TF536 boot problem

68030 + SDRAM + IDE

Moderators: terriblefire, Terriblefire Moderator

tvoutila
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Mar 26, 2020 6:47 am

TF536 boot problem

Post by tvoutila »

Hi,

Some details on the setup:
- Revision 2b board. Parts soldered by me (probably not that well.... constantly rechecking for possibly poorly soldered pins)
- MC68030RC50C on socket
- IDE buffers soldered (I first tried to get the board working without them but since that didn't work out I added the
buffers and removed the resistor packs under the board.
- Attached to a Rev 6A Amiga 500 motherboard (no HW addons on this A500).
* A500 has not been recapped, yet
* A500 works ok with standard 68000 CPU
- Flashed the tf536r2_2020_8_2 on TF536 CPLD

With Diagrom the setup boots ok. Diagrom was able to find all 64MB of RAM and it also tested ok.
With KS 3.1 there is a short rainbow effect on screen when power applied but after that just a black screen
With KS 3.1.4 nothing but a black screen
Tried with and without a CF to IDE adapter installed -> same results

I wonder if someone might have an idea what to try next?
Is there some specific test(s) I should run with Diagrom installed that might tell what the problem is?

-Timo
Lynxman
Posts: 180
Joined: Sun Nov 24, 2019 8:09 pm

Re: TF536 boot problem

Post by Lynxman »

The rainbow is normal and the black screen is normal until Workbench appears.

Does the SD/CF activity light blink?

Does it enter the boot menu if you hold both mouse buttons while turning on (hold until several seconds after the rainbow)?

It can take a very long time to boot if the SD/CF isn't setup right. We're talking over a minute. Give it time. If you have aborted a bootup because you didn't wait long enough it will take even longer the next time, so give it several minutes.

Block size needs to be 4096 for SDcards to boot fast in my experience.
go0se
Posts: 403
Joined: Sun Nov 25, 2018 7:55 pm

Re: TF536 boot problem

Post by go0se »

Check all the pins on the CPLD and level shifters for any side to side movement using a pin or fine tweezers under a microscope or loupe. If there are no visible solder bridges then some pins might not be soldered down correctly, pay special attention to the pins either side of the four corners of the CPLD as these are the easiest to miss with heat.

If you have no luck with the above try re-soldering all CPLD and level shifter pins with a generous addition of flux even if they all look fine. Make sure to clean all residual flux away from the CPLD pins after soldering using hot air and IPA if possible.

Where did you get your MC68030RC50C ? If it is a reprint there is a possibility that it won't allow the card to boot. Do you have another known good CPU to test with?
tvoutila
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Mar 26, 2020 6:47 am

Re: TF536 boot problem

Post by tvoutila »

Thanks very much for these suggestions!

Answers to the questions above:
- no visible activity on the CF-IDE -adapter... it looks like there is a small LED in the adapter but I'm not sure.
It is this one: https://www.ebay.de/i/112936004182
- A500 does not enter the Boot menu when holding both mouse buttons. Not even after 10 minutes.
I also waited for 10 minutes without pressing the mouse buttons but the result is the same.
- The CPU is from Ebay as well... so, I've got no idea if it works or not (Well, it works with Diagrom at least) From https://www.ebay.de/usr/berthaline
- I don't have another CPU to try with, unfortunately

Also, the floppy drive try does not start the normal periodic ticking sounds when no floppy is inserted - drive keeps quiet all the time.
So, nothing I can try with Diagrom ?
I've done some pretty extensive measuring on the pins. Measured for shorts between each adjacent pin.
Also tried to measure conductivity from CPLD pins between right at the chip's leg and at the trace where it connects to at the PCB....
Will try again - and I'll recheck the level shifters, also.
-Timo
theq
Posts: 114
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2018 7:16 pm
Location: North of the Wall

Re: TF536 boot problem

Post by theq »

Hi Timo.

Do you see any changes on the Power-LED? And does the Caps Lock-light stop responding after 5-6 activations?
tvoutila
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Mar 26, 2020 6:47 am

Re: TF536 boot problem

Post by tvoutila »

theq wrote: Sat Feb 06, 2021 7:20 pm Hi Timo.

Do you see any changes on the Power-LED? And does the Caps Lock-light stop responding after 5-6 activations?
The green power led on A500 first turns on in a bit dimmer mode then after about 2 seconds it goes into "bright" -mode and stays like this.
The Caps Lock -light stops responding after 5-6 activations.
So, this is all with KS 3.1 in socket.
theq
Posts: 114
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2018 7:16 pm
Location: North of the Wall

Re: TF536 boot problem

Post by theq »

The Power LED going bright is a good thing. This means that CPU is most likely OK.
And if I'm not mistaken the ROM has also passed the checksum check.

Seems to me that the card is trying hard to boot from HDD/CF(?). Have you cleaned the pads with IPA, making sure there are no possible dirty bridges?
terriblefire
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Location: Glasgow, UK

Re: TF536 boot problem

Post by terriblefire »

Try with no CF card in and leave it for 1 min 30 seconds. You should see the kickstart screen. If you dont or it continues to boot loop then its a RAM fault.

DiagROM ram tests passing are not comprehensive. Dont rely on them as being perfect.

If you do get the kickstart screen run amiga test kit on the ram from floppy.
———
"It is not necessarily a supply voltage at no load, but the amount of current it can provide when touched that
indicates how much hurting you shall receive."
tvoutila
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Mar 26, 2020 6:47 am

Re: TF536 boot problem

Post by tvoutila »

terriblefire wrote: Sun Feb 07, 2021 10:47 am Try with no CF card in and leave it for 1 min 30 seconds. You should see the kickstart screen. If you dont or it continues to boot loop then its a RAM fault.

DiagROM ram tests passing are not comprehensive. Dont rely on them as being perfect.

If you do get the kickstart screen run amiga test kit on the ram from floppy.
Indeed it was a RAM problem.... I wrongly assumed that RAM would be ok since diagrom found no problems :hide: .
There was one pin loose in the other RAM chip which I hadn't noticed before.
It didn't boot from the CF card - but it may well be that I've messed something when trying to put a working image on it....
Amiga Test Kit is currently testing RAM
... Is there a ready made test HDD image somewhere that could be tried first to make sure IDE / CF is working?
Or perhaps I should just boot from workbench floppies and start the installation etc...
terriblefire
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Moderator Team
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Location: Glasgow, UK

Re: TF536 boot problem

Post by terriblefire »

I generally create images with WinUAE based off classicwb
———
"It is not necessarily a supply voltage at no load, but the amount of current it can provide when touched that
indicates how much hurting you shall receive."
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