exxos's Atari, Amiga & retro forum

JezC wrote: 09 Feb 2022 17:13 @exxos Do you think you need more projects on the go than you're currently juggling with?
:poke: :stars:

I'll volunteer to test one if you do!

True :lol: don't think you tested the STE booster I think it was I sent like 3 years ago yet ? :chairsmack:

exxos wrote: 09 Feb 2022 17:32 True :lol: don't think you tested the STE booster I think it was I sent like 3 years ago yet ? :chairsmack:

Ah, there's a long story behind that...and partly why I now have 2x STE's to fix rather than just the one... :oops: :roll:

Booster should be ok but the final STE has a screw for the top shield with no purchase for the screwdriver to remove it, so I need to hacksaw that off then clean it all up and try it.
That was before I slipped a disc in my back...and then broke my H4 (now fixed).

So, building up courage to fix an STE then try the booster.

That might even be before I fix the issue with the floppy accesses on my H5C1...maybe.

See, it's not only @exxos who can have a really bad run of luck!

JezC wrote: 09 Feb 2022 18:19

exxos wrote: 09 Feb 2022 17:32 True :lol: don't think you tested the STE booster I think it was I sent like 3 years ago yet ? :chairsmack:

Ah, there's a long story behind that...and partly why I now have 2x STE's to fix rather than just the one... :oops: :roll:

Booster should be ok but the final STE has a screw for the top shield with no purchase for the screwdriver to remove it, so I need to hacksaw that off then clean it all up and try it.
That was before I slipped a disc in my back...and then broke my H4 (now fixed).

So, building up courage to fix an STE then try the booster.

That might even be before I fix the issue with the floppy accesses on my H5C1...maybe.

See, it's not only @exxos who can have a really bad run of luck!

I'm getting a bit worried, my run of good luck seems to be going on and on!! Still I haven't fixed the 600xl yet.....

Ok, got to the point where I need to test one of my STEs (with the F series logic to drive the clock for the booster) in repaired/stock mode, then try the booster in that.

Maybe later tonight...? :shrug:

JezC wrote: 10 Feb 2022 17:36 Ok, got to the point where I need to test one of my STEs (with the F series logic to drive the clock for the booster) in repaired/stock mode, then try the booster in that.

Maybe later tonight...? :shrug:

:excited: :excited: :excited:

Hmm...not a great start...STE boots up but doesn't recognise the floppy drive (Epson SMD380). I'm sure that worked before :(

Put in a different floppy drive as a test & that boots & recognises the floppy OK, so now running YAART for a bit to make sure the memory issues are a thing of the past (I hope!).

I'll see how far I can get now after having such an aborted start!

I think the first step once the memory test is OK will be to fit the booster & try it at 8MHz to be sure it's stable at the default speed.
Then I can try it at 32MHz using the standard ROMs (look to be EPROMs on this STE).

Once that works OK, I can build up & fit the Dual TOS board for it...but I'm definitely not going to get that far tonight!

Maybe next time I should keep quiet until I've got it working...or get stuck with it not working... :roll:

Cannot even remember which one you had now ? if it is to plug in one with the "cut-off corner" then I have been running two of them in my two main STE test machines for ages. I use them as it speeds up testing the simms no end.

Yes, it has one "odd-shaped"/non-square corner to it.

My plans have been thwarted by my wife being ill for the past few days, so been kept busy on catching up with the domestic duties rather than retro interests :(

She was improving yesterday (finally able to eat normal food again), so maybe I will get some more time later this evening provided she continues to recover...fingers crossed!

Oh no. Hope she gets better soon :awwww:

exxos wrote: 12 Feb 2022 15:31 Oh no. Hope she gets better soon :awwww:

Thanks..seems just to be a virus and getting better day by day fortunately.

Back to the booster saga...having just re-read the installation instructions it appears I have yet more prep to do. :sigh:
(i) 2 of the 4 SIMMs currently fitted have Parity (3 chips) while the other 2 don't (8 chips) so I either need to find other working non-parity SIMMs or drop down to 2 SIMMs for initial testing, but not too bad
(ii) I've not yet fitted (or built) the Dual TOS board, though I'm sure you said I could run it without this (with a drop in performance as a result)?
(iii) I'll have to remove the SIP resistor packs (I think this is what went wrong on the last board, so I need to be a bit more careful this time)...but I might be able to try it with them fitted for an initial check if I understood correctly.
(iv) the booster came without the wire (no biggie, I can salvage that off a junk STE motherboard @exxos sent me a while back) and without the dummy CPU or spacer..which might be more of a problem :?

Overall I think (iv) is going to be the biggest problem unless I can get the designs for those two 3D printed parts & get them printed a t work (which is difficult ATM as the production area is off limits to the rest of us to preserve COVID isolation & reduce the risks of the production team being infected by other employees.

I will ask at work on Tuesday (I'm taking Monday as holiday to try and cheer my wife up) & see if that might be an option. Otherwise we will be well & truly in the :cussing: :stickwhack: :headbang: :mad: zone