Sold A4000 25 years ago, but i got it back today!

[IvanEBC]

Thought i'd introduce myself a bit with a cool little story (well i think so)

As title says - kinda amazing story. My last Amiga was a 4000, i sold it to a friend when i moved into PC world as i run a business and that is where the business was heading.
I've been involved with Emulation for a long time but only to dabble, seems more fun to be collecting. But recently, i got a C64 and Atari 2600 and found there was nothing better than having the original hardware.
I asked my mate if he still had the A4000 and he said yeah, it never resold it or anything and still lives in a box at his home. Luckily he gave it back and after a bit of cleaning, still works, even had my Workbench and found some of my files from 1995/1996. Friggin Amazing. I'm still trying to work out a deal to buy it back and it is on the table, whether i can afford to, is another reason.

I bet not many people could claim to have sold their amigas and bought back the very same one they sold.

Anwyays - i'm here for other reasons too as Aminet sent me here, you'll need to find my other post for that

[alpine9000]

Got an email address for your mate ?

I promise I won't make him an offer

[IvanEBC]

We worked out a deal, let's just say - he is a giving me mates rates that i don't deserve, as this A4000 will cost alot less than most A500 i can see on eBay.

[clebin]

Originally Posted by IvanEBC

We worked out a deal, let's just say - he is a giving me mates rates that i don't deserve, as this A4000 will cost alot less than most A500 i can see on eBay.

Nice story! One thing - check the battery. You'll want to remove it and clean up any leakage if it's still in there. It's easy to snip the legs off. It's also worth getting the A4000 recapped as leaking caps is another potential hazard. It would be sad if the machine stopped working just after you got it back!

[IvanEBC]

I rubed around the battery pins with a toothbrush.

As for recapped. I'm not confident enough with a soldering iron. I hope to join up with a local Amiga group soon so maybe someone there could offer some assistance for beer :")

PS when you say to snip the legs off, you mean in order to get a new one? or they don't need them anymore?

[Daedalus]

Good story! You don't strictly need the battery, but your clock won't keep the time when the computer's switched off if you don't replace it. If it has leaked, make sure to use lemon juice and a toothbrush to neutralise the corrosion, followed by some 99% IPA to clean up the juice. If not, any leakage that might remain, however small, will slowly corrode the traces under the green coating.

It's the same story with capacitors, I'm sure you'll be able to find someone who can do the job, whether another Amiga user or an electronics repair place. Retro consoles and computers are getting really popular again and repair services are popping up to cater for them.

[DrBong]

Originally Posted by IvanEBC

We worked out a deal, let's just say - he is a giving me mates rates that i don't deserve, as this A4000 will cost alot less than most A500 i can see on eBay.

You're right, you don't deserve it......better gimme your mate's contact details and I'll offer him what an A500 goes for on Ebay! Nice story mate and I hope you make some great new memories with your old A4000

Funnily enough, I sold my mate up the road a boat anchor 5.25" 1GB SCSI HD about 20 years ago for him to use with his A1200. I threw him an empty A4000 case soon after when I upgraded my A4000 desktop to a Micronik tower. He modded it to house the 1GB HD and used it as an external with his A1200. He still has it and reckons it still works and sounds like a jumbo jet engine taking off whenever it spins up!! Awesome memories.....

Anyway, recently he promised that I'll get first dibs on that and anything else Amiga that he clears out when he downsizes all his computer gear (poor b@stard, his wife is making him do it!). We'll probably do some sort of trade come time, which should please his wife no end!

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by DrBong

He still has it and reckons it still works and sounds like a jumbo jet engine taking off whenever it spins up!! Awesome memories.....

ROFL

...don't we all know that sound

[Retroplay]

There's nothing like getting your Amiga back, same thing happened to me some years ago.
I sold my A500 to a friend in the mid 90's, he left it at his parents house where it was left in a box some 20 years.
I got it back for free, cleaned it up and gave it some TLC and right now it's sitting right next to me never to leave my side aqain.

[IvanEBC]

Snip off the battery - oh man...i just can't se emyself doing it, it won't feel the same, yeah the clock i guess isn't important and i think you can get them new..... well ... maybe i should.

I had issues getting her to turn on today, so its been disassembled and cleaned, especially around the battery and many photo taken if i need reference later.. I just finished using the harddrive in winuae last night to transfer ADF, man, connecting up a 25 year old HDD to a PC and running it as if it was the Amiga was sensational.

[Jope]

You definitely should, a leaky battery WILL ruin the motherboard.

[Predseda]

[IvanEBC]

ok ok. I'm doing this right now.... normal to see two pins connected to + and one to - ?

Also - any post about replacements? a quick google suggested you can use the modern CR2032 batteries in which i have plenty of dead boards i can remove batteries and their plastic casings from. Any posts about doing this on my specific A4000.

Thanks.