FCS101@psuvm.psu.edu (FRANK C SMEEKS) (11/01/90)
Hi I thought the first line would grab some attention, but this is the
only thing that can describe the affliction with my computer. I have
one of the early 2000's. A technician (good one I might add) has
updated my motherboard somewhat but no success to solve the problem
at hand. I have been trying to solve the following problem:
The 2090A hard disk controller will not work with my machine.
Symptoms. When the card is plugged in and the computer is turned
on the machine will not boot. Pull the card out and the machine
boots up fine, save of course the problem where the first key
you press doesn't register. The card works fine on two other
machines everything from formatting hard drive to booting up with
them. Just about every chip that can be pulled and exchanged has
been done, etc... I am out of options at this point. The suggestion was
made that I buy a new motherboard from Commodore. This problem existed
when I bought the da** machine and I didn't discover it until now
when hard drives for this machine are almost affordable. I would say
the problem is the fact the driver is a SCSI but that isn't it because
machine should boot either way with the card plugged in and no drive
attached sine other machines boot fine. I figure either there is
something I don't know which is magic and someone else has come up
with the solution or my computer does have a terminal case of cancer and
needs a new motherboard. What do you guys think??????
Frank
FCS101 at PSUVMjmeissen@oregon.oacis.org ( Staff OACIS) (11/01/90)
In article <90304.111049FCS101@psuvm.psu.edu> FCS101@psuvm.psu.edu (FRANK C SMEEKS) writes: >at hand. I have been trying to solve the following problem: > The 2090A hard disk controller will not work with my machine. > Symptoms. When the card is plugged in and the computer is turned > on the machine will not boot. Pull the card out and the machine > boots up fine [misc ramblings deleted] > needs a new motherboard. What do you guys think?????? I had a similar problem. I have an early (rev 4.2 motherboard) A2000, and occasionally It would develop a problem where is wouldn't boot without GURU'ing during the process (you don't really say what happens to you). I could pull everything except the disk controller with no effect. Pulling the controller immediately eliminated the problem. In my case, it resolved to finding a board placement arrangement that would work. With the controller in certain slots I would have the problem, in others I don't. There were reportedly problems with some slots on some early machines. You didn't say you had tried this, but if not you might try using other slots to see if the problem goes away. If the board works in other machines but not in yours, it must be your machine. The first place to look is where the connections are made. After that, you're into motherboard repair. -- John Meissen .............................. Oregon Advanced Computing Institute jmeissen@oacis.org (Internet) | "That's the remarkable thing about life; ..!sequent!oacis!jmeissen (UUCP) | things are never so bad that they can't jmeissen (BIX) | get worse." - Calvin & Hobbes
lphillips@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca (Larry Phillips) (11/01/90)
In <90304.111049FCS101@psuvm.psu.edu>, FCS101@psuvm.psu.edu (FRANK C SMEEKS) writes: >Hi I thought the first line would grab some attention, but this is the >only thing that can describe the affliction with my computer. I have >one of the early 2000's. A technician (good one I might add) has >updated my motherboard somewhat but no success to solve the problem >at hand. I have been trying to solve the following problem: What is 'somewhat'? The main thing to watch out for is that one of the bus driver chips (U602 I think), if it's a TI chip, requires replacement or a resistor on one of the lines. This is a fix documented by CBM, and is part of the upgrade to Motherboard rev 4.6. > The 2090A hard disk controller will not work with my machine. > Symptoms. When the card is plugged in and the computer is turned > on the machine will not boot. Pull the card out and the machine > boots up fine, save of course the problem where the first key > you press doesn't register. Remove C910 and C911 from the motherboard to fix this problem... another documented fix for some early 2000s. > The card works fine on two other > machines everything from formatting hard drive to booting up with > them. Just about every chip that can be pulled and exchanged has > been done, etc... Did you change the BUSTER chip? It's an important one in the Zorro bus scheme, and a bad one will cause the symptoms you describe, as well as a few problems that are less obvious. Did you try the 2090 in other slots? By itself (no other peripheral boards installed)? > I am out of options at this point. The suggestion was > made that I buy a new motherboard from Commodore. Might be the best way to go if you can't find the problem. > This problem existed > when I bought the da** machine and I didn't discover it until now > when hard drives for this machine are almost affordable. I would say > the problem is the fact the driver is a SCSI but that isn't it because > machine should boot either way with the card plugged in and no drive > attached sine other machines boot fine. Why would it being SCSI have anything to do with a failure to boot? > I figure either there is > something I don't know which is magic and someone else has come up > with the solution or my computer does have a terminal case of cancer and > needs a new motherboard. There is little magic in hardware. There are problems that can be traced to design, to a failing component, to a critical timing condition, and so on. Some problems are easier to find than others, and some are _REAL_ hard to find. Machines don't get 'cancer'. It only seems that way. > What do you guys think?????? Something is broken. Find the broken part or parts and replace it or them. It is preferable from a money standpoint to replace the lowest cost identifiable failing part, and if that's the motherboard, so be it. It is worth trying everything you can to avoid it. -larry -- It is not possible to both understand and appreciate Intel CPUs. -D.Wolfskill +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | // Larry Phillips | | \X/ lphillips@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca -or- uunet!van-bc!lpami!lphillips | | COMPUSERVE: 76703,4322 -or- 76703.4322@compuserve.com | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
ken@cbmvax.commodore.com (Ken Farinsky - CATS) (11/02/90)
In article <90304.111049FCS101@psuvm.psu.edu> FCS101@psuvm.psu.edu (FRANK C SMEEKS) writes: >...A technician (good one I might add) has >updated my motherboard somewhat but no success to solve the problem > The 2090A hard disk controller will not work with my machine. > Symptoms. When the card is plugged in and the computer is turned > on the machine will not boot. Pull the card out... If the tech. is a good one, how come you are still losing the first keystroke? This should be a simple fix. You might need to update the board to 4.5. What is the rev. of your motherboard? -- -- Ken Farinsky - CATS - (215) 431-9421 - Commodore Business Machines uucp: ken@cbmvax.commodore.com or ...{uunet,rutgers}!cbmvax!ken bix: kfarinsky
billsey@agora.uucp (Bill Seymour) (11/02/90)
In article <90304.111049FCS101@psuvm.psu.edu> FCS101@psuvm.psu.edu (FRANK C SMEEKS) writes:
:Hi I thought the first line would grab some attention, but this is the
:only thing that can describe the affliction with my computer. I have
:one of the early 2000's. A technician (good one I might add) has
:updated my motherboard somewhat but no success to solve the problem
:at hand. I have been trying to solve the following problem:
Do you know what he's done so far to 'update' your machine? There were
mods specified by Commodore for some problems in the early motherboards.
: The 2090A hard disk controller will not work with my machine.
: Symptoms. When the card is plugged in and the computer is turned
: on the machine will not boot. Pull the card out and the machine
: boots up fine, save of course the problem where the first key
: you press doesn't register. The card works fine on two other
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ That one, at least is easy. Clip the
two caps. You have a rev 4.2 motherboard
and the HiTek keyboard.
: machines everything from formatting hard drive to booting up with
: them. Just about every chip that can be pulled and exchanged has
: been done, etc... I am out of options at this point. The suggestion was
: made that I buy a new motherboard from Commodore. This problem existed
: when I bought the da** machine and I didn't discover it until now
: when hard drives for this machine are almost affordable. I would say
: the problem is the fact the driver is a SCSI but that isn't it because
: machine should boot either way with the card plugged in and no drive
: attached sine other machines boot fine. I figure either there is
: something I don't know which is magic and someone else has come up
: with the solution or my computer does have a terminal case of cancer and
: needs a new motherboard. What do you guys think??????
: Frank
: FCS101 at PSUVM
Have you tried other expansion boards in your 2000? It's going to be
real important to know whether this is an interaction between your machine and
the 2090, or between your machine and any expansion board. Further diagnostics
need more info... :-)
--
-Bill Seymour billsey@agora
***** American People/Link Amiga Zone Hardware Specialist NES*BILL *****
Bejed, Inc. NES, Inc. Northwest Amiga Group At Home Sometimes
(503) 281-8153 (503) 246-9311 (503) 656-7393 BBS (503) 640-0842etxtomp@eos.ericsson.se (Tommy Petersson) (11/02/90)
In article <15519@cbmvax.commodore.com> ken@cbmvax.commodore.com (Ken Farinsky - CATS) writes: >In article <90304.111049FCS101@psuvm.psu.edu> FCS101@psuvm.psu.edu (FRANK C SMEEKS) writes: ->...A technician (good one I might add) has ->updated my motherboard somewhat but no success to solve the problem -> The 2090A hard disk controller will not work with my machine. -> Symptoms. When the card is plugged in and the computer is turned -> on the machine will not boot. Pull the card out... - -If the tech. is a good one, how come you are still losing the first -keystroke? This should be a simple fix. You might need to update the -board to 4.5. What is the rev. of your motherboard? - --- --- -Ken Farinsky - CATS - (215) 431-9421 - Commodore Business Machines -uucp: ken@cbmvax.commodore.com or ...{uunet,rutgers}!cbmvax!ken -bix: kfarinsky I have now read several postings stating "You might need to update/upgrade to motherboard 4.5/4.6/whatever. Having a 4.4 motherboard, I'm interested in the differences between the revisions. Could someone at CATS compile a list containing the problems that might arise with a particular revision of the motherboard and some newer hardware? Commodore Sweden don't know what a motherboard is, so I can't ask them. It would be nice to know in advance, that if I buy some new hardware from Germany or US, it will work or break in my machine. I usually have to buy Commodore hardware from out of country, not because they are to expensive in Sweden (which they are), but because Commodore Sweden don't sell them because they can't support them. (Such things as hard disk controllers and accelerator cards). An Amiga 500 has the recommended price exceeding 1000 USD in Sweden, the 2000 costs about 2000! I was surprised they only charge around 6000 dollar for the 3000 (including taxes). I have FAT Agnus and an A2620 card (don't know the revision, but it's kinda early). The MB is rev 4.4. What will an motherboard update give me, how much work and money for parts will it involve? Tommy Petersson