The Arctic Retro C64 Repair begins when Tommy receives two non-working Commodore 64s, each with its own quirks. One has paint and melted plastic marks, the other seems cleaner but lifeless. With no cables or power supplies, Tommy powers up both units only to be greeted with black screens. What follows is an in-depth and patient repair session that retro fans will love watching unfold.
Step-by-Step Fault Finding
During the repair, Tommy uses his oscilloscope, dead test cartridge, and spare chips to trace voltage and signal issues. He discovers missing CPU address signals and faulty logic chips, replacing PLAs and multiplexers until the C64 finally produces video—though with corrupted graphics that lead to further tests.
Building the DesTest MAX-Switch
To push diagnostics further, Tommy builds the DesTest MAX-Switch from scratch. After receiving PCBs from PCBWay, he assembles the cartridge, solders sockets, and programs the EPROM. Once complete, it becomes an invaluable tool for testing RAM, ROM, and logic behavior across the C64 motherboard.
Final Fix and Lessons Learned
By the end of the Arctic Retro C64 Repair, multiple bad components, from faulty RAM to logic chips, are replaced. Even a part swap mistake can’t stop Tommy’s persistence. The machine finally boots, runs Space Taxi, and passes diagnostics. It’s a detailed showcase of hands-on repair and creative problem-solving that captures the heart of classic hardware restoration.
