Acorn in their wisdom decided to fix to the motherboard on the
A5000 and A7000 this dreadful battery. I have shown previously how
I removed the batteries from other Acorn machines. However the two
computers I am discussing today I have been reluctant to remove as
the battery is important for the boot process. Without it I would
need to configure the drive each and every time I used the computer.
It's been a year. Yes a whole year since I last checked these two
computers, and so with my heart in my mouth I ventured again into
the depths of the 5000 and 7000 from the Acorn range.
First up the 5000. I kinda fell in love with the Acorn computers
and the 5000 was no exception. Came with its own monitor and has
been pretty active these last couple of years. The computer just
works, I mean just works. I switch her on and she fires up in
seconds. I then can muck around to my hearts content. The OS is
easy to both understand and use and it really is a joy.
Sadly the battery has now given up. It no longer holds the date.
The CMOS is still functioning as the machine boots from the HD.
It breaks my heart to think I may muck everything up by removing
the battery and making the computer dumb.
So I tentatively opened her up and took a peek at the hard drive.
Looked about the same as last year so I decided to close the
computer down and put her back.
That night I had a restless time in bed. I had taken close look
at the pictures and I wasn't happy with what I saw. There was
more degrading of tracks and one of the capacitors had lost its
top. I couldn't leave the battery any longer.
I had no idea how to take the 5000 apart. There is a large cradle
holding the hard drive and daughterboard. It was a real puzzle.
I again looked at the battery but seriously, I couldn't leave it.
So I removed one single screw from the cradle. I then removed the
four screws holding the daughterboard and the cradle was free.
I then rotated the cradle upside-down and put the daughterboard to
one side. I looked at the battery and said ' Game Over Boys '. The
only way to remove the battery was to clip the front leg and then
gently rock backwards and forwards until it snapped off. After a
while the board was clear of the battery. The surface below looked
like one of those combat images taken from the air on a bombing
raid. So it was time to clean up.
I mixed a solution of 50% vinegar and water and cleaned much of the
area around the battery. I then neutralised with a mix of Andrews
Liver Salts.... basically bicarb. Just think of anti acid digestive
issues and the vinegar as the acid in your stomach and the bicarb
to make it better. I then cleaned of further with cotton buds in
clean water and then left to dry. I placed a lamp over and let the
heat dry the whole surface.
Next I put the computer back together and then got on the floor and
prayed to the god of retro to be kind. I white light came in through
the window I could hear James Brown saying ' Can you see the light '.
At that point I told Elwyn I was going to put the band back together
and we went on a mad capped race across Chicago being chased by police
vehicles. We were in sun glasses the whole time..... Hang on ...
That's Blues Brothers. Sorry... dozed off there.
I switched on the computer and it exploded.. No, stop it !!! I switched
on the computer and pressed the DELETE key over and over. The A5000
sprang back into life but with no hard drive. I cried and cried and
cried. Had a cup of tea and remember something someone told me on
StarDot.. I very quickly ignored that advice and decided to use the
Force instead. So I carefully took aim and fired the torpedo into
the vent that then exploded the Death-star....Sorry. I must get some
sleep.
Anyhoo... I went into the Configuration section which is in Apps
and then clicked the hard drive section to add a hard drive. And
like magic the top of the building blew up and the chick was toast
and the door that swings both ways shut. So much for not crossing
the streams.... Sorry... Ghostbusters. Sorry... What happened is
I got up and was able to somehow see the bullets coming to me from
the agents as I was in the Matrix .. I was the one....
STOP !!
The hard drive was visible.... HALLELUJAH... HALLELUJAH.. There was
singing in the streets and everyone was truly happy. We had finally
destroyed the ring and the Shires were safe.... or did I.
This has to stop....
The A5000 was safe. She had survived the ordeal and I was again free
to enjoy my computer without the threat of the dark evil 'Battereus'
lord and master of the dark forces of evil. He has been cast to the
pit and will never threaten the poor folk of Acornus again. And so
a happy ending and one that has made me quite dizzy. And the moral
is never confuse vinegar with methylated spirits... Cus it may smell
nice but sends you dooolalliiiiiii ! I'm floating away now. OOOhh..
Ooooo... I think I have some paraffin somewhere .. that smells nice.
She's fine. I'm not but hey.
