Atari 800 (not XL) test software ?

[Level42]

Hi, I've got an 800 PAL version which has some issues. First of all the keyboard but I found plenty of info about that.

Next I suspect the machine to have some other issues, maybe RAM/ROM related. Of course the XL series have at least the built-in ROM/RAM test software but is there anything like that available for the 800 ?

 

I found this type-in listing and copy/pasted it to Atari800MacX but it just seems to crash (continuous black screen) when I run it:

 

http://www.atariarchives.org/c2ba/page015.php

 

Thanks, André

 

 

[Level42]

Never mind the software.....I found out the RAM problem the old-fashioned way and with a bit of luck.

 

I booted up Jumpman from my 1050 on the 800....a bit accidently as it was still in the drive from playing it on my 130XE.

 

Once I got to the intro screen, it said the game needed 32K to run (NICE !!! Didn't know it would do this, I did see that it reported to remove all cartridges if you forget to hold Option at boot on XL/XE).

My 800 PAL is fully equipped with 3 16K banks, so it should be 48K.

 

It was actually GREAT that it needs exactly 32K. I concluded that the 2nd or 3rd module would be defective, likely the 2nd because it apparently had booted up with 16K.

So I switched the first and second module and sure enough the machine would boot to a brown screen.

 

Next I removed the defective module and moved the 3rd one to the first position, so I would have 32k of good memory.

 

That worked, the game booted just fine, so 32K OK !

 

Next up was to find out what was wrong with the module. Most likely one of the 9016's had died. I learned that 9016's are the same as 4116's an from my arcade games I know these are troublesome because of the three voltages required.

 

So I swapped 9016s between one of the good modules and the bad one and naturally, it was the very last one of the 8 which was defective.

 

Now, I don't have a 4116 at hand but I do have 4164's. I know I can use these by modding some pins on a single chip, but did anyone ever mod an entire module to switch all the RAMs to 4164's ?
Also, which pins do I swap/cut off for a single RAM mod ?

Edited July 2, 2014 by Level42

[Level42]

Well I'll just keep answering myself

 

Modding a 4164 to replace a 4116 is even easier than I thought:

 

http://picmania.garcia-cuervo.net/recursos/redpicdatasheets/memorias_ram/4116_to_4164.htm

[+bob1200xl]

Atari made diagnostic cartridges that will test an 800 pretty well. They called them SALT (for the 800) and CPS SUPERSALT (added XL support). There is also an 810 exerciser that wrings out any Atari drive pretty well.

 

Bob

 

Every one I have seen looks like these:

 

 

 

 

 

Hi, I've got an 800 PAL version which has some issues. First of all the keyboard but I found plenty of info about that.

Next I suspect the machine to have some other issues, maybe RAM/ROM related. Of course the XL series have at least the built-in ROM/RAM test software but is there anything like that available for the 800 ?

 

I found this type-in listing and copy/pasted it to Atari800MacX but it just seems to crash (continuous black screen) when I run it:

 

http://www.atariarchives.org/c2ba/page015.php

 

Thanks, André

 

 

 

[Level42]

Awesome, I guess they have to run from cartridge and can't be loaded from floppy ? Any special hardware in them ?

[Level42]

Memory problem fixed ! that was a piece of cake

 

I had some Sharp LH2164-15s around which are 4164 compatible. Snipped off pin 1 (just to be sure), flipped over pin 8 and soldered it to pin 9. Put it in the RAM module and put that one in the first slot and removed the other two and yes, 800 boots just fine. Inserted the other RAM modules and ran Jumpman again, flawlessly :)

This is so easy to do, even if you'd switch all 8 RAMs on a module it's probably still less work than modding the module itself.

[Level42]

Now I only have to fix the keyboard....Mylar problem. Could buy one from Best but pretty expensive at 40 bucks ex shipping and import duties....if only there were still separate mylars....

[+bob1200xl]

Awesome, I guess they have to run from cartridge and can't be loaded from floppy ? Any special hardware in them ?

 

I'm sure they have to be in carts - diagnostic mode, also.

 

There a two 2764s in a normal cartridge PCB. Nothing else.

 

Bob

[Level42]

OK so it should be possible to make one with EPROMS I guess. Nice to diagnose some other defective XE's I have.

 

Here's a picture of the modded 2164 I used:

 

 

Edited July 4, 2014 by Level42

[BillC]

 

I'm sure they have to be in carts - diagnostic mode, also.

 

There a two 2764s in a normal cartridge PCB. Nothing else.

 

Bob

Don't Atari 16K cartridge boards have 2 mask ROMs(2364 pinout) in them, and require modification/adapters to use 2764 EPROMs?

I know there were third party cartridge boards for using 2764s but I wasn't aware that Atari made any.

[Level42]

.....

Edited July 4, 2014 by Level42

[1050]

Don't Atari 16K cartridge boards have 2 mask ROMs(2364 pinout) in them, and require modification/adapters to use 2764 EPROMs?

I know there were third party cartridge boards for using 2764s but I wasn't aware that Atari made any.

Right on as far as standard game carts go, but Atari also made eprom versions and B&C sells them last I knew.

[BillC]

Right on as far as standard game carts go, but Atari also made eprom versions and B&C sells them last I knew.

Bob's post stasted that a NORMAL cartridge contained 2 2764s, and I wouldn't consider the EPROM version Atari cartridges to be normal or standard.

[1050]

My bad, missed his use of the word NORMAL. 2764 eprom board decidely NOT normal, Atari made special order item only,