A5000 - diving in at the deep end!

[rubber_jonnie]

Since I have the FDD fixed and the PSU is awaiting new parts, I decided it was time to get the IDe looked at on the A5000.

Overall it was not the biggest bodge wire job I've had to do but it was time consuming buzzing everything out.

Topside looks like this:

PXL_20220608_191012498.jpg (353.27 KiB) Viewed 1141 times

And the underside looks like this:

PXL_20220608_201818966.jpg (321.77 KiB) Viewed 1141 times

Bear in mind some of the underside bodge wires are for the FDD fix. Also, I went for pin headers for the IDE connector because it made it easier to add in the topside wires. I'll fix it all up with lacquer once I know it works.

Unfortunately I had another casualty of the battery leak too. I was cleaning up flux topside with a cotton bud and bumped this fella off:

PXL_20220608_200920146.jpg (371.81 KiB) Viewed 1141 times

PXL_20220608_202021004.jpg (374.67 KiB) Viewed 1141 times

As you can see, it's in pretty poor condition, and the pads came off with it.

I had to make some new pads for it:

PXL_20220608_201846959.jpg (289.96 KiB) Viewed 1141 times

And of course it was yet another capacitor I didn't have to hand so had to order.

Looking forward to all the parts arriving so I can get things moving again.

[stephen_usher]

More "fun"

[rubber_jonnie]

More "fun"

It seems that the 'fun' never ends...

[atari030]

Me thinks you like it. I know how exciting it is to get a dead machine running.

[rubber_jonnie]

Me thinks you like it. I know how exciting it is to get a dead machine running.

You got me!

I do like reviving these machines

[mrbombermillzy]

You got me!

I do like reviving these machines

I really hope so. It's been more work than I would have expected.

[rubber_jonnie]

You got me!

I do like reviving these machines

I really hope so. It's been more work than I would have expected.

Honestly it is. To understand this, you have to realise that I have been an engineer all my life, and diagnosing and fixing problems is what I've always done, though fixing computers is a much more recent thing for me.

I get a big thrill from bringing an old machine back to life, and as someone who is not an electronics expert, I feel like I have learned an amazing amount and it really does give me a buzz, partly because I can now help others with that knowledge.

Take Brett's STE. Not that long ago, possibly as little as 5 years ago, I wouldn't have known where to start. My experience has been gained partly down to the knowledge on this forum (And others), partly due to a willingness to try even if it looks impossible, and by just doing.

Everybody has to start somewhere and we all learn by doing.

As for being more work than expected, I could say that about at least 2 Mega STs I own and also my 600XL were more work than I would have expected, but I still got a buzz out of fixing them, and the A5000 will be no different.

I'm happy to be its new owner and I'm really enjoying the process of fixing it. Plus it gives me content for the forum

[atari030]

Sounds like my story, but you seem to have more patience. My Mega's did my head in.

[rubber_jonnie]

Sounds like my story, but you seem to have more patience. My Mega's did my head in.

I enjoyed the Mega so much I did it twice!

[stephen_usher]