130XE question

[atari8warez]

Will a 130XE still work if I removed one of the 64K bank rams or do all the RAM (128K) has to be on board for the machine to boot? Any ideas?

[Rybags]

So long as you leave the one corresponding to "normal" RAM. It's OK to take out the "extended" RAM.

 

The outermost column of chips contains the "normal" RAM.

 

If you decide (for whatever reason) to remove half your RAM, you may as well go the little extra effort and solder in sockets.

[atari8warez]

So long as you leave the one corresponding to "normal" RAM. It's OK to take out the "extended" RAM.

 

The outermost column of chips contains the "normal" RAM.

 

If you decide (for whatever reason) to remove half your RAM, you may as well go the little extra effort and solder in sockets.

 

Well I have this 130XE with 576K Peterson upgrade. When I took it out of the closet I've found that it no longer works. No boot, nothing on the screen. So I removed the 576K upgrade to see if it was the problem. When I removed the upgrade I also removed the piggybacked ram chips so the computer is left with only one bank of RAM. The ram still on board is the first row (left most row) as seen on this picture. The computer still doesn't boot, so I guess the problem is with the mainboard.

Edited October 10, 2007 by atari8warez

[Allas]

It can be some chips of the main memory, it can be any of the main processors on the mainboard.

The 130XE should be work only with the left column of main memory. As I can see, for start, the only thing I can say about repairing your 130xe:

 

1. You could change the 6502 chip with another in good condition. (6502 is the unique socketed chip you have in your mainboard). You can find some 800XL with socketed 6502.

 

2. Just at the right side of the 6th socket memory there are 2 resistors (R110 and R111). Both are horizontally, if you change (with desoldering and with a help of little cords) in the way they be crossed, then you'll have a little mod that uses the second column of your 130XE as main memory. As you have socketed this column, then you can use memory chips to test if its a problem of memory without desoldering all your memories. Off course you need extra memory chips.

 

Those are the only ideas I have to realize a fast review. It's hard, beacause you need extra material. But if any of this things show some light on the problem, then you'll have worse, because you'll have to put sockets in your 130XE.

Edited October 10, 2007 by Allas

[atari8warez]

It can be some chips of the main memory, it can be any of the main processors on the mainboard.

The 130XE should be work only with the left column of main memory. As I can see, for start, the only thing I can say about repairing your 130xe:

 

1. You could change the 6502 chip with another in good condition. (6502 is the unique socketed chip you have in your mainboard). You can find some 800XL with socketed 6502.

 

2. Just at the right side of the 6th socket memory there are 2 resistors (R110 and R111). Both are horizontally, if you change (with desoldering and with a help of little cords) in the way they be crossed, then you'll have a little mod that uses the second column of your 130XE as main memory. As you have socketed this column, then you can use memory chips to test if its a problem of memory without desoldering all your memories. Off course you need extra memory chips.

 

Those are the only ideas I have to realize a fast review. It's hard, beacause you need extra material. But if any of this things show some light on the problem, then you'll have worse, because you'll have to put sockets in your 130XE.

 

I already tested the 6502C on a working 130XE and it's fine. I have ram so maybe I'll try your suggestion next.

Edited October 11, 2007 by atari8warez

[philburnite]

It does sound like a ram problem although it dosnt explain why it stopped working by just putting it in the closet ?? is it damp in there ? and is there any sign of corosion on the back of the board or anywere ? you need to first check all the custom chips just incase on a working machine seeing as all yours are socketed and if there all still ok youll have to individually test the ram on a working xe (1 chip at a time) use a game cartrige when your testing , whats the purple wire for ? the one thats close to the modulator is that something you have done or is that standard the reason im asking is I have never been inside a 130XE .

[atari8warez]

It does sound like a ram problem although it dosnt explain why it stopped working by just putting it in the closet ?? is it damp in there ? and is there any sign of corosion on the back of the board or anywere ? you need to first check all the custom chips just incase on a working machine seeing as all yours are socketed and if there all still ok youll have to individually test the ram on a working xe (1 chip at a time) use a game cartrige when your testing , whats the purple wire for ? the one thats close to the modulator is that something you have done or is that standard the reason im asking is I have never been inside a 130XE .

 

Nope, where it was stored was pretty dry, no moisture damage. I don't know about the wire in the picture, was already there. Actually my other XE has 2 wires connecting some other points on the mainboard. Have no idea why they are there. So are you saying if one of the rams go bad it would cause the whole machine not to boot. Not even to the self-test mode? I am tempted to get the XE diagnostic board from Myatari. Anybody has any experience with this, how helpful would it be etc....

[philburnite]

Yes if one of the 8 existing rams in the bank shown on your photo are faulty the machine will not boot or anything , the wires on an 65xe are last minute mods made during production at atari somebody in development cocked up lol but there in a different place to your purple one anyway .. yes Id try checking the ram one at a time if your working xe hasnt got socketed ram then socket one and use that as your test socket for the 130xe ram and you may as well put sockets in the 130 xe seeing as your going to be removeing the ram chips .