ScuzzBlog: Diaries May 2017
Entry 15th May 2017: Post: 4
That was close
Hi
Woke this morning reflecting on the Checkmate and 2.0 ROM on the 500Plus
and was convinced that not all my 500Plus machines showed the 2.0 ROM
purple boot screen. I pulled out two and the first requested the 1.3.
The second machine was in a very poor state with two keys missing off
the keyboard. Plugged in and this one showed the purple 2.0 ROM screen.
I recall replacing a motherboard on a 500 with an older board so maybe
that was what was confusing me.
I decided to replace the keyboard as I had one kicking about and it was
then that I noticed the seals were not broken on the 500Plus. My heart
skipped a beat as I realised that that meant a battery inside. I quickly
broke the seals and opened the computer and yes there was a dark blue,
very dark blue, battery and it was beginning to leak. Fortunately it
hadn't spread too far from the location and with only slight greening to
one or two adjacent chips. What was interesting was the greening to the
expansion slot pins... copper green.
I gently rocked the old battery backward and forward till it snapped
off. I then got the old cotton buds out and vinegar and cleaned the
whole area around the battery. I also removed so many dust balls from
inside the machine. I then mixed a small amount of bi-carb [ Andrews
Liver Salts ] and neutralised the acid. Then I dusted cleaned and dried.
I then replaced the keyboard and added a 500K upgrade card to the
trapdoor slot. As you do.
Let dry for a while and then fired up and working no problem. Phew !! I
thought I had really seen the last of my batteries. Now I can test if my
sidecar is working from yesterday and test a few more. One of the GVPs
has a busted slot which looks like someone tried to ram it into
something it shouldn't or used a screwdriver on it. I have no way of
knowing the history of any of the kit. I have another GVP with a faulty
hard drive so may swap them out and see if I can get one working. Its
what I do. Always leads to something else.
And so another Amiga is running and ticking away. Happy days. 11.30..
breakfast.
That was a PLUS.. Get it ! Talking to myself again. No worries.
scuzz
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