Help! Problems with my 800XL

[EmOneGarand]

Just got an 800XL I won on Ebay, when I turn it on it makes this obnoxious long beeping sound then stops and hangs on a blue screen with the cursor static, sometimes it will display "Boot Error" then display the READY, sometimes it just locks up. I've gotten the Memory Test screen a couple times already (didn't get any red squares). Is the ram bad? I just got Yoomp in the mail and have only been able to get it to boot the cartridge twice.. (I do not have the tape deck or disk drives btw)

[puppetmark]

Just got an 800XL I won on Ebay, when I turn it on it makes this obnoxious long beeping sound then stops and hangs on a blue screen with the cursor static, sometimes it will display "Boot Error" then display the READY, sometimes it just locks up. I've gotten the Memory Test screen a couple times already (didn't get any red squares). Is the ram bad? I just got Yoomp in the mail and have only been able to get it to boot the cartridge twice.. (I do not have the tape deck or disk drives btw)

 

1. Make sure the power supply you are using is good. Check the 800XL with another PS. If you don't have one then put a meter on the power supply and make sure you are getting 5V DC and no AC.

 

2. I would also open it up and reseat all the socketed chips.

 

3. With the 800XL open and turned on, check for any extra warm RAM chips.

 

4. Question: Is the 800XL hanging when there is nothing connected to its SIO bus? I was unclear if you disconnected everything.

[EmOneGarand]

Just got an 800XL I won on Ebay, when I turn it on it makes this obnoxious long beeping sound then stops and hangs on a blue screen with the cursor static, sometimes it will display "Boot Error" then display the READY, sometimes it just locks up. I've gotten the Memory Test screen a couple times already (didn't get any red squares). Is the ram bad? I just got Yoomp in the mail and have only been able to get it to boot the cartridge twice.. (I do not have the tape deck or disk drives btw)

 

1. Make sure the power supply you are using is good. Check the 800XL with another PS. If you don't have one then put a meter on the power supply and make sure you are getting 5V DC and no AC.

 

2. I would also open it up and reseat all the socketed chips.

 

3. With the 800XL open and turned on, check for any extra warm RAM chips.

 

4. Question: Is the 800XL hanging when there is nothing connected to its SIO bus? I was unclear if you disconnected everything.

nope, all I got with the unit was the PSU so there was nothing hooked up to it.

[Allas]

Just got an 800XL I won on Ebay, when I turn it on it makes this obnoxious long beeping sound then stops and hangs on a blue screen with the cursor static, sometimes it will display "Boot Error" then display the READY, sometimes it just locks up. I've gotten the Memory Test screen a couple times already (didn't get any red squares). Is the ram bad? I just got Yoomp in the mail and have only been able to get it to boot the cartridge twice.. (I do not have the tape deck or disk drives btw)

 

1. Make sure the power supply you are using is good. Check the 800XL with another PS. If you don't have one then put a meter on the power supply and make sure you are getting 5V DC and no AC.

 

2. I would also open it up and reseat all the socketed chips.

 

3. With the 800XL open and turned on, check for any extra warm RAM chips.

 

4. Question: Is the 800XL hanging when there is nothing connected to its SIO bus? I was unclear if you disconnected everything.

nope, all I got with the unit was the PSU so there was nothing hooked up to it.

 

 

It's strange you got a "beeping sound" and "BOOT ERROR" message without units at SIO socket. Maybe there is a mod inside the 800XL (something like a internal IDE), could you take a picture inside and outsude the 800XL?

Edited July 17, 2008 by Allas

[Rybags]

Sure the Start key isn't stuck?

 

That would explain the obnoxious sound on startup. And, a timed out cassette boot should give a Boot Error message.

[machf]

Definitely sounds like it... (why did I keep thinking "Select" instead of "Start", when I clearly had in mind the one that was two keys away from "Option"?)

"BOOT ERROR" probably shows up a while after pressing the spacebar, right?

[puppetmark]

It could be a key stuck or KB error. Its easy enough to unhook the keyboard and try booting without it.

[EmOneGarand]

It could be a key stuck or KB error. Its easy enough to unhook the keyboard and try booting without it.

Thanks, It must have been the keyboard. I unhooked it then booted it up, it went straight to READY. It also booted up a cartridge immediately. The Start button didn't seem to be stuck though I havn't taken that apart yet to see what may be wrong with it.

[EmOneGarand]

It could be a key stuck or KB error. Its easy enough to unhook the keyboard and try booting without it.

Thanks, It must have been the keyboard. I unhooked it then booted it up, it went straight to READY. It also booted up a cartridge immediately. The Start button didn't seem to be stuck though I havn't taken that apart yet to see what may be wrong with it.

I noticed the ribbon wire contacts are oxidized, could this be part of the problem as well?

[nathanallan]

It could be, as that oxidation could cause resistance, as if a key or several are being pressed at once and stopping something from happening.

 

Just my two cents, not very experienced with the 800XL insides. But I know a bit about electronics, and oxidation is bad.

 

What are the contacts, copper? Try the pencil eraser trick (rub the eraser as if you'r eerasing writing off of them, then wipe them with alcohol on a swab, then with a dry swab). Couldn't hurt. Correct me if I'm wrong, anyone.

 

Nathan

[eru]

It could be a key stuck or KB error. Its easy enough to unhook the keyboard and try booting without it.

Thanks, It must have been the keyboard. I unhooked it then booted it up, it went straight to READY. It also booted up a cartridge immediately. The Start button didn't seem to be stuck though I havn't taken that apart yet to see what may be wrong with it.

Luckily, you can play Yoomp! without the keyboard

[puppetmark]

I noticed the ribbon wire contacts are oxidized, could this be part of the problem as well?

 

I have seen many oxidized mylar ribbon cables and they work just fine. My suggestion would be to take the KB apart, remove the mylar sheet and spacer sheet and clean everything gently with rubbing alcohol. (Get yourself a small cup to put all the screws in so you don't loose any) Also check to make sure the silver function keys slide up and down easily. Then reassemble and try again.

 

If That does not work, let me know I think I have a spare 800XL KB. Its yours if you need it for the price of postage.

[bigwightdog]

This is amazing, its almost my exact same story...so I'll post here and if one of us fixes our problem first maybe the other can learn what went wrong.

 

I too purchased an 800XL off of eBay, and each time it boots without a cartridge it beeps like its ready to load a tape. I also got a Frogger Cart with it and while it plays well, each time I boot (with the cart) the game starts instantly. I read in the Frogger manual that you should be able to press Option to change # of players and Select for Fast or Slow...neither of these worked.

 

So I was finally able to get the Boot Error and get a Ready prompt. None of the keys are working except for Reset and oddly enough the Return key. I opened up the machine and disconnected the keyboard (after figuring out that it wasn't actually soldered to the motherboard)...cleaned the oxidization off a couple of the traces on the ribbon leading to the keyboard, but this didn't do the trick. Next step is to actually take the keyboard apart. I'm wondering if I'll be able to unhook the function keys (option, select, start, etc.) from the rest of the keyboard because I think this would tell me a lot of its seeing one of them as stuck (and thus causing problems for the rest of the keyboard input).

[EmOneGarand]

I noticed the ribbon wire contacts are oxidized, could this be part of the problem as well?

 

I have seen many oxidized mylar ribbon cables and they work just fine. My suggestion would be to take the KB apart, remove the mylar sheet and spacer sheet and clean everything gently with rubbing alcohol. (Get yourself a small cup to put all the screws in so you don't loose any) Also check to make sure the silver function keys slide up and down easily. Then reassemble and try again.

 

If That does not work, let me know I think I have a spare 800XL KB. Its yours if you need it for the price of postage.

I can't tell whats wrong with it, the mylar looks intact, no breaks in the leads either just alot of oxidization on the outer leads

[Tezz]

I can't tell whats wrong with it, the mylar looks intact, no breaks in the leads either just alot of oxidization on the outer leads

It can be difficult to diagnose it, the oxidization and degeneration which typically happen with bad storage, harsh climates and natural aging doesn't always show visibly in a obvious way. the oxidized tracks can be fixed it's just finding the fault that takes the time. there have been several threads here in the past dealing with it and succeeding. Prob a good starting point to have a search through the forum for advice.