**Need Setup HELP** with Classic Amiga 2000 HARD DISK (Bridgeboard)

[wbrejnia]

DIY AMIGA Kickstart ROM Switcher ( Time to move on ).

DARKAGE, you woke up the bear!!! No I gave up on switcher coming from your homeland (Australia).  Appears they haven't learn things like Epacket Service.

Today the Ebay Seller and I have decided the package with the ROM switcher isn't ever going to arrive. Formal case started with Australia Post.
 Paypal and the Post Insurance should take care of things money wise, but much time lost.

I've decided to build my own Kickstart ROM switcher to start up the project again.

I actually finished that Aquarium DOSER Build so have time.
Here is the Aurdino Aquarium Doser Test Running on Your Tube (if Curious)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFAtzBtKVhA&t=26s
6 Month project, but this Amiga Project became a un-planned disruption.  
Most of the time was the User Friendly/FaultSafe Coding which you can see some of the results in the Video.

SO for short term. I'm building a SIMPLE Switcher. Just using a switch or Jumper.

Got some of these parts today.  Most are my China Aliexpress Collectables.
I have a few options for how it will be built (Sockets, Risers, Connectors, Switch or Jumpers)




To save on massive (hand wiring) effort with a wirewrapper, or even bigger effort/cost to design and etch a PC board.
I found some cool Ardiuno Interface Breakout-Board/Header Circuit Boards that have 40 Pin sockets points, with a header for a 40 wire ribbon cable.
I bought them unassembled, for building options. $6 CDN each.

http://www.technologicalarts.ca/shop/store/details/508/13/adapters/adapter,-40-pin-dip-socket-to-ribbon-cable.html

I got these a while ago to use them as an Extension for the Switcher, but looking at the designed, I can use them TO MAKE A SWITCHER.

I'll eventually add some Nand Gates, and make it a more intelligent switcher, but for now, THIS IS THE PROTYPE concept.



Basically like all/most memory chips there is a CE(Chip Enable PIN) and OE(Output Enable PIN). DECODING Address from CPU fetch, activates the ROM/RAM, etc.
The ADDRESS PINS and DATA PINS can all be connected to the MotherBoard ROM SOCKET.  ROM only wakes up on CE signal.
The AMIGA Kickstart ROM socket is already decoded on either (CE, OR or Both) with the appropriate address lines for ROM range.
I will try CE first.

So I'll plug in the DIP SOCKET Adapter into the MOtherboard ROM DIP. Cut the CS-PIN on the adapter/DIP and route through a jumper or switch to send CS-from MB to the appropriate ROM of choice.

I find it astounding that nobody has documented this anywhere in the Forums (much more).

I had to research and figure this out myself. Having done that thesis on Eprom Burner helped. Plus this GERMAN thread was handy to confirm my thinking http://www.a1k.org/forum/showthread.php?p=100270

The Primary ROM will be plugged into the MB ROM SOCKET so close.  The 2nd Rom will be via a short ribbon cable, so should be ok for Clocking Speed Noise.
The Jumper (for the CE broken connection) has to be fairly close to ROM to avoid NOISE. I will eventually buffer via NAND Chips, so I can extend the Jump to be a switch.
May need a Power Pin Capacitor, and possibly a Resistor or two.
If it works, then I may even expand and make it 4 ROM, since I have KS 1.2,1.3,2.2,3.1 ROMS.

Eventually if I wish, I can build extra logic to choose the ROM via ALT-ALT-AMIGA(KEYBOARD) which would be driven via the RESET pin of 68000 CPU CHIP.
That would need no external Mechanical switch.  But I'd rather go 4 ROMs with switch out of CardSlot-Port, then 2 via keyboard.

THIS SIMPLE VERSION IS Near ZERO RISK to the Motherboard, so I'm ok doing it.

[darkage]

oh my lord..  ha why didnt you just tell me, and I can burn 3 or 4 kickstarts on a 1meg eeprom with a toggle selector switch.    just have to locate my eprom burner first  

good post by the way

[wbrejnia]

oh my lord..  ha why didnt you just tell me, and I can burn 3 or 4 kickstarts on a 1meg eeprom with a toggle selector switch.    just have to locate my eprom burner first  

good post by the way

Tell me more... How is that done. Use 2 Address lines to switch select Memory range on Epprom (0,0)(0,1)(1,0)(1,1).

I'll gladly buy a BURNED EPROM off you if you find your burner.  I can provide extracts from my Original ROMS (using Amiga Explorer).

If you can't find your burner, I probably can make a Parrallel Port Burner using the parts I have.   Hardest part is software coding.

I can hold off on building if you can confirm your assistance.
But this first build is so simple.  I only want KS1.2 and 1.3 to start with.  Then 1.3 and OS3.1 next.
With the Ribbon cable extension, i will have easy access to one ROM, the other under the DRIVE cage.

[wbrejnia]

Darkage,

I haven't heard from you on your offer or at least on how  make the Multi Kickstart on A single Larger  EPROM.  I assume the Large EPROM has more address pins and your convert down the the 40 Pin Motherboard IC Socket.

I guess you are busy or away.

However I since I'm getting a full refund on the Other Switcher, and I can return all the parts, I've decided to go with one of these.

It's the Circuit board I'm after.   Made for Music ROMs. But Sam 27C400 EPROM /pinout as a kickstart ROM.

 I'll mod it with a Couple of Nand Gates to buffer the switch, and also the switch to not be noisiy with the Mhz Frequency of the CS pin.



Plus I'll have I'll 4 of my Original Kickstarts Installed (which will be better then sitting in a box).

[wbrejnia]

Darkage,

I guess this is the way you mention you use.
Larger EPROM to fit 4 ROM images and select Address Banks by flipping Higher Address bits.



I ordered the other one since I want to finished my Amiga build this year.
PLus (if I decide to sell the Amiga Someday, it will be nice to have 4 Real Licensed roms inside)

Lost over a month waiting for the other switcher, so lost all my patience.

[wbrejnia]

GOOD NEWS (BAD NEW - Lesson Learned)

The Good news is the Kickstart Switcher is at local post office, I got a paper notice for pickup.

THE BAD NEWS is my 1 TB hard drive on my Desktop Computer CRASHED.
Making a clicking sound and gone.

My last backup was March, so I lost about 10 Pages of documented progress. (( AT LEAST I have this forum as backup))

I do backups every 4-6 Months and (Photo's/Important STuff) I store in two places (so not lost)

Can't wait to pickup ROM Switcher and see if it works (unmodified).

The BREAK from this Amiga Project was kind of good.
I got that Controller Built and installed on my Fish Tank.


Even Had time to add some Special Effects and Lighting for Alerts, Notifications and Status.

[[ The base lighting was discovered by accident. I had a single LED to top, and the Base I just used a scrap piece of Clear Acrlyic that was the right size ]]
[[ While mucking around, the LED on a wire fell off, behind the Acrlic. It lit up the base, and I liked it. So I drilled a tiny hole into base and installed LED there ]]]
Pretty amazing when Flashing and switch colors during Run Modes ,etc .


Now my Tank is 90% Automatic, so more spare time...

Maybe I can get this AMIGA project back on track.

[wbrejnia]

Here is the Switcher

So the Unitech Switcher that got Lost in Transit from Australia would have been easy to mod, since board circuitry was exposed.

The new switcher from UK (which arrive in a week) is painted over.
I should still be able to use a multimeter to figure out what pin is switched (OE or CE).



I would be thrilled it the Switcher works with all 4 ROM as is.

[wbrejnia]

Switcher Works (Just as I expected)   ** WON'T Work with mechanical Switch and Long Wire **



I was happy that the Switcher Board FIT into the Amiga.

But I was very disappointment at first when nothing would work (wire and switch).  Thinking it won't work at all.

Then I put on a SHORT JUMPER and it worked.

So as I thought, the Frequency of the R/W access is too noisy for unsheilded long wire and mechanical switch.

At least it works, and now I'll try shorter wire, and if needed build the Nand-Gate Switching module, which will install-piggyback onto the board.

[wbrejnia]

WOO HOO!! Short Wire Works.

I quickly just did a short wire, and put two ROMs in.

WORKS!

[wbrejnia]

INTERNATIONAL (UK) Issue (Left vs Right)  ** ROM Switcher Works 100% **

Duh!!!

I was in a rush to pick up kids.
I assumed ROM1, on rotating switch would be FIRST-LEFT Position.
We drive in North America on Right side of Road, Maybe similarity to Driving on LEFT-SIDE in UK switches go 4,3,2,1? I have no idea, this switch is backward (and No template label)

And since I only had 1 ROM installed, I was selecting ROM 4 (which socket was empty).

Of course with Jumper, I picked the right connector (#1).

So it works perfect (as Shown Below)

Finally a well deserved break



One thing I noticed is with the Wrong ROM my Hard Drive with Amiga OS3.1 crashes (With for example Kickstart 2.0).  

I disabled the AutoBoot on the Hardrive Controller.

That will be an easy fix:

-> Multiple Partitions
-> Boot from Gotek as needed.
-> User the DOUBLE-MOUSE (Auto Boot Selector)
-> Other ways when I play with combinations.

I can now move my Amiga off the Workbench onto my COMFY DESK for the Software Install/Setup Portion of this build.

[wbrejnia]

FUTURE (Amiga SideKick Module) Feature

I got an idea.

I keep talking that I'm going to build that Amiga SideKick Module.
It will be a simple box with buttons that will do some INTELLIGENT control things for this Multi-OS, Multi-CPU(AMIGA/8086) Computer.

Similar to making that Gotek LED display driver, I will use that Ardiuno Nano controller and do some Pre-Configured Mode switching.

I can modify the 4x ROM switcher and replace the Mechanical switch with some Nand Gates and switch with the Ardiuno.

Similarity if needed I can turn off AUTOBOOT jumper, control Gotek, PC Hard drive, Lotek Adapter, IDE-SD Card reader, etc ,etc, etc, etc

The nice case for the Side-Kick that I found on Alixepress is SLOWLY on it's way.

More details to come. First I have to setup OS's.  Know the combinations that work (Ie bridgeboard, Which ROM, which OS, which config)

[wbrejnia]

So the DrumKit ROM switcher works fine as an 4-ROM Amiga Kickstart Switcher, even with Long cable and Mechanical switch.
https://www.circuitbenders.co.uk/forsale/RROM/kawaiRROM.html

It was the Left-To-Right thing and incorrect ROM placement.

The Wire reaches the rear card slots, so I'll take the plate I made for the VGA Indivision connector and install the switch at the back of A2000.

Now I need to figure out how to backup my GVP Hard drive.  (Maybe onto Gotek, or if I get Bridgeboard working, transfer onto PC side IDE-SD card)
The GVP Hard Drive came with some pre-installed Software which I don't want to loose.  OPUS, Paint, etc.

And the Seller partitioned the 2nd Partition for the whole 500MB,  which I want to break up into multi OS partitions. Partition one is OS3.1 50MB.

The hard drive also comes with Amiga Backup program, but it only backs up onto DF0.  COnfig thing I need to figure out.
Plus I am worried about using it, since the Backup image is compress-proprietary and to get back files, you need the backup program.

[wbrejnia]

Amiga ACCELERATOR Arrived (Won't be needing a Vampire Card )


Yup it finally arrived from China.



Well, at least it will be good for WHload, when I get around to installing.

Never pulled out a CHIP this long.  Should be fun, if I don't crack the 68000.

I will be restarting this project, hopefully soon.

[wbrejnia]

The Photo of my ROM switcher Testing dissapeared from the Post above.

This is where the project stands now.



Basically I need to start install the Various Workbenches (Either on Hard Drive Paritions, or Gotek) and see which ones I can get working with my Bridgeboard.

[wbrejnia]

Shoot!!!

I peeked at the Motherboard.
The Amiga 68000 CPU is much larger then the 68010 I got.

I never knew they came in different sizes.  (What is the part # I should be looking for, for proper 68010)

Oh well the 68010 was only $5

[Pat the Cat]

Shoot!!!

I peeked at the Motherboard.
The Amiga 68000 CPU is much larger then the 68010 I got.

I never knew they came in different sizes. (What is the part # I should be looking for, for proper 68010)

Oh well the 68010 was only $5

They come in SMD and DIL form factors (Dual Inline set of pins rather than squarish).

68020 and above is never DIL, below that (first types released) were in DIL but later you could get SMD squarish ones.

So the part number is still 68010, form factor of DIL ("I want a rectangular one with two sets of pins, not a squarish one with pins on all sides") should get you one that fits.

That doesn't mean it will go any faster. Seem to recall mine coming on a circuit board with a few extras on it (clock frequency doubler, I think it was). And a dual set of pins underneath to connect it to the socket.

Sorry to be vague on that last point, it's been a LONG time...

Amiga ACCELERATOR Arrived (Won't be needing a Vampire Card )


Yup it finally arrived from China.

Ah, that isn't a 68010. It's a 68008, an eight bit version as found in the Sinclair QL... And sadly never in an Amiga.