#RAM & Chip questions
15 messages in this thread
Paul,
Your answer(s) are complete. "Fat" is understood.
I was looking for the FAT AGNUS chip and couldn't find one with
that name. I found Gary and Denise but no Agnus or Paula. 🙁
Did find a chip named Fat Lady <—- is that one an Agnus?
Is the board on which these are mounted called the "mother board?"
Vicki …from the first on ramp after the light
Vicki-
Fat Lady is a new one on me but it could only be Fat Agnus! You are
correct in assuming that the Amiga's custom chips – Agnus, Denise, Paul,
Gary, etc. – are mounted on the motherboard. The Agnus is in all
likelihood surface mounted, which means that you would have to get a
qualified technician to install a replacement. Additionally, I'm not sure
whether it's possible to put a 2mb Agnus in a 2500 – perhaps someone else
can answer you here.
However, in any case, if you plan large-scale modifications to your 2500
you might actually be better off trying to buy a used 3000. It might or
might not cost more money, but you would certainly get a more capable
machine. On the other hand, I might be completely wrong about costs – and
if you have a large investment in equipment that cannot be transferred to
a 3000 this would maybe not be such a good idea. Also, I don't know how
easy it is to get a used 3000. I've been trying for a while. <g>
Paul
You cannot put a 2M Agnus in a 2500 without a special board that goes into
the Agnus socket, and then the 2M Agnus goes onto the board. I believe
that comes from DKB.
—Betty
Yes Betty, its the DKB MegaChip 2000. The board, that is installed in the
Agnus socket on the 2000 motherboard, is very small, approx. 3 x 3 inches,
and receives the "fat Agnus" chip on its upper side.
You have to feel comfortable removing the internal drives and their
frame with the power supply, and pulling the Agnus chip in order to do
this yourself. A chip puller, available through most dealers who sell
chips, is helpful. A small clip attached by a fine wire to the MegaChip
board has to be attached to one of the mother board chips-this latter
chore is easy and well explained in the instructions.
Is it obvious I did this on my A2000?
Yes, and it is equally obvious that I will not do it on my machine! I've
pulled and installed lots of regular chips, but I never intend to touch an
Agnus chip. Heard too many stories of problems with cracking the chip, or
the motherboard, or something nearby.
—Betty
I read you. When I have pulled chips to change them, I've done it with
rapid heartbeat and sweaty palms. I guess I was lucky with the Agnus. As
with many Amiga owners, I am in an area where there are no Amiga dealers.
The few computer vendors that advertise as Amiga repair services don't
seem to be very knowledgeable re: Amiga and I've therefore had to rely on
telephone tech support (until recently when I entered CIS) and my own
devices.
I am blessed with an excellent dealer just over in Dallas. It takes me
over an hour each way to drive there, but they do give good service, and
they know what they are doing.
—Betty
Right. I forgot about which computers the DKB board was needed for. All
2000 and 500 series computers, right?
Paul
I think so, Paul. I don't have one – but I don't think they are needed
for the A3000, and I'm not sure whether they work in the A1000. Gee, I'm
not very good for information on this, am I?
—Betty
No, I think some or most A3ks came with 2mb chip mem, and I have no idea
about the 1k – it would need an Outsider board, or whatever those were
called, to even start.
Paul
All A3k's have the 2 meg Agnus. The machines in stock version shipped with
1 meg of fast and 1 mef of chip ram. The 1 meg of fast (usually 256k zips)
could be moved in to the chip ram bank to bring the machine up to 2 meg
Chip… and then the fast ram could be popoulated with either 256 X 4 or 1
X 4 zips.
Paul,
Perhaps I should have started this quest with a newer Amiga. I've
always assumed that upgrading to a newer model would have been more
expensive than I could afford at the time. I'm not so sure now.
Because the 2500 has never given me any problems that weren't silly
operator errors I've had no strong reason to upgrade –it runs everything
I've needed till now. I plan to run this machine till it basically
dies of old age and there is no sign of age yet. To think that if
I'd purchased a top of the line of the MS-DOS world at the time I
bought this one, I'd be attempting to do my work with a 286 now.
I'm very pleased with how the 2500 has been upgradable via rom chip
and OS's –don't believe that would have been possible with a 286.
Wouldn't mind having a 3000 or 4000 –even a 1200! But I'd probably
want to keep the 2500 as well. I'm just a computer pig.
Vicki
VJ >>Did find a chip named Fat Lady <—- is that one an Agnus?<<
yes. 😀
Apparently, the guys that designed the motherboards like to have some fun
with the naming of jumpers and sockets.
They labeled the Agnus socket, 'Fat Lady', instead of the Fat Agnus
socket. If you look at the actual chip in the socket, it should see the
Agnus name on the chip.
My old A500, has the name 'Rock Lobster', on the motherboard, next to the
floppy drive. The A500 designers, were fans of the group "The B-52's",
and etched the name of their song 'Rock Lobster' in the Amiga.
I believe Dave Haynie, hid his name inside the A4000, by labelling one
jumper 'Dave', and another 'Haynie'.
—
VJ >>Is the board on which these are mounted called the "mother board?"<<
Yes. 🙂
Ron.
– ap'ing with AP. (Eagles may fly, but weasels aren't sucked
into jet engines.)