We love our retro computers, but let’s be honest — they can be downright infuriating. Most of the time that frustration comes down to one of two culprits: a bad capacitor or a bad RAM chip. Sometimes both decide to fail just to keep things interesting.
Early on, I learned that having the right diagnostic tools is the only way to stay sane. One of my favorites for Atari systems is a SALT diagnostic cartridge I built myself. SALT — Stand Alone System Test — was originally created by Atari for servicing the 400 and 800. It later evolved into Super SALT to support the XL and XE lines. Today, we’re lucky enough to be able to use these tools for our own repairs and restorations.
I built my cartridge using a four‑slot board I found on PCBWay: the ATARI 800XL MULTI GAME CARTRIDGE (4×16KB) by C64iSTANBUL (he designs fantastic stuff). You can load any 16KB ROMs into the four slots, but I chose different versions of SALT since I work on a variety of machines.
If you want to make your own, here’s what you’ll need:
1- A circuit board (the PCBWay design linked above).
2- A ROM/EPROM chip and a handful of supporting components.
3- The SALT/Super SALT ROM files.
4- An EPROM programmer — I use a TL866II+.
Optional: a 3D‑printed case. I designed one and posted it on Thingiverse.
C64iSTANBUL provides a full parts list and build instructions on his PCBWay project page. The ROM files are available at the bottom of this page or on Atarimania. The 65/130XE R.2 ROM is a bit harder to track down, but he includes it on his Super SALT page. And remember: I went with the four‑slot version, but he also offers a single‑ROM Super SALT cartridge if you prefer something simpler.
If you do choose the four‑slot board, you’ll use DIP switches to select which ROM is active. In the photo above, mine is set to the SALT 400/800 program. It’s a fun little project that lets you dabble in several different skills — electronics, EPROM programming, 3D printing, and of course, retro computing.
And if building your own cartridge isn’t your thing, no worries. Both the single and quad versions show up on eBay from time to time. Buying one isn’t cheating — it’s just hitting the easy button, and sometimes that’s exactly what you need.
Here are some links to get you started.
PCBWay / Thingiverse / AtariMania / Atari Projects / TL866II+ / Super SALT ROM
Happy Tinkering.
Rick