When an Amiga Won’t Boot
Amiga 2000 issues have started causing frustrating boot failures for RobSmithDev’s machine—often without any clear reason. Some days the system boots normally. Other times, it sits silently or displays strange disk errors and garbled video. Oddly enough, using an older GVP card bypasses the problem entirely.
Naturally, Rob suspected the CPU socket. He replaced it and reflowed nearby joints, yet the problem stuck around. The accelerator card appeared innocent, and the behavior reminded him of issues he’d seen when using an Action Replay cartridge.
Test Bench Troubleshooting
To dig deeper, Rob removed the motherboard and placed it on the bench. Powered by the original Amiga 2000 supply, the machine booted consistently. He then tested a CPU relocator. At first, it failed—until he flipped both switches on the relocator. With that fix, the system booted cleanly again.
Still, something wasn’t right. He began adding hardware back, starting with the GVP card. Again, everything worked. Frustrated, Rob measured resistance across CPU socket pins. A few key lines, like BG, BR, and the CPU clock, lacked continuity—but schematic checks suggested this was expected.
More Theories, Few Results
Switching Kickstart ROMs helped the Action Replay function, but the glitch never reappeared. When reinstalling the accelerator, the fault returned. A light tap or card wiggle often fixed it. Rob even found the card rested against a capacitor—suspecting interference—but the power rail ripple stayed well within spec.
Even after adjusting clearances and reflowing solder joints again, the problem remained elusive. His strongest theory? Weak contact in the CPU slot. He considered cleaning the connector further or carefully bending pins for tighter grip. Another idea—tinning the card pads—was possible but risky.
