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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: Dragster on July 08, 2007, 07:18:58 PM

Title: BlizzardPPC memory problem.
Post by: Dragster on July 08, 2007, 07:18:58 PM: Hello Folks,

got a little problem I noticed a few days ago. I have a Towered A1200 with BlizzardPPC (see signature)... it all started one day I did a soft reset C= + A + A key sequence, the machine did not boot again, instead it showed up a red screen (rom error). I use blizkick to map the rom to fast memory. Anyway, I removed everything, I have the machine barebones now, I just connected the floppy drive, copied blizkick to a flooppy disk and booted with it then I issued "blizkick *" from the CLI. Reboot is ok, but when I do a soft reset, I get the red screen. First thing I thougt was, ok , must be one of my SIMMS, so I removed one of them, and did my test again, turned the machine on and the problem seemed gone, so I turned it off again, replaced the simm with the one I had removed before on the same slot, tested again, problem still gone... hmmm.. weird, so I tried both SIMMs separately on the other memory slot of the board, and then I got the problem back again, with both simms, so it appears to be a problem on only one of the slots of the board, as a third test I put another simm (different size) on the non-problematic slot, everything went fine, I put it on the other slot and I got a red screen again.

Could it be a hardware (blizzppc mem controller) problem? Bad or false contact on that simm slot pins? :-?

Any suggestions will be welcome and greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

D.
Title: Re: BlizzardPPC memory problem.
Post by: keropi on July 08, 2007, 08:59:12 PM: I would try cleaning both simms and sockets...
also check the PSU, maybe it is aged and cannot deliver enough 5v for the ram...
Title: Re: BlizzardPPC memory problem.
Post by: CLS2086 on July 08, 2007, 09:10:40 PM: Try what Keropi said, and give us some news
Title: Re: BlizzardPPC memory problem.
Post by: Dragster on July 08, 2007, 09:13:27 PM: @Keropi

Thanks for your reply. Both simms are clean, I will try cleaning the simm sockets though,I don't think it's the simms being dusty or something as they both work on the other simm slot. As for the PSU, I bought it recently, it's a 400 watter ATX... if it were a bad PSU, I guess I would have the problem no matter what simm slot, don't you think?

Cheers,

D.
Title: Re: BlizzardPPC memory problem.
Post by: Dragster on July 08, 2007, 10:11:04 PM: Hi,

I cleaned the bppc memory sockets and even the simms with isopropyl alcohol, I dried everything, put everything back on, same result :-( I tried with another simm, still same result... :-(

any more suggestions?

Thanks in advance,

D.
Title: Re: BlizzardPPC memory problem.
Post by: Boot_WB on July 08, 2007, 10:15:25 PM: Quote

Dragster wrote:
Hi,

I cleaned the bppc memory sockets and even the simms with isopropyl alcohol, I dried everything, put everything back on, same result :-( I tried with another simm, still same result... :-(

any more suggestions?

Thanks in advance,

D.

Suggestions:

1) Try removing all other peripherals and just booting with only the BPPC attached.

2) Try the different settings in the BPPC config - such as slowing down the RAM timing to 70ns, and disabling ROM mapping.

Regards

Rich

EDIT: Never mind, just re-read your first post - I see you've already tried.

Note to self - learn to read.
Title: Re: BlizzardPPC memory problem.
Post by: Boot_WB on July 08, 2007, 10:17:47 PM: Does the machine work ok when you DON'T use Blizkick?
Title: Re: BlizzardPPC memory problem.
Post by: Dragster on July 08, 2007, 10:20:39 PM: @Boot_wb

hehe.. thanks for your reply, yes, I've already tried that... the machine works OK without blizkick or using blizkick and SIMM installed only on one specific SIMM slot on the board.
Title: Re: BlizzardPPC memory problem.
Post by: Boot_WB on July 08, 2007, 10:41:14 PM: Out of interest, which blizkick modules (if any) are you using?
Title: Re: BlizzardPPC memory problem.
Post by: Dragster on July 08, 2007, 11:08:15 PM: @Boot_wb

I'm using the simplest way to run blizkick on my tests, that is blizkick * which means to copy rom to fastmem without any patch/module.

In normal situation I run many modules with it, but I don't remember now exactly, I removed the HD. I'll reconnect the HD to see my blizkick command line and will let you know if interested.

regards,

D.
Title: Re: BlizzardPPC memory problem.
Post by: keropi on July 08, 2007, 11:59:30 PM: oh man, don't count on the 400W psu!

I have tried 4 atx psu's on my ppc/grex A4000, none could deliver enough 5v !!!! try with ur old PSU... if u see it working then u know the prob!
I have reverted to the original 4000 psu...
Title: Re: BlizzardPPC memory problem.
Post by: Akiko on July 09, 2007, 02:37:33 AM: I had the exact same problem last year but with my CSPPC. In the end turned out wasn't related to the CSPPC but something else failing on the 4000 mobo.
If you have another 1200 handy it might be worth checking out.
Title: Re: BlizzardPPC memory problem.
Post by: rkauer on July 09, 2007, 03:05:17 AM: With a multimeter u can measure the +5V line/rail.

Did u use a contact-spray cleaner?

If it suceeds, try to slightly PULL the SIMM contacts with a hook (?) -shapped-tool in onder to FORCE a good contact in the socket.

"We all live in yellow sub-routine, yellow sub-routine, yellow sub-routine." - Everybody singin' !
Title: Re: BlizzardPPC memory problem.
Post by: Dragster on July 09, 2007, 08:10:38 AM: @Akiko

Thanks for your reply and suggestion. I tried with another motherboard and I got exactly the same result, everything points to a problem on the blizzardppc board itself :-(

I'll try tomorrow with another PSU but... I really doubt it has something to do with that.

Thanks!

D.
Title: Re: BlizzardPPC memory problem.
Post by: Bamiga2002 on July 09, 2007, 10:04:13 AM: I was having the same problem a few years ago. If i kicked a ROM-file with BlizKick into memory, first boot would be ok but reset = red screen. I solved it by replacing the ROM-file with 'BlizKick *' so it just copies the onboard roms into memory (with modules ofcourse). It maybe a buggy PPC-card we have, because it worked earlier with the previous BlizKick-setup.
Title: Re: BlizzardPPC memory problem.
Post by: Dragster on July 09, 2007, 05:21:58 PM: @Bamiga2002

That's the problem I have, however it happens here even with Blizkick *, so it's not about compatibility problems of a module or such, but a problem with the copied ROM in RAM when the available fast memory is in one specific slot on the BPPC, I'm out of options/ideas, I guess I'm gonna have Jean Jacques B.(amigacenter) in France to have a look, it's quite expensive tho, around US$50 just for shipping, plus repair cost if needed plus shipping back...

I shouldn't complain, we all know Amiga=Expensive :-(

thanks!
Title: Re: BlizzardPPC memory problem.
Post by: Piru on July 09, 2007, 06:13:03 PM: Q: BlizKick seems to work properly on the 1st boot. On the next reboot I get red screen and/or system hangs/infinite reboots.

"A: ...

If you have a SCSI-kit or BlizzardPPC and only one SIMM module installed you might want to try swapping the slot the module is in or try adding 2nd SIMM. This could help. (thanks for the tip CISC!)"

That is: IIRC the BPPC MAPROM requires a memory module in the specific slot, or you'll get the red screen result. This is normal.
Title: Re: BlizzardPPC memory problem.
Post by: Dragster on July 09, 2007, 07:08:43 PM: @Piru

Thanks, finally we're getting somewhere! I had a 1260 and a SCSI KIT IV sometime and I remember you had to have the RAM in one of the slots for rom mapping to work, but I didn't know this was the same for the BlizzardPPC. Could anyone confirm this please?? Somebody with a PPC board?? Anyone? :-)

This makes me feel so much better, no need to spend extra $ and my BPPC is OK..

thanks!

D.
Title: Re: BlizzardPPC memory problem.
Post by: Bamiga2002 on July 11, 2007, 08:56:53 AM: OK, now i tested BlizKick with an A1200 ROM-file and it works! It was like Piru said: with memory on both SIMM-slots the red screen doesn't appear even if you reboot :-).
Title: Re: BlizzardPPC memory problem.
Post by: Dragster on July 11, 2007, 05:26:06 PM: @Bamiga2002

Hi, thanks for testing! So, if you try with only one simm connected on the most-angled memory slot of the BlizzardPPC, you get the red screen, right? If you move that SIMM to the other slot without adding another one, does it work fine?

Cheers,

D.
Title: Re: BlizzardPPC memory problem.
Post by: Bamiga2002 on July 12, 2007, 06:00:15 PM: Tested today:
With memory *ONLY* on SIMM slot 2 the BPPC gives red screen on 2nd boot.
Title: Re: BlizzardPPC memory problem.
Post by: Dragster on July 13, 2007, 12:15:46 AM: @Bamiga2002

Thanks for the confirmation! Phew, saved a few bucks :-)

Thread closed! :-D

Regards,

D.