Desoldering Falcon NVRAM

[exxos]

My first ever proper video, and likely my last trying to video soldering, while balancing the motherboard on top of my USB microscope stand, and trying to watch the PC screen is capturing in focus it least, plus limited access to the motherboard as the microscope is in the way a lot of the time.. Plus the cam software crashed constantly, and the final edit took a lot of hours I do not see myself wanting to make another video any time soon

Video shows issues and solutions during the desoldering process.

To those who think the video is too long, if you have not got the patience to watch the whole video, then you probably do not have the patience to successfully de-solder the NVRAM.

Also I have deliberately made this video long, showed the problems and solutions the people will encounter. If I had just successfully de-soldered it in 30 seconds, nobody would learn anything, and the video would be pointless.

[IngoQ]

I like the post credits the most

And btw: The trick for using text overlays, is a white outline

... and yes, you need a new soldering tip

[exxos]

I like the post credits the most

Yes they are awesome things go downhill from then on

And btw: The trick for using text overlays, is a white outline

I did try various background colours, but it just seemed to make things worse I don't think I tried just a border colour though, but a pretty much thought the only way of doing it will be just be to have a black background the text. It seemed to be either that, or just do the green overlay text. Neither is really ideal.

... and yes, you need a new soldering tip

Yes, I'm doing in order to Farnell now , I need to order another 250 4700uf capacitors of various power supply things anyway

[Steve]

Thx for this, I learned a new technique from you here. I never thought to just use flux and pull from above, I did it a more tedious way where I cut the NV RAM off, then tried to suck as much solder off from the bottom. Then tried heating and pulling from the top/bottom, was very tricky lol. Ah well, you live and learn Yeah apparently those difficult to remove pins are due to them being connected to the main ground of the motherboard, so the entire mobo seems to suck up the heat from the iron, making them difficult to remove.

[tzok]

As far as I know Falcon uses a standard DALLAS DS1287/DS1387 RTC or a compatible replacement. They are widely used in PC and some other equipment, like HP 5450x DSOs (actually there is a DS1235). There is a relatively easy hack to connect an external battery to this chip:
http://www.mcamafia.de/mcapage0/dsrework.htm
http://www.glitchwrks.com/2017/07/27/ds1387-rebuild
https://www.classic-computers.org.nz/bl ... y-chip.htm

[dhedberg]

Kind of tricky to do these mods without removing the chip from the motherboard first. Once removed you can just as well replace it with a new one in a socket. But sure, eventually the chip will no longer be available and then this mod will prove useful.

[tzok]

Working replacement chip is DS12887+, and I haven't found here information how to reset/initialize new chip, so:
Falcon 030: Alternate+Control+Right Shift+Undo
CT060: Control+Alternate+Undo
...during boot, before RAM test.

[exxos]

https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/forum/viewt ... ?f=25&t=30

[tuxie]

I changed feeled 100000 nvrams in falcon boards, on events meetings mostly on 10 boards. But i never cutted the pins. Mostly i use a simple vacuum pump and a solder station to desolder the NVRam, i think i should make a video too ^^

[exxos]

My video was done to try and prevent damages to the boards as a lot of people are not good at this stuff. Sure more qualified people could do different methods.. but as many found, including myself, using a solder vacuum can easily damage pads, its why I avoided it in my video. Cutting pins and doing things one at a time means people will not start levering the NVRAM with a screwdriver, breaking the motherboard, ripping vias out etc when the NVRAM doesn't come out freely. I've fixed many boards due to such damages.

No objection if you want do a video, but have to think about who are not good at soldering, and how they will likely damaged everything, every step of the way. That is why I did the video, and the methods I did.