Subject: Re: Troubleshooting lockup problems

From: "Stuart Johnson" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon Mar 17 00:12:45 2003

----- Original Message -----
From: "Damien Cymbal" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Sent: Saturday, March 15, 2003 9:42 AM
Subject: Troubleshooting lockup problems

> Hello All,
>
> I'm looking for pointers on how to troubleshoot an apparent hardware
problem
> with an Atari 400.
>
> The machine runs fine for about 5-10 minutes and then will lock up solid.
> Turn it off, leave it off for a bit, and get another 5-10 minutes so I'm
> assuming that there is some sort of heat/temperature issue that is causing
> it, but I'd appreciate any tips on how I can drill down further to
determine
> the exact cause.
> Thanks much.
> dc

The following involves working on the computer with power ON and the case
OFF. If you are not accustomed to working with electronics this way, PLEASE
DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS.

Find a can of "component cooler" at Radio Shack (Cat # 64-4321) or at your
local electronics store. It is a can of freon or similar material with a
small tube to allow you to confine the spray to a small area. Run the Atari
until it overheats and slip the cover off. Carefully, with the cover off and
POWER still ON, use the spray on one chip at a time, wait a few seconds,
move on to another chip. When you hit the right chip the computer may begin
working again. You may have to reset the computer (or cycle the power) after
each "chill" as there is nothing to bring it back to its "senses" except
hitting reset. You get the idea, I hope.

Use the opposite (heat) effect if a device won't work until the box "warms
up".

Good luck!
Stuart Johnson

---

From: "Damien Cymbal" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon Mar 17 00:12:57 2003

Hello All,

I'm looking for pointers on how to troubleshoot an apparent hardware problem
with an Atari 400.

The machine runs fine for about 5-10 minutes and then will lock up solid.
Turn it off, leave it off for a bit, and get another 5-10 minutes so I'm
assuming that there is some sort of heat/temperature issue that is causing
it, but I'd appreciate any tips on how I can drill down further to determine
the exact cause.

Thanks much.

dc

---

From: [email-masked] (Tony Duell)
Date: Mon Mar 17 00:14:15 2003

> assuming that there is some sort of heat/temperature issue that is causing

YEs, it does sound like a thermal problem...

The normal way to troubleshoot this is firstly to check all the obvious 
conditions when it locks up (power supply voltage(s) being top of the 
list), and then to use freezer spray to cool chips one at a time to see 
if you can find one that iwll let it restart, or to use a hot air gun to 
heat chips (carefully) to see if you can find the one that locks it up.

-tony