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Conference hydra::amiga_v1

Title:AMIGA NOTES
Notice:Join us in the *NEW* conference - HYDRA::AMIGA_V2
Moderator:HYDRA::MOORE
Created:Sat Apr 26 1986
Last Modified:Wed Feb 05 1992
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5378
Total number of notes:38326

1273.0. "M501 help needed" by HSK03::HEISKANEN (Pekka K. Heiskanen) Fri Mar 25 1988 13:45



	The problem is with the new M501 memory.
	It is made by MicroBotics.

	When it is installed ( AMIGA 500) the system
	will not reboot (A and A and Ctrl). Well it
	does but let us say after the eighth try.
	Sometimes it GURUs : Software error 4.xxxx .
	Sometimes it flashes the power light.

	And when the system is finally up DOS shows
	like 0.9 Mbytes memory. And I can copy 
	the Workbench disk to RAM.

	When I take the extra memory away: no problems
	with booting.

	What might be the ultimate problem ?

	Regards,
		Pekka

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1273.1oops, pine is "pins"!WJG::GUINEAUt' = (t-(v/c�)x)/(1-(v�/c�))^� ?Fri Mar 25 1988 14:5711

Check the pine on the A500 where the A501 plugs into. I had all kinds of
trouble getting that thing in. The metal shield was soldered in such a way
that it hit the A500 chassis. I needed a crow bar to make the thing fit
in. And then I bent a pin (unknowingly) and Amy would crash when I 
hit the top memory locations.

I suspect your problem is similar.

John
1273.2it works ok for meMPGS::GOGUENSat Mar 26 1988 09:0312
    	I justed installed the 501 in my A500 about a week ago, and I have
    had no problems with it. I will confirm it is a tight fit though, but I
    managed to get it in there ok. (if my memory serves me correct, I think
    the documentation that microbotics put in with the 501 stated that "for
    A500 owners there would be a tight fit when you install 501 and put the
    cover back on. It's possible you my have a damaged 501 or you somehow
    damaged it putting installing it.
    
    	Just wanted to let you know it does work.
     
    					-paul
    
1273.3not pinsHSK03::HEISKANENPekka K. HeiskanenTue Mar 29 1988 11:1229


	Well the pins are in two rows as in the army.
	So maybe not that.

	The poblem goes away when I power down the system.
	And then say after 30 seconds power it up. Then
	it is OK during some (4 to ...) boots.

	What is the system doing at the very beginning ?
	I mean that when I try to reboot with empty drive
	it does not even show the picture of disk on 
	the screen. It gurus . And then power down and
	up ...O.K for some boots.

	Power problem ? Does the memory take too much?
	Bad power supply?

	Bad expansion memory ?

	Static electricity ?

	I do not think that the problem is at this time 
	between the AMIGA and the bench.


	Still hoping,
		     Pekka
1273.4Check shield contact w/expansion unit shield4973::SULLIVANSteven E. SullivanTue Mar 29 1988 12:5623
    Although  it  is  not  the  same  perhaps  my  adventure with the
comodore memory expansion for the A500 would help.

    After  (and  sometimes  before)  installation  of the A500 memory
expansion my A500 would sometimes not boot and often  guru.  When  it
would  not  boot  the  power LED would just blink at me. To get it to
work I used the stone knives and bearskins approach and beat  on  the
bottom in a "sensitive" place. This would eventually bring it back to
life for a while.

    Eventually   I   found  removing  and  re-installing  the  memory
expansion  would  cure  the  problem  for  a  while.  Once  this  was
discovered I became suspicious of grounding and shielding. The shield
on the A500 memory expansion  has  a  "spring"  connection  with  the
shield  of  the  A500.  The shields were not making good contact so I
distorted them slightly to increase the pressure.

    Since  improving the shield contact I have had NO problems at all
with the A500/A500 memory expansion.

    Hope this helps!

	-SES
1273.5BAGELS::BRANNONDave BrannonTue Mar 29 1988 13:189
    re: .4
    
    another triumph of sledge hammer school of hardware debugging!
    
    I had to do the same sort of thing to get the external memory
    expansion to work on my A1000.  Memory seems to be very sensitive
    to flakey shielding.
    
    -dave