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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: Tryphon on March 30, 2008, 05:18:25 PM

Title: Vortex GoldenGate 486slc on A2000 rev. 6.2
Post by: Tryphon on March 30, 2008, 05:18:25 PM: Hi,

I am trying this bridgeboard with my A2000.
The digger and setup program freeze and I have to reboot.
It is the same thing with or without a 10 nF capacitor on the pins 12 and 14 of the 68000 CPU. I do not know if the capacitor voltage is important to consider.

The ShowConfig program returns :
Board + ROM (HD?) (unidentified): Prod=8215/9 ($2017/$9) (@$400000 1 meg)
Board + ROM (HD?) (unidentified): Prod=2017/22 ($7E1/$16) (@$F00000 8 meg)

The GG INFO command returns :
Golden Gate system information:
Machine-Type : A2000
Current version : 1.31
SCAT-SX version : 1.04
Pylon Birthday : 02/03/94 09:11:19
Frame-Base : 400000H
Frame-Size : 1024 kB
Local-RAM : 16128 kB
Ram-expansion disabled

I do not really understand why the ShowConfig command says that this board is unidentified.
Could we say that board is in good condition looking at these informations ?

Owner of this board, what informations do you have with ShowConfig and GG INFO ?

Which kind of memory do you use ?

I have noticed that GG INFO command freezes the Amiga when there no memory installed on the GoldenGate card.

Your help will be well appreciated.

Thank you.
Title: Re: Vortex GoldenGate 486slc on A2000 rev. 6.2
Post by: keropi on March 30, 2008, 05:31:13 PM: maybe you have reached the 8MB ram limit of zorroII...
what kind of cards you have ? any ramboard?
Title: Re: Vortex GoldenGate 486slc on A2000 rev. 6.2
Post by: Tryphon on March 30, 2008, 05:40:37 PM: Well, I have read something about that but I only have fast ram on a TekMagic 68060.

My config is:
A2000 rev. 6.2
TekMagic 68060 + 128 Mb + two hard disks
Picasso II+
A2320 display enhancer
Ethernet card A2065
Golden Gate 486slc

Thank you.
Title: Re: Vortex GoldenGate 486slc on A2000 rev. 6.2
Post by: Jeff on March 30, 2008, 06:01:38 PM: Have you tried turning off all of the 060 CPU caches before running the GG software? Keropi has a small batch file that does this and launches the software. Also, the manual states that the Vortex GG board REQUIRES parity (9) chip SIMMs to operate properly, although I have had mine running with 8 chip ones.

Perhaps trying a different Zorro slot might help. My Vortex will only run in my 4000 in the top slot. I never could get it running in my 2000, although I didn't really spend that much time trying.

Good Luck,
-Jeff
Title: Re: Vortex GoldenGate 486slc on A2000 rev. 6.2
Post by: Tryphon on March 30, 2008, 06:41:14 PM: Thank you for this help. Unfortunatly, I do not have the manual. I have tried to disable my TekMagic (Amiga with the 68000 only) without more results. No more chance with other Zorro slot. I have several sets of 30 pins memory. I am going to try all what I own.

Meanwhile, I can receive any other informations.
Title: Re: Vortex GoldenGate 486slc on A2000 rev. 6.2
Post by: Tahoe on March 31, 2008, 07:47:09 AM: Do you have the 68000 adapter you need for the A2000?
Title: Re: Vortex GoldenGate 486slc on A2000 rev. 6.2
Post by: keropi on March 31, 2008, 08:12:08 AM: the adapter is not needed when u use the 060 , I use it on my csppc060 amiga too... just disable all cpu caches and then launch the gg program...
Title: Re: Vortex GoldenGate 486slc on A2000 rev. 6.2
Post by: Tryphon on April 05, 2008, 05:37:52 PM: Thank you for these advises.
I have tried two sets of 9 chips memories. GG program freezes after turning on the green LED on the GoldenGate board.
I have used the CPU NOCACHE with the 68060 and the 68000 and the issue is the same : Amiga freezes. Sometimes I have this message box :
DIGGER Program failed (error #80000003h)

Could you tell me what jumper setting do you have on your board ?
Title: Re: Vortex GoldenGate 486slc on A2000 rev. 6.2
Post by: mongo on April 05, 2008, 06:00:20 PM: Quote

Tryphon wrote:
Well, I have read something about that but I only have fast ram on a TekMagic 68060.

My config is:
A2000 rev. 6.2
TekMagic 68060 + 128 Mb + two hard disks
Picasso II+
A2320 display enhancer
Ethernet card A2065
Golden Gate 486slc

Thank you.

2MB of the 8MB Zorro II limit is used up by your Picasso II+.
Title: Re: Vortex GoldenGate 486slc on A2000 rev. 6.2
Post by: Tryphon on April 05, 2008, 08:52:52 PM: I have taken away the Picasso card. But the freezing is still there.

I am waiting for the Keropi' jumper settings.

Any other advise are welcome.
Title: Re: Vortex GoldenGate 486slc on A2000 rev. 6.2
Post by: Tryphon on April 06, 2008, 01:48:58 AM: I continue to try ...

Only once, with the Digger program, I have obtained a yellow guru meditation style message :

GoldenGate Loader reports Error : 90
Diagnosis : cannot coldboot goldengate (no busactivity)

If someone have a troubleshouting section in his manual, may I have more information ?

I am quite afraid about the health of this card ...
Title: Re: Vortex GoldenGate 486slc on A2000 rev. 6.2
Post by: Jeff on April 06, 2008, 03:18:56 AM: There is a picture of mine in the gallery if it will help, it was taken before I had gotten the proper ram for it. Perhaps you can see the jumpers. I don't remember having to change any though.

Vortex 486 (http://www.amiga.org/gallery/index.php?n=2300)

I can send you the manual but the only one I have is all in German:-(

-Jeff
Title: Re: Vortex GoldenGate 486slc on A2000 rev. 6.2
Post by: Tryphon on April 06, 2008, 03:36:53 PM: Yes, Jeff, your manual could help me, thank you.

Thank you for this picture. Jumper settings was good.

At the left down corner, I see something strange : one resistor is missing (just in front of the U10 chip).

I do not really know what to do now.
Title: Re: Vortex GoldenGate 486slc on A2000 rev. 6.2
Post by: Jeff on April 06, 2008, 04:36:14 PM: I sent the manual to your gmail address. It's about a 10 meg .lha file. Let me know if you have any problems getting it.

[EDIT] BTW Does anyone have the English version of the Vortex Bridgeboard manual available to scan in? It seems to be very rare if it exists at all.

-Jeff
Title: Re: Vortex GoldenGate 486slc on A2000 rev. 6.2
Post by: Tryphon on April 06, 2008, 09:02:06 PM: Thank you again. Nethertheless error 90 is not documented.

I mentionned a missing resistor. I think it is a capacitor. I do not know if there is a way to have its specifications.
Title: Re: Vortex GoldenGate 486slc on A2000 rev. 6.2
Post by: Tahoe on April 06, 2008, 09:32:05 PM: Quote

Jeff wrote:
[EDIT] BTW Does anyone have the English version of the Vortex Bridgeboard manual available to scan in? It seems to be very rare if it exists at all.

Yes, I have an English Manual. When I have time I'll scan it, however it's 115 pages :-o
Title: Re: Vortex GoldenGate 486slc on A2000 rev. 6.2
Post by: keropi on April 06, 2008, 09:44:13 PM: yes, had 2 eng manuals... kept one, the other went with the gg386 I sold...
all those symptoms indicate a DEAD gg card :(
Title: Re: Vortex GoldenGate 486slc on A2000 rev. 6.2
Post by: Jeff on April 06, 2008, 11:14:45 PM: Two more ideas before you rule the card out as dead. First try it in an A3000 or A4000 in the top slot if possible. Secondly and I'm not sure if this will help, but there is a patch that you can make to the 2000 to improve DMA issues with HD controllers and accelerators. It is simple and only involves installing a 1K pull-up resistor across pins 11 and 20 of U605 on the A2000 motherboard.

Short of that I am about out of ideas. I would be happy to test the board in one of my systems if you want to cover the postage both ways to the USA. Perhaps someone local to you can test it in another machine if you don't have one.

Good Luck,
-Jeff
Title: Re: Vortex GoldenGate 486slc on A2000 rev. 6.2
Post by: Tryphon on April 07, 2008, 03:30:50 AM: Keropi, Jeff, I am quite happy to have your help.

Sure I will try with the resistor. I leave my Amiga during the week. Next week-end I will decide what I am doing with this card : ask a refund or test it in your Amiga (I do not have an Amiga 3000 or 4000 and no friend who have it).

Thank you.
Title: Re: Vortex GoldenGate 486slc on A2000 rev. 6.2
Post by: keropi on April 07, 2008, 06:32:33 AM: A gg486 was doing the same to me , and was dead... amiga saw it as working, and when digger tried to use it, the green light would not turn on, or it would turn on and nag about that it could not reset the card IIRC... I sent it to JJB in France, he replaced some stuff that where dead, but still it did not work...