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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: lymang on November 30, 2005, 05:28:51 PM
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The A2000 I have is working. I have done a functionality test and it seems to be fully functional. It has Kickstart 1.2. Should I upgrade to 1.3? How would I do so? Is it a chip upgrade? Is there a vendor I can buy the chips from? How much should I expect to pay? Any advice on this topic would be appreciated.
The accelerator w/HD controller and RAM has a HD with a 1.3 Workbench bootable partition (the seller told me that, anyway) but I am guessing I need Kickstart 1.3 to get that to work correctly?
Any tips/advice would be appreciated.
Lyman
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Yes you need KS 1.3 to autoboot from HDs. You can get a copy of the ROM from your local dealer. They are very cheap. I have a Kickstart 2.04 ROM I can sell you if you'd like.
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TjLaZer wrote:
Yes you need KS 1.3 to autoboot from HDs. You can get a copy of the ROM from your local dealer. They are very cheap. I have a Kickstart 2.04 ROM I can sell you if you'd like.
Not meaning to sound ignorant... what is "from your local dealer"? From my local Amiga dealer?I am unaware of anyone at all in this area (for that matter I haven't heard of an American Amiga dealer since I worked at one in 1986) selling any Amigas, or Amiga hardware/software at all.
On the subject of those 2.0.4 ROMS, isn't it possible that I will have compatibility issues with some older games if I move to that new a version of the KS ROMS? I am (after all) out to do this solely to play some of my favorite old Amiga games and I would hate to hamstring myself that way...
Lyman
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Well I don't know where or what country you are in, but most larger countries have atleast 1 Amiga dealer. Or you can contact one of these dealers even if you don't live there. Here in the USA, Software Hut has these (http://www.softhut.com/cgi-bin/test/Web_store/web_store.cgi?page=catalog/hardware/custom_chips/chip_kickstart.html&cart_id=9051938_31582) for sale.
-edit- I reread your post and am assuming you are in the USA and yes there are a few good dealers left the largest and best is Software Hut, in guess where? Pennsylvania!
Yes with Kickstart 2.0x there is a software compatibility issue with older games, so you are better off with Kickstart 1.3, or if you want you can get a Kickstart switcher too.
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buy any wrecked a500 and rip it from board !
cheapest solution i think
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TjLaZer wrote:
Well I don't know where or what country you are in, but most larger countries have atleast 1 Amiga dealer. Or you can contact one of these dealers even if you don't live there. Here in the USA, Software Hut has these (http://www.softhut.com/cgi-bin/test/Web_store/web_store.cgi?page=catalog/hardware/custom_chips/chip_kickstart.html&cart_id=9051938_31582) for sale.
-edit- I reread your post and am assuming you are in the USA and yes there are a few good dealers left the largest and best is Software Hut, in guess where? Pennsylvania!
Yes with Kickstart 2.0x there is a software compatibility issue with older games, so you are better off with Kickstart 1.3, or if you want you can get a Kickstart switcher too.
Thanks! I have ordered 1 of each set of those Kickstart ROMS (for good measure) and will work with the 1.3's for good measure to start with. Later if I determine I can get certain games working without problems i will put in the 2.04 or 2.05 chips. I figure they can also act as backups in case of issues.
Are Kickstart Switchers hardware toggles I assume? What level of expertise would be required to install one in the A2000?
My thanks for your detailed reply. That helps a lot.
Lyman
P.S. Yes, correct, I am in the U.S. (North Carolina). I really didn't know if you meant that there were actual local stores that would carry Amigas, I was at least somewhat familiar with Software Hut's existence, nice to know though that they had what I wanted.
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lymang wrote:
Are Kickstart Switchers hardware toggles I assume? What level of expertise would be required to install one in the A2000?
It's no harder than installing the Kickstart ROM. You just put the ROM(s) on the switcher, and plug the switcher into the original ROM socket. There's usually either a switch to install (for manually switching) or a jumper to another chip (for keyboard control).
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I saw a 3.1 at ebay netherlands. But i don't know if it works on an A2000. There is written that it's for an A4000. At the moment it's at € 2,22.
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If its for A4000 than its not for A2000. Vesalia has A500/A2000/A600 version of KS3.1
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@lymang:
If you are going for anything more recent than kick1.3, get yourself kick3.1. It is more compatible and faster compared to 2.04.
Also if you want to use your network-card , you will need atleast kick2.04 as there are no available tcp/ip-stacks that works under 1.3 except a never publically released version of the obsolete as225.
Kick2.04 and above is a _big_ step from kick1.3, more or less a total overhaul of everything and many applications require will require atleast kick2.04. You can find info about different versions here (http://www.gregdonner.org/workbench/).
In other words I would recommend that you go for 3.1 directly. The few games that doesnt work, you can install with WHDLoad (http://www.whdload.de).
/Patrik
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Agreed - 3.1 is much better and WHDLoad is EXCELLENT and will solve most of your game incompatability problems.
moto
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If you have enough RAM, try softkicking 3.1, it should speed up things as RAM is faster than ROM.
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orange wrote:
If you have enough RAM, try softkicking 3.1
...if you own the 3.1 ROM chip already...
--
moto
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patrik wrote:
@lymang:
If you are going for anything more recent than kick1.3, get yourself kick3.1. It is more compatible and faster compared to 2.04.
Also if you want to use your network-card , you will need atleast kick2.04 as there are no available tcp/ip-stacks that works under 1.3 except a never publically released version of the obsolete as225.
Kick2.04 and above is a _big_ step from kick1.3, more or less a total overhaul of everything and many applications require will require atleast kick2.04. You can find info about different versions here (http://www.gregdonner.org/workbench/).
In other words I would recommend that you go for 3.1 directly. The few games that doesnt work, you can install with WHDLoad (http://www.whdload.de).
/Patrik
Hm. That's all well and good, but now I will need to find a source for Kickstart 3.1 ROMS as Software hut didn't have more than 2.0.5 as far as I could see. For the moment I'm going to go with baby steps. I would like to get that Kickstart switcher mentioned earlier in the thread as that would probably be nice to have. I guess I'll have to hunt around some.
Thanks for the information!
Lyman
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..or have Amiga Forever
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My solution to this problem was a set of 3.1 ROMs from a trashed 2000 on eBay, plus a ROM switcher. Mine works by holding CTRL-A-A for a few seconds, which toggles between the two ROMs.
Having said this, WHDLoad is so good that it's rarely been necessary for me to use the 1.3 ROMs at all. For example, I can now play Archon (my favorite game since my Atari 800 days) on 3.1 ROMs with my 030 running, and the commercial release of the game never ran on anything but KS1.2.
You do need an image of the KS1.3 ROM to play a lot of the WHDLoad games, but since I had the actual ROM, this was easy. ;-)
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ErrethAkbe wrote:
My solution to this problem was a set of 3.1 ROMs from a trashed 2000 on eBay, plus a ROM switcher. Mine works by holding CTRL-A-A for a few seconds, which toggles between the two ROMs.
Having said this, WHDLoad is so good that it's rarely been necessary for me to use the 1.3 ROMs at all. For example, I can now play Archon (my favorite game since my Atari 800 days) on 3.1 ROMs with my 030 running, and the commercial release of the game never ran on anything but KS1.2.
You do need an image of the KS1.3 ROM to play a lot of the WHDLoad games, but since I had the actual ROM, this was easy. ;-)
OK, I have done due diligence now and searched the web for a "kickstart switcher" and been unable to find one for sale anywhere (eBay or on the Amiga vendors I have bookmarked).
I can see references for what they look like and what they do on Amiga hardware reference sites but nothing current.
Can anyone point me at a place to get one or plans to build one?
I also am now searching for these 3.1 ROMS. It looks like I may have found a place to purchase them.
Lyman
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As far as playing disk based games, I seem to remember that 3.1 is more compatible than 2.0x ROMs. Anyone care to share their experiences?
I was just playing with a A600 I just got fixed and could hardly get any old A500 games to load with its 2.05 ROM! I actually ended up installed a softkicker to kick back to 1.3 for games, that might be another option to a ROM switcher. I can send you the files.
But anyhow if want to play games, and network your Amiga to fiddle online, etc. I, like others already, highly recommend a Kickstart 3.1 ROM. The A500/600/2000 ROM is the same. Software Hut has them I believe. Being an American I would steer clear from Vesalia, unless you want problems or your order canceled for no reason. I hear AmigaKit is pretty good too, so they might help you out.
Remember, you can always use WHDLoad to play all the great games! It is great to be able to play any game then quit right back to WB and continue surfing! I would download games from back2roots and unarc them to RAM:, play to test them out and then quit right back to WB and download another! Truly cool to be able to do that don't you think? :banana:
Other notes, I would get a '030 card with fast RAM to speed things up but for now a '000 is fine. Just make sure you have like 2MB+ of Fast RAM in either case as WB runs better with it. The stock 1MB Chip is not enough to use WB for stuff like networking and WHDload gaming.
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@Lyman
Check with Software Hut. I had inquired about one a while ago and more recently recieved an email saying they had (at least) one in stock.
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I would rather get a pair of ks3.1 roms + an updated workbench. Unless you run some games/software that has compitability issues with 3.x?
I personally swapped my a500 kick1.3 roms with some 2.x and i would say that 95% of my games works just fine, with the exception of some very few titles.
The increased funcionality of wb2.x was definitely worth the very small sacrifice in compitability in my opinion.
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OK, I have done due diligence now and searched the web for a "kickstart switcher" and been unable to find one for sale anywhere (eBay or on the Amiga vendors I have bookmarked).
I can see references for what they look like and what they do on Amiga hardware reference sites but nothing current.
Can anyone point me at a place to get one or plans to build one?
Software Hut shows a listing for a DKB MultiStart II switcher for $20, in their "refurbished Amiga hardware section" which is linked here. (http://www.softhut.com/cgi-bin/test/Web_store/web_store.cgi?page=daily_specials/refurbished_amiga_product.html&card_id=) This is what I am using. Works great! I got mine off eBay for about the same price.
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OK, Software Hut sent me KS 1.3, 2.04 and 2.05 (they were cheap enough I just decided to get all of them in case).
I have put in the KS1.3 ROMS as a start, and that upgrade seems to have gone flawlessly. Now I want to get the accelerator and harddrive in and working. Once I have that scenario good I'll think about going to 2.05 but I want to change variables slowly. I may eventually move to the 3.1 ROMS. At this time it's all unknown territory so I'll take it slow.
There was a dead spider under the Kickstart 1.2 chip. :-)
I note that the two hardware reference sites for the Amiga I looked at didn't have pictures of the Kickstart 1.2 chip, OR pictures of my A2000's motherboard.
Would it be of some use to take pictures of at the least the kickstart chip and send it to them?
Lyman
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I have put in the KS1.3 ROMS as a start, and that upgrade seems to have gone flawlessly. Now I want to get the accelerator and harddrive in and working.
Check the prerequisites of the accelerator first. From my experiences with WinUAE Kick 1.3 does not run on anything else than a 68000 or perhaps a 68010. So you should consider first to upgrade to Kick 2.0 and then add the accelerator.
Bye,
Thomas
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mostly people complain that accelerators (like a2630) don't work with KS3.1 and need their ROM upgrade.
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Thomas wrote:
Check the prerequisites of the accelerator first. From my experiences with WinUAE Kick 1.3 does not run on anything else than a 68000 or perhaps a 68010. So you should consider first to upgrade to Kick 2.0 and then add the accelerator.
Bye,
Thomas
Well I can't say 100% until I try it but I'm pretty certain this GVP accelerator works with 1.3. The seller made note specifically when I bought it that the hard drive had a Bootable hard drive with WB 1.3 on it and I would need KS 1.3 at least. I figured I'd start there because of that.
Hopefully I'll figure it out tonight!
Lyman
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At this time I would stear away from upgrading to KS 2.x and when you are ready move to 3.1. It is a lot better and more compatible with old A500 games. I have an extra ROM if anyone needs one.
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Speaking of Amiga dealers, I haven't seen Compuquick mentioned. They're in Columbus, OH, and I've been up there a couple times to buy stuff. Good guys from what I can see.
http://www.compuquick-amigadirect.com
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orange wrote:
mostly people complain that accelerators (like a2630) don't work with KS3.1 and need their ROM upgrade.
After re-reading your post ... you are correct :-D
The A2620 and A2630 cards require the ver. 7 roms to
work with 2.xx and above roms.
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I'd go for KS3.x as well.
WHDLoad has the ability to soft kick to a 1.3. It's uses a ROM dump so 9/10 times it works.
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lymang wrote:
Can anyone point me at a place to get one or plans to build one?
Aminet has at least three sets of plans (http://aminet.net/search.php?query=kickstart+switcher) for kickstart switchers.
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Mark wrote:
Aminet has at least three sets of plans (http://aminet.net/search.php?query=kickstart+switcher) for kickstart switchers.
Mark,
Thanks!
To everyone else who has commented in this thread, my sincere thanks! I am going to start a new thread now that I've pretty much beat this one to death and extracted the info I need out of it, well that and I actually have the accelerator running so moving onto another stage of my questions... :-)
Lyman