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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: Astral on August 03, 2008, 01:29:46 AM

Title: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why? - ALL SORTED
Post by: Astral on August 03, 2008, 01:29:46 AM
I've done a fresh install of OS3.9 on my A1200. I have a BlizzardPPC card with 256Mb Fast RAM.

OS3.9 boots with only about 8000bytes of chip mem left - meaning nothing can really be opened. The only extra software on top of this fresh OS3.9 install is the FASTATAMk-III driver.

I seem to remember a "use fast mem first" type of command, but can't find anything like it. I've installed OS3.9 before and not had this issue...
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: Nearly-Right on August 03, 2008, 01:43:40 AM
I think you are looking for the Prefs drawer and mean the "Workbench Prefs" settings which allows you to use Other Memory (FAST-RAM) for graphics loading in preference to Chip-RAM, but if you have gone to all that expense with a PPC card you might as well get a GFX card to see it in 24/32 bit colour, don't you think ;-)
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: jmbattle on August 03, 2008, 01:52:13 AM
If you do not have a graphics card, the OS will use chip memory for storing images.  So if you use a large resolution with lots of colours (arguably impossible under AGA), a colourful wallpaper, PNG icons, and a snazzy VisualPrefs theme, you may find the amount of chip memory reduced considerably.

8000 bytes remaining is rather excessive however - that sounds more like the processor memory is not being used at all for any tasks.

I would recommend using FBlit, which should improve the speed of graphics redraws, while also forcing any graphics related tasks to use fast memory (where possible).

Cheers,
James
x
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: zipper on August 03, 2008, 10:58:21 AM
you could use http://main.aminet.net/pub/aminet/util/boot/startmem.lha
it shows where your memory is consumed during boot.
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: Lemmink on August 03, 2008, 12:26:37 PM
Simply go to prefs -> workbench for store graphics in : select "other memory"
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: weirdami on August 03, 2008, 02:05:43 PM
I wonder if the 2MB chip RAM limit is becoming the Amiga equivalent to the 64KB limit on IBM's. So, choosing "other memory" is like using "extended memory".  :cry:
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: Astral on August 20, 2008, 10:37:20 AM
Still having issues with this. The program chewing all the chip mem is the FastATA MkIII driver. With the driver not running I have around 1,900,000bytes of chip mem. Once the ATA driver is run I have about 9000 bytes left. I've tried all kinds of "use fast mem first" settings in workbench and with countless aminet patches, along the lines of those recommended.

Surely I can't be the only one with this problem, and the solution can't really be that hard. Is there a syntax I can add to the ATA driver command when first running it that'll force it to use fast mem? Any more suggestions?
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: TiredOLife on August 20, 2008, 11:07:48 AM
How big is your hard drive and how many partitions do you have?
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: Astral on August 20, 2008, 11:27:03 AM
Main HD 4g/3 partitions. Secondary drive 40g/2 partitions. 1 dvd burner as well. I don't consider this excessive...
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: TiredOLife on August 20, 2008, 12:43:05 PM
No, I agree, you should be fine with that.
I assume you are using the latest FastATA drivers?
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: Astral on August 21, 2008, 10:32:26 AM
The unit is only about 3 weeks old and I'm using the software that came with it. To double check, where can the latest drivers be gained from?
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: krize on August 21, 2008, 02:09:11 PM
From Elbox, I think you have to mail them or be on the mailing list.. (or someone on irc or here who will help you :))
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: Astral on August 23, 2008, 12:34:04 AM
I've checked. I am using the latest drivers. Any other suggestions. I might email elbox to see what they say?
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: x303 on August 23, 2008, 05:49:14 PM
Maybe you can decrease the buffersize for each partition to 100-150 or so. If they're set too high, it eats loooots of mem too. And turn off programs like mem or mem32 and so. Hope this solution works.

[color=ff0000]x303[/color] :-D  :-D  :-D
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: yogisumo on August 23, 2008, 09:29:43 PM
Quote

weirdami wrote:
I wonder if the 2MB chip RAM limit is becoming the Amiga equivalent to the 64KB limit on IBM's. So, choosing "other memory" is like using "extended memory".  :cry:



Don't think so..  Chip ram is more like the equivalent of vram on your gfx card that you can also use for regular procesing if you don't have any other ram...
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: Astral on August 24, 2008, 01:28:49 PM
@x303 - that was it - thankyou. The buffers were set at 600 units for the partitions. I read the OS3.9 manual which recommends 30-50 buffers per partition. I changed the values, rebooted, and volia...1.8Mb of chip mem free...
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: Piru on August 24, 2008, 01:39:17 PM
No, it really is not sorted. In fact, there is something horribly wrong: Currently the filesystem buffers go to chip memory. That is horrible waste and it slows down disk accesses a lot.

It would be interesting to know what the bufmemtype is set to.
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: Astral on August 24, 2008, 01:51:52 PM
The buffmemtype is set to "512".
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: Astral on August 24, 2008, 02:02:13 PM
Just did a net search. Is the following correct...bufmemtype 0,1=Any, 2,3=Chip, 4,5=Fast RAM?
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: Astral on August 24, 2008, 02:31:54 PM
Changed the bufmemtype for all partitions to 5. There is now 2,02x,xxx bytes of chip mem on startup, which is about 1.9xmb. There is a bit of speed up as well.

Thanks Piru...
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: Piru on August 24, 2008, 03:02:47 PM
Excellent, now it's really solved :-)

Now you can add more buffers for those partitions, too, as it will now use the fastmem (which you have plenty).
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: kreciu on August 25, 2008, 02:21:34 PM
Anybody can tell me where I can find a mountlist for particular partition? So I can edit it (the same like for the ZIP or CD mountlist?) Where is it?

Thank you!
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: Kin-Hell on September 07, 2008, 08:02:38 PM
Quote

Astral wrote:
Changed the bufmemtype for all partitions to 5. There is now 2,02x,xxx bytes of chip mem on startup, which is about 1.9xmb. There is a bit of speed up as well.

Thanks Piru...


Where "Exactly" did you change all the Partitions bufmemtype value to 5?
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: Astral on September 08, 2008, 12:12:01 PM
Quote

Kin-Hell wrote:
Where "Exactly" did you change all the Partitions bufmemtype value to 5?


I'd have to bootup to verify "exactly" where it was done. From memory it was in OS4, using Partition Wizard, in the Partition Details section...or something along those lines. OS3.9 would probably have a similar section in HDToolBox. See how you go with this...I can always look a bit further for you if you need...
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: orange on September 08, 2008, 01:00:42 PM
I don't recall that in HDToolBox, is it maybe DMAMask?
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: kreciu on September 08, 2008, 04:06:23 PM
Quote

Kin-Hell wrote:

Where "Exactly" did you change all the Partitions bufmemtype value to 5?


I have EXACTLY the same question (I even open topic for that...), and I didn't get explanation even after asking on PM :(.

I really would like to change that for ma HDD. PLEASE.

I looked in HDToolBox inside and out... nothing.
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: Kin-Hell on September 08, 2008, 09:33:37 PM
Quote

Astral wrote:
Quote

Kin-Hell wrote:
Where "Exactly" did you change all the Partitions bufmemtype value to 5?


I'd have to bootup to verify "exactly" where it was done. From memory it was in OS4, using Partition Wizard, in the Partition Details section...or something along those lines. OS3.9 would probably have a similar section in HDToolBox. See how you go with this...I can always look a bit further for you if you need...


...But your Post Title say OS3.9, not OS4.0??

Where in OS3.9 HDToolBox ??

Chip Mem is not even in the equation under OS4.

Your post is starting to sound like a right pile of Bullsh!t!

Can you clear this up please, for all or sakes!! :-?
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: kreciu on September 08, 2008, 11:25:59 PM
Quote

Kin-Hell wrote:

Your post is starting to sound like a right pile of Bullsh!t!

Can you clear this up please, for all or sakes!! :-?


You got this impresion to?

I see some posts, like: Two guys talks to each other... One have a problem... other is "trying" to solve it. After 8-10 post "problem is solved" so I ask... about the same.

But I will newer get the answer for this problem "they just solved it". Is it a secret or something?  :-?
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: kreciu on September 08, 2008, 11:27:13 PM
Quote

Astral wrote:
Changed the bufmemtype for all partitions to 5. There is now 2,02x,xxx bytes of chip mem on startup, which is about 1.9xmb. There is a bit of speed up as well.

Thanks Piru...


ASTRAL can you write HOW did you do that? I'm waiting here like 10 days for that.

Magic?
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: Astral on September 09, 2008, 11:14:47 AM
You're all right, this thread is all part of a big conspiracy  :roll:

"Exactly" how I changed the bufmemtype is like this: Using OS4, running Media Toolbox, I selected the hard drive I wished to edit. I clicked on "Edit Partitions and Filesystems". I selected the first partition and clicked on "Select Filesystem/Edit Details". I then changed the "bufmemtype" to 5. I then selected the remaining 2 partitions and changed the "bufmemtype" in the same way. I then saved the config and closed the program. I then rebooted into OS3.9 to have the lost chip mem back.

I think the problem I had can be traced back to setting up the partitions using OS4, not OS3.9. When I have setup partitions in the past using OS3.9 I haven't had any memory issues. However, prior to installing OS3.9 this time, the partitions were setup using OS4. It looks like OS4 by default sets the bufmemtype to a setting that is not ideal - that is to use chip mem for the buffers. I'd say that OS3.9 by default sets that bufmemtype to 5, which is fast memory, which is ideal...and hence there shouldn't be a problem and hence need to attempt to change the bufmemtype if partitions are setup under OS3.9.

I just had a look a minute ago in HDToolBox under OS3.9. I looked around and found no similar field to bufmemtype. Is it changeable using OS3.9? I don't know.

I have noticed the "bufmemtype" field in some mountlists before. I see no reason why this can't be edited to change the bufmemtype for a device with a mountlist.

I hope this helps...
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: Kin-Hell on September 11, 2008, 09:13:42 PM
Okay Astral, but at least have the decency to "Edit" your first post Title Please & State OS4.0 & not OS 3.9!

It will make things much cleaner across the rest of the Site & Internet.

Thanks for clarifying.  :lol:
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: Astral on September 11, 2008, 09:54:23 PM
Quote

Kin-Hell wrote:
Okay Astral, but at least have the decency to "Edit" your first post Title Please & State OS4.0 & not OS 3.9!


Why?

The problem I was having was with OS3.9 booting with very low chip mem, not OS4. The problem is now solved. The title reflects this. The thread contains the details of how it was solved.
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: Kin-Hell on September 11, 2008, 10:05:27 PM
{bleep} dude. Ure really asking for a friggin Drawing aint ya!

Look, your title to this thread says YOU are having ISSUES with LOW chipmem when booting in OS friggin' 3.9.

Now under OS friggin' 3.9, there ain't no friggin' option to set the memory mask.

...But,,,,under OS4.0,...there is!...... :idea:

So change the first post "title" of this thread (you can - "you" sarted it) or I'll get an Admin to!

Jeepers m8y! The whole site is hanging on this crap!  :-D

Meantime & I Quote:

Quote

Astral wrote:
Quote

Kin-Hell wrote:
Okay Astral, but at least have the decency to "Edit" your first post Title Please & State OS4.0 & not OS 3.9!


Why?

The problem I was having was with OS3.9 booting with very low chip mem, not OS4. The problem is now solved. The title reflects this. The thread contains the details of how it was solved.


But Astral, We cant fuggin change the memtype in friggin' OS3.9!

er.....DOH!!

*edit* ....sh!t....Maybe this Hydron Collider cr4p is fuki'n things up more than we could ever know! :-D
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: Astral on September 12, 2008, 09:23:09 AM
@Kin-Hell

Mate - seriously - is the attitude necessary?

@Moderators

What do you believe is necessary to do to this thread?
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: Kin-Hell on September 12, 2008, 03:57:44 PM
& thats the problem with Forums.......
They lack the facial expressions to go with ones words....
Consequently, the wrong end of the stick is grabbed & being as you are now holding the {bleep}ty end, you get all defensive blaming someone like me to have an attitude. Having an attitude with ya wouldn't have got you Green Smileys, now would it!? :crazy:

A shame you can't tell a straight story or even have the decency to apologise to the readers in here for your misleading information. So misleading, it gets mentioned elsewhere on this forum in another thread, which also ends up as confounded as this.
My sense of humour couldn't even meet you part way with half an apology. You have been asked several times about this matter & just talked rubbish until you clarified it was OS4 & not OS3.9.

....So change the friggin' Thread Title & Laugh ffs!
It'll save the Mods having to Torch it! :-D

   
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: bigmac on September 12, 2008, 04:33:00 PM
@ Kin-Hell

  Watch it matey your sounding very pedantic in your old age. :-D Next time I,m over your way we should have a few ambers together. Astral's allright mate probably to lazy to change the title so just settle down or I,ll get the feather duster on to you di yeh hear! Its nice to see you've still got your sense of humour matey unlike some plonkers on this board cheers and all the best. :crazy:
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: Framiga on September 12, 2008, 07:15:36 PM
i don't get why he MUST change the title!

He got low chipmem problems under AmigaOS3.9, fixed then using AOS4 MediaToolbox.

The interesting thing should be how the hell he had bufmemetype at 256, at first place!
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: Astral on September 13, 2008, 12:29:17 AM
@Kin-Hell

What do you suggest the title be changed to?
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: Astral on September 13, 2008, 12:32:55 AM
Quote

Framiga wrote:

The interesting thing should be how the hell he had bufmemetype at 256, at first place!


The reason is mentioned in a previous post of mine in this thread.
Title: Re: OS3.9 boots with very low chip mem left - why?
Post by: Kin-Hell on September 13, 2008, 09:24:28 AM
Quote

bigmac wrote:
@ Kin-Hell

  Watch it matey your sounding very pedantic in your old age. :-D


Sh1t matey, does it show! :lol:

@ Astral

I don't know what you should change the Thread Title to tbh.
OS4 boots with very low chip mem left could be just as bad tbh. OS4.0 only sees & uses the Fast Ram on the PPC board so whaddya do aside from  get your sheila to go to the fridge & get you another cold one!  :-?