The Sinclair QL Forum

Hi,

I've bought a QL from eBay, looking near mint on the outside, with the box and manual, plus all the standard waffles from Sinclair.

The issue (and I've read this a lot on this forum, but not exactly the same) is that on boot up, after a (very) short patchwork of colored pixels, the screen goes white, and that's it, it stays white.

Opened, the QL seems fine (from what I've read here, its a post-issue 5 motherboard, as IC17 is removed), except for the 2nd Microdrive, which has been taken off.

I've gathered that the colored pixel patchwork on boot was due to last SEVERAL seconds (on mine, just one short second), and that a white screen means that the first of the 2 levels of RAM checking is complete, after which would come a green one, then the "F1/F2" screen.

So, what can I do from here ?
I'm not afraid of a "nothing" answer

Unfortunately it does sound like a RAM issue

You need to borrow a copy of Minerva (unless you have a QL-SD with it on!) and use that ROM - it includes an improved memory test which will indicate the faulty chip(s)

Thanks ! I'll do that.