Reframe Mega ST 2 as spare/test machine, not parts donor; add 4MB idea and history

2026-09-17 17:00:25 +00:00 · 2026-09-12 01:56:19 +02:00
parent b6c3e21217
commit bc55552b98
3 changed files with 8 additions and 7 deletions
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ parent: "/retro/"
 <li><strong>The <a href="/retro/mega-st-heirloom/">heirloom machine</a></strong>, kept as close to factory-original as possible, running the stock TOS 1.04 with a classic floppy drive and its own original Atari keyboard and mouse. Its job is to be a baseline reference: if something breaks on a modded machine, this one proves the fault isn't in the software.</li>
 <li><strong>The <a href="/retro/mega-st-low/">"Low" machine</a></strong>, a bargain-bin Mega ST 4 rebuilt with a <a href="/retro/storm-cloudy/">Cloudy/Storm ST combo</a> for TOS switching and extra FastRAM, a <a href="/retro/gotek/">Gotek floppy emulator</a>, an <a href="/retro/ultrasatan/">UltraSatan</a> hard disk emulator, a <a href="/retro/sidecartridge/">SidecarTridge multi-device</a> for ROM, floppy, and Wi-Fi tricks, and a <a href="/retro/atari-networking-bbs/">Wi-Fi modem</a> for dialing into BBSs. It uses an original Atari keyboard and a <a href="/retro/mouster/">mouSTer</a> adapter with a USB mouse. This is the demo- and game-machine, optimized for fast disk-image swapping rather than serious productivity.</li>
 <li><strong>The <a href="/retro/mega-st-high/">"High" machine</a></strong>, the workstation build. A <a href="/retro/monsterboard/">MonSTerBoard</a> adds 8MB of AltRAM, IDE storage, and flashable TOS (currently TOS 2.06), running Geneva for real multitasking. An <a href="/retro/et4000-experiment/">ET4000 graphics card</a> drives a dedicated monitor for higher resolutions. A <a href="/retro/netusb/">NetUSBee</a> adapter, an <a href="/retro/eiffel/">Eiffel interface</a> for a PS/2 keyboard and mouse, and a new <a href="/retro/stpsu/">STPSU</a> for clean, stable power round it out.</li>
-<li><strong>The spare <a href="/retro/mega-st2/">Mega ST 2</a></strong>, a reserve and donor machine, kept in largely original condition, used to safely test upgrades before they go into the "real" machines.</li>
+<li><strong>The spare <a href="/retro/mega-st2/">Mega ST 2</a></strong>, a reserve and test machine, kept in largely original condition, used to safely test upgrades before they go into the "real" machines.</li>
 </ul>

 <h2>Extensions Not Yet Installed</h2>
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ sections:
        summary: "My father's original Mega ST 4, kept factory-original as a baseline reference."
        href: "/retro/mega-st-heirloom/"
      - title: "🔧 Mega ST 2"
-        summary: "The spare, test and parts donor machine for the rest of the fleet."
+        summary: "The spare and test machine for the rest of the fleet."
        href: "/retro/mega-st2/"
      - title: "⚡ ET4000 in the Mega ST"
        summary: "Adding higher resolutions to the Mega ST 4 'High' via a STGA adapter and an ET4000 card, and what it took to get it working."
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 ---
-title: "The Mega ST 2: Spare, Test and Donor Machine"
+title: "The Mega ST 2: Spare and Test Machine"
 section: "retro"
 tags: "retro"
-description: "The Mega ST 2 that serves as a spare, test and parts donor machine for the rest of the Atari fleet."
+description: "The Mega ST 2 that serves as a spare and test machine for the rest of the Atari fleet."
 layout: base.njk
 parent: "/retro/"
 ---
-<h1>The Mega ST 2: Spare, Test and Donor Machine</h1>
+<h1>The Mega ST 2: Spare and Test Machine</h1>
 <div class="detail-content">

 <p>The Mega ST 2 was given to me a while ago and today serves as a spare and test machine for the rest of the fleet.</p>
@@ -14,12 +14,13 @@ parent: "/retro/"
 <h2>Current State</h2>
 <p>It runs on original TOS with the internal RAM configuration, without the separate 4 MB expansion, which was removed for testing purposes and now sits set aside.</p>

-<h2>Role as Parts Donor</h2>
-<p>The original power supply was moved to the <a href="/retro/mega-st-high/">Mega ST 4 "High"</a> during its rebuild, and the Mega ST 2 now runs with the network hardware that used to be in the "High" machine. It serves as a safe platform to test upgrades and expansions before they're installed in the production machines, such as reinstalling the 4 MB expansion, trying other bus cards, or testing ROMs.</p>
+<h2>History</h2>
+<p>Everything in this machine was moved over to the <a href="/retro/mega-st-high/">Mega ST 4 "High"</a> that I was given, including its original power supply. It's not really a parts donor though, it's simply the spare machine now that the new Mega 4 carries the main setup. Back then it had an intermittent fault: after being on for a long time it would eventually show a white screen on boot. I suspect it was again a poorly soldered CPU socket, though I never fully confirmed the cause. With the current setup it runs stably, and the socket in question isn't in use anymore.</p>

 <h2>Ideas for This Machine</h2>
 <p>A few possible directions for the Mega ST 2, none of them decided yet:</p>
 <ul>
+<li>Reinstalling the 4 MB expansion, which was only removed for testing and is currently sitting set aside.</li>
 <li>An external <a href="/retro/gotek/">Gotek floppy emulator</a>, since an external unit would suit this machine well.</li>
 <li>An <a href="/retro/eiffel-pico/">Eiffel Pico USB</a> adapter for a USB keyboard and mouse.</li>
 <li>The <a href="/retro/acsi2stm/">ACSI2STM</a> as an ACSI hard disk option.</li>