AmigaOne-XE/G4 - VGA:ERROR [solved]

Looking at the underside of the board, with the board positioned so that RJ45 and USB1/USB2 are at top right. Immediately left of the USB sockets is a cut track.

The track at the right side of L56 heads North-East and the track is cut just past the "T" junction.

This cut track couldn't possibly have happened by accident, but I was hoping someone may be able to confirm that this is "normal" please.

@Lemen

This cut track couldn't possibly have happened by accident, but I was hoping someone may be able to confirm that this is "normal" please.
Sounds normal. How could you have accidentally cut it? Did you kick it in the side cover recently? I don't any available diagrams to verify this.

The original A1 battery holder was wobbly and dubious. The way it makes contact with the battery is seriously questionable.The AmigaKIt 'tie clip' style holder is visually and physically trustworthy to my mind! My September 2007 repair is still using that battery since- 2+ years now!

I'm not trying to promote this battery holder excessively, but am trying to point out a weak piece of simple hardware. I may have accidentally damaged mine when the last battery was last changed. Who knows?

@Snuffy

I KNOW the cut track couldn't have happened accidentally, hence WHY I said in post #21
"This cut track couldn't possibly have happened by accident".

The problem is NOT caused by the battery or its holder, of that I couldn't be more sure. I have checked the voltage through the board and tracked it away from the battery, elsewhere on the board - the voltage is present and stable. It is also NOT due to poor seating of components (CPU, memory, AGP, PCI etc).

@All

To give an update:

My AmigaOne is almost fixed, and is running fine right now
The problem has turned out to be failed connections between the CPU and PCB.

By removing the springs from the heatsink mount, I've used only bolts to clamp the heastsink very firmly down onto the top of the CPU. As the heatsink fixing bolts are through the board, the CPU is pushed hard against the PCB and has thereby re-established the broken contacts.

The machine is working fine like this, though I do not wish to leave it this way. So the CPU module is going to have the CPU re-flowed at Retronix. And I must put in a good word here for Retronix, they have done really nice quality work. Once the CPU has been re-flowed, I expect my AmigaOne to be very reliable again

@Lemen

Yeah ! Great news to hear. Thanks to updae us with nice ending !

@Lemen

Just curious how much it costs to get your cpu card fixed at Retronix?

@HammerD

Reflow and Xray - ?55.

@K-L

Quote:

Thank you. I hope I'm not jumping the gun. I'm sure I'm not, as the machine is still running perfectly as I type

Once I get the CPU module back from Retronix after having had the reflow, I will mount the heatsink in the normal way, ie, with light pressure applied by the springs and give another update.

@Lemen

My AmigaOne is almost fixed, and is running fine right now
The problem has turned out to be failed connections between the CPU and PCB.
This is nice to hear; starting the new year connected!
CPU module is going to have the CPU re-flowed at Retronix...
...Reflow and Xray - ?55...
Once I get the CPU module back from Retronix ...
... give another update.

Wow, thanks for the info/ updates!

@Snuffy

Well I nearly DID jump the gun, as the re-flow of the CPU was not successful. So the CPU had to be removed, re-balled & then refitted. IT WORKED! And at this point I'm overjoyed! Just hope my AmigaOne keeps running reliably.

@Lemen
Quote:
To quote Jeff Lynne - "It's still goin' ye know"

WOW,fantastic news! Congradulations...

So the CPU had to be removed, re-balled & then refitted. IT WORKED!

So do you recommend I send my XE CPU module to Retronix or refit the CPU first? You didn't replace the CPU did you?

My Bootup problem is something else, but it's missing a connection for sure.

@Lemen

Could you please post the shipping address, email and phone contact of the company that did the reballing and other fixes?

It may help a lot of other users with a dead cpu board out there.

Thank you

@Raziel

Retronix Ltd
North Caldeen Road
Coatbridge
Scotland
United Kingdom
ML5 4EF

W: http://www.retronix.com/
E: uksupport@retronix.co.uk
T: +44 1236 433345
F: +44 1236 433434

Aswell as the CPU removal/re-ball/replace, they also removed and replaced both halves of the meg-array connector for new ones.

Meg-Array:
FCI 84500-102LF plug (motherboard).
FCI 84502-101LF receptacle (cpu daughterboard).

These are exact replacement parts, and are available from;
http://uk.farnell.com/

Due to the heating process of the CPU removal/re-ball/replacement, the 4-way DIP switch on the CPU daughterboard was heat damaged and required replacement.

Farnell part numbers:
1623925 - FCI 84500-102LF PLUG, BGA, 300WAY
1623936 - FCI 84502-101LF RECEPTACLE, BGA, 300WAY
1455489 - OMRON SWITCH, DIP, SMD, 4WAY

Info:
The stand-off spacers originally supplied by Eyetech were too long (6mm or 6.5mm), and caused the two boards to be way off parallel to each other, which is not ideal for a good connection of the meg-array. These spacers should be reduced down to 5.2 - 5.5mm. I sized my own to 5.2mm. The two boards are now absolutely parallel.

Quote:

No, the CPU itself was not renewed.
Through my own tests I was able to prove that the existing CPU was working fine.

What you could do with is a known working CPU module to try in your motherboard. I'd say that the problem would most likely be with the CPU module, as that's where most operational heat is concentrated?

Hi Lemen
What you could do with is a known working CPU module to try in your motherboard.

That's not possible, but thanks for the ideas and infos for resurecting the A1. I'm going to look around here in the US for PPC repairs first.

Snuffy,
Try Revalche, LLC in Farmingdale, N.Y.
631-249-5185
Kurt Grach at Revalche does Aone repairs. He fixed my XE last year. His email is Kurt@revanchellc.com

- BCP
Indianapolis, IN. USA