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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Software Issues and Discussion => Topic started by: curtis on March 17, 2010, 12:46:44 AM
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Okay, I"ve got an A2000 with 8 Mb RAM, a Buddha Flash Phoenix IDE controller with an A2386SX bridgeboard and I'm trying to install the Janus software to access the bridgeboard.
It goes through the process and installs all the software, but when I reboot and try to run PCPrefs, it states, "Cannot open Janus.Library."
I've tried a couple of different Amiga Janus disks I have laying around and get the same thing.
I even tried installing without the bridgeboard installed. Software grumbled about that, but installed, but same result.
From what I've researched here in this forum, I noticed that Janus is picky about the hard drive controller it works with. True/False? Is that what I'm dealing with here?
If Janus doesn't like Buddha (picture in mind is humourous!) any suggestions as to what drive controller WILL work?
Any other suggestions? PLEASE!!!!!
Curtis
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Can't run a BB with all 8mb of Zorro II space full, I think 6mb is the max ZII RAM you can be using.
..not that I had too much luck with my bridgeboard either way, but I did get it to boot once or twice.
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I *think* the Bridgeboard RAM is outside the Zorro 2 space, but I'm not certain.
Janus.library (and janus.library.info - very important!) goes in SYS:Expansion, and not Libs:. Is it in the correct place?
There are a few different versions of the Janus install disk floating around. Maybe try a newer one?
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Yup, janus.library is in the right spot.
I've tried 2 different versions. Actually 3, but one was WAY too old and puked all over itself.
And yes, the Bridgeboard RAM is dedicated to the bridgeboard, so it doesn't count, sort of...
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I'm just going by what I read in the Bridgeboard manual, unfortunately I can't find it online.
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Oh, just for S & G's I tried a GVP PC286 installer disk.
Won't be trying THAT again. Danged thing guru'd on me!
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I'm just going by what I read in the Bridgeboard manual, unfortunately I can't find it online.
Actually, I've got the A2386SX manual in front of me and was following it VERY carefully.
Even twiddled with the floppy settings to see if that would make a difference. NOT A BIT...
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Oh, just for S & G's I tried a GVP PC286 installer disk.
Won't be trying THAT again. Danged thing guru'd on me!
Yeah, that thing is completely different. Guru is expected :)
Been absolute ages since I've done anything with the Bridgeboard. Can you get into PCConfig, or whatever it's called (on the Amiga side)?
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Oops, I was thinking of the 286 bridgeboard.
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Yeah, that thing is completely different. Guru is expected :)
Been absolute ages since I've done anything with the Bridgeboard. Can you get into PCConfig, or whatever it's called (on the Amiga side)?
Nope, that's where I first get the Cannot open message. I'm trying to set up everything before I start up the PC side of the house.
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Yup, janus.library is in the right spot.
I've tried 2 different versions. Actually 3, but one was WAY too old and puked all over itself.
And yes, the Bridgeboard RAM is dedicated to the bridgeboard, so it doesn't count, sort of...
The bridgeboard still needs room in the Zorro II address space. You can NOT run 8MB of Zorro II ram with a bridgeboard. 6MB is the max.
http://www.l8r.net/technical/bridgeboard.html
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The bridgeboard still needs room in the Zorro II address space. You can NOT run 8MB of Zorro II ram with a bridgeboard. 6MB is the max.
http://www.l8r.net/technical/bridgeboard.html
I stand corrected :)
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Okay, I"ve got an A2000 with 8 Mb RAM, a Buddha Flash Phoenix IDE controller with an A2386SX bridgeboard and I'm trying to install the Janus software to access the bridgeboard.
Bridgeboard (of any kind) needs 2Mo of ZorroII address space, so with 8Mo of RAM, there is no space for it, and your bridgeboard is not seen by the janus.library .
The max you can is 6Mo of RAM (set jumpers on your ram card ?) and the bridgeboard.
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The bridgeboard still needs room in the Zorro II address space. You can NOT run 8MB of Zorro II ram with a bridgeboard. 6MB is the max.
http://www.l8r.net/technical/bridgeboard.html
Well, nuts! I remember that NOW! Guess when I get home, I'll have to pry out 2 Mb of RAM out of my board and see what happens.
Standby for further updates.
Thanks to everyone who responded.
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If you're still using the 8mb board you got from me, I think it has jumpers that'll let you set it to 6MB without pulling chips.
Don't quote me on that, though.
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If you're still using the 8mb board you got from me, I think it has jumpers that'll let you set it to 6MB without pulling chips.
Don't quote me on that, though.
OOPSSS!!! Didn't mean to quote you on that! : )
I'll check it and see.
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YES!!!!!
Only had to move one jumper to drop apparent memory down to 6Mb and booted up.
Heard several beeps which I had never heard before.
Clicked on PCPrefs and it came right up! Saved that and clicked on the color PC.
There is was just waiting for some sort of boot media!
Now to get the IDE controller in it, boot the DOS diskette, and install it on the IBM Microdisk. After that, I may tinker with putting Windows 95 on the disk and go from there.
Again, thanks to all the people who responded and help me jog the cobwebs of my memory. It definitely reaffirms my trust in most of the people in the Amiga community.
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The bridgeboard still needs room in the Zorro II address space. You can NOT run 8MB of Zorro II ram with a bridgeboard. 6MB is the max.
http://www.l8r.net/technical/bridgeboard.html
That link has some great information. However, when I tried to download the 2 ftp files, I ended up in virtual no-where land.
Anyone have those files? The info on upgrading the bridgeboard and the replacement Janus tools?
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Bridgeboard (of any kind) needs 2Mo of ZorroII address space, so with 8Mo of RAM, there is no space for it, and your bridgeboard is not seen by the janus.library .
The max you can is 6Mo of RAM (set jumpers on your ram card ?) and the bridgeboard.
Good lord. I've an 2386 and a 2088 I've never gotten to work, first in my a4000t fully memoried up, and now on my 8mb amiga 2000.
Can this drop in memory be done with software? Like isn't there a "no fast mem" tool with os3.1 that zeroes out everything but chip memory...?
If that works, dammit, I'm pulling those bad boys back out -- I've some dos archiving software I run, and if I can do it without my C= PC50 taking up desk space, all the better.
- Bo
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Can this drop in memory be done with software?
Nope. That's all "autoconfig" logic and hardware. Unless some of your RAM expansions offer a proprietary logic to have them disabled. (As, for example, a switch).
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Janus the 2 faced Greek God of gateways and doors looks to the past and future through a 2MB "window" of Zorro II address space; but does this make him a Voyeur?
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Bridgeboards can be quite useful with enough modifications. My main bridgeboard in my A4000 (CSPPC/060) has a Cyrix 486SLC/2 50MHz chip, with an ISA bus running at nearly 20MHz, I think it is (can't remember for sure, but it's way overclocked). Coupled with a fast EIDE card with a 4GB Disk-On-Module SSD, a good SVGA card and an ISA sound card (Yamaha OPL-3 I think it is), it runs Ultima VII perfectly.... and that was what it was installed for. :) Getting cards that work on the overclocked ISA bus is the tricky bit, but the speed increase on graphics-heavy stuff is huge.
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I have also problems wit the BridgeBoard. I can install it and it works, but randomly it says "can't open janus.library".
Also my GVP 030 accelerator has a full 030 CPU including MMU, but it maps memory to Zorro II space and my memory options are 1, 2, 4 and 8mb. So if I can't my BB work I need to disable 4mb ram :(
Bad that there is no working guide for my accelerator. It is this one http://amiga.resource.cx/exp/a3001 but those jumper settings doesn't work / are not same
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For you guys that want to use a bridgeboard but don't want to permanently sacrifice 2mb of your Amiga's RAM, maybe you can connect the RAM config jumper on your memory board to a switch mounted externally....i.e. on a dummy card slot plate. That way you can disable the 2MB only when you plan to use the bridgeboard (while the Amiga is off, of course).
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Some how my system requires that at lest one sim is removed to boot with 4mb ram.
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Wouldn't it be possible to re-map the 2MB area somewhere else using an MMU equipped Amiga?
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Janus the 2 faced Greek God of gateways and doors looks to the past and future through a 2MB "window" of Zorro II address space; but does this make him a Voyeur?
:lol: :lol:
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There are two things you can to make bridgeboard experience better. (ok 4)
One:
If your A2000 does not have the 16 bit ISA extensions in the last two slot, get some and solder them in, this allows you to have access to three 16 bit ISA cards.
Two:
If you are up to it Upgrade your 2386 to 16 megs using one of the hardware mods on aminet: http://aminet.net/search?query=2386
Three:
find a Cardinal SoundVision 16 bit ISA card that comes with SVGA-Sound-SCSI, and Game port. As amiga owner I know you have extra SCSI stuff lying around and it only takes one 16 bit ISA slot. These come up on ebay occasionally.
Four:
As spirantho has already said a 486SLC/2 or 486SLC/3 that snaps on top of the 386sx is nice to have. The Cryix 50 mhz, like Spirantho's, is easier to overclock the ISA bus.
The Evergreen 486SLC/3 75 mhz does not like the ISA bus overclocked.
The Cryix is better if video graphic are more important to you the Evergreen is better if you want raw CPU performance.
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Three:
find a Cardinal SoundVision 16 bit ISA card that comes with SVGA-Sound-SCSI, and Game port. As amiga owner I know you have extra SCSI stuff lying around and it only takes one 16 bit ISA slot. These come up on ebay occasionally.
Sorry to quote myself, but their is a Cardinal Soundvision 16 bit card up on ebay right now.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cardinal-SoundStudio-16-Bit-ISA-Card-With-Floppys-And-Manuals-MPC500S-/121454742329?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c47444b39
But it is way expensive, and no this not my auction. I love my amiga stuff too much to part with any of it.
Edit: After looking at the ebay listing a bit closer this version of the card does not have the SVGA on it. It as the layout for the SVGA chip and hardware associated hardware, but it is not included. too bad.
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Incidentally, you can if you're handy ity an SMT rework statistics n remove the 80386sx chip entirely, and fit a Cx486SLC2e/50 chip directly to the bridgeboard - this is what I did. I have a brand new SLC2 chip waiting patiently for the next 386sx bridgeboard (CBM or golden gate) to come along. :)
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Incidentally, you can if you're handy ity an SMT rework statistics n remove the 80386sx chip entirely, and fit a Cx486SLC2e/50 chip directly to the bridgeboard - this is what I did. I have a brand new SLC2 chip waiting patiently for the next 386sx bridgeboard (CBM or golden gate) to come along. :)
@Spirantho Cool! The surface mount soldering always scared me.
I have only used the snap on ones. The bad with the snap on ones is they can come off on occasion. They can be expensive (and or rare now of days). But, the snap on ones do have some advantages 1) some (not all) come with cache memory. 2) you can always turn them off. (not that you would want too).