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Brett's STE - Repair thread
- rubber_jonnie
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- Location: Essex
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Brett's STE - Repair thread
Many of you have seen the posts relating to the STE belonging to @BrettRogersUK.
The machine has a certain amount of sentimental value as Brett has owned it for a long time now.
Unfortunately there were a few desoldering problems during a TOS switcher upgrade, and the machine no longer boots properly, just landing on a white screen.
The white screen can often mean that there is a problem accessing the ROMs, and given there is trace damage in that area, that's where I'll be looking first in order to try and figure out what the problem is.
I'll be sure to add lots of pictures to the thread so everybody can see what I'm up to, and fingers crossed, with the help of my working STEs, I can figure out what the problem is and get it running again.
Fingers crossed, it'll be with me tomorrow ready for an assessment of what I need to do.
The machine has a certain amount of sentimental value as Brett has owned it for a long time now.
Unfortunately there were a few desoldering problems during a TOS switcher upgrade, and the machine no longer boots properly, just landing on a white screen.
The white screen can often mean that there is a problem accessing the ROMs, and given there is trace damage in that area, that's where I'll be looking first in order to try and figure out what the problem is.
I'll be sure to add lots of pictures to the thread so everybody can see what I'm up to, and fingers crossed, with the help of my working STEs, I can figure out what the problem is and get it running again.
Fingers crossed, it'll be with me tomorrow ready for an assessment of what I need to do.
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: Brett's STE - Repair thread
Looking forward to the thread @rubber_jonnie and hopefully @BrettRogersUK will get his beloved STE back and on its feet.
Re: Brett's STE - Repair thread
I'll be following this with interest as I have 3x STE's waiting for me to fit the exxos ROM switchers into.
Also hoping that I don't cause any damage to them in the process (though one needs the SIMM sockets replacing before I do any other changes!)
Also hoping that I don't cause any damage to them in the process (though one needs the SIMM sockets replacing before I do any other changes!)
- rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin

- Posts: 15073
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
- Location: Essex
- Contact:
Re: Brett's STE - Repair thread
Cheers, I'm quite looking forward to the challengeIcky wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 1:55 pm Looking forward to the thread @rubber_jonnie and hopefully @BrettRogersUK will get his beloved STE back and on its feet.
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...
- rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin

- Posts: 15073
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
- Location: Essex
- Contact:
Re: Brett's STE - Repair thread
Well, I hope this'll be helpfulJezC wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 2:42 pm I'll be following this with interest as I have 3x STE's waiting for me to fit the exxos ROM switchers into.
Also hoping that I don't cause any damage to them in the process (though one needs the SIMM sockets replacing before I do any other changes!)
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: Brett's STE - Repair thread
Looking forward to its resurrection and diagnosis
oh and bodge wires

- rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin

- Posts: 15073
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
- Location: Essex
- Contact:
Re: Brett's STE - Repair thread
Me too!!exxos wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 3:02 pm Looking forward to its resurrection and diagnosisoh and bodge wires
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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...
-
BrettRogersUK
- Posts: 129
- Joined: Wed Sep 15, 2021 12:48 am
Re: Brett's STE - Repair thread
Already quite a few bodge wires on it in the TOS roms area on the underside of the board.exxos wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 3:02 pm Looking forward to its resurrection and diagnosisoh and bodge wires
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I'd like to thank @rubber_jonnie for looking at it for me as I don't have the necessary test equipment to diagnose the fault.
I'm looking forward to following this thread and looking forward (hopefully) to having it working again.
Thanks to everyone involved!
Regards,
Brett
- rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin

- Posts: 15073
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
- Location: Essex
- Contact:
Re: Brett's STE - Repair thread
We'll get there BrettBrettRogersUK wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 3:35 pmAlready quite a few bodge wires on it in the TOS roms area on the underside of the board.exxos wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 3:02 pm Looking forward to its resurrection and diagnosisoh and bodge wires
![]()
![]()
![]()
I'd like to thank @rubber_jonnie for looking at it for me as I don't have the necessary test equipment to diagnose the fault.
I'm looking forward to following this thread and looking forward (hopefully) to having it working again.
Thanks to everyone involved!
Regards,
Brett
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...
- rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin

- Posts: 15073
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
- Location: Essex
- Contact:
Re: Brett's STE - Repair thread
Ok, the board arrived when I was having breakfast, so I will try and get it unboxed and onto the workbench sometime today for an initial assessment and some photos 
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...