[NTLK] Jim's dead Newton

[NewtonTalk]

> 2. Sadily, I too have an apparently dead Newton 2100 (upgraded 2000).
> I think I killed it by cleaning it too aggressively! I do have a second
> one that works great, so you all think just moving its rom to the dead
> one might bring it back?  I asked Frank about my dead Newton, but he?s a
> very busy guy so I?m also waiting on his input.

Jim,

When did you ask me? I know we were recently communicating because of the
loaner card that you wanted and I sent, but I can't find any communication
about your dead Newton 2000u. Sorry if I messed this up. Could you please
let me know the subject line and the sending date of at least one of the
mails you sent, so that I can try to find it in the infinite depth of my
1.13 Gigabyte Outlook folder "NewtonSupport"?

As to switching ROM boards: There might be a little misunderstanding here...

For a start: I've had it one single time in 20 years that brainwiping a 2x00
Newton by switching the ROM board fixed a problem. I don't recall what the
problem was, but I do recall that it was NOT a problem with the Newton not
turning on. So don't get your hopes up too high.

Switching a ROM board will NOT brainwipe a 2x00 Newton unless it is a) a
different language ROM from a 2x00 or b) an eMate ROM. If you'd simply
transfer the ROM board from your working English Newton to your dead English
Newton, this will only resurrect the latter if its ROM board is in fact
kaput. Although this is theoretically possible, I have never had such a case
in 20 years. I've only seen one dead Newton ROM board in all my life, and
that was from a Newton 120.

Another cup of tea are contacts. You might want to have a close look at the
connector pins with a magnifying glass, and it never hurts to clean the
board's contacts with a soft pencil eraser before plugging the board in.

Cheers

Frank

-- Newton software and hardware at http://www.pda-soft.de