Good timing for bad news...

illy5603 · 22 September 2009, 21:40

As some of you might glean from my location info, I run a BBS system 24/7 off of my Amiga 1200. Said Amiga 1200 has bad caps galore and is generally very flaky. The computer is an actual Commodore A1200 and has been running for a year, non stop, on top of whatever use it saw before I bought it.

So am I am making a retro gaming room (pics to follow in the proper thread) and I decided to order a PAL A1200 from Amigakit. It arrived yesterday, I threw my spare MTEC Viper in it, a CF card with ClassicWB and hooked it up via RGB SCART to a multisytem TV I purchased just for the occasion and it works great!

The problem is that I only have one power supply. So I took the BBS down for about 8 hours while I transferred files from the CF card to the CF hard disk to create ClassicWB. So I guess in this time the BBS 1200 cooled off enough to totally break itself. When it boots now the system either thinks the right mouse button is constantly being pressed, or it just doesn't see the right mouse button as being pressed. The sound is also shot but it has been like that for a while now... So it is pretty much dead in the water. It does manage to boot into the ClassicWB right mouse button version of workbench though.

So here is my question... I just took apart my brand new, perfectly working Amiga Technologies A1200 I bought from Amigakit, and transferred all of my hardware from the original BBS 1200 into it. The BBS is back up and working. If I continue to run the BBS 24/7 on it, am I likely to burn this one out like I did the other one? I imagine the answer is YES... Also, do you think just getting the capacitors in the Original 1200 replaced would be enough to fix the mouse button issues or is something like that deeper? I guess it can't hurt to try...

Thanks for reading my story...

8bitbubsy · 22 September 2009, 22:34

Wow...
My other A1200 had a similar issue... Once upon a time when I was playing with her (grr..), I accidentally gave her a static electricity shock! I turned her off and cried. When I turned her on, nothing more than a black screen appeared

After lots of playing around, I figured that she is booting ONLY if I hold down the right mouse button o.O Whenever I release the button, the machine freeze... Also, the sound is all fucked up...
I figured out it has something to do with one of the CIA chips! I guess that's your issue too...

Sorry to hear this :/ I guess she is in Amiga Heaven now, save her before it's too late!
What to do? Well, recap the whole mobo, and if it doesn't work, replace the CIA chips! Get a hot air workstation

kipper2k · 22 September 2009, 22:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by 8bitbubsy

Wow...
My other A1200 had a similar issue... Once upon a time when I was playing with her (grr..), I accidentally gave her a static electricity shock! I turned her off and cried. When I turned her on, nothing more than a black screen appeared

After lots of playing around, I figured that she is booting ONLY if I hold down the right mouse button o.O Whenever I release the button, the machine freeze... Also, the sound is all fucked up...
I figured out it has something to do with one of the CIA chips! I guess that's your issue too...

Sorry to hear this :/ I guess she is in Amiga Heaven now, save her before it's too late!
What to do? Well, recap the whole mobo, and if it doesn't work, replace the CIA chips! Get a hot air workstation

U7 is normally the one that will interfere with bootup if damaged, I'm pretty sure you can leave U8 off the board and it will still boot up

8bitbubsy · 22 September 2009, 23:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by kipper2k

U7 is normally the one that will interfere with bootup if damaged, I'm pretty sure you can leave U8 off the board and it will still boot up

I'm quite sure the problem relies in U3... I've shorted two pins on the U3 which makes the Amiga boot, but pressing the right mouse button does nothing now. Makes it hard to use certain apps

You see, the static electricity went through the mouse cord and into MOUSE 1, which leads to U3 and stuff :/
Maybe, MAYBE the issue still is in U7... I'd love to get some help on this!! Maybe the wrong thread, but still

illy5603 · 22 September 2009, 23:13

I hate to see any Original Amiga hardware, let alone COMMODORE Amiga hardware go down without a fight. I will try and get it repaired at the Ami-West show in October assuming they have the solder jockey's on hand. I can see at least 3 CAPS that are discolored at the base, 2 audio and one other one.

prowler · 22 September 2009, 23:19

Hi illy,

Your problem could also be heat-related. Check the motherboard for signs of dry joints too.

Photon · 23 September 2009, 20:22

If you can get at the legs of the tall electrolytic caps, I recommend nipping them off the board and out of the Amiga. So they don't damage the board between now and the day they get replaced.

If not, try to wedge something under them that will protect the PCB.

rkauer · 23 September 2009, 22:51

To protect the motherboard, just store it upside down.

illy5603 · 17 October 2009, 18:48

Well here is the final word on this system. Had 5 of the same types of Caps replaced at the classic clinic at Amiwest (the audio type 22/25) and still having the problem so it is likely one of the custom chips...

I ended up selling it to another attendee who can either fix it or put it to some good future use so it found a good home.

Damion · 18 October 2009, 00:58

For future reference - replace all caps, could be any number of them causing the problem. Doing only a few is a waste of time as they are all prone to leakage and failure. (Just my opinion after replacing caps on several A600 and A1200 boards.)

Zetr0 · 18 October 2009, 02:23

Your problem is synominous with a failing PAULA I am afraid to say.

with a little patience, practice and a heat gun, you can easly remove Paula and replace the chip with another.

You could try Amigakit for a replacement, but bare in mind the cost of a total board when you ask.

I would however first start by replacing ALL the capacitors on the motherboard, from there I would then move on to replacing Paula.

FOL · 18 October 2009, 07:58

after seeing this first hand i can safely say its an odd one. Its almost like its missing a ground or something of that nature.

But without all the correct tools i couldnt say for sure.

illy5603 · 18 October 2009, 20:44

Thanks everyone,

It went to a good home (intertial computing bought it to fix or to part out for their various and amazing projects!) and it was fun trying to get it fixed.

It was cool meeting you FOL! Enjoy the last day of the show!

22 September 2009, 21:40	#1
illy5603 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: SPaT CiTY Posts: 557	Good timing for bad news... As some of you might glean from my location info, I run a BBS system 24/7 off of my Amiga 1200. Said Amiga 1200 has bad caps galore and is generally very flaky. The computer is an actual Commodore A1200 and has been running for a year, non stop, on top of whatever use it saw before I bought it. So am I am making a retro gaming room (pics to follow in the proper thread) and I decided to order a PAL A1200 from Amigakit. It arrived yesterday, I threw my spare MTEC Viper in it, a CF card with ClassicWB and hooked it up via RGB SCART to a multisytem TV I purchased just for the occasion and it works great! The problem is that I only have one power supply. So I took the BBS down for about 8 hours while I transferred files from the CF card to the CF hard disk to create ClassicWB. So I guess in this time the BBS 1200 cooled off enough to totally break itself. When it boots now the system either thinks the right mouse button is constantly being pressed, or it just doesn't see the right mouse button as being pressed. The sound is also shot but it has been like that for a while now... So it is pretty much dead in the water. It does manage to boot into the ClassicWB right mouse button version of workbench though. So here is my question... I just took apart my brand new, perfectly working Amiga Technologies A1200 I bought from Amigakit, and transferred all of my hardware from the original BBS 1200 into it. The BBS is back up and working. If I continue to run the BBS 24/7 on it, am I likely to burn this one out like I did the other one? I imagine the answer is YES... Also, do you think just getting the capacitors in the Original 1200 replaced would be enough to fix the mouse button issues or is something like that deeper? I guess it can't hurt to try... Thanks for reading my story...

18 October 2009, 07:58	#12
FOL PSPUAE DEV Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Wales / UK Age: 45 Posts: 6,052	after seeing this first hand i can safely say its an odd one. Its almost like its missing a ground or something of that nature. But without all the correct tools i couldnt say for sure. Last edited by FOL; 18 October 2009 at 08:04.

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22 September 2009, 22:34	#2
8bitbubsy Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Norway Posts: 1,719	Wow... My other A1200 had a similar issue... Once upon a time when I was playing with her (grr..), I accidentally gave her a static electricity shock! I turned her off and cried. When I turned her on, nothing more than a black screen appeared After lots of playing around, I figured that she is booting ONLY if I hold down the right mouse button o.O Whenever I release the button, the machine freeze... Also, the sound is all fucked up... I figured out it has something to do with one of the CIA chips! I guess that's your issue too... Sorry to hear this :/ I guess she is in Amiga Heaven now, save her before it's too late! What to do? Well, recap the whole mobo, and if it doesn't work, replace the CIA chips! Get a hot air workstation

22 September 2009, 23:13	#5
illy5603 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: SPaT CiTY Posts: 557	I hate to see any Original Amiga hardware, let alone COMMODORE Amiga hardware go down without a fight. I will try and get it repaired at the Ami-West show in October assuming they have the solder jockey's on hand. I can see at least 3 CAPS that are discolored at the base, 2 audio and one other one.

22 September 2009, 23:19	#6
prowler Global Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Sidcup, England Posts: 10,300	Hi illy, Your problem could also be heat-related. Check the motherboard for signs of dry joints too.

23 September 2009, 20:22	#7
Photon Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Eksjö / Sweden Posts: 5,660	If you can get at the legs of the tall electrolytic caps, I recommend nipping them off the board and out of the Amiga. So they don't damage the board between now and the day they get replaced. If not, try to wedge something under them that will protect the PCB.

23 September 2009, 22:51	#8
rkauer I hate potatos and shirts Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Sao Leopoldo / Brazil Age: 58 Posts: 3,482	To protect the motherboard, just store it upside down.

17 October 2009, 18:48	#9
illy5603 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: SPaT CiTY Posts: 557	Well here is the final word on this system. Had 5 of the same types of Caps replaced at the classic clinic at Amiwest (the audio type 22/25) and still having the problem so it is likely one of the custom chips... I ended up selling it to another attendee who can either fix it or put it to some good future use so it found a good home.

18 October 2009, 00:58	#10
Damion Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: US Posts: 319	For future reference - replace all caps, could be any number of them causing the problem. Doing only a few is a waste of time as they are all prone to leakage and failure. (Just my opinion after replacing caps on several A600 and A1200 boards.)

18 October 2009, 02:23	#11
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 49 Posts: 9,768	Your problem is synominous with a failing PAULA I am afraid to say. with a little patience, practice and a heat gun, you can easly remove Paula and replace the chip with another. You could try Amigakit for a replacement, but bare in mind the cost of a total board when you ask. I would however first start by replacing ALL the capacitors on the motherboard, from there I would then move on to replacing Paula.

18 October 2009, 20:44	#13
illy5603 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: SPaT CiTY Posts: 557	Thanks everyone, It went to a good home (intertial computing bought it to fix or to part out for their various and amazing projects!) and it was fun trying to get it fixed. It was cool meeting you FOL! Enjoy the last day of the show!

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