Re: Help! IIgs is broke

[rubywand@aol.com]

In article <56d2mh$svs@usenet.srv.cis.pitt.edu>, ltw@vms.cis.pitt.edu
writes:

>
>It has been a few months since the IIgs was last used but it worked fine
>then. 
>Now, I only get the splash screen (ROM 01) with no polling of drives and
no 
>access to the control panel. Also can't seem to run the diagnostics 
>(Control-option-reset?). The machine is fairly loaded, including a ZipGS.
The
>
>red and yellow lights are illuminated on the Zip card.
>
>I thought I'd ask here before I pull the Zip card and reinstall the
original
>CPU 
>chip. Even a dead battery should allow me to access the control panel,
right?
>....
>


     Your best bet is to first try the 'standard cure'. This is just to
pull and replace each Slot card (taking care that the card contacts line
up well with the Slot socket fingers); EXCEPT, for now, leave the Zip-GS
card alone.

NOTE: All  unplugging and re-plugging is done while the GS is OFF. 

     Pull and replace the keyboard cable, drive cables, etc.. You might,
also, scooch up and re-seat the plug from the Zip-GS to the motherboard uP
socket. This wholesale re-plugging may fix the problem.

     The reason for leaving the Zip-GS card alone is that it seems to be
doing okay (i.e. anyway, it is not obviously loose).  Getting some Zip-GS
cards properly plugged in can be a problem because the contacts on at
least some cards do not go all the way to the bottom. Meanwhile, the
sprongers in the GS Slot sockets tend to touch rather far down on the
connector pads of cards plugged into a Slot. The result can be erratic
performance, bombs, etc..

     If the first session of unplugging/re-plugging does not fix the
problem, then, try unplugging and re-plugging the Zip-GS card.

     As for the battery being the culprit, it depends upon how a
particular dead battery acts. If it sits there and pulls down the voltage
to the Bat RAM, it could cause problems. You can check the voltage using a
Radio Shack multi-meter. If it is much below 3.6V, replacing it may be a
good idea.


Rubywand