---
title: "The Mega ST 2: Spare and Test Machine"
section: "retro"
tags: "retro"
description: "The Mega ST 2 that serves as an inactive backup machine for the rest of the Atari fleet."
layout: base.njk
parent: "/retro/"
---
<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. Its role is purely as a backup: it sits inactive and is only meant to be brought back to life if the "High" or "Low" machine ever fails, not as an actively used machine.</p>

<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>Details</h2>
<p>Serial: A1 7B 4010182 · Manufactured November 1987 · Board: CA200019 / C100167-001 Rev.5.0</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 first suspected the 4 MB expansion and removed it, but the fault persisted. Only after reverting it to the old TOS and a fully original state did it run stably again.</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>
<li>A stereo sound mod.</li>
<li>Playing MIDI Maze against the <a href="/retro/mega-st-low/">Mega ST 4 "Low"</a>: connect the two machines over MIDI, put the Mega ST 2 on the old MCSWITCH VGA adapter and the NEC monitor, and play together.</li>
<li>The old Revision 0 <a href="/retro/sidecartridge/">SidecarTridge</a> could move here once the new Revision 3 is installed in the "Low" machine.</li>
</ul>

</div>