Dead and dying!

Mick_AKA · 29 January 2003, 19:51

THis is how i feel at the moment after one of my A1200s seems to have packed up, early last week I started getting graphical glitches in games and workbench, now almost everything runs with all the colours and graphics distorted!

This one is a completely standard Commodore A1200 i have not altered in any way (unlike my others

) so can anyone tell me what the heck is going on?

Is this problem terminal??

Overdoc · 30 January 2003, 01:43

Maybe the psu dying ? The standard A-1200 psu is very weak and it is saver to use a A-500 psu which is stronger.

Mick_AKA · 30 January 2003, 03:41

Im using a modified 300w PC psu now and still getting the same problem

adolescent · 02 February 2003, 19:42

If I remember correctly, this is a sign of an overheating Alice chip.

Mick_AKA · 03 February 2003, 20:48

Baring in mind i dont have any a1200s I particularly want to use for spares can anyone sugest a solution for this problem please??

Amiga1992 · 03 February 2003, 22:05

Try running it with the case open and check for Alice overheating. It shouldn't be overheating, but if it is, a quick, temporary fix could be heatsinking the bitch. Most probably, if you do this, you won't be able to close teh case back, though!

Severin · 03 February 2003, 23:29

for a better quick fix, use some heat transfer compound and fix a small aluminium block (I've seen it done with coins and steel washers) to alice, put some more on top of it and put the original shielding back on (if you still have it), then to can use the entire metal sheilding as a heatsink

Mick_AKA · 06 February 2003, 10:27

Have done this and it seems to be working ok now but after about an hour or so still gets the same problems

This "was" the a1200 I wanted to tower up but it looks like im gonna have to root around for another one

Miggy2TheMax · 07 February 2003, 01:55

Sounds like the guys here are right about the heating problem ( didn't know that the 1200 had heating problems .. learn something new everyday! ) try mounting one of those low profile fans on the heatsink, that should provide it with more cooling than just a heatsink, hopefully enough so that the problem does not come back.

jmmijo · 07 February 2003, 03:49

Another thing that you could check for is to see if that chip is mounted in a socket vs. being soldered to the motherboard. If it's in a PLCC socket, these are notorious for working the chip seated into it loose and will cause problems, look for the A500 Agnus chip problem for solutions if this is the case. Perhaps just a complete removal then check for any problems like bent/broken pins and/or contacts then look for any burnt marks on the chip and motherboard. Clean this area if neccessary with compressed air etc...

As Miggy mentioned try a slim line fan, i.e., the kind for 1U server cases work really well. Also some older 486/Pentium fans will sometimes work too

Miggy2TheMax · 07 February 2003, 07:23

Quote:

Originally posted by jmmijo
Another thing that you could check for is to see if that chip is mounted in a socket vs. being soldered to the motherboard. If it's in a PLCC socket, these are notorious for working the chip seated into it loose and will cause problems, look for the A500 Agnus chip problem for solutions if this is the case. Perhaps just a complete removal then check for any problems like bent/broken pins and/or contacts then look for any burnt marks on the chip and motherboard. Clean this area if neccessary with compressed air etc...

As Miggy mentioned try a slim line fan, i.e., the kind for 1U server cases work really well. Also some older 486/Pentium fans will sometimes work too

Good suggestion jmmijo and the 500's are truely classical examples of the seating problems you discuss! The 1200 on the other hand escapes the "seating problem" because all chips except the roms are soldered on board (surface mounted).

Each time the socketing problem is mentioned I find myself digressing about the "Atari twist" story. so here goes

.. I read a while back in a trouble shooting guide that atari's chips would develop seating problems and the easiest way to fix it was to grab the atari at each end and twist each end in opposite directions therefore called the "Atari twist". This had the effect of fixing the problem by re-seating all the chips on the mobo... what a laugh that gave me when I first read about that... Arg! ok maybe thats a bit geeky of me

29 January 2003, 19:51	#1
Mick_AKA crusader of light Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Stone, Staffordshire. Posts: 1,151	Dead and dying! THis is how i feel at the moment after one of my A1200s seems to have packed up, early last week I started getting graphical glitches in games and workbench, now almost everything runs with all the colours and graphics distorted! This one is a completely standard Commodore A1200 i have not altered in any way (unlike my others ) so can anyone tell me what the heck is going on? Is this problem terminal??

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30 January 2003, 01:43	#2
Overdoc Commodore Collector Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Austria Age: 53 Posts: 944	Maybe the psu dying ? The standard A-1200 psu is very weak and it is saver to use a A-500 psu which is stronger.

30 January 2003, 03:41	#3
Mick_AKA crusader of light Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Stone, Staffordshire. Posts: 1,151	Im using a modified 300w PC psu now and still getting the same problem

02 February 2003, 19:42	#4
adolescent Powered by Motorola Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Age: 52 Posts: 1,065	If I remember correctly, this is a sign of an overheating Alice chip.

03 February 2003, 20:48	#5
Mick_AKA crusader of light Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Stone, Staffordshire. Posts: 1,151	Baring in mind i dont have any a1200s I particularly want to use for spares can anyone sugest a solution for this problem please??

03 February 2003, 22:05	#6
Amiga1992 Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: ? Posts: 19,645	Try running it with the case open and check for Alice overheating. It shouldn't be overheating, but if it is, a quick, temporary fix could be heatsinking the bitch. Most probably, if you do this, you won't be able to close teh case back, though!

03 February 2003, 23:29	#7
Severin Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Gloucester / UK Posts: 700	for a better quick fix, use some heat transfer compound and fix a small aluminium block (I've seen it done with coins and steel washers) to alice, put some more on top of it and put the original shielding back on (if you still have it), then to can use the entire metal sheilding as a heatsink

06 February 2003, 10:27	#8
Mick_AKA crusader of light Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Stone, Staffordshire. Posts: 1,151	Have done this and it seems to be working ok now but after about an hour or so still gets the same problems This "was" the a1200 I wanted to tower up but it looks like im gonna have to root around for another one

07 February 2003, 01:55	#9
Miggy2TheMax Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Australia Age: 45 Posts: 381	Sounds like the guys here are right about the heating problem ( didn't know that the 1200 had heating problems .. learn something new everyday! ) try mounting one of those low profile fans on the heatsink, that should provide it with more cooling than just a heatsink, hopefully enough so that the problem does not come back.

07 February 2003, 03:49	#10
jmmijo Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: PDX Age: 62 Posts: 2,396	Another thing that you could check for is to see if that chip is mounted in a socket vs. being soldered to the motherboard. If it's in a PLCC socket, these are notorious for working the chip seated into it loose and will cause problems, look for the A500 Agnus chip problem for solutions if this is the case. Perhaps just a complete removal then check for any problems like bent/broken pins and/or contacts then look for any burnt marks on the chip and motherboard. Clean this area if neccessary with compressed air etc... As Miggy mentioned try a slim line fan, i.e., the kind for 1U server cases work really well. Also some older 486/Pentium fans will sometimes work too

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