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800XL cleaning and restore


mdivancic

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I’m working on cleaning and upgrading a 800xl I recently purchased. I’m lucky that every chip is socketed, but I have a couple questions before I break out the soldering iron. First is this normal on the underside of the board?

 

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Second the keyboard is nasty! Blowing with canned air did not do much. What’s the best way to clean it?

 

Anyone have a better picture of this label so I can reproduce after cleaning the case?

 

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Thanks in advance.

 

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First off, yes. That's just the solder mask. Lots of vintage computer solder masks look like that. Second, as for cleaning the keyboard, the usual approach is to use a keycap puller to pull the keys straight up off the stem of the plunger, then clean the surface under the keys. You can wash the keycaps themselves in warm soapy water to clean them. Just be careful with the shift and spacebar when you remove them - some versions had metal retaining bars the fit into clips in plastic underneath that are meant to stabilize the large key on the plunger stems. Even for regular alphanumeric keys, be careful removing them - if you twist or pull off to one side, you risk breaking the stem.

 

Finally, with regard to the label, try to preserve it rater than replace it. Cover it with plastic film and tape with packing tape around the edges, being sure to not get tape on the paper label. You can then gently wash the case and even retrobrite with peroxide cream if necessary so long as you're gentle around the taped area to prevent liquid from ruining the label.

 

Good luck! :)

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42 minutes ago, mdivancic said:

Installed the UAV first. Screwed something up as all I get is a gray screen on power up. No sound other than a slight click. Suggestions?

Nothing in a UAV installation should affect the boot process. Post pics of your installation so we can help.

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If you had the motherboard out and were flexing it, you may have moved chips in their sockets.  Try removing and re-socketing the chips with a bit of DeOxit or tuner cleaner.  It may start booting again. 

Check all parts that were de-socketed during the installation for pins that folded under or missed the socket.  I had this problem bringing a 600XL back to life.  I had pins on the new pokey that missed the socket entirely.

If you had to de-solder anything to install the UAV, check all traces to the de-soldered part for continuity.

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So I did three things this morning working on the 800XL:

 

1 - Removed the RF modulator
2 - Installed the four wires for the U1M

3 - Installed the UAV

 

Paused at this point to test (should have tested after each step). I’ve gone over threads where people have had problem so after a rest (watched flashjazzcat videos until 2:00 am and got up early to do this) I went through each section. Long story short I had a solder bridge on the U1M R/W wire. Damn thing was so small couldn’t really see it at 3.5x magnification but a continuity tester found it. I’m now back to booting!

 

Long term goal is to build a 1088XLD so this is my practice unit. As frustrating as this was it was a good experience.

Edited by mdivancic
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