.

Using the datasheets I traced each data line and address line from the FPU to the CPU, and all tests good including CLK and RESET.

however FPU [A0] goes to CPU [BR] (not CPU [A0]) but I'm sure this is some sort of address switching pin which the FPU is using?

No other stand outs that I can find..


edit: It appears that now if I leave the amiga off for quite a few minutes it will always start like this:
GURU message
Kickstart screen for ~25 seconds
flashing power LED reboot loop
(again this is with the 40mhz crystal and fpu config, the 50mhz crystal *never* gets beyond a grey screen).

however if I retry it always reverts back to instant crashing

interesting.....

[Kin Hell]

You've been very busy haven't you!

It's amazing that removing the CF has kinda got you to see the Kickstart screen & the early Startup screen for a short time. (Power or timing Issue??)

Did the yellow screen ever happen before the Alice Mod? - (I've read back & can't see reference to it earlier on) - If not, how about leaving the CF out & removing one leg of the 470R Mod you did.

Will she stay @ the Kickstart Screen for doing so?

[quiet1]

Ha yes I wasn't expecting to get back in to it like that.

The yellow screen would occasionally appear just as the same before the mod; it usually happens after a few grey boot loops (sometimes it reverts back to normal grey boot loop if left on the yellow boot loop for a while).

Not sure if there is anything else left to try, thanks for all your time and the suggestions!

[Kin Hell]

LOL fella! - Like a Dog with a Bone!

It'd be nice to say "Go get yourself a 1D4 or a 1D1 Mobo" but they don't grow on Trees these days & you're not in the best of places for Amiga sales/spares down there in Oz.

Is there anyone Local-ish (Big Country) to you, that might be able to test your board on another Rev mobo?

Already knowing Rev 2B's are apparently notorious with Apollo cards, it's probably not worth sending it to anyone for Diagnosis via a scope.

Somewhat gutted for you buddy.

[quiet1]

oh it is so difficult to source amiga stuff here, and I don't know anyone that actually has any either..

maybe the card I have was designed to be only 40mhz, and there were no 40mhz cpu's available on the day. maybe it is my amiga mobo, one day I'll find out

one thing is for sure: its been a lot of fun messing around with the amiga again

[Kin Hell]

Originally Posted by quiet1

oh it is so difficult to source amiga stuff here, and I don't know anyone that actually has any either..

maybe the card I have was designed to be only 40mhz, and there were no 40mhz cpu's available on the day. maybe it is my amiga mobo, one day I'll find out

one thing is for sure: its been a lot of fun messing around with the amiga again

It would be nice to see your card on another board revision tbh.

I've been waiting for some weeks for a 50Mhz PGA CPU to arrive since the COVID-19 Lockdown. It's now on it's way from Poland & has been for two days.



Once my 50Mhz CPU lands, I'll have a 40Mhz CPU available.

& you're dead right. No other platform but the Amiga has been or ever will be "Fun" to mess around with. - Amiga Forever kiddo!

[quiet1]

Looks like a great card!! Is the CPU in a socket in your card? (and you will be changing the crystal too?)

edit: What will your amiga config be when all done? (including CF?). I'm looking at putting a larger CF card in mine once I figure out if it will be supported.

Amiga Forever indeed!

[Kin Hell]

Yeah, she's a nice card. - Got the original Box, Install Floppys & Documentation too! - Steve (AmigaPassion) re-capped this board along with my 1d4 Mobo just b4 Xmas last year.

The CPU is a PGA Package but obviously not the Ceramic Style & is socketed. The 2 x Xtals are 33Mhz for the 68882 & 40Mhz for the CPU. Between the X-TAls, there is a jumper option to use the CPU's X-Tal to drive the FPU.

I don't use a CF on her. She's running a 32GB mSATA device on an IDE to mSATA converter. Got a bit of an issue with really slow Boot time (~ 30+ seconds) & the HD LED is half lit all the time. - Once at the Desktop though, mSATA speed is comparable with MicroDrive.
The LED does go brighter when accessing but I need to address that sometime soon. My 1GB IBM MicroDrive boots in seconds in a CF adapter & the SysInfo Drive speed reports the same MB/Sec for each device. I am wondering if a buffered Interface would speed things up a bit. - AmigaKit do one along with a Fast IDE Adapter that plugs into the Buffered Card & has a socket whacked over the Gayle chip. - I would like to resolve the half lit LED & Slow boot time first though.