Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cornell!rochester!rutgers!att!mtuxo!mtgzz!drutx!druwy!dlm
From: dlm@druwy.ATT.COM (Dan Moore)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Memory upgrade shortens life expectancy???
Message-ID: <3983@druwy.ATT.COM>
Date: 14 Apr 89 15:42:45 GMT
References: <5751@brspyr1.BRS.Com>
Organization: AT&T, Denver, CO
Lines: 45

in article <5751@brspyr1.BRS.Com>, tim@brspyr1.BRS.Com (Tim Northrup) says:
> I have been experiencing some problems with my ST lately (a 520 ST with
> 2 meg upgrade using the Aerco board), and it finally went completely yesterday.
> So, I called the local service center and explained that I had a problem with
> my ST; the person I talked to asked if I had a memory board upgrade and when
> I said yes, she said she didn't want to see it.
> 
> THEN she said that she had seen "a lot" of ST's with fried main logic boards
> and some power supplies after about 18 months of using an upgrade board, and
> that the only corrective action is total replacement of the CPU.  She said to
> save the $30 that it would cost to have them open the case and find this out.

	I've used several STs with memory upgrades (both piggy-back
upgrades on 520s to 1 Meg and Aerco upgrades to 4 Meg).  Most have
ulitmately had problems of some kind.  Several of the piggy-back units
ultimately developed bad solder connections which had to be fixed.  The
Aerco units developed problems due to the stupid "no soldering"
connection scheme, once every thing was soldered they worked fine.

	I used my 520 upgraded to 1 meg for almost 3 years before I sold
it.  It worked had no problems other than the normal loose chips that
all STs have.  The machine is still in daily use and is still working
fine (I sold it to Dave at Gadgets by Small).  Gadgets by Small has a
520 with an Aerco 4 meg boards.  It developed problems (loose
connections, etc.) after about 18 months.  But the ST it was in was in
really bad shape to begin with (several custom mods used for debugging
the Spectre).

	If your service center is telling you that any memory upgrade is
going to damage your computer so badly that the only fix is a
motherboard swap they are either very lazy (swaps are easier) or they
need more money.  I'd suggest looking around for another service center.
You could just pull the Aerco board out and let them swap the
motherboard or send it to Atari yourself.  (Atari had a policy to
exchange motherboard for fairly cheap, call them and see what the
current setup is.)  Then put the Aerco board back on the new one.





				Dan Moore
				AT&T Bell Labs
				Denver
				dlm@druwy.ATT.COM