A500 1MB chipram mod

[TroelsDK]

First of, I don't have any skill in soldering except for drawing my name with a soldering iron on some pieces of wood in 3rd grade...

Despite this, I decided to go ahead with the A500 1mb chip ram mod

With some assistance from NMI, ZetrO, Rkauer I did it!
(https://www.amibay.com/showthread.php?t=35844)

Started of with an A500 rev. 6a



The space for the extra ram was already there, but had to be de-soldered which was the hardest part of this mod...



I started off with a ½mb ram card, which I hated and didn't care for...



Everything went great...

But of course the 4th and last ram chip broke off a leg...

Before NMI wrote that it could actually still be saved, I binned it...

I was determined to make this happen whatever the costs, so found me another ½ mb ram card and to my great surprise the ram was not soldered in, and could be pulled out easily

The time demanding job of de-soldering the holes on the motherboard began...



Some were easy and some gave me a fight!

But eventually I made it



I placed the chips and began the nerve racking task of soldering them in...

Not my finest work, but hey, if it works that's good enough!



And here the final result:



Good thing the soldering can't be seen from above

Now all that was needed, was to cut a few traces and solder two points together on JP2 and JP7A... Used a razor blade and hoped it was done right...



Plugged the baby in...



loaded a Workbench disc, and crossed my fingers.....

And love and behold, it works!!!



I'm so happy that it works, would have hurt so bad if I had destroyed a beautiful machine for nothing!

All that's left to say is thanks for the help guys!

And YES! It can be done by an amateur

 

[BLTCON0]

@TroelsDK
Hell yeah!
You might want to solder the decoupling capacitors for the 4 new chips as well, although it's not really an absolute necessity.

 

[TroelsDK]

OK thanks, I might do that


Done:



:-D

The legs where to short, that's the reason for the excess tin.

 

[rkauer]

Congratulations on your first Amiga hack!

 

[TroelsDK]

Congratulations on your first Amiga hack!

Thanks mate

 

[pink]

Well done and thanks for posting it here.

 

[moijk]

First of, I don't have any skill in soldering except for drawing my name with a soldering iron on some pieces of wood in 3rd grade...
....
Not my finest work, but hey, if it works that's good enough!

I'm wondering about trying myself, but just wonder. does this mean your last attempt with a soldering iron (drawing your name in wood) WAS your finest work?

 

[TroelsDK]

Well done and thanks for posting it here.

Thanks

I'm wondering about trying myself, but just wonder. does this mean your last attempt with a soldering iron (drawing your name in wood) WAS your finest work?

Yes it was

But with 100+ desoldering and 100+ soldering I eventually got the hang of it, and it was hard to tell the factory soldering from mine

 

[TjLaZer]

Arn't those yellow caps needed too? Works without?

 

[Zetr0]

@TjLaZer

Yes, it does work without those 0.1uf capacitor beads - however for symmetry, circuit and completeness - one should add them =)

 

[Phipscube]

Fantastic work Troels! Well done mate!

 

[TroelsDK]

Fantastic work Troels! Well done mate!

Thanks Les