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Loose atmega causing huge problems

cloudgasmcloudgasm
edited January 2014 in Troubleshooting
In case anyone has similar problems that I was having, I'd like to share my story (this will probably sound silly to experienced DIY gurus).

Let me start by admitting that I am purely a DIY hobbyist and have very little knowledge about electrical engineering. I have no idea how to read a datasheet or circuit diagram — I only know how to solder and I like to build synth kits.

Problems experienced:
  • "SD card not attached" message
  • Non-responsive, glitchy pots
  • LED's lighting infrequently, then not at all
  • Display getting garbled then completely dropping off.

I thought I had busted my machine. I turned it on for the first time, it kind of worked but kept interrupting me with "SD card not attached" messages. Then the display started getting gobbled, then stopped completely and all that would light were random LED's.

This kept getting worse and worse until it just wouldn't power on. I double checked the IC orientation, all good.. Then I got to the atmega chip: it had popped out slightly, exposing some of it's little legs. Pushed it back in and everything works fine!

Seems like this community is largely composed of pretty knowledgeable electrical engineering ninjas, but in the event that this happens to anyone else, I thought I would share.

This thing rules! Good luck to my fellow noobs!

Comments

  • cloudgasmcloudgasm
    Also, anybody have any ideas on how to keep it in place? Seems to need to get pushed in every so often, hoping that I won't have to undo the enclosure every time a pot isn't reading properly…
  • fcd72fcd72
    Normally, if you push it all the way in a 40 Pin Chip is more a problem to remove rather than falling out of the socket….. so most likely you haven't pushed it far enough. Post a Pic!
  • xoxerxoxer
    Yes, I think fcd72 is right. As far as I can remember it was a bit difficult to push the chip into its place without destroying. But with a little bit "left thumb / right thumb" alternating pressure the chip moved down.
    ... post a Pic!
  • cloudgasmcloudgasm
    did some of the left thumb / right thumb magic. think i got it to stick
  • cloudgasmcloudgasm
     
  • fcd72fcd72
    edited February 2014
    Press further - most likely you will get it down all the way till the legs get wider…. see the 2nd Pic, the right Legs are way farther pushed than the right ones. Check all sockets/chips

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