Surprise! Look what I found!

[johnwohl]

So I opened up my ST to see what my prospects for modifications might be and low and behold, a piggyback ram upgrade!

 

Is there a utility I can run to make sure everything is running correctly on my machine and all of the chips are working?

 

Also, how can I tell if there are any other mods on my machine? Or do you think this is maybe modded from the dealer or sent in?

 

*** ALSO on another note, my #1 (of #0 and #1) mouse/joystick port does not seem to be working properly. When I try any games with either the mouse or joystick plugged to that port the game crashes. In TOS the mouse does not work when plugged into that port. Any ideas what to check?

 

 

Edited February 14, 2014 by johnwohl

[Zogging Hell]

There are test cartridges which can test most hardware aspects of the machine, the usual big Atari dealers usually have these. For memory there are a number of utilities 'Memtest' I think was one.

 

As for the mouse ports this is more tricky. My initial thoughts would be to test that the soldering on the keyboard (where the pins from the ports go into the keyboards circuit board) has broken loose, as this is the most common thought. Normally this results in erratic movement however, rather than crashes. I would try pressing down on all the socketed chips to make sure they haven't come loose (as with all electronics earth yourself first of course to make sure you don't fry the chips with static). Also check that ram upgrade is still fitted correctly, although if you can run the mem test this should test this issue.

 

Does the keyboard work for moving the mouse about (alternate and arrow keys)? and does the keyboard work generally?

[johnwohl]

Thank you for the reply! I will check the chips and the solder connections and report back.

 

In regards to the test cartridge, I'm kind of new with these computers so I'm not familiar yet with the dealers. Could you point me in the right direction, or perhaps to a thread with this information?

[Charlie_]

http://www.myatari.com/index.html

 

http://best-electronics-ca.com/

[moulinaie]

*** ALSO on another note, my #1 (of #0 and #1) mouse/joystick port does not seem to be working properly. When I try any games with either the mouse or joystick plugged to that port the game crashes. In TOS the mouse does not work when plugged into that port. Any ideas what to check?

 

 

imagejpeg_2.jpg

 

Could the ports have been rewired to match the pinouts of another system? For example Amiga mice/joysticks?

 

Guillaume.

[Rybags]

If the port was rewired it'd be very obvious. It's way easier to modify an ST or Amiga mouse to work on the other system, just swapping a few connections inside the mouse.

 

Regardless, it shouldn't be causing a crash - more likely the keyboard controller chip is faulty.

[GadgetUK]

You can get test carts in the UK from 16/32 systems!

[johnwohl]

Hey all. I tested the connector continuity and it seems good to the point where I can no longer follow the traces. The mouse keys through the keyboard work. Is the system supposed to beep every time you press a key? I haven't tried to type anything I guess. Is it the socketed chip under the keyboard you guys are talking about? Is that a standard chip I could get from digikey or do I need to get it through one of the atari retailers listed above?

[johnwohl]

Actually I can get that IC and write it with my programmer if someone can point me to the hex file or whatever I need to write to it.

[Nick Harlow]

Indeed (shameless plug coming)

 

http://sales1632.myzen.co.uk/acatalog/Atari_Diagnostic_Cartridges.html

 

 

You can get test carts in the UK from 16/32 systems!

[Zogging Hell]

Actually I can get that IC and write it with my programmer if someone can point me to the hex file or whatever I need to write to it.

Actually it is an intelligent keyboard processor chip, a CPU in its own right (albeit a bit of a crap one, which doesn't understand the new millenium). Might be worth reseating it to see if that is the problem. I've never known one to go but I suppose it is possible. The keys should make a beeping noise when you press them (as long as you haven't got the control panel to disable that). Keyboards aren't to hard to come by so maybe it might be worth grabbing another (always handy to have a spare anyway). That way you would at least be able to narrow the problem down a bit.

 

You can actually dismantle the keyboard fairly easily if you have the patience there are lots of little screws holding it together (be careful when you take it apart as the rubber cups go everywhere and one of the LEDs is threaded through the case.. btw there is one less rubber cup than you think there should be so don't spend a day looking for it). It might be worth checking inside for any liquid or physical damage or damaged traces etc.

 

(do you do keyboards as well Nick? )

Edited February 19, 2014 by Zogging Hell

[johnwohl]

Actually it is an intelligent keyboard processor chip, a CPU in its own right (albeit a bit of a crap one, which doesn't understand the new millenium). Might be worth reseating it to see if that is the problem. I've never known one to go but I suppose it is possible. The keys should make a beeping noise when you press them (as long as you haven't got the control panel to disable that). Keyboards aren't to hard to come by so maybe it might be worth grabbing another (always handy to have a spare anyway). That way you would at least be able to narrow the problem down a bit.

 

You can actually dismantle the keyboard fairly easily if you have the patience there are lots of little screws holding it together (be careful when you take it apart as the rubber cups go everywhere and one of the LEDs is threaded through the case.. btw there is one less rubber cup than you think there should be so don't spend a day looking for it). It might be worth checking inside for any liquid or physical damage or damaged traces etc.

 

(do you do keyboards as well Nick? )

 

i think the keyboard itself works just fine. All of the keys beep on the desktop and i can type things like volume names for floppies fine. Its just that second mouse port (closest to the rear) that is giving me the business. Ok, so does the system always look for the mouse on the first port or is it plug and play? like if I am on the desktop and the mouse is on the first port and i switch it to the second, it should still work? Say I am playing Vroom right.. I have the mouse plugged into the first port and my master system control pad on the second. The game works fine contolled with the mouse. i can move up and down on the menu and select options with the mouse, but i cant move the selector with the joystick, however I can select to start with the joystick button, but when I get into the game i cant do anything with the joystick.

 

alao Bradley from Best Electronics suggested that it could be the 6850 interface chips also. I could also replace those with the keyboard chip if needed, though I hate desoldering ICs lol

Edited February 20, 2014 by johnwohl

[johnwohl]

This just in... I am a big dumbness. I forgot my basic order of troubleshooting operations. The EBay seller said the master system gamelan was working and since I don't have a master system I didn't check it. Low and behold as soon as I opened the gamepad I found the problem. Someone put the rubber membrane what has the little pads that press on the contacts on the board in upside down. To what end? I have no idea. Anyway, problem solved, atari working, nobody panic. Hahahaha

[Zogging Hell]

Glad you got it working. The mouse will only work in one of the ports btw, if you look above (or below the port) on the side of the computer, there will be a small relief drawing which is either a joystick or a joystick and a mouse. Make sure the mouse in the one with the mouse drawing! The ports are wired slightly differently, the mouse one actually is capable of using two buttons, unfortunately the main joystick port can only read one. Most games are set up to use the main joystick port, so you rarely need to swap unless you want to do two player stuff.