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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: Gavilan on February 17, 2009, 04:34:48 PM

Title: Strange PPC card behaviour
Post by: Gavilan on February 17, 2009, 04:34:48 PM

Hi guys: i need help on this issue, so any tips, hints, advices will be much appreciatted by me!!

This is the story: i have a BPPC card on my A1200. The card IS working, since i can run a lot of PPC only demos and stuff that is "PPC only".

Odd thing is that the card is not seen on the Early Startup Menu. That is, i see NOTHING, not even a "Working" or "Non Working" or "Defective" message. It is like if there was no card at all.

Memory put in the card (64 MB) is seen on the WB screen, and i have been able to play very intense games like Wipeout 2097, Napalm, ADoom, to name just a few with not even a single problem (i also have a BVision card as well)

What i would like to know is if there is a way to flash again the card, to return it to its "original" state or doing something like a "short circuit" somewhere, so the card comes back to the original firmware it had.

I suspect it has something to do with that, because if i try to update firmware, i get a message saying "No card found", which seems obvious to me since the card is not seen on the Early Startup Menu...

Maybe by returning the card somewhere, i dont know how or if its even possible, to its original firmware i will be then able to "see" the card on the ESM of the machine and maybe do a firmware upgrade later???

I repeat: i can do a lot of PPC only thing on my machine, but neither Which Amiga or any other program shows anything, its like a ghost board!!!!  :-D

Thanks in advance

Sebastian

Title: Re: Strange PPC card behaviour
Post by: jj on February 17, 2009, 04:50:42 PM

Is there not a force switch on the flashing program.

You then tell it what proc and speed it is  and it should work.

Title: Re: Strange PPC card behaviour
Post by: Gavilan on February 17, 2009, 05:02:36 PM

Sorry....dont understand what you said...

  :-(

Title: Re: Strange PPC card behaviour
Post by: motorollin on February 17, 2009, 06:25:15 PM

I think he means you might be able to force the firmware to flash even if the software can't detect that the card is attached.

--
moto

Title: Re: Strange PPC card behaviour
Post by: Gavilan on February 17, 2009, 06:40:43 PM

Hi Mark my friend!!
 :-D
Well, o would love to "force" the update program, but dont know how, since i can only press "return" when im ready to do the update..

I cant see how to force the program to make the update..

anyone? Maybe DJBase??

Title: Re: Strange PPC card behaviour
Post by: ddniUK on February 17, 2009, 06:50:26 PM

check my answer to your thread over on EAB

Title: Re: Strange PPC card behaviour
Post by: doctorq on February 17, 2009, 08:07:34 PM

Quote

I cant see how to force the program to make the update..

It's written in the docs. When you load the flash update you add the speed (for instance 160 force), so your command line goes BlizzPPC00x0Update 160 force for a 160 MHz PPC board.

READ THE DOCS. There is a disclaimer in there, if you do the update based on this post and you break the card; though luck.

Title: Re: Strange PPC card behaviour
Post by: Gavilan on February 17, 2009, 10:46:17 PM

Ok.

I have read carefully all docs.
I came to a point where im trapped.

After i power on the machine, i go into Early Startup Menu, disable all HD, and boot with NO Startup-Sequence.

A few seconds later, i have the "Insert disk" purple screen

So, what to do next?????
Do i have to boot with a WB disk, and then swap it and use the disk in where i have the firmware update??

Please help!!!!!

 :-?  :-?  :-?

Title: Re: Strange PPC card behaviour
Post by: Dragster on February 17, 2009, 10:50:54 PM

@Gavilan

Of course. You have to format a floppy disk, copy the software (blizzppcupdate or whatever is called) to the floppy disk, make the floppy bootable using the install command (install df0:), then reboot... enter to early startup, disable your hard drives (all partitions), insert the floppy disk in your DF0:, boot with no startup sequence and execute the program once on the CLI with the options you've been told before (force and such). That's it.

Hope that helps,

Dragster

Title: Re: Strange PPC card behaviour
Post by: bloodline on February 18, 2009, 12:02:56 AM

I don't understand. The board works fine... Do nothing, just enjoy it! If you are getting output from the BVision, you really have nothing to worry about!

Title: Re: Strange PPC card behaviour
Post by: Gavilan on February 18, 2009, 12:17:59 AM

Guys, you have just made me so so happy!!!

It was all a loose end on the connection between the HDD and the mobo, thats why the purple screen was there....

I reseated everything and i flashed and updated the card...

Now the card is seen in the Early Startup Menu, SysInfo shows the card as been a 040-25 with 175 mhz....i couldnt be any more happy!!

Thank you ALL you guys who gave me ideas and suggestions!

Now i have a FULL PPC card working 100%!!!!

Thanks , again

Sebastian  :-D  :-D  :-D  :-D  :-D  :-D