MAC/65 Error 12

[Binarygeek]

Hi all

 

A few hours ago, my MAC/65 cartridge (not Maxflash) stopped booting and displayed an "Error 12". Anybody have any ideas? Thanks a lot.

 

Rick

[1050]

12 - NESTED MACRO DEFINITION

 

The Assembler encountered a second .MACRO directive before the .ENDM directive. This error will abort assembly.

 

http://www.mixinc.net/atari/mac65.htm#tableofcontents

 

If it stopped booting something major is wrong with the cart's chips. I've had this happen a couple of times, replaced the logic chips once and fixed it and another time it needed new eproms burnt to get going again. Might plan on complete chip change out for insurance's sake that you got it what ever it was. I don't think the error code given is legit so it would then mean nothing other than some parts of it still want to work. Might as well change any electrolytic capacitors while under the hood, IIRC you may have to crack the case down the seam to even get some apart as they glued them shut with model airplane glue which is the kind that melts the plastic shells together. At that point you keep them together with a wide rubber band that needs replacing every few years as they give up the ghost eventually.

 

Before you break it apart, you ought to try cleaning the cart's contacts well and good. Pencil erasers rubbed across the contacts works good and contact cleaner from Radio Shack also worth a try. It might be just dirty contacts but I don't think I have even one that hasn't failed chip wise. So it doesn't look so good to me at least, best of luck.

[Binarygeek]

12 - NESTED MACRO DEFINITION

 

The Assembler encountered a second .MACRO directive before the .ENDM directive. This error will abort assembly.

 

http://www.mixinc.net/atari/mac65.htm#tableofcontents

 

If it stopped booting something major is wrong with the cart's chips.

Before you break it apart, you ought to try cleaning the cart's contacts well and good. Pencil erasers rubbed across the contacts works good and contact cleaner from Radio Shack also worth a try. It might be just dirty contacts but I don't think I have even one that hasn't failed chip wise. So it doesn't look so good to me at least, best of luck.

If it stopped booting something major is wrong with the cart's chips. This is exactly what happened. Tried the eraser thing, but knew that was not the problem. Got the MAC/65 from Steve Tucker a while back. I'm waiting to see what he ha to say about the error. Maybe it is time for a new one. Thanks for the reply.

[Dragon375]

If you got the cart from Steve Tucker, there's a pretty good chance it is an Atarimax 1mb flash cart. If you do a search on his site you can find an .atr to re-flash the cart. That may fix the issue you are having. If not then you can flash another 1mb cart with that .atr and you'll be off and running.

[flashjazzcat]

He said "Not MaxFlash".

[Atari8bitCarts]

If you got the cart from Steve Tucker, there's a pretty good chance it is an Atarimax 1mb flash cart. If you do a search on his site you can find an .atr to re-flash the cart. That may fix the issue you are having. If not then you can flash another 1mb cart with that .atr and you'll be off and running.

If you got it from Steve Tucker, is it a repro/copy? i.e. not an original OSS cart (you can tell by the cart housing, color, and identification of OSS).

If self made (betting that it is), ask for some replacement chips or make some, or check if something knocked them loose?

[1050]

Not sure what cartridge case he is using on that but some of his offerings just pry apart on really long pins so it's best to keep the gap even all the way around as best you can until the pins come free entirely. That is after he weighs in on what he is willing to do to get you back in the saddle.