First off, ALWAYS keep batteries in the thing. That reduces the chance of power dropouts and memory flakes. That said:

Two possibilities:
A.)Take it back apart and re-seat any socketed chips. Using a jewelers screwdriver, pry up each end of each chip until its about halfway out of its socket. Then, providing support, press the chip back in. If that does not work, keep reading.

B.)see if you cant get a nice person with an eprom burner to get the poly 800 hex bin file and burn you a new eprom. You may have to go to a college that has an electronics course.

It only takes a half hour at most, and chances are your original eprom can be erased and reprogrammed, so you will not have to buy a new one.

Remember that chip scene on the plane in the 1985 movie "Real Genius?" You will get to see that live.

after 20-odd years, eproms DIE.

If that doesn't fix it, keep the keyboard, filter(it'll be the chip that says 2069AD on it), and joystick out of it. Those are the juiciest bits in the korg replacement part catalog.

It seems, by digging through my archives, that I have the poly 800 hex bin file. This is the vital data the poly 800 needs to function. Tell me where to send it if all above fails. You will need it before you begin your quest.

[This message has been edited by Justin Gazda (edited 06-29-2007).]