ScuzzBlog: Diaries May 2020
Entry 20th May 2020: Post 1: Amiga 500Plus - Health Check Part 3.
Amiga 500Plus - Health Check Part 3.
It's that time again when I painstakingly open up my A500Plus
computers and check the dreaded battery damage. I have eleven of
the Amiga 500Plus if you count this one. I say that cus the
computer I feature today isn't a 500Plus but an an early Rev 5
A500 inside an A500Plus case. I count this one though cus the
case is for the Plus in the Checkmate. So I could reinstate the
500Plus if I so desired.
So why am I checking these A500Plus machines. Well, all of them
have had the battery removed. Sadly it doesn't end there cus the
corrosion never really goes away. Well not unless you are happy
to scrape the top surface of the motherboard and rebuild half the
tracks, sockets and chips. For those that know the story of Ironman
you will appreciate his dilemma of living each day under pain of
death from shrapnel moving ever closer to his heart. Well it is
like that with the Plus computers. I simply watch the corrosion
and fight it with vinegar and brown paper. [ like from the
nursery rhyme ].
I tentatively open the computers and through my cringed face I
gaze at the previous damage and simply comfort the computer. My
only joy is switching on and hoping she is working. I can do
nothing. There are those that try very hard to fight the problem
but with so much corrosion and damage to some of these computers
all I can do is live in hope.
In truth it was some silly idiot at Commodores fault. Deciding
to put the battery from the memory card onto the motherboard
pretty much signed the death certificate on any unsuspecting
computer. So many cherished machines were put in store only to
die a painful slow death without anyone ever knowing. That is
no way for any Amiga to die. And so I care for them while I
can and give words of comfort.
This is the third of my A500Plus machines that I have saved
from the dreaded battery damage plague. There was once an A5000
accelerator card in this computer that I now have in storage.
I have managed to get the accelerator working, having discovered
and issue with chips on this board. Took me a while but I got
there.
Note that the ROM on this A500Plus is the 3.1 ROM. Neat !
As for the battery, this was one of more successful adventures
as the battery was removed before it could do very much damage.
I still check the board all the same and keep a record of the
status of the battery area. Like all my A500Plus machines all
are working. I have sadly lost a couple but managed to replace
the motherboards... one way or another.
Please note that I am using an old black and white TV for the
images and so they are not the best.
Amiga 500Plus - Health Check Part 3.
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