[EnterNow]

Originally Posted by Steve SI

It doesn't rule out a cap issue or restore the caps. We're just working the known issues with mac classics here.
So issue 1 on the list is cap fluid on the motherboard causing a non boot or delayed boot(needs to be cleaned), issue 2 is the RAM or RAM board causing similar problems(needs to be removed or replaced to test). And issue 3 which is most likely the problem with my classic, the PRAM battery is causing problems with the SoftPower circuit as it is very low or empty(so needs to be replaced). Issue 3 is not very well known but is definitely a possibility.

Obviously if caps are on the way out they will eventually need to be replaced and the dishwasher/oven fix is only temporary and may get you a few more weeks/months/years of life depending on how bad the leak is.

In my case I'm not even sure the caps were leaking but i was just working the numbers.

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So its really just a case of using the dishwasher to clean the board of any corrosive cap fluid, that may have been interrupting circuits etc. For me though that wouldn't eliminate any cap problems, as the board could be spotless without two or three failed caps.

Nice starting point though, its handy that they used socketed proms etc

[Steve SI]

Originally Posted by EnterNow

So its really just a case of using the dishwasher to clean the board of any corrosive cap fluid, that may have been interrupting circuits etc. For me though that wouldn't eliminate any cap problems, as the board could be spotless without two or three failed caps.

Nice starting point though, its handy that they used socketed proms etc

But if you have experience fixing the mac classic or classic II you just know the standard problems and fixes, and this is them.

Work from experience, not logic


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[EnterNow]

Originally Posted by Steve SI

But if you have experience fixing the mac classic or classic II you just know the standard problems and fixes, and this is them.

Work from experience, not logic


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I see how washing the board eliminates cap leakage problems, but it doesn't eliminate cap problems. So it's a first step diagnosis, albeit a good one. The electronics of Macs don't differ to electronics of anything else. Sure it's a known problem & it may fix it temporarily, but you'll be back to square one before long as you know.

[Steve SI]

Originally Posted by EnterNow

I see how washing the board eliminates cap leakage problems, but it doesn't eliminate cap problems. So it's a first step diagnosis, albeit a good one. The electronics of Macs don't differ to electronics of anything else. Sure it's a known problem & it may fix it temporarily, but you'll be back to square one before long as you know.

If its a cap issue, yes. Personally this one looks like its the PRAM issue.

If by washing the board it was fixed I'd know it was a cap issue and could look into getting them replaced at a later date, but have a working classic in the mean time.

Anyway, it is as you say a good first step in diagnosing the problem. I'll see when the battery arrives if it fixes it. And if not its time for another look.
I still stand by my "work from experience" statement. It's served me well over the years in IT, business and life, although a little logic is required every so often

How are you at replacing these particular type of caps? They look like a pain to do.


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[EnterNow]

Same type of caps on the Mig boards, it's time consuming because they are surface mount. You have to desolder them evenly, remove them, clean the solder pads, & position the replacement correctly before resoldering. There's a good few of them on the mig boards, not sure how many on the Mac board though so maybe not too bad.

[Steve SI]

Well, I got the new pram battery for the mac classic and still the same problem
Looks like I'll need to research more but it's probably just the caps need doing(and my soldering skills are crap).


The batteries(clicky clicky for biggie):




Old battery on the left.



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[Dale Parish]

Any idea where I could get 2 PLA chips for C64s from? Guy on eBay won't reduce his postage (it's not that I don't have £10 for the postage, it's the fact he refused to bring it down, it's an extra chip in the packet..)

[Sparks43]

Need 2 caps kits for the game gear but rewind bits is sold out

Any ideas guys?

[waveform]

Originally Posted by Sparks43

Need 2 caps kits for the game gear but rewind bits is sold out

Any ideas guys?

Buy caps with the same values from an other source...

But you probably already thought of that!

[Steve SI]

This ones for Enternow really.

Is this Sega Multi Mega mod doable?

http://wolfsoft.de/wordpress/?p=478

Seems to be region free on the carts, cd's and 32x carts. It'd be pretty cool to have this done on my one. Looks like there's a lot involved in it though.

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[EnterNow]

Originally Posted by Steve SI

This ones for Enternow really.

Is this Sega Multi Mega mod doable?

http://wolfsoft.de/wordpress/?p=478

Seems to be region free on the carts, cd's and 32x carts. It'd be pretty cool to have this done on my one. Looks like there's a lot involved in it though.

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It looks doable alright, but given the work involved & the rarity/expense of a Multi Mega...I'd have to wonder would the cost be justified? It's essentially all the usual mods, jumpers, leds, replacement bios for the mega cd...I've done them all seperately.

Personally speaking if I had a Multi Mega, I'd not bother. Instead I'd mod the console versions seperately. Imo the Multi Mega is too expensive/rare to mod.

[Steve SI]

Originally Posted by EnterNow

It looks doable alright, but given the work involved & the rarity/expense of a Multi Mega...I'd have to wonder would the cost be justified? It's essentially all the usual mods, jumpers, leds, replacement bios for the mega cd...I've done them all seperately.

Personally speaking if I had a Multi Mega, I'd not bother. Instead I'd mod the console versions seperately. Imo the Multi Mega is too expensive/rare to mod.

yeah, valid points all right.

And if I had 2 Multi Mega's???

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[EnterNow]

Originally Posted by Steve SI

yeah, valid points all right.

And if I had 2 Multi Mega's???

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If you've two & are interested in having it done, I suppose there's no harm in discussing it

It'd make for an interesting project, thats for sure.

[Steve SI]

Originally Posted by EnterNow

If you've two & are interested in having it done, I suppose there's no harm in discussing it

It'd make for an interesting project, thats for sure.

I don't have 2 yet. But its a possibility I will soon.
You know, with my condition and all

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[waveform]

After a possible short in my mains power strip (4 socket adapter thingy),
my Model 1 Megadrive is sick.

The first thing I noticed is while playing all sound in the YM2612 stopped and only sound effects from the PSG remained while playing Super Hang On.

After discovering the electrical fault and binning the power strip I tried re-powering the Mega Drive several times.

The TMSS screen comes up, but most of the time, the screen would go blank after both with my Everdrive Cart, and original golf game cart.

The few times I could get to the everdrive main screen, the cart itself behaved like normal,
I could browse all the directories and flash the cartridge with a new game.

But only certain games would run after they were flashed. Others won't run at all no matter how many times you try.

Super Hangon seems to crash as soon as you take off from the starting line.


In Revenge of Shinobi some sound from the PSG, but any music on the YM2612 fails to play.

In other games like Sonic the Hedgehog and Zero Tolerance I have no sound at all.

When playing Zero Tolerance for a few mins it crashed,
and it displayed what looked like a dump of Memory Addresses on screen with one of the fonts for that game.

I checked the power supply with my multimeter and voltage seems stable,

so I definitely think something has blown inside the megadrive, or one or possibly more of the chips have shorted.


Just before this post, I tried re-powering it a lot of times again, and this time it never makes it to the cart after the TMSS screen is shown.

Have yet to open it up to see any signs of physical damage, but none the less

Looks like I'm in the market for another Mega Drive!