Need Help: FS-A1ST stopped working

Prophet (3951)

25-03-2018, 17:19

So my recently acquired FS-A1ST was acting up today. First I got some garbled characters after correct text. Then I got a horizontal line above the boot logo. Then nothing, I was using it with a MFR SCC+ SD in slot 1. I gave it some light taps on the top besides the cartridge slot (no cart inserted) and turned it on and it seemed fine, then started it up with Nemesis 3 original cartridge and that also started. I then re-inserted the MFR SCC+ SD and started it up, only black screen..

Power light turns on, screen goes black (indicating there is a signal) but it does not appear the machine boots (there is also no beep sound).

The machine was upgraded to 512kB by the eBay seller.

Any thoughts on what could have gone wrong??? Some reassurance it is fixable will be very much appreciated!

بواسطة djh1697

Paragon (1702)

25-03-2018, 17:42

Does the machine work ok with out the MFR SCC+ inserted? yes?
Does your MFR SCC+ work in other MSX machines? Have you tried the MFR SCC+ in the other slot?

بواسطة sdsnatcher73

Prophet (3951)

25-03-2018, 17:50

It did work at some point without the MFR but then no more (not at home right now). The MFR did still work in the NMS 8245. ST does not boot without cartridge at the moment I left home. I will recheck (obviously) when I get back home.

I updated the first post, the machine was upgraded to 512kB by the eBay seller.

I have the MFR with 512kB expansion. I did notice (when everything was still working) the ST booted on power on with 512kB in the boot logo and 1024kB after a reset. Not sure if that means anything...

بواسطة Jipe

Paragon (1614)

25-03-2018, 18:05

check if battery for savingS-Ram is inserting on the ST , remove it and try
check the slot connector if a lyre connector is not breaking

بواسطة sdsnatcher73

Prophet (3951)

25-03-2018, 18:28

So I came home, removed the batteries, powered on the machine and it has boot logo again (I had it disconnected from power for some time)! Reinserted MFR black screen again. Removed the power cable for a short while, reinserted and it boots again, tried Nemesis 3 and it also started up. Konami logo appeared, game logo, then the demo starts and after a couple of seconds I noticed the stars that are flowing in the screen are not round and appear flickering. Then the machine freezes again. Cartridge slot does not appear to have anything wrong with it. I am suspecting it is a RAM or VRAM issue (but I have no hardware knowledge).

بواسطة sdsnatcher73

Prophet (3951)

25-03-2018, 18:35

And it has been warming up these days (spring has arrived in the Netherlands), it has been quite cold the last few months and the machine came from Russia. Could this be temperature related?

بواسطة Jipe

Paragon (1614)

25-03-2018, 19:46

this ST have the original 100v Power Supply or other voltage ?
then boot have you : Main RAM : 512Kbytes ?

بواسطة sdsnatcher73

Prophet (3951)

25-03-2018, 22:28

Yes 100V and have been using step-down converter. It was showing Main RAM 512 during boot, now of course black screen only. I had run a memory test program and that showed no errors at that time, but again it was colder then than it is now.

I have contacted the seller. He suspects soldering on the RAM chips. I will send the machine back to him so he can fix it, fingers crossed (and again couple of weeks without my beloved new toy). Hope it is just the RAM...

بواسطة Jipe

Paragon (1614)

26-03-2018, 12:29

is your step-down converter realy adapted for 100v ?

بواسطة hamlet

Scribe (4106)

26-03-2018, 12:33

Jipe wrote:

is your step-down converter realy adapted for 100v ?

Good point. My ST have the same issue with a 110V converter, not with 100V one.

بواسطة Pencioner

Scribe (1563)

26-03-2018, 12:41

sdsnatcher73 wrote:

I think it is some weirdness of Panasonic computers BIOS because it works this way with my A1WX too, so i suppose it is nothing to worry about.