Archie A3000 inbound
- rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9589
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
- Location: Essex
- Contact:
Re: Archie A3000 inbound
I think @alexh has a good point, a separate thread would be good for your A5000.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
- HigashiJun
- Posts: 951
- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 7:21 am
- Location: Tokyo
Re: Archie A3000 inbound
@alexh @rubber_jonnie
That's what I intend to do.

That's what I intend to do.

- rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9589
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
- Location: Essex
- Contact:
Re: Archie A3000 inbound
Cool

Also, you know this now makes you the resident Archie expert on the site

Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
- HigashiJun
- Posts: 951
- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 7:21 am
- Location: Tokyo
Re: Archie A3000 inbound
rubber_jonnie wrote: ↑Thu Nov 16, 2023 1:13 pm Also, you know this now makes you the resident Archie expert on the site![]()
If I only could be the expert you're talking about...

- rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9589
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
- Location: Essex
- Contact:
Re: Archie A3000 inbound
I seem to have accidentally achieved expert status a few times now - not sure I like it, but it serves me right for having a weird mix of machines...HigashiJun wrote: ↑Fri Nov 17, 2023 9:17 amrubber_jonnie wrote: ↑Thu Nov 16, 2023 1:13 pm Also, you know this now makes you the resident Archie expert on the site![]()
If I only could be the expert you're talking about...
![]()
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
- HigashiJun
- Posts: 951
- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 7:21 am
- Location: Tokyo
Re: Archie A3000 inbound
Made a progress on the FDD HD module, which is now working with DD floppies at least.
I couldn't get the module working and I was blaming the modded FDDs I have (even I was sure they were modded as they should).
Then, I found a spare WD1772 02-02 chip I had and decided to give it a try, instead of the previously fitted AJAX chip.
And the result is a working module and working modded HD FDDs.
So, the AJAX chip is definitely a no go for this mod, even if the documentation states this chip as a working one.
Here is a picture of some 1772 chips I tried:
The first one from top is the original one, not supporting 16 Mhz. Modded FDDs worked with that chip fitted in the module though.
The second one is the AJAX chip, working in my STE but not with the HD module fitted in the Archie.
The last one doesn't work in my STE nor in the Acorn and I suspect it to be a rebadged fake chip...
Only this one works:
The drive I use now is a TEAC FD-235HF 7549 and has a lot of jumper settings available:
I also tried a modded Sony MPF920-E with success.
Will have to try the HD mode with High Density floppies now.
I couldn't get the module working and I was blaming the modded FDDs I have (even I was sure they were modded as they should).
Then, I found a spare WD1772 02-02 chip I had and decided to give it a try, instead of the previously fitted AJAX chip.
And the result is a working module and working modded HD FDDs.
So, the AJAX chip is definitely a no go for this mod, even if the documentation states this chip as a working one.
Here is a picture of some 1772 chips I tried:
The first one from top is the original one, not supporting 16 Mhz. Modded FDDs worked with that chip fitted in the module though.
The second one is the AJAX chip, working in my STE but not with the HD module fitted in the Archie.
The last one doesn't work in my STE nor in the Acorn and I suspect it to be a rebadged fake chip...
Only this one works:
The drive I use now is a TEAC FD-235HF 7549 and has a lot of jumper settings available:
I also tried a modded Sony MPF920-E with success.
Will have to try the HD mode with High Density floppies now.
- rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9589
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
- Location: Essex
- Contact:
Re: Archie A3000 inbound
Looking good. Odd that the Ajax doesn't work with the mod, but I guess your mileage may vary with these old machines that are never quite the same.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
- HigashiJun
- Posts: 951
- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 7:21 am
- Location: Tokyo
Re: Archie A3000 inbound
Maybe the AJAX revision is important ?
Mine (the good one) is a C302096 (Toshiba) and the fake one is a C302434 (National).
It should be a drop-in replacement for the WD1772 though...
Mine (the good one) is a C302096 (Toshiba) and the fake one is a C302434 (National).
It should be a drop-in replacement for the WD1772 though...
- rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9589
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
- Location: Essex
- Contact:
Re: Archie A3000 inbound
Indeed it should be a drop in replacement. Your non-working Ajax (The bottom one) could be genuine, just dead, where did you source it from?HigashiJun wrote: ↑Sun Nov 19, 2023 10:41 am Maybe the AJAX revision is important ?
Mine (the good one) is a C302096 (Toshiba) and the fake one is a C302434 (National).
It should be a drop-in replacement for the WD1772 though...
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...