From: sbennett@gnh-starport.cts.com (Stephen Bennett)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: Identifying strange GS parts
Date: 10 Oct 92 20:25:59 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: The Internet
X-Unparsable-Date: Thu Oct 08 92 at 15:22:28 (EDT)

grover@EMUNIX.EMICH.EDU (Grover Thomas) says:
 
> Recently I have been having a strange semi-recurring problem with my
> GS logic board, but I can't seem to nail down any specific component.
>
> The GS often acts like the Apple and/or Option keys are being activated/
> deactivated.  Sometimes the machine boots into the self-test, or even the
> Screen-settings (like 50-60Hz settings, Alternate screen mode, etc...)
> If it's not doing that, it sometimes just starts acting peculiar, esp.
> in ProDOS 8 program (like ProTERM).  I cannot seem to locate part on the
> motherboard that would cause these problems.
>
> Under the power-supply is a "thing" labelled H1, near the battery.  It
> is yellow, rectangular, and looks like there are surface-mounted items
> poking through the yellow plastic coating.
 
Mmm...  it's possible that it is a heat related problem, though my first guess
would normally be to check for a joystick with buttons depressed or
malfunctioning (do you have a joystick attached to the computer?  Do you
still have a problem if the joystick is detached?), or a malfunctioning
keyboard, perhaps with sticking keys (do you have a friend with whom you
can swap keyboards, and perhaps the ADB cable and mouse as well?)
 
But in general, it's a really bad thing to have your computer overheating...
if you don't have something like a System Saver, you might seriously think
about getting one...  and, if you're still having a heat problem in your
computer, think hard about getting a secondary fan near your computer to keep
air moving (you don't have stuff piled around your computer to prevent air
flow, do you?)
 
At any rate, I just popped open 2 GSs here, and, much as I guessed, neither
one of them has stuff sticking out of the H1 component (few things in the
GS have things sticking out), though on both of them, the insulation on
the right side (as you're looking from the front of the GS) looks a bit
bubbly, though since both of them look very similar, I'm guessing that's
how the part is supposed to look.  If you've actually got stuff sticking
out of the component, then I'd say that's not good, though if the GS is
still running, I'd say that it hasn't been too big of a problem yet...
<shrug>  In most cases, the covering is for insulating purposes, and if
the conductors inside have shorted out against something, you'd be
noticing more problems than just an intermittent problem with your
Apple keys...
 
Unfortunately, having moved recently, I don't have any of my reference manuals
here to know exactly what H1 is supposed to do, and it's not something that
sticks in my mind...
 
I'm guessing you've had a really admirable heat problem in the past, and
that's why H1 looks strange...  you *definitely* want to keep that from
happening again...
 
Now, the best solution for everything would be to get a new motherboard,
though you may not want to go to that expense...  so, if you really have
stuff sticking out of H1, you *might* be able to get by by just making
sure that the stuff in H1 doesn't have the opportunity to short out,
and keeping your GS cool.  However, if something goes, it's possible that
it'll damage more than just the rest of your motherboard... So, unless
someone on the net here has better information, I'd say that your question
is, how much stuff do you have money invested in, in your computer?
(i.e., RAM boards, accelerator, etc., in slots, and maybe hard drive
stuff as well, or at least the interface...)
 
If you can find some repair dude in your area who you trust not to rip you
off, you may be able to get an idea from him exactly how much of a problem
what you have is...
 
Note that I'm not saying that trying to get by is a good idea, but I'm
just doing stream of consciousness help here...  :)
 
If, on the other hand, H1 is just kinda bubbly looking, see if you can
find someone else's GS to look in and see if H1 looks similar on their
motherboard, and if so, just stick with the first suggestions I gave
(checking joystick and keyboard and stuff)
 
Hope this is of some help...
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