Black screen, won't boot
Step-by-step diagnosis for the Amiga 4000T rev 4 board. Each step lights up the signal or chip to measure in the explorer below.
The power light comes on but the screen stays black, with no colour at all. Measure in order: each step is only worth it if the previous one is fine.
- +5VShow on board →
The 5 V rail
With the machine on, measure between a VCC pin and ground: it must read between 4.75 and 5.25 V. Below that, the power supply is usually to blame, not the board.
- _RESETShow on board →
Reset
After power-on, _RESET must go high (close to 5 V). If it stays stuck low, the processor never starts: follow the line to the reset circuit and the keyboard connector.
- 7MShow on board →
The clock
With a scope, there must be a clock of about 7 MHz reaching the processor. Without a clock nothing moves: check the crystal and the chip that generates it (Agnus or Alice).
- _ASShow on board →
The processor at work
_AS pulses every time the processor accesses memory. If it pulses, the processor is alive and the fault is further along. If it is still, go back to reset and the clock.
- _DTACKShow on board →
DTACK
On every cycle, the glue chip (Gary or Gayle) pulls _DTACK low so the 68000 can close the access. If _AS pulses and _DTACK never drops, the processor is stuck waiting: check Gary or Gayle and the clocks reaching it.
- OVLShow on board →
OVL
At power-on OVL is high so the ROM appears at address zero; Kickstart pulls it low soon after, through the CIA. If it never changes, booting never got past that point.
- _ROMENShow on board →
The ROM
_ROMEN selects the Kickstart ROM. If it pulses and still no colour appears, suspect the ROM or its socket: clean the contacts and reseat it.
Didn't fix it?
We repair these boards on our bench in Loures. The request already includes the board and the fault.
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