Non working 6 slots

Hi,

I've just had this 6 slot from ebay. The guy said there were display problem.
But in fact, the board gives just an error message. And a damn good one:
Fideo Bam Ebbob !
So obviously, there's a bigger problem than just display bugs...
I've noticed a chip which seems quite strangely inserted (the pins are bent on
one side)
Here is the pictures.







Does anybody have an idea where to start to find the problem ?
Thank you

I'm just going to throw out a wild guess that it's an address line problem somewhere.

HAHAHA... OK... It's a "Video RAM Error" and one that is bad enough to cause the display to look like crap.

RJ

Bin it, will cost too much to get fixed, I think the chip is a 100 (ish) pin surface mount on the bottom layer.

look at that chip if you know what he's talking about and check for any surrounding traces that are broken.

OK...

Let's see if I have digested this info properly... (I did some searching on the forum, on Yahoo, and some tracing on my 6 slot board that I'm working on)

DO NOT USE AN ANALOG OHMMETER FOR THIS! Use a digital one ONLY to avoid the possiblity of damaging a chip. Oh, and use proper anti-static procedures

Look at the three big square chips in a row... See the column of small surface mount RAM chips? They are labeled on the board "43256"... Check the 2nd from the top, pin 16 and see if you have continuity to pin 54 of that big square chip on the right (the one closest to the 43256 chips)... You may need a magnifying glass as that chip has TINY pins.

If you have continuity there then replace the 43256 chip. If you don't then you have a broken trace and that's your problem. Jumper it with the smallest wire you can find - wire wrap wire works great for this.

RJ

OH, and if you want to 'bin it' then send it my way I'm wanting to collect some boards for repair projects to learn more about the Neo's hardware.

For the record I use to own this board & had taken it to a repair man long ago, it came from my 6 slot cab originally I then sold it on for cheap myself.

nagrom said:

Hi,

I've just had this 6 slot from ebay. The guy said there were display problem.
But in fact, the board gives just an error message. And a damn good one:
Fideo Bam Ebbob !
So obviously, there's a bigger problem than just display bugs...
I've noticed a chip which seems quite strangely inserted (the pins are bent on
one side)
Here is the pictures.

Does anybody have an idea where to start to find the problem ?
Thank you

Click to expand...

The problem started when you outbid me! ( ebay id: blue_eyed_topher) and then I placed a curse on the board. Wahahahahahahahahaha.

In all seriousness, I was glad you outbid me as I screwed up the money conversion for shipping and my bid (I bid WAAAAAAAAY more then I ment to for a possible non-working board)

Channelmania, thanks for the help, i will try asap.

Topher, thanks for the curse ! In fact, it wasn't me who bought the board,
but a friend. He thought maybe i could fix it ! And yes, i'm glad too i didn't
place a bid on this one !

From looking at the error message it seems clear that the problem is with the RAM chips. I would say either one of the pins from one has lifted or there is a broken trace. I don't have the pinout of the RAM chips but its going to be one of the data lines.

Raz

how can i identify the ram chips ?

nagrom said:

how can i identify the ram chips ?

Click to expand...

OK...

I tried to describe exactly where they were in the post I did earlier... I guess it wasn't clear to you.

I edited your picture and circled those areas and emailed it to ya.

RJ

Thanks !
Sorry, when replying i was at work, so i had'nt time to check all the previous
messages extensively...
Your explainations were great, i think i will be able to find the chips.
Thanks again

Did you get it working yet?

I'm looking at it right now... I don't see any broken track around the ram chips,
so i will do the continuity test.

nagrom said:

I'm looking at it right now... I don't see any broken track around the ram chips,
so i will do the continuity test.

Click to expand...

It could also be a lifted pin on one of the RAMs or even a fault inside a RAM chip itsself that would not necessarily show in a continuity test. One can see from the error screen you gave that the problem is going to be with the D4 line only of one of the RAMs.

Raz

Or with that big square chip that controls the RAM...

Either way, if you give up and want to bin the board, PM me with a price including shipping.

RJ