rg20+@andrew.cmu.edu (Rick Francis Golembiewski) (05/24/91)
When ever the temperature gets to be near 80 deg. F my A3000 seems to become extreemly flaky. In the winter I could leave the machine running continuously without any problems, however now that it's summer if it's left on for an hour or so I can expect all kinds of errors (the drive fails checksums, it guru's kind of randomly, file requestors show lots of garbage, and ocassionally I'll get a crash to a yellow screen). After letting the machine cool down a bit it works fine again. It seems like it's a memory problem, I had suspected the 4MB of RAM I added, but this problem still happens without it. I had tried taking it in last fall, but the repair center (which was probabily nice and cool) didn't find anything wrong with the machine. Has anyone else out there had this problem with their A3000? I'de also welcome any suggestions? I don't mind the machine being flaky due to heat right now since I have air conditioning, but at college I won't and I need the machine to be dependable. // Rick Golembiewski rg20+@andrew.cmu.edu \\ \\ #include stddisclaimer.h // \\ "I never respected a man who could spell" // \\ -M. Twain //
jesup@cbmvax.commodore.com (Randell Jesup) (05/25/91)
In article <kcDHcjK00WAvA3I6gO@andrew.cmu.edu> rg20+@andrew.cmu.edu (Rick Francis Golembiewski) writes: > >When ever the temperature gets to be near 80 deg. F my A3000 seems to >become extreemly flaky. In the winter I could leave the machine >running continuously without any problems, however now that it's >summer if it's left on for an hour or so I can expect all kinds of >errors (the drive fails checksums, it guru's kind of randomly, file >requestors show lots of garbage, and ocassionally I'll get a crash to >a yellow screen). After letting the machine cool down a bit it works >fine again. Normal tricks for temperature faults: get it hot enough to fail and use freeze spray, or cool enough to work reliably and use a heat gun of some sort. Any good tech should have these skills in their repertoire. Places to start would be super-dmac, ramsey, etc. NOTE: doing this yourself is likely to void your warranty (or at least I don't know, and am covering my ...) If it's still under warranty, try again. If it isn't, you may be able to persuade them to try anyways since you brought it in before for the same problem. as usual, see my disclaimer... -- Randell Jesup, Jack-of-quite-a-few-trades, Commodore Engineering. {uunet|rutgers}!cbmvax!jesup, jesup@cbmvax.cbm.commodore.com BIX: rjesup Disclaimer: Nothing I say is anything other than my personal opinion. "No matter where you go, there you are." - Buckaroo Banzai
jpotter@ucs.adelaide.edu.au (Jonathan Potter) (05/25/91)
In article <kcDHcjK00WAvA3I6gO@andrew.cmu.edu> rg20+@andrew.cmu.edu (Rick Francis Golembiewski) writes: When ever the temperature gets to be near 80 deg. F my A3000 seems to become extreemly flaky. In the winter I could leave the machine running continuously without any problems, however now that it's summer if it's left on for an hour or so I can expect all kinds of errors (the drive fails checksums, it guru's kind of randomly, file requestors show lots of garbage, and ocassionally I'll get a crash to a yellow screen). After letting the machine cool down a bit it works fine again. It seems like it's a memory problem, I had suspected the 4MB of RAM I added, but this problem still happens without it. I had tried taking it in last fall, but the repair center (which was probabily nice and cool) didn't find anything wrong with the machine. Has anyone else out there had this problem with their A3000? I'de also welcome any suggestions? I don't mind the machine being flaky due to heat right now since I have air conditioning, but at college I won't and I need the machine to be dependable. I had exactly the same problem, and after having the DMAC chip (the dma controller) replaced the machine has been fine. Mind you, it took almost 6 weeks to get a new DMAC (during which time the 3000 was unusable - this was in the middle of summer!). Jon -- | Jon Potter | | I'd really like to | | P.O. Box 289 | jpotter@itd.adelaide.edu.au | change the world... | | Goodwood, SA | FidoNet : 3:680/829 | But they won't give me | | Australia 5034 | | the source code. |
johns@dworkin.Amber.COM (John Silvia) (05/27/91)
If the DMAC chip is causing you trouble, then there is a simple solution. Just install a heat sink on top of the chip, and then order the replacement with your dealer. A cheap Radio Shack heat sink with some of the heat sink compound would do a lot to keep the chip cool. As it is, I believe that the DMAC chip is directly underneath the disk drives, near the RAM and the CPU slot. Just adding a slim line aluminum heat sink onto the chip would probably give the machine another 10-20 degrees of tolerance. There is a fan in the back of the A3000, and it hangs down beneath the power supply to help gather a little breeze under the drives, and help keep the ram cool. If you are rich, then there are chip cooling fans, which use a small piezo electric element, which can mount on their side inside the case, blowing a little air across the chip. This with a heat sink would keep the chip really cool. Just remember that you could affect the amount of space that is available for the 040 chip when it's available, so keep the height to a minimum. Using maximum area, say over 5 square inches would work nicely, and then a small standoff to channel the heat up from the chip.
daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie) (05/29/91)
In article <kcDHcjK00WAvA3I6gO@andrew.cmu.edu> rg20+@andrew.cmu.edu (Rick Francis Golembiewski) writes: >When ever the temperature gets to be near 80 deg. F my A3000 seems to >become extreemly flaky. .... >Has anyone else out there had this problem with their A3000? I have never run into the problem myself (and C= offices get well beyond 80F in the summer, thanks to a chaotic cooling system). If you added the RAM chips, make sure that they're 80ns parts. Slower parts might work, most of the time, and fail when things get hot (which makes silicon slower). Make sure the chips are fully socketed; I had an A1000 hacked up with 512K of piggyback RAM that worked for nearly a year, but got flakey one hot August day. Apparently, I had missed soldering one pin, which made good contact until that hot day. Also, make absolutely sure your A3000 gets adequate ventilation. I have heard stories for years of people with systems that get flakey in the summertime, only to find out that they had them in stereo racks or other nearly airless places. -- Dave Haynie Commodore-Amiga (Amiga 3000) "The Crew That Never Rests" {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!daveh PLINK: hazy BIX: hazy "That's me in the corner, that's me in the spotlight" -R.E.M.
bernie@metapro.DIALix.oz.au (Bernd Felsche) (06/03/91)
In <21985@cbmvax.commodore.com> daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie) writes: >I have never run into the problem myself (and C= offices get well beyond 80F >in the summer, thanks to a chaotic cooling system). If you added the RAM >chips, make sure that they're 80ns parts. Slower parts might work, most of >the time, and fail when things get hot (which makes silicon slower). Make >sure the chips are fully socketed; I had an A1000 hacked up with 512K of >piggyback RAM that worked for nearly a year, but got flakey one hot August >day. Apparently, I had missed soldering one pin, which made good contact :-) Would _you_ buy a machine designed by this man? :-) >until that hot day. Also, make absolutely sure your A3000 gets adequate >ventilation. I have heard stories for years of people with systems that get >flakey in the summertime, only to find out that they had them in stereo racks >or other nearly airless places. -- Bernd Felsche, _--_|\ #include <std/disclaimer.h> Metapro Systems, / sold \ Fax: +61 9 472 3337 328 Albany Highway, \_.--._/ Phone: +61 9 362 9355 Victoria Park, Western Australia v Email: bernie@metapro.DIALix.oz.au
daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie) (06/04/91)
In article <1991Jun3.140816.10385@metapro.DIALix.oz.au> bernie@metapro.DIALix.oz.au (Bernd Felsche) writes: >In <21985@cbmvax.commodore.com> > daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie) writes: >>Apparently, I had missed soldering one pin, which made good contact >:-) Would _you_ buy a machine designed by this man? :-) Well, they usually don't let me build them. Especially at 4AM. We have machines and technicians which do a much better job... -- Dave Haynie Commodore-Amiga (Amiga 3000) "The Crew That Never Rests" {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!daveh PLINK: hazy BIX: hazy "This is my mistake. Let me make it good." -R.E.M.
Eric.Sanders@f210.n110.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Eric Sanders) (06/05/91)
AREA:UUCP_HRDWR
One thing it could be is a poorly socketed chip. Try gently prying all
socketed chips up a little (no need to remove them), and press them
fully back in again. It may be a long shot but it saved me atrip to the
repair shop once!
--
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----------------------------------------------------------------------------darrell@comspec.uucp (Darrell Grainger) (06/06/91)
In article <1991Jun3.140816.10385@metapro.DIALix.oz.au> bernie@metapro.DIALix.oz.au (Bernd Felsche) writes: >In <21985@cbmvax.commodore.com> > daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie) writes: > >>I have never run into the problem myself (and C= offices get well beyond 80F >>in the summer, thanks to a chaotic cooling system). If you added the RAM >>chips, make sure that they're 80ns parts. Slower parts might work, most of >>the time, and fail when things get hot (which makes silicon slower). Make >>sure the chips are fully socketed; I had an A1000 hacked up with 512K of >>piggyback RAM that worked for nearly a year, but got flakey one hot August >>day. Apparently, I had missed soldering one pin, which made good contact > >:-) Would _you_ buy a machine designed by this man? :-) I think the problem here wouldn't be a design fault but more a production fault. Maybe this is way the Amiga is not manufactured in the US. :-) >>until that hot day. Also, make absolutely sure your A3000 gets adequate >>ventilation. I have heard stories for years of people with systems that get >>flakey in the summertime, only to find out that they had them in stereo racks >>or other nearly airless places. >-- >Bernd Felsche, _--_|\ #include <std/disclaimer.h> >Metapro Systems, / sold \ Fax: +61 9 472 3337 >328 Albany Highway, \_.--._/ Phone: +61 9 362 9355 >Victoria Park, Western Australia v Email: bernie@metapro.DIALix.oz.au -- Darrell Grainger % Comspec Communications Inc., Toronto, Ontario, Canada darrell@comspec % Disclaimer: All opinions expressed are my own. (416) 617-1475 % (416) 633-5605 (416)785-3553
billsey@agora.UUCP (Bill Seymour) (06/06/91)
In article <1991Jun3.140816.10385@metapro.DIALix.oz.au>, Bernd Felsche writes: > In <21985@cbmvax.commodore.com> > daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie) writes: > >>I have never run into the problem myself (and C= offices get well beyond 80F >>in the summer, thanks to a chaotic cooling system). If you added the RAM >>chips, make sure that they're 80ns parts. Slower parts might work, most of >>the time, and fail when things get hot (which makes silicon slower). Make >>sure the chips are fully socketed; I had an A1000 hacked up with 512K of >>piggyback RAM that worked for nearly a year, but got flakey one hot August >>day. Apparently, I had missed soldering one pin, which made good contact > > :-) Would _you_ buy a machine designed by this man? :-) Absolutely. Anyone who can get one of those piggyback mods working in a 1000 without soldering the pins together is alright in my book! :-) Gee, maybe I could talk him into getting my old Lucas board to finally work... :-) >>until that hot day. Also, make absolutely sure your A3000 gets adequate >>ventilation. I have heard stories for years of people with systems that get >>flakey in the summertime, only to find out that they had them in stereo racks >>or other nearly airless places. > -- > Bernd Felsche, _--_|\ #include <std/disclaimer.h> > Metapro Systems, / sold \ Fax: +61 9 472 3337 > 328 Albany Highway, \_.--._/ Phone: +61 9 362 9355 > Victoria Park, Western Australia v Email: bernie@metapro.DIALix.oz.au -Bill Seymour nesbbx!billsey@agora.uucp or nesbbx!billsey@agora.rain.com ***** American People/Link Amiga Zone Hardware Specialist NES*BILL ***** Bejed, Inc. NES, Inc. NAG BBS NES BBX BBS Home Sometimes (503)281-8153 (503)246-9311 (503)656-7393 (503)640-9337 (503) 640-0842