• Updated 2023-07-12: Hello, Guest! Welcome back, and be sure to check out this follow-up post about our outage a week or so ago.

Rom-inator issues

mloret

Well-known member
Okay I’m here to admit complete defeat. I cleaned the ROM sockets on the logic board like someone suggested and now I get the picture shown. I suspect that not knowing what I was doing, I ruined the existing sockets. So neither the stock rom nor the ROMINATOR work on this Mac Plus. Time to query folks for spare parts 😓
 

mloret

Well-known member
Okay I’m here to admit complete defeat. I cleaned the ROM sockets on the logic board like someone suggested and now I get the picture shown. I suspect that not knowing what I was doing, I ruined the existing sockets. So neither the stock rom nor the ROMINATOR work on this Mac Plus. Time to query folks for spare parts 😓
 

Attachments

  • 168CD095-B568-495A-9455-C92F87FCDC65.jpeg
    168CD095-B568-495A-9455-C92F87FCDC65.jpeg
    1.1 MB · Views: 20

mloret

Well-known member
idk, I think I might just get a new logic board. I don't even know what kind of sockets I need. You have any idea? Also, the holes on the logic board are a bitch to desolder.
 

Skate323k137

Well-known member
Why replace an entire logic board over 2 DIP sockets that are .75c? Yeah, desoldering can be a pain, but it seems wasteful to not just repair it.
 

mloret

Well-known member
I don't have a lot of faith in my ability to repair this thing. I think it's worth a shot, but I'd like to have a back up as well.

Do you know what kind of sockets I need? I looked on Google and didn't have much luck.
 

Skate323k137

Well-known member
The main issue (revisiting my old point) is that rominators are usually assembled with wider pins than a normal EPROM has. This sadly results in this situation.

I actually applaud knowing your limit. This is certainly a fixable situation, but not a board to practice on.

I'm not near my computer, I'll post more about replacement options later.
 

mloret

Well-known member
The main issue (revisiting my old point) is that rominators are usually assembled with wider pins than a normal EPROM has. This sadly results in this situation.

I actually applaud knowing your limit. This is certainly a fixable situation, but not a board to practice on.

I'm not near my computer, I'll post more about replacement options later.
The ROMinator has wider pins? How would that create a problem if it snaps into the socket? I can see how the pins being too SMALL would make a difference b/c of bad contacts but not if they are too BIG. Please explain, no comprende.
 

Skate323k137

Well-known member
I need something like this, don't I?
Correct, but 32 pin would be for the rominator itself, you'll want a pair of 28 pin ones.

Hopefully this picture helps:

Rominator itself takes 2x 32 pin sockets, I personally would use the type in my picture, but I digress.

The mac Logic board most likely also has the pictured type ("Dual wipe socket"), but, if you plan on leaving the machine pin rominator alone you could use a 28 pin socket with the round pin holes (like the one you linked, just less pins). Alternately, you can literally cut 2 strips of headers the correct length, but I recommend a full socket ideally.

So in this photo there is an EEPROM which is used for the Hi/Lo on the rominator, pictured with the socket I would use. Note the leg width.

Then pictured are standard square pin headers, most breadboarders have piles of these, as well as a strip of proper female pins. Also, the round machined pins/sockets.

As you see the square and round pins are wider than the EEPROM pins. If the rominator were to be installed with machined round, or square, pins, it would widen the socket on the logic board. This could be problematic for reinstallation of factory roms.

In the upper right are the "right" pins, but I haven't soldered them by hand yet. I will learn soon enough...

Hopefully this helps clear it all up, sorry if I rambled or was redundant.
 

Attachments

  • 20220614_230129.jpg
    20220614_230129.jpg
    3 MB · Views: 13
Last edited:

mloret

Well-known member
Thank you for this explanation! I think I should have found a "practice" logic board to mess with when playing with ROMs and sockets. It seems pretty clear to me that I ruined the existing sockets by attempting to install the ROMinator and then "cleaning". They aren't making good contact anymore with the ROM chips.

So, I think the plan is to purchase two new sockets with the 28 rounded holes to RE-ATTEMPT to install the ROMinator. I'll desolder the old and replae. I'm also going to get a backup logic board in case I totally f-up the repair. That way I won't have a useless Mac Plus. What do you think?
 

Skate323k137

Well-known member
Sounds like a pretty good plan to me!

If you want to practice on something that isn't a logic board, any old sports title for Sega Genesis should do, to give you the whole DIP removal experience 😉
 
Last edited:

Skate323k137

Well-known member
Starting to assemble my own Rominator. The SMD chip is on perfectly, so hopefully the rest isn't bad.

I can see why people use machine header pins, they are much easier to install by hand it would seem. I'm still debating on if I want to even try installing these thinner pins manually, but I think I'll give it a go. Gotta learn some time I suppose.
 

Skate323k137

Well-known member
Time to burn some EEPROMs :)

Edit: burned and ready to install. Will see if I can get to it tonight / this week, I'm excited now.
 

Attachments

  • 20220615_131404.jpg
    20220615_131404.jpg
    1.3 MB · Views: 8
  • 20220615_131452.jpg
    20220615_131452.jpg
    3.1 MB · Views: 9
Last edited:

Skate323k137

Well-known member
Well, I was able to make one of these using the proper pins, but installing it was a very delicate task. Regardless, I am up and running. I sent another set off the same EEPROMS I used to @mloret so hopefully he can get this sorted.

I was able to boot from a FloppyEMU and update the ROM Disk and startup sound as well.
 

Attachments

  • 20220616_110725.jpg
    20220616_110725.jpg
    3.5 MB · Views: 10
  • 20220616_000620.jpg
    20220616_000620.jpg
    3.9 MB · Views: 10
Top