Altair-what do I do first

From: Joe <rigdonj_at_cfl.rr.com>
Date: Sat Sep 28 10:57:01 2002

At 11:01 AM 9/28/02 -0400, Bob wrote:

>This is getting absurd!
>
>Tony Duell wrote:
>
>>
>>The risk of causing damage by removing _socketed_ parts is extremely low.
>>
>Really? Here we must agree to disagree. Old sockets suck,

   Bob is absolutely right here! I've had any number of boards that worked UNTIL I tried to pull the ICs then the legs on the ICs would break right at the bend. I have a HeathKit ET-3400 right now that was working till I tried to pull the 74LS241s and then legs broke on everyone one of them. My advice is to test as best you can (looking for shorted caps, etc) and leave the ICs alone!



 and Altairs
>generally don't use them for this
>reason. If I recall correctly, you had to pay extra for sockets (or was
>that the Imsai??).

   I don't think sockets were even an option from MITS. You could buy and install them yourself but since these kits were designed for absolute minimum costs I doubt many owners were likely to pursue that. I've had two Altairs including one factory built and very few of the ICs in either of them were socketed.


>
>>
>>In fact I would argue you _must_ remove and reseat all socketed chips to
>>cure bad connections anyway.

   Sometimes you have to do that but I'd test it first. If you have problems then try to reseat the ICs but beware that electrolysis between the cheap sockets and ICs frequently causes the legs to corrode right at the bend and any movment will cuase the legs to fall apart. And some of those ICs are dammed hard to find now. I recently had to replace half the legs on a CDP1861 that had fallen apart. It wasn't easy.



   Joe
Received on Sat Sep 28 2002 - 10:57:01 BST