Is my ST broken?

[Ze_ro]

Well, I finally found an Atari ST, but I can't seem to get it working. It's a 1040STFM ($4! Woo!), and I have it hooked up through the TV modulator (I don't suppose RGB cords for this thing are easy to find, what with that goofy port). The power light comes on, but nothing else seems to happen. Is the floppy drive supposed to spin or anything? I read that bootup sometimes takes a few minutes, but even waiting doesn't seem to bring up anything. Is there anything else I can try to get this thing working? Like holding certain keys while turning it on or anything? I have no disks whatsoever for this machine, so I don't have anything to boot off of except the roms...

 

--Zero

[Atari-Jess]

try putting in a double density disk or just any disk

if it still dont boot much faster, it may actually be broken

[Ze_ro]

Well, I tried it with a different RF switch (I was using a NES one before, tried it with a manual switch now), and I get a very distorted picture... I can make out a border around the screen, but everything else is completely garbled. I couldn't find any double density disks around (although I'm sure I have one somewhere), so I tried with a high-density disk. But the drive doesn't even make a sound. I opened the machine, and it's very dirty inside. It looks like someone spilled something on it... perhaps that's what ruined it

 

Oh well... at least I have a machine for parts now...

 

--Zero

[+Mitch]

Well, I tried it with a different RF switch (I was using a NES one before, tried it with a manual switch now), and I get a very distorted picture... I can make out a border around the screen, but everything else is completely garbled.  

--Zero

 

You probably already checked this, but did you try changing the channel?

 

Mitch

http://atari7800.atari.org

[LinkoVitch]

(I don't suppose RGB cords for this thing are easy to find, what with that goofy port)

 

I didn't believe it, but it's a standard port! I think it's a standard 13 pin DIN socket that fits it! suprised me too!

 

Although it is designed for monitor so I think you need additional hardware to drive a TV with that.

 

RE the boot problem. I know the ST if it has no disk in drive will take quite a while to boot, the disk doesn't have to be readable, it just gets it past the drive timeout. if there is a disk there (the drive doesn't hae to time out, it can just fail).

 

Some drives were very quiet.

 

I would try plugging it directly into a TV, not via a switch box. I have had some very naff pictures with some of the older RF switch boxes

[Ze_ro]

I didn't believe it, but it's a standard port!  I think it's a standard 13 pin DIN socket that fits it!  suprised me too!

 

Wow, I'm surprised.

 

Although it is designed for monitor so I think you need additional hardware to drive a TV with that.

 

Well, my ST has an RF modulator built in... so I get a nice RCA jack and channel select switch right on the back.

 

Unfortunately, it looks like the computer is a lost cause. I just tried hooking it up to a composite monitor via the old pins-n-wires technique, and althought I get a nice sharp picture, I get the same crazy, glitchy picture as I did before. I get a white border, with a mess of green/brown/etc pixels all over everything else It's too bad too... My chances of finding another 1040STFM aren't too good...

 

--Zero

[LinkoVitch]

Unfortunately, it looks like the computer is a lost cause. I just tried hooking it up to a composite monitor via the old pins-n-wires technique, and althought I get a nice sharp picture, I get the same crazy, glitchy picture as I did before. I get a white border, with a mess of green/brown/etc pixels all over everything else It's too bad too... My chances of finding another 1040STFM aren't too good...

 

Why not? where are you?

 

Have you tried cleaning off all the various spillage that you described, it may just be something like a short on-or around the shifter/ram

 

Check the ROM's are seated firmly etc etc. Also the CPU if that is socketed.. basically check all socketed chips are well seated and have no crap on them

 

good luck

[Ze_ro]

Well, the circuit board itself looked clean enough to me... all the visible mess was on the metal shielding. I didn't check inside the RF modulator box though, but the chances of it getting in there are slim anyways. I went through it and tried to make sure all the socketed chips were in tight (which they seemed to be), and I checked as many of the solder joints as possible. Except for a few ugly ones, they seemed okay... even the ugly ones were probably okay. Maybe I'll take it down to the university and use the electronics lab there to check things more thoroughly. I have no proof that it's the spill that fried it, but I see nothing else wrong with it...

 

As for finding another one, in the few years of searching, I've only seen two others (And an external drive once)... in both cases, someone else got to it before me I'll find one eventually of course, but with my luck, it will be a 520ST, or something with less ram, less ports, no internal drive, etc... Oh well, at least I'll have the time to watch for Atari RGB monitors and cables and such...

 

--Zero

[LinkoVitch]

As for finding another one, in the few years of searching, I've only seen two others (And an external drive once)... in both cases, someone else got to it before me I'll find one eventually of course, but with my luck, it will be a 520ST, or something with less ram, less ports, no internal drive, etc... Oh well, at least I'll have the time to watch for Atari RGB monitors and cables and such...

 

A 520 doesn't necissarily have less ram. has exactly the same ports too. (just make sure you get an FM

 

perhaps you should check out the UK version of eBay? I just did a search and on the first page I counted about 3 or 4 (just in the first 6 lines) 1MB and 2.5MB systems going for arounf £8-10. See if any are willing to ship to you. You just have to swap out the PSU in the one you have for the UK one if necissary and away you go.

 

Good luck

[Ze_ro]

Only problem is that after paying for shipping and all, I'd be looking at almost $30 for the system... although I suppose that's not terrible for an ST, it doesn't compare to the $4 I find them for around here when they happen to show up. I'm still working on setting up an Amiga in the basement (Finally found another 1084S...), so I guess I'm in no hurry.

 

--Zero