how can I know if my mac is truly communicating with the MD?

[jeffbeckib]

I'm now getting a reading of 0.00 for this test

When I short pin 1 and 3 on lcd I get a row of white blocks on the bottom row.

Are you sure you held the LEFT key when you were powering up? To be absolutely sure, power it up again holding the key pressed and measure voltage on pin 8 of Atmega while still holding the key pressed. Is it 0V? If it's more than 0.5V-1V, stop there and report.

If it is 0V then go on and measure all the resistances I advised you to do. Don't forget to switch off/disconnect from USB.

[jeffbeckib]

ok pin 11 and 31 are measuring 0.00 on ohms and on voltage

So why it wasn't 0 in the previous measurement?
It probably was, but I wasn't looking at the final value. Even though it comes up 0.00, it still cycles through 1 or 2 other numbers before it drops to 0.00

pin 1 of LCD measures 0.00
pin 2 and 3 of LCD are giving random measurements. I'm still trying to understand why I don't get 1 static reading when checking these pins. I get a different reading every time I touch the same pin.

Because of capacitors.

So when I'm testing these pins you gave me with the black probe on the usb ground, what type of readings am I looking for? If I understand you correctly, you want me to place the black on the ground of the usb which is pin 4, and touch the red to the pins you indicated. Can you give me an example of what pin 6 on the atmega32 should read?

[dmitri]

So when I'm testing these pins you gave me with the black probe on the usb ground, what type of readings am I looking for? If I understand you correctly, you want me to place the black on the ground of the usb which is pin 4, and touch the red to the pins you indicated. Can you give me an example of what pin 6 on the atmega32 should read?

Because of semiconductors nature I cannot give an example. With different meters, and even on the same meter but on different resistance ranges, the reading will be different because of different voltages applied to semiconductors.

Take Atmega carefully out of its socket and then re-insert it quite firmly. Power it up.
Still no go?

Hint (which I already mentioned before): to test for continuity (0 Ohm) set your meter to a "beeper" position (with a diode sign). Now when you touch the black probe with the red probe it'll beep, meaning there is continuity (0 Ohm).

Take Atmega out of its socket again.
Starting from pin 1 of the the Atmega socket (NOT Atmega itself), test continuity between all pins:
1 and 2
1 and 3
...
1 and 40
2 and 3
2 and 4
...
2 and 40
3 and 4
...
...
...
38 and 39
38 and 40
39 and 40

Get the idea?

Now tell me between which pins you hear a beep (there is continuity).

[jeffbeckib]

Now tell me between which pins you hear a beep (there is continuity).[/quote]

Removed and reinserted the atmega32 icu, still no go.
The only pins I'm getting a beep on are the following:
between pin 10 & 30, 11 & 31, of atmega32 socket

Here's something I found strange, I'm getting a beep between pin 14, and the resistors connected to pin 25 and 26. I'm not getting a beep when I touch pin 25 or 26, but only if I touch the resistor right next to it. In other words. Black post on pin 14 of atmega socket, I touch the red to pin 25, nothing, if I touch the pin to resistor next to 25, beep!, if I also touch red to resistor next to 26, Beep!... With any of the pins on the 21-40 side of the atmega side of the socket I would get a beep when touching the pin or the resistor. but with 25 and 26, I'm only getting a beep when touching the resistor. Is this normal?

[dmitri]

Removed and reinserted the atmega32 icu, still no go.
The only pins I'm getting a beep on are the following:
between pin 10 & 30, 11 & 31, of atmega32 socket

Here's something I found strange, I'm getting a beep between pin 14, and the resistors connected to pin 25 and 26. I'm not getting a beep when I touch pin 25 or 26, but only if I touch the resistor right next to it. In other words. Black post on pin 14 of atmega socket, I touch the red to pin 25, nothing, if I touch the pin to resistor next to 25, beep!, if I also touch red to resistor next to 26, Beep!... With any of the pins on the 21-40 side of the atmega side of the socket I would get a beep when touching the pin or the resistor. but with 25 and 26, I'm only getting a beep when touching the resistor. Is this normal?

Please explain what resistors you have connected to pins 25 and 26 because as far as I can see there are no resistors connected to these pins according to the schematic.

[jeffbeckib]

Removed and reinserted the atmega32 icu, still no go.
The only pins I'm getting a beep on are the following:
between pin 10 & 30, 11 & 31, of atmega32 socket

Here's something I found strange, I'm getting a beep between pin 14, and the resistors connected to pin 25 and 26. I'm not getting a beep when I touch pin 25 or 26, but only if I touch the resistor right next to it. In other words. Black post on pin 14 of atmega socket, I touch the red to pin 25, nothing, if I touch the pin to resistor next to 25, beep!, if I also touch red to resistor next to 26, Beep!... With any of the pins on the 21-40 side of the atmega side of the socket I would get a beep when touching the pin or the resistor. but with 25 and 26, I'm only getting a beep when touching the resistor. Is this normal?

Please explain what resistors you have connected to pins 25 and 26 because as far as I can see there are no resistors connected to these pins according to the schematic.

I'm not saying that they are connected. What happened was while I was checking the pins, I guess my red term accidentally touch the terminal on the resister next to pin 25, and that's when I heard the beep. Here's a pic of pin 14, and the 2 pins going to the resistors. It's probably nothing, I just wanted to run it by you,

[dmitri]

Removed and reinserted the atmega32 icu, still no go.
The only pins I'm getting a beep on are the following:
between pin 10 & 30, 11 & 31, of atmega32 socket

Here's something I found strange, I'm getting a beep between pin 14, and the resistors connected to pin 25 and 26. I'm not getting a beep when I touch pin 25 or 26, but only if I touch the resistor right next to it. In other words. Black post on pin 14 of atmega socket, I touch the red to pin 25, nothing, if I touch the pin to resistor next to 25, beep!, if I also touch red to resistor next to 26, Beep!... With any of the pins on the 21-40 side of the atmega side of the socket I would get a beep when touching the pin or the resistor. but with 25 and 26, I'm only getting a beep when touching the resistor. Is this normal?

Please explain what resistors you have connected to pins 25 and 26 because as far as I can see there are no resistors connected to these pins according to the schematic.

I'm not saying that they are connected.

Look above. This is exactly what you were saying.

What happened was while I was checking the pins, I guess my red term accidentally touch the terminal on the resister next to pin 25, and that's when I heard the beep. Here's a pic of pin 14, and the 2 pins going to the resistors. It's probably nothing, I just wanted to run it by you,

There is little use in showing me the pics of the Synthex's PCB. I don't have and I've never had one so I don't know how traces are routed on it.

Again, still without Atmega, power up the board and measure voltages on every pin of Atmega's socket against pin 11 of the same socket. Report back on which pins you have voltages above 0 and what these readings are.

[jeffbeckib]

The only pins I'm getting a beep on are the following:
between pin 10 & 30, 11 & 31, of atmega32 socket

[dmitri]

The only pins I'm getting a beep on are the following:
between pin 10 & 30, 11 & 31, of atmega32 socket

And the voltages are ...

[jeffbeckib]

The only pins I'm getting a beep on are the following:
between pin 10 & 30, 11 & 31, of atmega32 socket

And the voltages are ...

Sorry, I just realized you wanted me to check voltage.
pin 6 through 9 =4.65
pin 10 = 4.85
pin 12 = .01
pin 13 = .03
14 = 4.85
16 =4.75
18 through 20 =4.75
21 = 2.73
24 = .01
27 = .04
28 = 2.38
29 = 2.38
30 = 4.83
32 = 2.4
33 = .02