ACA500PLUS instability issues

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Don't Panic. Please wash hands.

    Please let me know the warranty ID and/or iRep number, I'll look into this on Monday when I'm back in the office (probably afternoon, as there's quite a few orders to fulfill first).


    Please check the global settings anyway - I'm not asking this question for no reason.


    Jens

    I cannot check the setting since it won't boot up properly. All I get is a green screen with, as I'm guessing are, hexadecimal memory references.


    Today I got my hands on a different ACA500PLUS. I tested it repeatedly and it works fine. Then I tried again with this card that you are claiming to be fine, and again it boots to the green screen.


    I'd appreciate if you could please solve this problem by replacing the card for a functioning one.

    I need to have the non-functioning one here to do that. Please ship it back, and please also write the iRep number to this thread, so I can look up in the database what the findings have been when it was here before.


    Jens

    Wenn the card was last here, it got a small sticker with the number. And it's mentioned on the invoice that came with the parcel. The invoice will have stated 0,- EUR and free shipping, so you may have thrown it away. If you give me the warranty ID of the card, I can also check the database.

    I cannot find any other sticker than the warranty id. And, as I have already mentioned, it says "nTJAy". As you suspected I haven't kept the invoice. I'm hoping that the warranty id will do.

    Notes from February 1st, 2023: Arrived in 14MHz setting, passed standard QC procedure, added one run through AIBB "all tests: Make module", no crash. Ran over night then.

    Additional optical inspection on February 2nd, re-soldered a few pins on the 9572 CPLD that passed electrical, but not optical inspection. Same with a total of 4 pins on CF slots. These re-touch steps are considered cosmetic, not functional, but may add to a longer life span of the card. Since we decided to actually do something on the card, it turned from a non-warranty to a free warranty case.


    Yet another stability test has been performed on February 2nd with increased heat, still not finding any instability. However, an instability was found at 21MHz, which the card is not guaranteed to run at.


    Another thing that's noted (and I need to see if we've taken photos of it) is that the card is twisted/bent. My employees obviously didn't judge it as a huge problem - circuit boards are quite sturdy and can take insane abuse before they really fail.


    So I totally see that you want a different card: It's physically damaged (though not by us), and you may want it to run faster than the guaranteed speed. Given that we've already done free work on this card, despite physical damage, I can offer yet another test in our facilities, but it *will* be paid work. Please make sure to include the software and exact steps to reproduce a crash, as we haven't been able to reproduce a crash in two days and over 15 hours of continuous operation.


    Jens

    I have been extremely patient with you all this time, but I'm beginning to to lose it now. I have NOT bent or damaged this card! It is precisely in the shape it arrived in to me. You have no proof of it being damaged by me!


    You have had many opportunities to solve the issues with my card. So I demand that you replace it free of charge, under warranty, or my money back. Warranty is warranty, period.


    If you don't accommodate my demand I will initiate a formal claim with my credit card issuer.

    Quote from PeterPan

    You have no proof of it being damaged by me!

    You are right - I've read the database entry the wrong way. The German wording "Karte stark gebogen" can be read as "it's bent" but also as "it has been bent under test" - and the latter is what's been documented with this note: My employees tried to make it crash by twisting and bending it, but could not reproduce a crash. Sometimes, such bending/twisting reveals a weak solder spot, which is why it's part of the standard QC procedure. In your case, this has been done extensively, but not to a degree where the board would suffer any damage.


    I'm sorry for thinking that the card was damaged by you.


    I'm happy to buy the card back if that's what you want. However, if you can provide a piece of software or a clear procedure to follow to reproduce a crash, we will of course fix it under warranty.


    Jens

    Thank you for the apology, I do appreciate it.


    Yes, I appreciate your offer to buy the card back, that is what I want now. What is the procedure for this? Do I need to label the returning parcel in any way? Do you need my PayPal information or credit card number enclosed with the card?


    I'm not sure what you mean by me to provide a software? What kind of software? The procedure to reproduce the crash is to connect it to the expansion slot of an Amiga 500 rev. 6a when power is disconnected. And then powering up the Amiga. After a few seconds the green screen is displayed on the connected monitor. This occurs on both my 6a motherboards, which both are working fine with the other ACA500PLUS that I just tested. All this as previously described in this thread.

    Quote from PeterPan

    Yes, I appreciate your offer to buy the card back, that is what I want now. What is the procedure for this? Do I need to label the returning parcel in any way? Do you need my PayPal information or credit card number enclosed with the card?

    Just include a short letter stating that you want us to evaluate and buy back the card. We have your PP information on file, so the path for money back is easy (actually a very obvious button in the PayPal interface).


    Jens

    Your return arrived, and was immediately found to be completely non-functional - not even unstable, but plain refusing to start at all, no matter what temperature.


    The root cause was was a bad 9572 CPLD, although finding this was a bit of a lengthy process that also included removing the CPU, which is of course back on the board now. We've also put a new plexi cover on the CF card slots, as that was slightly cracked.


    While my offer of buying the card back still stands, there's still the possibility of just treating this like a warranty repair. If you want that, please send me a copy of the shipping reciept, so we can cover that shipping path as well. Let me know what you prefer.


    Jens