My Garage A1200 find

[Aughie]

I was recently clearing out my garage and found a box with my old A1200. There was also two hard drives. One a 3.5 x 4gig IDE which used to reside in my a1200 tower which I dont have any more DONT ASK!. Also a 2.5" x 4 gig ide which as far as I remember was blank. However there were no leads PSU or any disks. I found and ordered an A500 PSU online plus found a gadget which proported to allow old computers to use a PS2 mouse. I am awaiting a 23pin to Scart lead plus a 44 pin to 40 pin IDE lead so I can try to boot the 3.5 drive.

The only bits that have arrived so far were the PSU & the said 9 pin to PS2 convertor. https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8878/18607958922_6dc59fddd6_m.jpgIT DID NOT WORK I instead have ordered a genuine Amiga mouse.

Also when I plugged in the A500 PSU nothing happened no power light nothing.

I could hear it humming when I held it up to my ear so it seemed to be OK. I opened it as I saw there is a fuse in them but it was fine.

In desperation I then stripped my A1200 completely removing the shield in case there was a fuse or somthing in under there. Nothing so I reassembled it all and plugged it in again. Lo & behold this time all worked perfectly.

There was quite a bit of HD activity before it settled down but as the 23 pin to Scart cable hasnt arrived yet I have no idea what that means. I really thought this was a blank 2.5" HD. The disk drive clicks which I assume is another hopeful sign.

[Harrison]

Hi and welcome to CA. The A1200 also has a colour composite video output on the back so whilst waiting for the SCART cable you could plug the Amiga into most TVs using the composite output. You just need a standard yellow phono cable. Most people have some as they come bundled with most TVs, DVD players, games consoles etc.

[Aughie]

My mouse and scart lead arrived together today and there is indeed a workbench on the 2.5" drive I thought was empty. However the whole system boots straight into something called Parbench boot script by Vernon Graner, which hogs the whole system for ages and allows nothing else to be done. There is no tick box to stop it.I am forced to wait until the prog finished whatever it was doing and I haae WB back again However the keyboard didnt operate as I fired up Wordworth but no response. I took it apart and the ribbon cable seemed quite loose soI fiddled until it went in firmly. I fired up Emacs but it cannot any Parbench entries in either the startup sequence or the user startup so im stumped. It appears to be trying to get my amiga online

How do I stop this Parbench thing? PS I forgot to say the gadget I left the pic of is for a Windows PC (SAME MODE OF ATTACHMENT)as they once had serial mice but were wired differently to our meeces hence its failure
=======================================================

I googled Parbench

http://aminet.net/package/comm/net/ParBENCH31

This seems to list where Parbench puts its files. Perhaps I could use this to manually remove it or if I can find the Utilities drawer I should be able to end the programme

- - - Updated - - -


http://aminet.net/package/comm/net/ParBENCH31

This seems to list where Parbench puts its files. Perhaps I could use this to manually remove it or if I can find the Utilities drawer I should be able to end the programme

Did the above and hey presto no more Parbench. I boot straight into Power Workbench!!

[Kin Hell]

Parbench & Parnet just use the Amiga's Parallel Port to network to other computers. It wouldn't get you onto the Internet.
The Parallel port achieves a faster Baud rate than the Serial port.

Back in the early '90's, I used Parnet to hook up my Amiga CDTV & A4KD so I could access CDROM's.

Well done for sussing out it's removal. :thumbs:

[Aughie]

I have discovered a new problem. I started Final Writer and was typing away but noted the left shift key dosent work. So no "£$%^& symbols. I tried Wordworth same results. I think I have damaged the ribbon cable. Has anyone on here had this problem on their A1200 and how do you fix it?

[Stephen Coates]

Can you see any damage on the ribbon cable? Here is a photo of one of my damaged ribbon cables: http://stevecoates.net/a1200/a1200_ribbon.jpg
Some of the conductive material has worn off on some of the pins, so it doesn't work properly.

If you can't see any damage on that part, it could be that the membrane inside the keyboard has become damaged or worn with time.

If you haven't already done so, it might be worth having a little poke around the connectors just to make sure they aren't dirty.

[Harrison]

You might not have pushed the keyboard ribbon connector in far enough or got it straight. It's quite a fiddly connection. Lift the outer plastic locking mechanism up at both sides and then push the ribbon connector fully into the slot making sure it's straight and fully inserted, then push the locking collar down evenly at both sides.

[Aughie]

I feel a right chump. I didnt even know there was a locking collar. I just tugged the connector in and out. Also the pics of the damaged ribbons wont show on my computer as it reports there are errors with the file and cannot display it.

Is there any successful way to fix this if I have broken a connection. Also how do you clean the connector as it seems like it would be very tricky to get any crud out of it if any was lodged down there.

[Kin Hell]

Wouldn't worry about cleaning it. Lift the collar carefully without pulling it clean off. It lifts about 2 to 3mm

Remove keyboard cable & look for no splits or frays.

Refit firmly with light pressure & try not to press the collar before you feel the ribbon bottom out in the slot.

Re-seat the locking collar down to finish.

The chances are the cable wasn't in properly for how you removed it. They come out ok but much harder on the way in with the collar seated.

Also, try to get into the habit of NOT plugging & unplugging peripherals into your miggy when she's powered on. CIA chips have been known to die for doing this.

[Stephen Coates]

I've not succeeded in repairing the damage in the photo (not sure why the photo doesn't work for you; it works fine here).

If the ribbon cable connector is dirty, you could clean it with a bit of alcohol and a cotton tip or a cloth, but don't do this too often otherwise you might wear out the contacts. As for cleaning the connector on the motherboard, I'm not sure. Maybe just check that there's no dust in it :).

Have fun with it :). I don't seem to have much success with Amiga keyboards. I have several spare dodgy ones.

[Aughie]

The Pic works now I dont know what happened last time. I dont really know exactly what to look for in the pic. I take it the top of the photo is where the damaged bit should be but im not able to determine where the broken link is on there. I take it the black grooves are the connections.

http://stevecoates.net/a1200/a1200_ribbon.jpg

[Harrison]

Is this the A1200 keyboard cable you mentioned before? Looks fine to me and as we said you probably haven't inserted it far enough into the connector with the collar raised. You can't get it in with the collar pushed down/locked.

[Aughie]

Not mine but Steven Coates a pic I couldnt get to work earlier. How do you get the collar to move with all that metal shielding around it. I couldnt get it to budge and I didnt want to risk a pair of pliers

[Harrison]

Use a small flat head screw driver. Just gently put it under each end and wiggle the collar up. It will move up about 1cm and pushing the keyboard ribbon in will them be very easy. Then gently push the collar back down using the screwdriver again.

[Aughie]

I eventually got it raised and reseated the ribbon cable but no change the same keys are still not responding. I think the time for more drastic surgery is approaching either to the end of the cable or my wallet.

- - - Updated - - -

Well I took the plunge and cut off 1mm from the end of the cable. No change still the same fault so I repeated the exersise. Now no Keyboard. The miggy still boots fine. I have decided rather than buy a new keyboard the only way forward is to tower it up. First I need to find a suitable tower then all the bits and bobs to make it work. any advice would be appreciated.

[Kin Hell]

Your relevant CIA chip may be blown.....

Please re-read my statement in post #9. ;)

[Aughie]

Your relevant CIA chip may be blown.....

Does anyone reliable still repair Amigas?

[Aughie]

I caved in and ordered a replacement keyboard. (NOT NEW) The way I see it if it works happy days and if not my garage find might become a garage sale.

[Harrison]

There are people in the Amiga community whom can repair damaged motherboards. If the seller of the keyboard states it is working, but it still doesn't work in your A1200, then as Kin said one of the CIA chips might have blown on the motherboard, or it could be something else such as a leaking capacity. Have you looked closely at all the capacitors on the A1200 motherboard? Over time they degrade and go bad. Signs are the tops of them bulging or leaking.

[Aughie]

The keyboard arrived and I plugged it in. ALL KEYS ARE NOW WORKING PERFECTLY. I was even able to perform an Amiga Amiga Control

So I now have an old dud keyboard which needs one of those guys who can repair these items. The mobo CIA chips and capacitors would appear to be absolutey fine. Im back in the game!!

[Harrison]

That's great. Or keep the broken keyboard for spare keys?

[Aughie]

I have scourced a PC Key 1200 Keyboard Adapter as step one in building a tower on ebay and bought it. How do you actually connect one of these to the amiga?

[Harrison]

I think the one you have purchased fits into the actual keyboard socket on the Amiga motherboard, then it has a wire connected to a standard PC/2 PC keyboard connector which you can position on the rear of the case. I also think your adapter can use A2000 and A4000 keyboards, which if you could get one would keep the keyboard Amiga authentic.

[Kin Hell]

Result on the keyboard fella & spares if you need them. :thumbs:

[Aughie]

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/405/19304484391_c9c08765a5_z.jpg
This is the adaptor I bought. When I had my keyboard troubles earlier on one occasion I accidently removed the plastic locking mechanism completely but luckily it was easy to reseat. Do I need to remove it when I insert this adaptor or just push it into the top of the plastic ribbon key sleeve? I want to get this right when I eventually track down a suitable PC case.

[Kin Hell]

@ Aughie

I'm sure it should push in with the retaining clip in place. However, as you can see from the pic below, I didn't have one on the 1D4 mobo I supplied to a dear chap called ravestar over at Amibay, back in late 2009.

The device just pushes into the ribbon slot. However, as you want to "towerise" your 1200, it's not really the best solution if you plan fitting an Indivision.

Here's the device you have, fitted in place showing the interference with said Indivision. It isn't even in the slot @ this point of assembly:

1031

& here is the solution allowing an Indivision to be fitted:

1032

You can read the details here, as posted before my unceremonious ban:

http://www.amibay.com/showthread.php?2527-Building-a-PPC-A1200T-for-Export-to-ravestar

Most of the Pictures & missing from the thread because of some pathetic actions of another Member of Staff (Now retired). Harrison could perhaps edit my 0ld thread as the Pics are now on some AmiBay FTP space he still allows me access to. ;)

[Aughie]

After much fruitless hunting on google plus unanswered ads for a suitable tower on gumtree etc I only spotted one beige item which unfortunately measured 410mm the exact height of my mobo (8meg expansion fitted) So its black is the new beige unless I persuade a mate to respray it for me. The case I an buying measures W 197mm x H 437mm x D 457mm so there should be tons of room in it. Now the real fun begins!!PS I dont have an indivision. I have much humbler ambitions to start with. My big item is to hook up a CD Rom and get my Miggy back communicating with the world. At present I dont have even a single DD floppy disk. I bought a brand new CF gadget and a 4gig card but when it arrived in a jiffy bag wrapped in bubble wrap and cellotape it had several bent pins. I tried to get a replacement but after much tooing and frooing I will just have to straighten them my self and hope not to snap any off. I really should have got a pcmcia cf gadget instead as I have already got a perfectly good 2.5" 4gig drive with oodles of sopftware on it already. Plus I still have my 3.5" HD which I think has all the same stuff on it too. I already have all the bits from my old XP machine IE power supply IDE CD Rom drives etc plus the cables. I have bought a 44 pin to 40 pin convertor. so that should start me off.

[Stephen Coates]

You need to remove the retaining clip in order to fit the Keyboard adapter. Do keep it safe somewhere in case you need it in the future :).

[Aughie]

Whats the advice on the floppy drive situation. I uderstand the Amiga must have one connected to boot properly. The internal one dosent lend itsself to a tower sitiuation. Would I be better off ditching it and getting a gotek and hooking that up in the tower instead or just hope I can find a reasonably reliable on somewhere else. Is the drive cable a standard PC type. I see Amigakit has suitable drives for a tower brand new.
http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=106

[Harrison]

I highly recommend getting a Gotek. Especially as you don't have any floppy disks anyway. Then you can just download and use ADFs from the many sources without any problem.

[Kin Hell]

What Display device are you wanting to run on this tower as a matter of interest?

Your Amiga Display deserves something better than RGB when incurring the expense of a tower & networking. The Internet is going to look horrible & be dog slow via RGB & no suitable Graphics card in place. Even an Indivision struggles to update the Web & don't forget the CPU too.
Absolute minimum for a Tower project should be a 40Mhz 030 or you're going to have a really clock-work/Steam powered experience.

[Harrison]

Although if it is mainly for gaming then it isn't such a problem. But for gaming an 030 CPU accelerator is still a minimum really because the best way to game on an Amiga these days is via a HDD using WHDLoad. If however you are starting out using a Gotek floppy emulator to run games then it isn't such an issue to begin with and you can upgrade with a faster CPU later.