Strange 130XE Rom Behavior.

[+Larry]

Today, I removed an Internal (flash) MyIDE that was showing a bad OS rom and installed a 32-in-1 OS. It doesn't work, either. If I hold SELECT, it goes to the regular light blue screen, but does nothing -- just hangs. If I don't hold SELECT, when it boots, it goes to the self-test screen and shows a bad rom. (BTW, it shows the Basic rom OK, and the ram all OK.

 

So I put in Omniview XE (800 OS) and it works fine.

 

I put in Steve Tucker's Warp 10 OS rom and it works fine.

 

Then I put in a stock 130XE ROM, and it shows that it is bad. (!)

 

Evidently, something is messing up the checksum calculation, since I presume that the checksum is disabled in the OS 10, and I don't think it exists in 800 OS. (?)

 

-So it looks like there is nothing wrong with the MYIDE module. This is a nearly new 130XE, and it worked perfectly until it started showing a bad rom a couple of weeks ago.

 

Any ideas as to what could cause it to flunk the cheksum? Or?

 

Thanks,

Larry

Edited February 20, 2009 by Larry

[MEtalGuy66]

Crap solder joints/high resistance on the bus lines..

130xes are famous for it..

 

Who socketed the rom? What methods were used to desolder it? Did it hurt the board? What condition is the ROM socket in after plugging & unplugging all this crap?

 

just a few things to thing about & look at..

[+Larry]

Crap solder joints/high resistance on the bus lines..

130xes are famous for it..

 

Who socketed the rom? What methods were used to desolder it? Did it hurt the board? What condition is the ROM socket in after plugging & unplugging all this crap?

 

just a few things to thing about & look at..

 

Hi MetalGuy66-

 

Thanks for the reply and suggested points.

 

The first thing I thought about was the OS removal and socket installation, too.

 

I did it, but it was one of my better jobs. Clipped the rom legs, removed them individually. Cleaned the holes good with wick after the legs were gone. Installed a machined pin socket, and all was well for maybe a month or more.

 

But this AM, I removed the that socket and inspected the board with a magnifying glass and flashlight. Traces and rings were all in good shape. Installed a new socket -- regular one this time. Put an Atari XE rom in and -- same thing. Aw sh..! OS without the checksum still come up fine.

 

So I don't think it is the socket. But looks like I may have another "parts board."

 

edit: BTW, I bought a real nice suction-base "hobby vice" at Lowes for about $25 -- sure beats the heck out of trying for that "3rd hand" to hold the board while working on both sides!

 

-Larry

Edited February 21, 2009 by Larry

[+Larry]

Got out a another 130XE board and removed the soldered rom. Installed a regular socket and all is well. I do hate to kill those roms, but better to kill the roms than to kill the boards.

 

There is one other interesting thing about that bad board -- there were absolutely no jumper wires on the board. Virtually all the (16-ram chip) XE's that I open up have at least one or two jumpers on them. I wonder if this board was "on the ragged edge?"

 

Anyway, the internal flash MyIDE works now and the 32-in-1 also works now.

 

-Larry

[MEtalGuy66]

Got out a another 130XE board and removed the soldered rom. Installed a regular socket and all is well. I do hate to kill those roms, but better to kill the roms than to kill the boards.

 

There is one other interesting thing about that bad board -- there were absolutely no jumper wires on the board. Virtually all the (16-ram chip) XE's that I open up have at least one or two jumpers on them. I wonder if this board was "on the ragged edge?"

 

Anyway, the internal flash MyIDE works now and the 32-in-1 also works now.

 

-Larry

 

Yeah it depends on the board revision..

[_The Doctor__]

there are so many inexpensive desoldering irons today that won't hurt your roms, heck even radio shack has one. It costs more to buy rolls of wick. Some use hand bulb some use built in pumps.

 

on a crazy side note Heck we once modded a bulb type iron with a couple of aquarium pumps, tubing and some tupperware. I worked lol!

 

Just some ideas for ya.

[Mark Wolfe]

there are so many inexpensive desoldering irons today that won't hurt your roms, heck even radio shack has one. It costs more to buy rolls of wick. Some use hand bulb some use built in pumps.

 

on a crazy side note Heck we once modded a bulb type iron with a couple of aquarium pumps, tubing and some tupperware. I worked lol!

 

Just some ideas for ya.

 

 

Oh Tupperware, is there nothing your magic burping lids can not accomplish?

[+Larry]

there are so many inexpensive desoldering irons today that won't hurt your roms, heck even radio shack has one. It costs more to buy rolls of wick. Some use hand bulb some use built in pumps.

 

on a crazy side note Heck we once modded a bulb type iron with a couple of aquarium pumps, tubing and some tupperware. I worked lol!

 

Just some ideas for ya.

 

An aquairium pump sounds very novel and interesting! And thanks for the ideas.

 

I previously used a desoldering iron with a spring-loaded suction pump. That worked pretty well, but I would still lift a trace here or there. I got a $100 "One shot desolderer" that was basically the same thing, but had a motorized pump. It really didn't do as good a job as the manual iron -- at least for me.

 

Finally on one project, I tried the braid, and I've gotten quite proficient with it. But by now, I would probably been money ahead to buy a desoldering station -- but the size and the $300 - $400 price always put me off. Probably even more by now.

 

-Larry

[+bob1200xl]

Fry's has a Hakko 808 for something like $160 that works pretty well. It's a self-contained pistol grip unit - gets a little heavy.

 

I like them.

 

Bob

 

 

 

there are so many inexpensive desoldering irons today that won't hurt your roms, heck even radio shack has one. It costs more to buy rolls of wick. Some use hand bulb some use built in pumps.

 

on a crazy side note Heck we once modded a bulb type iron with a couple of aquarium pumps, tubing and some tupperware. I worked lol!

 

Just some ideas for ya.

 

An aquairium pump sounds very novel and interesting! And thanks for the ideas.

 

I previously used a desoldering iron with a spring-loaded suction pump. That worked pretty well, but I would still lift a trace here or there. I got a $100 "One shot desolderer" that was basically the same thing, but had a motorized pump. It really didn't do as good a job as the manual iron -- at least for me.

 

Finally on one project, I tried the braid, and I've gotten quite proficient with it. But by now, I would probably been money ahead to buy a desoldering station -- but the size and the $300 - $400 price always put me off. Probably even more by now.

 

-Larry

[+warerat]

Fry's has a Hakko 808 for something like $160 that works pretty well. It's a self-contained pistol grip unit - gets a little heavy.

 

I like them.

 

Bob

 

Agreed! The 808 is great. What bites is that the Fry's by me doesn't ever seem to have the consumables in stock for this. They'll gladly stock a new unit but none of the tips or filters (flux murders those ceramic filters pretty quick). Mine has gotten to the point where I need to replace the rubber gasket piece in front of the cylinder (hole is enlarged and rubber is cracking around the heat pipe).

[+Larry]

Fry's has a Hakko 808 for something like $160 that works pretty well. It's a self-contained pistol grip unit - gets a little heavy.

 

I like them.

 

Bob

 

Agreed! The 808 is great. What bites is that the Fry's by me doesn't ever seem to have the consumables in stock for this. They'll gladly stock a new unit but none of the tips or filters (flux murders those ceramic filters pretty quick). Mine has gotten to the point where I need to replace the rubber gasket piece in front of the cylinder (hole is enlarged and rubber is cracking around the heat pipe).

 

Hi bob1200xl and warerat-

 

Thanks for the 808 suggestion. We have a FRY's in the area, so I'll check it out.

 

-Larry

[+bob1200xl]

Ceramic filters? I don't have any ceramic filters... there is a fiber filter behind the aluminum collector. I have spares of those from Fry's. Never had a reason to change tips but they do have them at our local Fry's. I don't expect to be able to unscrew the tip after it has been 'cooking' for a couple of months, anyway.

 

I have a used, spare rubber gasket for the front of the barrel if you need it.

 

Bob

 

 

 

Fry's has a Hakko 808 for something like $160 that works pretty well. It's a self-contained pistol grip unit - gets a little heavy.

 

I like them.

 

Bob

 

Agreed! The 808 is great. What bites is that the Fry's by me doesn't ever seem to have the consumables in stock for this. They'll gladly stock a new unit but none of the tips or filters (flux murders those ceramic filters pretty quick). Mine has gotten to the point where I need to replace the rubber gasket piece in front of the cylinder (hole is enlarged and rubber is cracking around the heat pipe).

[carmel_andrews]

Main thing is Larry, have you sorted out your bad xe/ bad xe rom

[+Larry]

Main thing is Larry, have you sorted out your bad xe/ bad xe rom

 

Hi Carmel-

 

No, it is evidently just the symptom of a more deep-seated hardware issue. Likely beyond my abilities/equipment.

 

-Larry