I just got a newly purchased phoenix H5 working but noticed that the SIMM socket is really flaky, sometimes it boots and sometimes it boots into a black screen with white boarder. I tried reseating the SIMM several times, but it just got worse, so i tinned the contacts on the SIMM with solder to thicken it up for better contact and that helped some, but still really flaky, more off than on.
Then i decided to just plug the module in and not clip it down, and it became stable and boot into GEM every time, but when trying to access my GOTEK, it would begin to load and then bomb or freeze. I tried all sorts of things including swapping out the DMA, and other chips but nothing helped. Then out of desperation, i set the jumpers to 2Mb instead of 4mb and that solved everything, everything works, the GOTEK loads and everything runs. No matter what i do, no matter how hard i plug in the SIMM module, I can't get it to be stable (read the GOTEK) when set to 4Mb.
Is anyone else having issues with the SIMM slot? I don't know if it's just the slot or the memory as well. For now, I have it stable by leaving the memory set at 2Mb and the sim not locked down. This is a brand-new board, and I only just got it running,. it shouldn't have this Issue.
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It helps build a picture where our "good traffic" is coming from..
Thanks :)
H5 SIMM socket issues
Re: H5 SIMM socket issues
Tinning the SIMM contacts with solder was not a good idea. It makes the module thicker than the socket is designed for, and clipping it down forces the socket contacts open, which can leave them permanently sprung and giving poor contact even with a good module. That alone would explain the socket getting worse each time it was reseated. That SIMM really should not go back in any socket now, as it can damage that one too.
It is also worth saying that the socket may well be damaged now, between the repeated reseating and the tinned SIMM being forced into it, and it may need replacing. The fact that it only works when the SIMM is pushed or strained in a certain way also suggests the pressure is flexing the board enough to make something nearby connect, such as the RAM jumpers or a poor joint elsewhere, rather than the socket being the original cause.
The fact it works at 2MB and fails at 4MB does not point to the socket anyway. It points to the second bank, which means the RAM jumpers, the MMU and its socket, the joints around that area, or the SIMM itself. So the way forward is:
- Use a known good, untouched SIMM.
- Run a full RAM test on a diagnostic cartridge at 4MB and post the result.
- Post clear close up photos of the MMU socket, the RAM jumpers and the joints around the SIMM area, both sides of the board.
It is also worth saying that the socket may well be damaged now, between the repeated reseating and the tinned SIMM being forced into it, and it may need replacing. The fact that it only works when the SIMM is pushed or strained in a certain way also suggests the pressure is flexing the board enough to make something nearby connect, such as the RAM jumpers or a poor joint elsewhere, rather than the socket being the original cause.
The fact it works at 2MB and fails at 4MB does not point to the socket anyway. It points to the second bank, which means the RAM jumpers, the MMU and its socket, the joints around that area, or the SIMM itself. So the way forward is:
- Use a known good, untouched SIMM.
- Run a full RAM test on a diagnostic cartridge at 4MB and post the result.
- Post clear close up photos of the MMU socket, the RAM jumpers and the joints around the SIMM area, both sides of the board.