ScuzzBlog: Diaries July 2019
Entry 13th July 2019: Post 01: Amiga 2000 - Failure 'I blame myself'.
Amiga 2000 - Failure 'I blame myself'.
When you collect computers you never wilfully neglect the kit and
leave to rot away. I don't like to think I do , anyway. Sadly though,
sometimes, things happen and you reflect on whether you did enough.
This is the case with this Amiga 2000. probably the first I added
to the collection.
The computer arrived with a badly leaking battery. Could very well
have been the first that I removed. I recall the issue with getting
the battery out. Knowing how I was in those days about taking it
apart it is likely that I did not remove the cradle for the floppy
drives when I took the battery out. My photographs for November
2004 do not show the cradle removed. The remnants of part of the
battery support still in place further suggest that I removed the
battery with the cradle in place. BIG MISTAKE.
The problem is that the battery corrosion had already spread to the
CPU socket pins and more importantly the receiving sockets. I guess
for some years I was pretty comfortable that the battery was no
longer an issue and placed the computer back in its box. Whether it
was because she was tricky to extract from the box and located deep
under a tower of A2000s, is maybe the reason she was left so long.
When I thoroughly checked for the first time in 2017, although the
computer was working I could see the corrosion to the socket. Sadly
I also now know far too well what will happen if I remove the
CPU chip. Not only will the chip come out but so too most of the
decomposing socket and the machine will be toast. I recall being
very nervous as I put the computer away then. My heart sank.
Fast forward to today and I wasn't surprised when I discovered the
computer to be dead in the water. Power on but no life. I also know
what the cause of the issue is. I also know in my heart that whilst
I caught the battery late, it probably is my fault that she is in
the state she is. That is not easy to accept, and at times like
these I feel like giving away the whole collection to someone that
is better able to maintain and look after the kit.
To the poor Amiga that has now returned to its box broken I am sorry.
I removed the RAM card and hard drive and fitted to another A2000
that has none of the corrosion issues associated with battery leaks.
This doesn't mean to say that the computer, like all those in my
collection is not being eaten away by another threat. For now I am
able to joy at the contents of the hard drive. At close on 1GB that
is a little tricky to transfer across a Parnet so it remains the
only copy for now. Man how I feel so helpless at times.
Never mind. I've got a hot cuppa and a heavy heart but I will carry
on. As you do .... Sorry.
V I D E O S
My failure and hard drive saved in another 2000
Amiga 2000 - Failure 'I blame myself'.
Damage as recorded in November 2004
I didn't remove the cradle
Hard Drive and RAM card safely transferred
to another working Amiga 2000.
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