Re: Restoring IIGS with Transwarp IIGS --> identification if loose IC

[dalloff@gcfn.org (Dave Althoff Jr)]

Rubywand (rubywand@my-deja.com) wrote:
: Dave Althoff Jr writes ...

:  ....

: >
: > Which reminds me...anybody got any ideas
: > where I should look for trouble
: > on my TWGS?  Factory configuration, but once
: > the machine heats up a little, it starts crashing.
: >  Perhaps I need a new 65C816 for the TWGS?
: > Or is there another likely culprit?
: >
:  ....


:      A good test is running without a lid and with a fan blowing air on
: the TranswarpGS. If you still have system crashes, 'normal' overheating
: is not a likely cause.

:      Touching IC's on the board is one way to detect a chip which is
: running hot. While fairly hot IC's are not all that rare on accelerator
: boards, very hot IC's are. A very hot IC may be a defective part which
: draws too much current and should be replaced.

Well, the board passed the thumb test.  A couple of days ago, prompted
mostly by reading this newsgroup again, I installed the board into a
'spare' GS, hooked it up to the TV set, and let it run.  That is a 512k GS
with a single 3.5" drive and the lid off; it's been running for two days
straight now (basically just idling) and hasn't crashed or frozen yet. 
Most annoying since I was hoping to use the TWGS in my main machine...

:      If the culprit is overheating, you could add a SystemSaverGS or
: stick a fan on the lid to suck in cool air. The latter might be a fan
: mounted on a sheet of plastic with side supports to allow setting the
: monitor on top.

Too late.  The main machine first of all has a SCSI hard drive mounted in
a Vulcan case...the Vulcan case has its own fan inside.  The machine also
has a System Saver GS sitting on top...but the monitor is nowhere near the
box.  The box is on a shelf under the desk, the monitor is on top.

:      Overheating may not be the real problem. It is not unusual for a
: IIgs with a few Slot cards already installed to begin experiencing
: system crashes after an accelerator is added. The culprit generally
: turns out to be noise generated across skimpy power supply leads and/or
: skimpy Slot bus power traces. For more about this and possible fixes,
: see http://home.swbell.net/rubywand/Csa2POWER.html .

Now this is not only possible, it's likely.  My machine has...
4 Mb RAM card with piggyback for 1Mb Apple card (total 5.25Mb)
Video Overlay Card
Apple High Speed SCSI card

So there are a few cards in there.  Hmmm...I'll take a look at that web
page...

--Dave Althoff, ][.
-- 
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