Apple II clone - screen full of Apple characters on startup

[volvo242gt]

I do notice that the disk ][ controller card is installed backward on your 32KB ][ Plus board... That could cause weirdness right there, if you've been testing with it positioned that way.

 

[wottle]

Well, the original manual for the Apple II is showing also the 6502 upside-down.

Concerning the characters, the label on that Rom can be a clue that an upgrade has been done.

Yeah, My IIe platinum is so different I don't have much to go off of. I'm getting pretty inconsistent boot behavior. I'll run with the same memory and sometimes I'll get the screen full of apple characters. Sometimes I'll get a white screen. Sometimes I'll get a screen with mostly @ symbols. Changing the memory chips will sometimes give a white screen with some characters garbled.
That 8T97 is getting scorchingly hot. I suspect that is a clue to what is wrong.

 

[wottle]

I do notice that the disk ][ controller card is installed backward on your 32KB ][ Plus board... That could cause weirdness right there, if you've been testing with it positioned that way.

Wow, I am not smart. It indeed was put in backwards. It does seem that that was causing a lot of my inconsistency. I think the previous issues may have been due to memory, since the card wouldn't install backwards inside the case. I'm pretty certain I fried something in the controller card. I reinserted it the right way and it won't boot. I did just get a successful boot without the controller card in, but then I re-arranbged the memory chips and I new get the Apple II at the top of the screen with a stream of characters.
I think I'm getting closer. Just need to get a good set of memory for the first row.

 

[volvo242gt]

Wow, I am not smart. It indeed was put in backwards. It does seem that that was causing a lot of my inconsistency. I think the previous issues may have been due to memory, since the card wouldn't install backwards inside the case. I'm pretty certain I fried something in the controller card. I reinserted it the right way and it won't boot. I did just get a successful boot without the controller card in, but then I re-arranbged the memory chips and I new get the Apple II at the top of the screen with a stream of characters.
I think I'm getting closer. Just need to get a good set of memory for the first row.

No worries. I once blew the bus on my original //e by reinstalling a couple chips that blew on a Saturn 128KB memory card, then installing that into the computer. So, we all have done that before. Typically, the 74LS05 chip is the one that I've had the worst luck with on the controller cards. Blew that one twice. First time was after a thunderstorm, which didn't actually hit the power grid, but, I'd just turned on the machine, then immediately shut it down when I saw the lightning. Later that night, the aforementioned memory card crapped out, then the 74LS05 chip blew. Second time was when I blew the bus.

Good. I'd consider just getting a whole set of good working 4116 chips, minus one. Then, get a language card and put that into slot 0. You'll then have a 64KB ][ Plus. And, you'll not have to worry about accidentally reinstalling one of the bad chips.

 

[wottle]

Ok, made some progress. I tried every combination of memory chips (including a new set of 8 I just ordered. Still got varying degrees of garbage on the screen.

I was pushing on the memory chips and the behavior changed. Given I’ve put DeOxit on the sockets and seated and re-seated the memory chips I started thinking either bad sockets of broken traces. I couldn’t see the traces under the solid sockets, so I decided it was best to remove the sockets. As I was removing the sockets, one of them came off with one of the pins left stuck in the board. I’m guessing that socket pin was making inconsistent contact (maybe some others as well?) so I reinstalled sockets, loaded up the new memory chips I got, and I got it to boot to the ] prompt, which is awesome!

Now, I was trying to load software. Given I fried the floppy drive card, I tried using audio from asciiexpress.net to load software. When doing so, I type LOAD, press enter, and then play the audio from the site. It seems to load for a few seconds, then it beeps and drops into what I believe to be the debugger?

It shows
0008- A=FF X=9D Y=02 P=B4 S=F2
*-

Is it bad audio from my phone? Some other issues?

Thanks for all the help everyone!

 

[bibilit]

Can be a lot of things.
Loading from audio is not reliable, and a very good audio cable should be used.

Also the sound volume should be set pretty loud.

Last be not least, memory space can be an issue, an you can run out of it quickly.

I tried a few times the audio thing, but was not the best method for me.

Most chips on the Disk II card are available, i will repair it if i were you.

 

[mg.man]

Most chips on the Disk II card are available, i will repair it if i were you.

They're not extortionately expensive either... you might get lucky with this one :
- https://www.ebay.com/itm/116183317961
Or there's this one :
- https://www.ebay.com/itm/404980459402

I've also seen them go with BIN for less than the latter one. Of course, YMMV.