A1200 PCMCIA Blocked by FastRam

[guest20923]

Sorry, that made me chuckle. The CF card bit that is.

Not sure if Village Tronic really had the rights to ship 3.1 with the Picasso.

Anyhoo... What was the RAM card you were using ? Sorry if I missed that.

Analogic (UK) 8MB.

[guest20923]

well I would not recomend using it, as this is due to a bug in 3.0

parts of memorty MIGHT be overwritten by PCMCIA..

I had a dialogue with Analogic in the UK about conflicts with 3.0 and they didn't think there would be a problem. I'm only going to use the CF/PCMCIA card sporadically so I'm dubious if I need to add the aforementioned script. (Was what I thought I needed though)

[guest20923]

Commodore has fixed some bugs in Kickstart 3.1 and one of the bug was having more than 4 MB of memory and using PCMCIA slot.

When you have Kickstart 3.1 and want to use PCMCIA slot and more than 4 MB memory then you need to patch: C:LoadModule >NIL: L:cardres.ld.strip REVERSE

It also works with my Blizzard 1220/4 with 8MB Fast RAM, but I can't get it work with my GVP 1208 with 8 MB of Fast RAM.

I've downloaded the files but I'm unsure of the safety of the cardres.ld.strip coding. I can't find any references to it other than a Polish server that is the download site.
I must add that it is exactly what I was looking for because my problem was the A1200 wouldn't boot with the card inserted while the 8MB ram was installed. But since finding I can insert the PCMCIA card and use it after boot, I'm pretty happy with that. If I were using the WiFi card it may conflict, but for now the occasional file transfer should be fine I guess.

[Chucky]

I had a dialogue with Analogic in the UK about conflicts with 3.0 and they didn't think there would be a problem. I'm only going to use the CF/PCMCIA card sporadically so I'm dubious if I need to add the aforementioned script. (Was what I thought I needed though)

Just hold and think about it... IF this wasn't an issue.. then why is this not possible in 3.1?  can it be they found a bug and..... fixed it?

chanses are small as the buffer might be small that you find that small part getting overwritten..  but it still is there.

I do NOT recomend you using PCMCIA with more than 5.5MB of fastmem even if it "works"
(except having fastmem outside the Z2 area..  ie on a acceleratorcard)

[guest20923]

Just hold and think about it... IF this wasn't an issue.. then why is this not possible in 3.1?  can it be they found a bug and..... fixed it?

chanses are small as the buffer might be small that you find that small part getting overwritten..  but it still is there.

I do NOT recomend you using PCMCIA with more than 5.5MB of fastmem even if it "works"
(except having fastmem outside the Z2 area..  ie on a acceleratorcard)

I found a couple of previous forum threads on the issue:
http://www.amiga.org/forums/archive/index.php/t-60108.html
http://www.amiga.org/forums/archive/index.php/t-58624.html

They don't seem to come to any consensus though.

[psxphill]

OS 3.1 was produced by C= but taken on by VillageTronic and then Escom, I think, in separate distributions.

Commodore managed to ship 3.1 in the CD32, but they were no longer in any financial position to release it for any of the other computers.

VillageTronic did a deal to sell it because Commodore couldn't, it shipped around three months after the bankruptcy. I suspect the deal had been signed before the bankruptcy was announced as it takes time to print books, boxes and write disks.

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.sys.amiga.hardware/JEiiPhSS2Nc

[scuzzb494]

Analogic (UK) 8MB.

If it is the card I am thinking of then the advice from Analogic state ...

'Please note: All 8mb upgrades on this connector lock PCMCIA port while using 3.1 Roms.'

I assume you have checked the ROM on the machine. Otherwise sounds like the card also blocks the PCMCIA or conflicts with the 3.0. So pointless fitting the 3.1 anyway. You would need another card or PCMCIA device to check. I have had accelerators with this problem.... interestingly on an A1200 I bought from Analogic back in 2003. I just swapped out the card for a Blizzard which kinda bulldozes through everything.

The problem for me not having the PCMCIA is the use of ethernet or squirrel. That is why I fit the SCSIKIT on the Blizzard. Also with the ethernet I needed to fire up the cardreset tool to overcome the bug with the PCMCIA on the 1200 to get the ethernet working.

PS I don't use CF cards... I stay B494 with the 1200 and use 2.5". Saying that probably a post B494 drive in truth.. so what am I like. I have two 1200s behind me here at the moment with 2.5" drives on test. The one is fine , the other is a bit flaky at the moment. I'm sure I will get them running fine. I just hit them a few times... seems to work. That and threatening them with the bin.

[Brian]

Well that's BS. It can be done by splitting the memory into chunks around the PCMCIA address space... like the Memory Master 1200 that offers 9MB and still be PCMCIA compatible.

[guest20923]

Well that's BS. It can be done by splitting the memory into chunks around the PCMCIA address space... like the Memory Master 1200 that offers 9MB and still be PCMCIA compatible.

I like the accelerator cards - I was offered a Blizzard 060 about a year ago for $120 -Bargain. But didn't have the money. All those accelerators and advanced memory cards have a second processor to make them independent. Something about the A1200 tells me it doesn't want two 'brains' so I'm happy to stay with a rudimentary configuration.

[guest20923]

If it is the card I am thinking of then the advice from Analogic state ...

'Please note: All 8mb upgrades on this connector lock PCMCIA port while using 3.1 Roms.'

I assume you have checked the ROM on the machine. Otherwise sounds like the card also blocks the PCMCIA or conflicts with the 3.0. So pointless fitting the 3.1 anyway. You would need another card or PCMCIA device to check. I have had accelerators with this problem.... interestingly on an A1200 I bought from Analogic back in 2003. I just swapped out the card for a Blizzard which kinda bulldozes through everything.

The problem for me not having the PCMCIA is the use of ethernet or squirrel. That is why I fit the SCSIKIT on the Blizzard. Also with the ethernet I needed to fire up the cardreset tool to overcome the bug with the PCMCIA on the 1200 to get the ethernet working.

PS I don't use CF cards... I stay B494 with the 1200 and use 2.5". Saying that probably a post B494 drive in truth.. so what am I like. I have two 1200s behind me here at the moment with 2.5" drives on test. The one is fine , the other is a bit flaky at the moment. I'm sure I will get them running fine. I just hit them a few times... seems to work. That and threatening them with the bin.

Analogic told me their card shouldn't conflict with WB3.0 and it doesn't as long as the PCMCIA card is inserted after boot and file sizes are small. Which for writing adf's to disk is fine for the moment. If I'm going to put on a PCMCIA CD-Rom or my WiFi card then I'd probably need to Edit the startup-sequence with the LoadModule/cardres line to fix that.
I'd like to know more about the 'operators' and syntax of cardres.ld.strip to know it's usage parameters but haven't been able to find any info.
I don't know what a B494 is other than a musical frequency! I can't see it on google anywhere! and the 2.5" drives I've seen are hard disks and not for importing files into the A1200. Mmmm

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Something about the A1200 tells me it doesn't want two 'brains' so I'm happy to stay with a rudimentary configuration.

Adding an accelerator card disables the built-in 68EC020 processor. With the exception of some PPC+680x0 cards, that do allow both processors (on the card) to work simultaneously.

[scuzzb494]

Analogic told me their card shouldn't conflict with WB3.0 and it doesn't as long as the PCMCIA card is inserted after boot and file sizes are small. Which for writing adf's to disk is fine for the moment. If I'm going to put on a PCMCIA CD-Rom or my WiFi card then I'd probably need to Edit the startup-sequence with the LoadModule/cardres line to fix that.
I'd like to know more about the 'operators' and syntax of cardres.ld.strip to know it's usage parameters but haven't been able to find any info.
I don't know what a B494 is other than a musical frequency! I can't see it on google anywhere! and the 2.5" drives I've seen are hard disks and not for importing files into the A1200. Mmmm

B494 is 1993 the year I bought my treasured A1200. The computer came fitted with a 2.5" internal hard drive. I have 26 Amiga 1200s and 16 of them run with internal hard drives. I am not sure what the importing means... I have over 13000 DD disks and pretty much every bit of software and game made for the Amiga. Original that is and not imported or downloaded.

An accelerator does what an accelerator does. It improves the performance of the Amiga. if you play say SIMCITY2000 with a base 1200 it is like walking through treacle. Get a 1230 and it just eases the pain. My first accelerator was a GVP1230 which I still have. I swapped it for a Blizzard Turbo so I could use the SCSIKIT off the accelerator and free up the PCMCIA for the ethernet so I could network using SAMBA. I have two SCSI drives, CDROM and ZIP drive hooked up to the SCSI port on the back of the 1200. The computer also benefits from being networked to a dozen or so machines. I can go on line with Broadband using Miami but choose to use a modern PC for that.

The trap door slot on the 1200 was designed to fit accelerator cards and RAM expansions so it really isn't an issue knocking out the slower processor. You do have options on boot and in the software to configure just how you like, but playing my animations on a base 1200 is just so slow.

So there you have it B494 is 1993... a good year for me. Most of my stuff runs on the original kit so I don't do Goteks, CF cards, etc Just the stuff that was available in the early nineties... on the whole, with the exception of the ethernet. I use Squirrels on other machines and expand that way. I just have to have a ZIP drive though. 100MB is all you need to back up most Amigas and carrying the ZIP from drive to drive is so quick and easy. I also still use 5.25" drives for some stuff... need it with the 1060. I have a 5.25 on the IBM so I can make disks. Very useful with the Checkmate. You gotta love the old kit. Great fun.

By the way I have three 2.5" drives in the freezer. Work that one out.

[guest20923]

B494 is 1993 the year I bought my treasured A1200. The computer came fitted with a 2.5" internal hard drive. I have 26 Amiga 1200s and 16 of them run with internal hard drives. I am not sure what the importing means... I have over 13000 DD disks and pretty much every bit of software and game made for the Amiga. Original that is and not imported or downloaded.

An accelerator does what an accelerator does. It improves the performance of the Amiga. if you play say SIMCITY2000 with a base 1200 it is like walking through treacle. Get a 1230 and it just eases the pain. My first accelerator was a GVP1230 which I still have. I swapped it for a Blizzard Turbo so I could use the SCSIKIT off the accelerator and free up the PCMCIA for the ethernet so I could network using SAMBA. I have two SCSI drives, CDROM and ZIP drive hooked up to the SCSI port on the back of the 1200. The computer also benefits from being networked to a dozen or so machines. I can go on line with Broadband using Miami but choose to use a modern PC for that.

The trap door slot on the 1200 was designed to fit accelerator cards and RAM expansions so it really isn't an issue knocking out the slower processor. You do have options on boot and in the software to configure just how you like, but playing my animations on a base 1200 is just so slow.

So there you have it B494 is 1993... a good year for me. Most of my stuff runs on the original kit so I don't do Goteks, CF cards, etc Just the stuff that was available in the early nineties... on the whole, with the exception of the ethernet. I use Squirrels on other machines and expand that way. I just have to have a ZIP drive though. 100MB is all you need to back up most Amigas and carrying the ZIP from drive to drive is so quick and easy. I also still use 5.25" drives for some stuff... need it with the 1060. I have a 5.25 on the IBM so I can make disks. Very useful with the Checkmate. You gotta love the old kit. Great fun.

By the way I have three 2.5" drives in the freezer. Work that one out.

Wow, sound like you have an awesome amount of gear and experience to go with it.
I first became an Amiga user in 1986 when we purchased our beloved Amiga 1000. Later I added an Okimate 20 printer, Timesaver RTC, DigiView and PerfectSound. Spent time playing games, Hex editing software and swapping disks with friends. I sold my setup at about the time you started and haven't had another until about a year ago. I can't remember much about it but it's nice just having a small representation.
Oh.. Cryogenics can work wonders I've heard with stuck HDD's but only for awhile apparently. Thanks for the info.

[guest20923]

Sounds great! I have a network card but aren't using it. This one is a CF (4GB) card adaptor for file transfer from PC. Would what you've said work with that?

Thanks.

Just inserted the above commands into my startup-sequence on Dh0: and am getting a Software Failure error. Must be conflicting with some of the commands in the long sequence on the pre-configured CF hdd I have. I am going to remove it If I can get to edit the startup-sequence.

[guest20923]

http://boboo.szm.com//cardres.lha

You also need LoadModule in your C: (aminet!), edit S:startup-sequence and add the line before setpatch

C:LoadModule >NIL: L:cardres.ld.strip REVERSE

What this does is replace the ROM's card.resource with an updated one that is fastram friendly. If there is already a LoadModule line in your ss, you need to add the argument to that line. I've been using this for a year now, with a PCMCIA network card and it works flawlessly, with no noticable slowdown or anything. Good luck."

You didn't day what kind of PCMCIA card you have? that would work only with Network card.

I've inserted the cardres line but am getting a Software Error.
The startup-sequence has this:
IF EXISTS scsi.device
  LoadModule DEVS:scsi.device
END IF

I put your line on the next line after the END IF. Would that be the problem? I don't know what defines a scsi device and didn't think I had one!
Also I was wondering if I would have to remove the above lines if I were installing a Squirrel?
Any help?