Author Topic: mc68000 based computer repair  (Read 3819 times)

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Offline ddavideborTopic starter

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mc68000 based computer repair
« on: October 20, 2013, 08:26:28 pm »
hi guys.

i'm trying to throubleshoot and maybe repai the computer of an hp54502a oscilloscope.

it's based on 68k microprocessor of motorola.

at start up, it sometimes don't show anything on data or address.
the reset is ok and the clock also is ok.

sometimes, especially if i probe it, it start and data and address bus seems live.

it's from 1992. apart from the ROM, what can be the failure based on your experience?
David - Professional Engineer - Medical Devices and Tablet Computers at Smartbox AT
Side businesses: Altium Industry Expert writer, http://fermium.ltd.uk (Scientific Equiment), http://chinesecleavers.co.uk (Cutlery),
 

Offline Rerouter

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Re: mc68000 based computer repair
« Reply #1 on: October 21, 2013, 02:15:26 am »
for a hp unit of that era its likely to mention a signature test mode in the manual, now decoding them wont get you far, but if one pin has a listed signature and you see a stable voltage on the pin you can narrow down your issue,
 

Offline kb3pxr

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Re: mc68000 based computer repair
« Reply #2 on: October 21, 2013, 02:35:11 am »
If you aren't getting anything on the address or data lines you aren't even getting to the point of reading the ROM. How is that processor mounted? Is it an SMD or the older DIP package?
 

Offline pickle9000

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Re: mc68000 based computer repair
« Reply #3 on: October 21, 2013, 03:16:51 am »
You can find the service manual here (no scematics but some voltages and flow charts)

http://www.ko4bb.com/manuals/index.php?dir=HP_Agilent

Double check the power supply and the power good signal in particular, make sure it's not sitting in an ugly place. Is the processor getting hot at all? Check the processor clock on the chip (just too be sure it's good there).

 

Offline ddavideborTopic starter

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mc68000 based computer repair
« Reply #4 on: October 21, 2013, 05:17:33 am »
for a hp unit of that era its likely to mention a signature test mode in the manual, now decoding them wont get you far, but if one pin has a listed signature and you see a stable voltage on the pin you can narrow down your issue,

Can you explain? I can't understand.

Thankyou
David - Professional Engineer - Medical Devices and Tablet Computers at Smartbox AT
Side businesses: Altium Industry Expert writer, http://fermium.ltd.uk (Scientific Equiment), http://chinesecleavers.co.uk (Cutlery),
 

Offline ddavideborTopic starter

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mc68000 based computer repair
« Reply #5 on: October 21, 2013, 05:17:52 am »
If you aren't getting anything on the address or data lines you aren't even getting to the point of reading the ROM. How is that processor mounted? Is it an SMD or the older DIP package?

It's a big dip soldered
David - Professional Engineer - Medical Devices and Tablet Computers at Smartbox AT
Side businesses: Altium Industry Expert writer, http://fermium.ltd.uk (Scientific Equiment), http://chinesecleavers.co.uk (Cutlery),
 

Offline ddavideborTopic starter

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mc68000 based computer repair
« Reply #6 on: October 21, 2013, 05:18:39 am »
You can find the service manual here (no scematics but some voltages and flow charts)

http://www.ko4bb.com/manuals/index.php?dir=HP_Agilent

Double check the power supply and the power good signal in particular, make sure it's not sitting in an ugly place. Is the processor getting hot at all? Check the processor clock on the chip (just too be sure it's good there).

Yes the clock it's good and the processor become hot, sometimes more than other.
David - Professional Engineer - Medical Devices and Tablet Computers at Smartbox AT
Side businesses: Altium Industry Expert writer, http://fermium.ltd.uk (Scientific Equiment), http://chinesecleavers.co.uk (Cutlery),
 

Offline Rerouter

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Re: mc68000 based computer repair
« Reply #7 on: October 21, 2013, 06:20:05 am »
HP around that time frame sold signature Analyzers as diagnostic gear for there equipment, essentially it generated a 4 digit hex code in reference to what ever signal it was looking at, with 0000 being static 0, and FFFF being static 1,

for a piece of test gear i have, a DATA 6000 scope, which is built to use one of these analyzers, it has a test mode that essentially makes it loop in a pattern so these signatures can be generated,

as for no data or address lines changing, note the state of every pin while working, then apply some freze spray until it plays up and measure again, its either going to be a dead chip or a bad connection
 

Offline ddavideborTopic starter

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Re: mc68000 based computer repair
« Reply #8 on: October 21, 2013, 08:08:55 am »
that's a good idea since the board has some reworking it can be damaged

do you know how can i probe and decode those signals?
David - Professional Engineer - Medical Devices and Tablet Computers at Smartbox AT
Side businesses: Altium Industry Expert writer, http://fermium.ltd.uk (Scientific Equiment), http://chinesecleavers.co.uk (Cutlery),
 


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