I checked for shorts again and used solder whick to remove as much solder as possible from the holes.
Now I get this:
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Trouble pushing 4MB MMU board into socket
Re: Trouble pushing 4MB MMU board into socket
The camera and the lighting makes it look a bit messy but I think there are no bridges.
- rubber_jonnie
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Re: Trouble pushing 4MB MMU board into socket
OK so black screen with a white border usually means a RAM problem.
So my money would be on the Shifter and MMU adapters having moved during the removal operation, or the cable has shifted.
So my money would be on the Shifter and MMU adapters having moved during the removal operation, or the cable has shifted.
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...
Re: Trouble pushing 4MB MMU board into socket
I've refitted the MMU board (this time I pushed the MMU down all the way first), beeped the cable at the connectors and refitted the shifter. Sadly, it didn't help. The screen is still black with white border. I have a scope, maybe there are some signals I can test? I have only very little experience with that.rubber_jonnie wrote: Sun Sep 28, 2025 1:52 pm OK so black screen with a white border usually means a RAM problem.
So my money would be on the Shifter and MMU adapters having moved during the removal operation, or the cable has shifted.
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Re: Trouble pushing 4MB MMU board into socket
Check for shorts between address lines and ras/cas lines. It could just be a solder spatter bridging something.
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
- rubber_jonnie
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Re: Trouble pushing 4MB MMU board into socket
After looking at your pic from underside of the board, I'm in agreement with @stephen_usher in that if everything looks good from the point of the SHifter & MMU adapters (Also check for bent pins on both) you may have shorts.
The holes are not very well cleaned at all I'm afraid and you need to get up close and personal with a magnifying glass or preferably a microscope in order to see if there is anything going on, it could be something as simple as a solder whisker. If you're struggling to clean the holes and pads, use some flux to help and if necessary add some leaded solder to what's there to help it melt easier.
Perhaps even use a multimeter to check for shorts. It'll take a fair amount of time, but it will find any shorts.
I know I said jokingly not to remove the RAM, but this is one of the hazards in doing so when you have a working machine.
I have a 520 STM (No built in floppy) and I got it working after lots of RAM faults, somewhat related to the piggyback RAM in it. I cut the piggyback RAM off and restored it to just 512KB, running great, and then decided to desolder all the piggyback RAM legs that had been left soldered on after I cut off the IC's. That killed it and I ended up pulling all the RAM and giving it a Shifter/MMU style upgrade.
My point? Sometimes it pays to stop when something is working.
The holes are not very well cleaned at all I'm afraid and you need to get up close and personal with a magnifying glass or preferably a microscope in order to see if there is anything going on, it could be something as simple as a solder whisker. If you're struggling to clean the holes and pads, use some flux to help and if necessary add some leaded solder to what's there to help it melt easier.
Perhaps even use a multimeter to check for shorts. It'll take a fair amount of time, but it will find any shorts.
I know I said jokingly not to remove the RAM, but this is one of the hazards in doing so when you have a working machine.
I have a 520 STM (No built in floppy) and I got it working after lots of RAM faults, somewhat related to the piggyback RAM in it. I cut the piggyback RAM off and restored it to just 512KB, running great, and then decided to desolder all the piggyback RAM legs that had been left soldered on after I cut off the IC's. That killed it and I ended up pulling all the RAM and giving it a Shifter/MMU style upgrade.
My point? Sometimes it pays to stop when something is working.
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...
Re: Trouble pushing 4MB MMU board into socket
Thank you both for your guidance. I have managed to get the machine working again!
The culprit was a very small piece of solder that I found using the microscope, after hours of removing visible solder using whick and flux.
I'm happy to have improved my desoldering skills as well
The culprit was a very small piece of solder that I found using the microscope, after hours of removing visible solder using whick and flux.
I'm happy to have improved my desoldering skills as well
- rubber_jonnie
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Re: Trouble pushing 4MB MMU board into socket
sandord wrote: Sun Sep 28, 2025 9:14 pm Thank you both for your guidance. I have managed to get the machine working again!![]()
The culprit was a very small piece of solder that I found using the microscope, after hours of removing visible solder using whick and flux.
I'm happy to have improved my desoldering skills as well![]()

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...
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- Posts: 7464
- Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 7:19 pm
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Re: Trouble pushing 4MB MMU board into socket
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.