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#196586 - 06/06/2004 10:38 Re: Photographs and memories... [Re: BartDG]
mlord
carpal tunnel

Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14472
Loc: Canada
No, actually.

It is MUCH easier and safer to just piggy-back on top of the existing chips, for the first (added) layer. Beyond that, it's probably easier to remove all and solder directly to the pads. But not safer. It is always safest to leave the existing working factory chips in place. No doubts.

Cheers

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#196587 - 06/06/2004 11:21 Re: Photographs and memories... [Re: mlord]
BartDG
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/05/2001
Posts: 2616
Loc: Bruges, Belgium
Ah, ok, I stand corrected !
_________________________
Riocar 80gig S/N : 010101580 red
Riocar 80gig (010102106) - backup

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#196588 - 06/06/2004 11:22 Re: Photographs and memories... [Re: mlord]
SonicSnoop
addict

Registered: 29/06/2002
Posts: 531
Loc: Triangle, VA
Ok guys I expect you to have the 512MB hack worked out by this weekend so I can get someone to do mine..
_________________________
-D Modifying and Tweaking is a journey, not a destination................................ MKIIa : 60gig - 040103286 - Blue - v2 + PCATS tuner MKIIa : 20gig - 040103260 - Blue - v3a8 + Mark Lord Special Edition Cherry Dock

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#196589 - 06/06/2004 13:36 Re: Photographs and memories... [Re: SonicSnoop]
russell
journeyman

Registered: 22/05/2004
Posts: 50
Does anyone one which pins are likely to be the cause of this error
0110 testing ic 1 (0-15mb, low word)
0101 memory error at c0000000 (00000000!=0000257f)

I've just installed the first additional 16mb but can't see anything wrong with the soldering

Thanks
R.
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Mk2a 64mb 60gb

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#196590 - 06/06/2004 14:03 Re: Photographs and memories... [Re: russell]
pgrzelak
carpal tunnel

Registered: 15/08/2000
Posts: 4859
Loc: New Jersey, USA
At a guess, I would say that it would be a bad RAS pin on one of the banks. That is just a guess, though.
_________________________
Paul Grzelak
200GB with 48MB RAM, Illuminated Buttons and Digital Outputs

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#196591 - 06/06/2004 18:36 Re: Photographs and memories... [Re: pgrzelak]
genixia
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 08/02/2002
Posts: 3411
I am just wondering if there is any easier way of dealing with the RAS pins for other installation.

You are correct in recognising that the RAS pins are the problem. RAS pin management is the key to this - getting the other 49 pins soldered is relatively easy.

Part of the problem is that all the other pins need to be aligned for good contact so you cannot straighten the pins individually - they have to be done together.

Having had to desolder one of the stacks gave me an insight that I think will be useful - it isn't difficult to desolder a pin because of the relatively limited contact area. I am considering next time building up the stack _including_ the RAS pin, metering all the pins to eliminate as many bridges or open connections as possible and only then to heat the RAS pins and bend them out. ie, keep the RAS pins safely tucked away for as long as possible.

This wouldn't help if you had bridge/open near to the RAS pin taht you didn't discover until a boot test as you'd still have to retouch that pin, but I think it is a workable proposition.
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#196592 - 06/06/2004 19:00 Re: Photographs and memories...A suggestion [Re: genixia]
gbeer
carpal tunnel

Registered: 17/12/2000
Posts: 2665
Loc: Manteca, California
Only a suggestion since I'm not trying to upgrade my player.

I'm wondering if some aluminum foil would be useful here. Stick the stack together with a bit of double side. Then take two strips of foil and slip them between colums of pins, fold back and around. Admittedly this may be easier said than done. The alum, if it will stay in place, should keep the solder from bridging. Hummm, some more two side tape, not near the pins, could help. Maybe all that is needed is a piece of foil with a slit in it. Tuck the slit down around the column of pins...

I hope some of this helps.
_________________________
Glenn

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#196593 - 06/06/2004 20:03 Re: Photographs and memories... [Re: mlord]
genixia
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 08/02/2002
Posts: 3411
The practical limit appears to be 48MB, but it may be possible to install 16MB chips in place of the current 8MB chips, which would give a practical limit of 96MB.

Well, assuming that don't want or need to remove the original chips then that would really give us a practical limit of 32+32+16 = 80 MB.

More to the point, 16MB chips would be a far nicer way to get to 48MB. I'd much rather do that than stack 3 up, but Micron never made a 16MB chip in that configuration (EDO/FPM, 50 pin TSOP), but instead went to SDRAM, 54 pin TSOP II. Does anyone know if any manufacturer did make a compatible 64MB chip?
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#196594 - 06/06/2004 22:27 Re: Photographs and memories... [Re: genixia]
mlord
carpal tunnel

Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14472
Loc: Canada
I am considering next time building up the stack _including_ the RAS pin, metering all the pins to eliminate as many bridges or open connections as possible and only then to heat the RAS pins and bend them out
And my strategy is the near-exact opposite Bend and solder the recalcitrant RAS pins as soon as possible in the process, so that not much work need be undone should they snap off!

Cheers!

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#196595 - 07/06/2004 07:57 Re: Photographs and memories... [Re: mlord]
Folsom
member

Registered: 12/08/2001
Posts: 175
Loc: Atlanta
It is MUCH easier and safer to just piggy-back on top of the existing chips, for the first (added) layer.


If you have a good heat gun/pencil, it would have been much easier (at least for me) to reflow 16MB chips instead of piggybacking 8MB chips. The parts should come off easily, and since the pads are so big, it wouldn't be hard to add solder for reflowing.

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#196596 - 07/06/2004 09:27 Re: Photographs and memories... [Re: Folsom]
SE_Sport_Driver
carpal tunnel

Registered: 05/01/2001
Posts: 4903
Loc: Detroit, MI USA
My cat's breath smells like cat food.
_________________________
Brad B.

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#196597 - 09/06/2004 14:35 Re: problems with memory [Re: genixia]
skibum
enthusiast

Registered: 27/03/2002
Posts: 248
Loc: Swindon, UK
anyone got any clues on where the problem is with :-

Checking for extra DRAM:
c1000000: wrote ffffffff, read ffffefff
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Andy MK2a 60GB Amber 040103916 32mb/Light Kit MK2a 50GB Amber 030102560 32mb

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#196598 - 09/06/2004 14:41 Re: problems with memory [Re: skibum]
skibum
enthusiast

Registered: 27/03/2002
Posts: 248
Loc: Swindon, UK
got
Checking for extra DRAM:
c1000008: wrote aaaaaaaa, read aaaaa2aa

now. getting somewhere
_________________________
Andy MK2a 60GB Amber 040103916 32mb/Light Kit MK2a 50GB Amber 030102560 32mb

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#196599 - 09/06/2004 14:42 Re: problems with memory [Re: skibum]
genixia
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 08/02/2002
Posts: 3411
Pin 46 open. Stack nearest StrongArm.
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#196600 - 09/06/2004 14:44 Re: problems with memory [Re: skibum]
genixia
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 08/02/2002
Posts: 3411
Ok, pin 44 now, also open.



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#196601 - 10/06/2004 03:12 Re: problems with memory [Re: genixia]
skibum
enthusiast

Registered: 27/03/2002
Posts: 248
Loc: Swindon, UK
thanks for the quick response. After a few more attempts my mate got it right. Did get a complete ram failure at boot up initially. However, now both machines are 32mb
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Andy MK2a 60GB Amber 040103916 32mb/Light Kit MK2a 50GB Amber 030102560 32mb

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#196602 - 11/06/2004 13:07 Re: Hijack v394: support for up to 64MB DRAM on Mk2a [Re: mlord]
russell
journeyman

Registered: 22/05/2004
Posts: 50
Am i the first person to get 64mb working?


Attachments
217557-empeg.log (278 downloads)

_________________________
Mk2a 64mb 60gb

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#196603 - 11/06/2004 13:09 Re: Hijack v394: support for up to 64MB DRAM on Mk2a [Re: russell]
russell
journeyman

Registered: 22/05/2004
Posts: 50
And some pics


Attachments
217558-dscn0134.jpg (475 downloads)

_________________________
Mk2a 64mb 60gb

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#196604 - 11/06/2004 13:09 Re: Hijack v394: support for up to 64MB DRAM on Mk2a [Re: russell]
russell
journeyman

Registered: 22/05/2004
Posts: 50


Attachments
217559-dscn0130.jpg (436 downloads)

_________________________
Mk2a 64mb 60gb

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#196605 - 11/06/2004 13:11 Re: Hijack v394: support for up to 64MB DRAM on Mk2a [Re: russell]
russell
journeyman

Registered: 22/05/2004
Posts: 50
Forgot to say a big thank you to PGrzelak and MLord, who have made this all possible.
Thanks guys.

Now i just need to get the car sorted out so i can do the install :-)
Russell
_________________________
Mk2a 64mb 60gb

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#196606 - 11/06/2004 13:14 Re: Hijack v394: support for up to 64MB DRAM on Mk2a [Re: russell]
speedy67
enthusiast

Registered: 18/12/2000
Posts: 342
Loc: South-West-Germany
no pics... too big? (200000 max)
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cheers, Thomas new owner of the MK1 00123 MK2 12GB 090000815 (my first one) MK2a 040103735 (from 303) and ???

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#196607 - 11/06/2004 13:14 Re: Hijack v394: support for up to 64MB DRAM on Mk [Re: russell]
genixia
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 08/02/2002
Posts: 3411
Attachments no worky. Probably too big, limit is 200k IIRC.
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#196608 - 11/06/2004 13:23 Re: Hijack v394: support for up to 64MB DRAM on Mk [Re: genixia]
russell
journeyman

Registered: 22/05/2004
Posts: 50
whoops your right the limits 200k and these files are around 600k. I might put them up on a web page tommorrow if i can be bothered!
_________________________
Mk2a 64mb 60gb

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#196609 - 11/06/2004 13:34 Re: Hijack v394: support for up to 64MB DRAM on Mk2a [Re: russell]
skibum
enthusiast

Registered: 27/03/2002
Posts: 248
Loc: Swindon, UK
I think Paul is going to put a contract out on you (or your player)
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Andy MK2a 60GB Amber 040103916 32mb/Light Kit MK2a 50GB Amber 030102560 32mb

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#196610 - 11/06/2004 13:40 Re: Hijack v394: support for up to 64MB DRAM on Mk [Re: russell]
genixia
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 08/02/2002
Posts: 3411
If you want to claim that six-pack...

I would like to see some pictures. Did you modify the drive tray mounting at all? What techniques did you use? (Especially, how did you avoid losing RAS pins?)


Edited by genixia (11/06/2004 13:43)
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#196611 - 11/06/2004 13:53 Re: Hijack v394: support for up to 64MB DRAM on Mk [Re: genixia]
russell
journeyman

Registered: 22/05/2004
Posts: 50
Pics can be found at www.whitedwaft.co.uk
The sites not pretty but it works, someday i'll do a proper one!

With regards to the Beer, I think it would be way to expensive to send it over hear. ( and i have my own brewery :-)) so have a drink for me!

Russell
_________________________
Mk2a 64mb 60gb

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#196612 - 11/06/2004 13:56 Re: Hijack v394: support for up to 64MB DRAM on Mk [Re: genixia]
russell
journeyman

Registered: 22/05/2004
Posts: 50
Ras pins were easy, i soldered a thin wire on from underneath then superglued it to the bottom of the chip and brought it out the end.

The Ras wires are held in place by daps of superglue onto the pcb

I havn't modified the drive tray. i can push it down to touch the chips, but it's never going to move that far on it's own, If it dows i will probably be killed by the impact that caused it!!!
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Mk2a 64mb 60gb

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#196613 - 11/06/2004 13:58 Re: Hijack v394: support for up to 64MB DRAM on Mk [Re: russell]
msaeger
carpal tunnel

Registered: 23/09/2000
Posts: 3608
Loc: Minnetonka, MN
That is madness. How long did it take to solder.
_________________________

Matt

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#196614 - 11/06/2004 14:03 Re: Hijack v394: support for up to 64MB DRAM on Mk [Re: msaeger]
russell
journeyman

Registered: 22/05/2004
Posts: 50
the first pair of chips took about 8 hrs all in but I had lots of errors.
the last 2 sets (32mb) took 4 hrs in total, i had no errors at all with the step from 32 to 48, but the final jump had a few missed joints.

Now if the very nice empeg people would release some software that would use the extra ram, i could start listening to my FLAC collection.

Russell
_________________________
Mk2a 64mb 60gb

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#196615 - 11/06/2004 14:12 Re: Hijack v394: support for up to 64MB DRAM on Mk [Re: russell]
genixia
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 08/02/2002
Posts: 3411
i soldered a thin wire on from underneath then superglued it to the bottom of the chip and brought it out the end.

I contemplated that but decided that there possibly wasn't enough pin spare to deal with the standoff created by the thickness of the wire (even 30ga). Obviously I was wrong.

Did that create any hassle?
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