EEPROM on A1200?

[motorollin]

First off, this thread isn't about using Kickstart images of chips I don't own. I own Kickstart 3.1 and OS3.9. I want to incorporate all the OS3.9 ROM updates in to my kickstart ROM, as well as possibly some other patches and libraries like Mediator and USB support.

I have looked at Doobrey's Kickflash project, but it's far too complex for me to build and requires surface mount components. I was wondering if there is an EEPROM which is compatible with the A1200's ROM sockets, and if so, whether it would be possible to programme the chips with a Kickstart image?

I know I could use Blizkick, but that is really no different to allowing Setpatch to rekick the OS3.9 updates. The point is I want the updates available from cold boot.

--
moto

[motorollin]

I've just found this thread which appears to detail which chip and programmer you need to do this.

Doobrey has written a ROM splitter application which can split Kickstart ROM images, 3.9 ROM Update, and BlizKick modules, and combine them in to a new Kickstart image. He developed the software for his Kickflash hardware or for UAE or BlizKick, but I wonder if the resulting image could be burned to an EEPROM? Doobrey are you here? :-)

--
moto

[motorollin]

No kickflash... no BlizKick... no Setpatch reboot...

Can you buy Kickstart switchers for the A1200? That way I could have an original 3.1 ROM to switch to as a backup. I'm having trouble finding the EEPROM chips. Any thoughts? (I'm in the UK)

--
moto

[motorollin]

Thanks - I will try to contact him if I reach a dead end. I have contacted Willem to double check what reader and adapter I need to use the EEPROM chip, and also whether they can supply the chips as well. Once I have all of that I'll try burning a duplicate 3.0 ROM (don't want to risk killing my 3.1 chips in the reader :roll: ). If that works and my Amiga can boot with the EEPROMs, then I'll use Doobrey's utilities to modify a 3.1 ROM image and try burning that.

Still need to know if it's possible to buy/build a Kickstart switcher for an A1200? I don't want to keep swapping my 3.1 chips in and out of the motherboard should I need to fall back on them.

--
moto

[motorollin]

Hi, thanks for the link. I haven't got a Zorro-enabled Amiga unfortunately :-( Did see something else interesting on that site though. Will start a new thread about that one!

--
moto

[motorollin]

EPROM... EEPROM... whatever :-) I don't know the difference (one is erasable the other is not perhaps?)

Off to check out that link - thanks!

--
moto

[motorollin]

Thanks so much ameegah - that link has answered most of my questions! Here's an extract for anyone else who is interested:

In answer to the Computolio's original question, here's how to burn a kickstart eprom set for an amiga a1200 in 4 easy steps:

Requirements
Eprom Programmer (with support for 27C400)
WinHex utility (registered version) or write your own code to perform Steps 1 to 2.
Kickstart rom file being used in WinUAE (not encypted and legally created from your own set of A1200 kickstart roms, of course)
Two blank 27C400 eproms

Step 1: Split the kickstart rom file
In WinHex select: Tools -> FileTools -> Dissect -> Wordwise (16-bit)
Select source kickstart rom file
Type in destination filename#1 eg. U6A_tmp.rom (00000-3FFFF for U6A)
Type in destination filename#2 eg. U6B_tmp.rom (00000-3FFFF for U6B)
Now you have two smaller rom files

Step 2: Fill addressable unused memory space for both eproms
Now, we're going to copy the contents of addresses 00000-3FFFF to 40000-7FFFF for U6A_tmp.rom
To do this, in WinHex select: Tools -> FileTools -> Concatenate
Type in destination file for a blank rom file to be created (eg. U6A.rom)
Append file U6A_tmp.rom to U6A.rom
Repeat this again, append source file U6A_tmp.rom to U6A.rom
Select Done and a message box will appear: 524288 bytes from 2 files were concatenated to "U6A.rom"

Repeat Step 2 using U6B_tmp.rom to create U6B.rom

Step 3: Burn the kickstart eproms
Start up eprom programmer software with 27C400 device selected.
Load U6A.rom to the buffer
Perform a swap BYTE operation on the buffer contents
Insert a 27C400 eprom into the eprom programmer and burn buffer to the eprom.
Apply opaque sticky label over the eprom window and mark it "U6A"

Repeat Step 3 for U6B.rom, marking it "U6B"


Step 4: Install eproms into A1200
Insert eprom U6A into U6A socket and eprom U6B into U6B socket (make sure the eprom has correct pin connections and orientation).
Power up and hey presto it works!

As soon as I get a reponse from Willem confirming what parts I need to order from them, I'm going to get some chips (found some on eBay) and order the programmer, and give this a try!

--
moto

[motorollin]

Thanks for the warning - I'll try to find a local reseller. So:

ROM = Read Only Memory
PROM = Programmable Read Only Memory
EPROM = Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (erase by UV)
EEPROM = Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (erase by erase function of programmer)



Right?

--
moto

[motorollin]

Well it looks like a no-go anyway :-( I downloaded Doobrey's RomSplit and Remus applications. I used RomSplit to read my 3.1 Kickstart and save its contents. I also split the OS3.9 ROM Update.

I then loaded Remus and tried to add the 3.1 kickstart files and the 3.9 ROM update files, but it said there wasn't enough space :-( Looks like there's not enough space in 512k for everything!

--
moto

[motorollin]

@Doobrey
Are there any other libraries I can safely leave out? I'll be using my Blizzard SCSI interface, so can I remove scsi.device? Also, I don't use the PCMCIA slot. Can I remove the card device and resource?

Cheers

--
moto

[motorollin]

I don't think so. If a bigger Kickstart ROM is used then it overlaps chip RAM. Softkickers and BlizKick use fast RAM allocated safely for the kickstart image.

--
moto

[motorollin]

Would this work? Is there any way to get it to use all 1MB of the ROMs?

--
moto

[motorollin]

I think I'll set up UAE and see what I can remove. How did you get your KickFlash device to work with 1MB?

--
moto

[motorollin]

IOW, if I want to use 1MB of kickstart, I have to build a KickFlash device :roll: I'm trying to experiment with UAE but for some reason it won't boot with a 40.68 image from my A1200. Grrrrrr....

--
moto

[motorollin]

Well, this rocks quite spectacularly. I used RomSplit to extract a 3.1 ROM image and the 3.9 ROMUpdate. I then removed anything to do with scsi.device (don't need on-board IDE), PCMCIA card (don't need that either) workbench.library (can have that on disk) and the v45 boot menu. Remus then made me a ROM image of everything that was left, and I had 50k to spare. Booted it on E-UAE, and here's the result:



Cool huh! I did get lots of errors in the terminal like "cia_wget: unknown CIA address a8300a PC=f80ede", I hope that won't be a problem when I'm using a real Amiga?

--
moto