Repairing Gotek model not manufactured anymore

[ijor]

Hi,

I have an STM32 based Gotek that stopped working and looking for somebody that can perform the repair. I know that a brand new Gotek is very affordable. But Gotek with an STM32 MCU are not manufactured anymore and I need one. I asked in several forums for a used one (again with an STM32) and nobody replied.

I will, of course, pay for all costs involved, including a reasonable fee for the time spent. A friend of mine already replaced the voltage regulator because I could see that the unit wasn't powering up correctly. It helped, now it can perform a clean boot (at least, apparently). But it sill doesn't work correctly. Seems like for some reason more than one components got, somehow, damaged. I re flashed the firmware, just in case, but didn't change anything.

It is possible that the MCU is actually bad, but I'm not so sure since the MCU is obviously working, at least some functionality seems to be fine. May be some of the components that interface with the computers got damaged.

[JezC]

Hi,

Sorry - I must have missed your original post...

Let me have a look in a day or two to see if I still have any STM32-based Gotek drives not in use - if so I'd be OK with swapping that for a newer one if you're still interested?

[ijor]

Let me have a look in a day or two to see if I still have any STM32-based Gotek drives not in use - if so I'd be OK with swapping that for a newer one if you're still interested?

Sure. I will gladly buy you a brand new one with factory fitted OLED.

Edit: I would only ask you, if possible, to solder the debug connector header, because I'm too bad at soldering. Again, only if possible.

[JezC]

I'll hopefully be able to check tomorrow at some point and see if I have a suitable connector.

No problem to fit one if I have anything suitable, I've never checked what they use (if it's a standard ARM Cortex M header i should be ok).

My old STM-based Goteks will have the LEDs + 2x buttons - is that a problem?

[DoG]

I just built two new OpenFlops board with the STM32F105RBT6 chip this summer. I bought them new from DigiKey so they are still available.

So the chip can still be found, but this doesn't help you at this moment. Just saying.

[ijor]

I'll hopefully be able to check tomorrow at some point and see if I have a suitable connector.
No problem to fit one if I have anything suitable, I've never checked what they use (if it's a standard ARM Cortex M header i should be ok).

It would be great if you can fit the pins. They don't use, exactly, a standard ARM connector. You need something like a regular 2.54mm 40 pin (IDE), breakable strip, or a couple of short strips, or whatever combination:

GotekConnector.jpg

My old STM-based Goteks will have the LEDs + 2x buttons - is that a problem?

Note at all, that's what I was expecting.

[ijor]

I just built two new OpenFlops board with the STM32F105RBT6 chip this summer. I bought them new from DigiKey so they are still available.

As I understand the story was like this. During the Pandemic STM32 chips were very hard to find. Gotek looked for alternatives and found the chinese Artery chips that are kinda STM32 copycats. Not identical clones, just chips with very similar capabilities, and I believe, compatible pinout. And of course that they are cheaper, and they do seem to work fine. So even now that STM32 are available again, Gotek keeps using only Artery chips.

But I need an STM32 for development purposes.

[JezC]

Ok, @ijor I should have some suitable strips already.

So, as soon as I dig out the drive I can fit those for you.

I'll pm you when I have it ready & working.

[JezC]

@ijor I've found the Goteks & confirmed they are the STM32F105 variety.

They appear to have a few less jumper positions than the picture you posted - I'll get a photo to post later - but it's basically a block of 2x2 jumpers with a row of 3 behind the floppy power connection.

Code: Select all

XXXXX       XXXXXXX
   XX       XXXXXXX

Floppy       Floppy
power        IDC
connector    connector

Do you know which specific connections you need from this connector? I can check what they connect to later today...

[ijor]

@ijor I've found the Goteks & confirmed they are the STM32F105 variety.
They appear to have a few less jumper positions than the picture you posted - I'll get a photo to post later - but it's basically a block of 2x2 jumpers with a row of 3 behind the floppy power connection.

Ouch, seems that one of the debug pins is missing. Actually, I think I made a mistake all along and one of the debug pins was never connected in any Gotek. At least I checked some old Gotek schematics and SWDIO, which would be pin 46 (labelled as PA13 on the Gotek schematics), is not connected at all. I don't know if at some point I had a different Gotek variation, or I was remembering wrong and I never performed debugging on a Gotek.

Without connecting that pin is not possible to perform hardware debugging. So I would need to consider other alternatives. So sorry for wasting your time.