tim@brspyr1.BRS.Com (Tim Northrup) (04/13/89)
I just had a strange conversation with my local Atari service center. I have been experiencing some problems with my ST lately (a 520 ST with 2 meg upgrade using the Aerco board), and it finally went completely yesterday. So, I called the local service center and explained that I had a problem with my ST; the person I talked to asked if I had a memory board upgrade and when I said yes, she said she didn't want to see it. THEN she said that she had seen "a lot" of ST's with fried main logic boards and some power supplies after about 18 months of using an upgrade board, and that the only corrective action is total replacement of the CPU. She said to save the $30 that it would cost to have them open the case and find this out. Is this that common? Can something be done to prevent it? Is there some "safe" upgrade that we should all be using, or are all memory upgrades terminal? Is my local service center pulling my leg? (I had heard that the connection of the memory board becomes loose, and I tried to get a better connection, but with no success). Any information you can add would be greatly appreciated. -- Tim -- Tim Northrup +------------------------------------------+ +---------------------------------+ GEnie: T.Northrup | UUCP: uunet!steinmetz!brspyr1!tim | Air Warrior: "Duke" | ARPA: tim@brspyr1.BRS.Com +------------------------------------------+
lockwood%ansel@Sun.COM (Jim Lockwood) (04/14/89)
In article <5751@brspyr1.BRS.Com>, tim@brspyr1.BRS.Com (Tim Northrup) writes: > So, I called the local service center and explained that I had a problem with > my ST; the person I talked to asked if I had a memory board upgrade and when > I said yes, she said she didn't want to see it. > > THEN she said that she had seen "a lot" of ST's with fried main logic boards > and some power supplies after about 18 months of using an upgrade board, and > that the only corrective action is total replacement of the CPU. She said to > save the $30 that it would cost to have them open the case and find this out. > > Is this that common? Can something be done to prevent it? Is there some "safe" I have a 520ST that does not have a memory upgrade. However that has not prevented it from consuming three power supplies within a year and a half. It is now on its fourth supply. At nearly $50 a pop through San Jose Computer, what I buy when/if the fourth supply dies won't be another power supply. All the power supplies seem to have a production date code on them and all of the ones that have died have been in the 8530 - 8535 range. The one it now has has an earlier date code (maybe 8517, but I don't recall). This supply is larger than the other three and has greater provisions for cooling air flow. This latest supply has lasted the longest of the four. My opinion is that the later dated supplies may be prone to early failure because of reduced cooling. There may be other differences that could account for a reduced MTBF, but I haven't taken this newest (oldest?) supply apart to check (If it ain't broke....). Anyone at Atari care to comment? Jim Lockwood lockwood@ansel.sun.com 415-336-4116
dlm@druwy.ATT.COM (Dan Moore) (04/14/89)
in article <5751@brspyr1.BRS.Com>, tim@brspyr1.BRS.Com (Tim Northrup) says: > I have been experiencing some problems with my ST lately (a 520 ST with > 2 meg upgrade using the Aerco board), and it finally went completely yesterday. > So, I called the local service center and explained that I had a problem with > my ST; the person I talked to asked if I had a memory board upgrade and when > I said yes, she said she didn't want to see it. > > THEN she said that she had seen "a lot" of ST's with fried main logic boards > and some power supplies after about 18 months of using an upgrade board, and > that the only corrective action is total replacement of the CPU. She said to > save the $30 that it would cost to have them open the case and find this out. I've used several STs with memory upgrades (both piggy-back upgrades on 520s to 1 Meg and Aerco upgrades to 4 Meg). Most have ulitmately had problems of some kind. Several of the piggy-back units ultimately developed bad solder connections which had to be fixed. The Aerco units developed problems due to the stupid "no soldering" connection scheme, once every thing was soldered they worked fine. I used my 520 upgraded to 1 meg for almost 3 years before I sold it. It worked had no problems other than the normal loose chips that all STs have. The machine is still in daily use and is still working fine (I sold it to Dave at Gadgets by Small). Gadgets by Small has a 520 with an Aerco 4 meg boards. It developed problems (loose connections, etc.) after about 18 months. But the ST it was in was in really bad shape to begin with (several custom mods used for debugging the Spectre). If your service center is telling you that any memory upgrade is going to damage your computer so badly that the only fix is a motherboard swap they are either very lazy (swaps are easier) or they need more money. I'd suggest looking around for another service center. You could just pull the Aerco board out and let them swap the motherboard or send it to Atari yourself. (Atari had a policy to exchange motherboard for fairly cheap, call them and see what the current setup is.) Then put the Aerco board back on the new one. Dan Moore AT&T Bell Labs Denver dlm@druwy.ATT.COM
rjd@brunix (Rob Demillo) (04/15/89)
In article <5751@brspyr1.BRS.Com> tim@brspyr1.BRS.Com (Tim Northrup) writes: >I just had a strange conversation with my local Atari service center. > >THEN she said that she had seen "a lot" of ST's with fried main logic boards >and some power supplies after about 18 months of using an upgrade board, and >that the only corrective action is total replacement of the CPU. The only thing I can think of is that the 520's have a problem getting rid of the extra heat, which might effect the CPU. (The only other effect would be on the power supply, which can *definitely* handle the extra memory. I modified my 520 myself to 2 Meg over 3 years ago, without an add on board. (There weren't any back then.) I use my ST a *lot* and I have never had a problem with it...no mechanical or electronic defects at all. I dunno if that helps or not...but I haven't heard of an epidemic of blown CPU's due to memory board upgrades before... - Rob DeMillo | UUCP: ...ima!brunix!rjd Brown University | BITnet: DEMILLO%BRNPSG.SPAN@STAR.STANFORD.EDU Planetary Science Group | Reality: 401-863-3769 "I say you *are* the Messiah, Lord! And I ought to know, I've followed a few!"