CPC 464 blue sceen problem

[Morn]

Consider yourself awarded. Please come to the front of the class to get a star on your copy book.

Could you put the star on my framed Sir Alan Sugar autograph pretty please? It could go next to my "This user always buys systems that fail commercially within two years" trophy cup I got awarded for my Amiga 2000 from Microsoft and Intel back in the day. 

[Joseman]

Also check if any chip memory is more hot than the others...

Calm down guys calm down guys..., this was the FIRST answer to the problem, and i mentioned the memory  in it!!

Sorry @Morn, but this award will come to me this time 

Where can i collect the 10000 euro award for this?

[Morn]

Calm down guys calm down guys..., this was the FIRST answer to the problem, and i mentioned the memory  in it!!

Sorry @Morn, but this award will come to me this time 

Where can i collect the 10000 euro award for this?

Too late, Sir Alan Sugar's bank on the Bahamas has already authorized the transaction from their super secretive Save the CPC fund. At least they wrote "the check is in the mail" and I believe them. The postman should arrive aaany minute now. They would never lie to me, would they? 

Also, your post was about "chip memory", so you get disqualified for using Amiga terminology when debugging a CPC issue. I on the other hand mumbled something about "check your pins", so I get bonus points for using vague technical jargon that could mean anything. 

[Alexandre Rouma]

So, I checked all of my ram chips and they are all outputting data

[TFM]

Is is a problem of the GateArray maybe?

[Alexandre Rouma]

which chip is the gate arrray and how could I test it

From what I see i dont think the gate array is the problem:
1) I get a clock signal
2) It's outputing a video singal

[Morn]

So, I checked all of my ram chips and they are all outputting data

Gate Array is IC116.

I think it would be best to shotgun this and replace all RAM chips with new ones and hope for the best. If the Gate Array really has an issue you should probably ditch this CPC and buy a working one on eBay.

[Joseman]

Gate Array is IC116.

I think it would be best to shotgun this and replace all RAM chips with new ones and hope for the best. If the Gate Array really has an issue you should probably ditch this CPC and buy a working one on eBay.

I think that gate arrays can be bought nowadays...

[Alexandre Rouma]

is there a way I can test the gate array

[Morn]

I think that gate arrays can be bought nowadays...

Yes, but if it turns out the price for a working CPC GA is more less the same as for a complete CPC (and that might be the case), I'd say go for a new CPC.

And besides, his CPC is in pretty bad shape generally with its dirt issue (probably due to bad storage), so the question is how much time and money it is worth to repair it. E.g. the sound problem could be a whole separate issue that requires even more repairs.

is there a way I can test the gate array

Maybe this would help: documentations:devices:gatearray [Grimware]

You could PM Grim (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/profile/?u=123), although he hasn't been active for a while.

[Joseman]

Yes, but if it turns out the price for a working CPC GA is more less the same as for a complete CPC (and that might be the case), I'd say go for a new CPC.

And besides, his CPC is in pretty bad shape generally with its dirt issue (probably due to bad storage), so the question is how much time and money it is worth to repair it. E.g. the sound problem could be a whole separate issue that requires even more repairs.
Maybe this would help: documentations:devices:gatearray [Grimware]

You could PM Grim (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/profile/?u=123), although he hasn't been active for a while.

yes, but is his father's CPC, it must be repaired!!

[Morn]

yes, but is his father's CPC, it must be repaired!!

If his father had properly cared for it (e.g. stored it in a sealed plastic bag) and cleaned its insides occasionally, this CPC would probably still work. Obviously he did not value it too much, so no point in getting sentimental now. 

[Joseman]

If his father had properly cared for it (e.g. stored it in a sealed plastic bag) and cleaned its insides occasionally, this CPC would probably still work. Obviously he did not value it too much, so no point in getting sentimental now. 

Sometimes we do mistakes, he knows how to repair his father's cpc and i encorage him to do it.

next he can upgrade it with xmem & xmass and find how his father world was on 1986!

[Alexandre Rouma]

If it's in such a bad shape, It's because my dad had much better computer like a ZX81 Commodore 64 and other that I don't remember. So it's stayed at the same place for 30 years

[Joseman]

If it's in such a bad shape, It's because my dad had much better computer like a ZX81 Commodore 64 and other that I don't remember. So it's stayed at the same place for 30 years

trust me, as a COMPUTER, nor the ZX (any) nor the C64 are better than the CPC

[Morn]

If it's in such a bad shape, It's because my dad had much better computer like a ZX81 Commodore 64 and other that I don't remember. So it's stayed at the same place for 30 years

Well, dust and electronics don't mix and can cause shorting/overheating problems. So if he didn't use the CPC anyway he should have stored it away properly.

The problem with eBay is that prices for CPCs have been going up in the past years, so you'd probably have to keep an eye on offers, get an idea about pricing, etc. And while you do that there is still plenty of time to explore repair options, e.g. by getting Grim's opinion on this.

trust me, as a COMPUTER, nor the ZX (any) nor the C64 are better than the CPC

Yes, saying the C64 was better might be true but will still get you insta-banned on these forums. Get the torches and pitchforks! Release the hounds! 

[Alexandre Rouma]

Maybe you are right, since the gate array send the interrupts to the Z80. If the gate array was still working, I should be able at type command and to produce sound.
It's also the gate array the is in charge of the video so it would explain this strange blue screen

Do you think it's possible to buy some on ebay

[Joseman]

XD.

Jokes aside as a COMPUTER the c64 was crap, dog poop.

1mhz bus, what a joke!!
a disc drive as slow as our tapes, what a joke.
a joke keyboard
the cpc has 640x200 (overscan aside). very high resolution.
is a FACT that the cpc is better computer than the c64

[Alexandre Rouma]

I think you are right for the C64, That maybe why the CPC is the only one that he didn't sell on ebay 

I'm going to test other components to be sure but if the gate array is dead , I will have to buy an other.
Does somebody know where I can buy a gate array cheaper then Ebay ?

[Joseman]

perhaps @Piotr have one?

[Morn]

Maybe you are right, since the gate array send the interrupts to the Z80. If the gate array was still working, I should be able at type command and to produce sound.
It's also the gate array the is in charge of the video so it would explain this strange blue screen

Do you think it's possible to buy some on ebay

Actually I think the blue background is a good sign for the GA because that's the correct CPC background colour. Also, Bryce said faulty RAM and he calls himself the hardware guy for a reason...

XD.

Jokes aside as a COMPUTER the c64 was crap, dog poop.

1mhz bus, what a joke!!
a disc drive as slow as our tapes, what a joke.
a joke keyboard
the cpc has 640x200 (overscan aside). very high resolution.
is a FACT that the cpc is better computer than the c64

Yes, but hardware sprites, hardware scrolling, and a more versatile audio chip made the C64 hard to beat for games, especially when many CPC games were Spectrum ports with bad scrolling. The strength of the CPC lay always more in "serious" work like programming, CP/M, and so on. And occasional proper games that used its full hardware potential.

[Alexandre Rouma]

But if the GA was working properly I would be able to type command or to see text on the screen
Am I right ?

Or maybe the GA and RAM are dead

[Joseman]

Yes, but hardware sprites, hardware scrolling, and a more versatile audio chip made the C64 hard to beat for games, especially when many CPC games were Spectrum ports with bad scrolling. The strength of the CPC lay always more in "serious" work like programming, CP/M, and so on. And occasional proper games that used its full hardware potential.

you're talking about games, not computing.
for this better have a NES than a crappy computer-console that it is in the middle of nothing. The c64 would be a console, on the last instant they decided to make a computer.

either way, bad computer, bad console...

[TFM]

If it's in such a bad shape, It's because my dad had much better computer like a ZX81 Commodore 64 and other that I don't remember. So it's stayed at the same place for 30 years

Thanks! You just made my day! ZX and c64 better than a CPC!

[Morn]

But if the GA was working properly I would be able to type command or to see text on the screen
Am I right ?

Or maybe the GA and RAM are dead

Well, without working RAM you would not get to the BASIC prompt I think. So because everyone says RAM and replacing RAM is one of the cheaper repair options, personally I would focus on that first.

Of course if you can get a cheap GA somewhere, it couldn't hurt to try. By the way, according to Grimware you have a 40010 GA, a later revision of the chip which was also used in 6128's.

you're talking about games, not computing.
for this better have a NES than a crappy computer-console that it is in the middle of nothing. The c64 would be a console, on the last instant they decided to make a computer.

either way, bad computer, bad console...

In the 1980s, most people got their home computers for games primarily. There simply weren't many serious applications for a home computer in most households, but even the most basic computer ever can play games that are fun. So I think it's undeniable that the strength of the C64 for games was a major factor that influenced potential buyers.