Amiga 3000 boot issues

[Matt_H]

Are you trying to boot a "new" hard drive? I've found that the 1.4 ROMs have very specific/unusual behavior when it comes to booting from floppy vs. hard drive.

First, the drive must have the correct partition layout. The 1.3 partition must have the device name (in HDToolbox) as WB_1.3: and the 2.0 partition must have the name WB_2.x:. The file Devs:Kickstart must exist on each partition in order for the 1.4 ROMs to boot the respective OS version.

The 1.3 partition will be hidden if booting 2.x and the 2.x partition will be hidden if booting 1.3. I semi-remember the partitions being hidden in different ways if you load SuperKickstart from floppy instead of hard disk.

All this is done automatically by the original A3000 Install disk. If you don't have one (it's different from the SuperKickstart disk) it's probably easiest to do this prep on another machine. Remember to also put an OS2.x FFS in the RDB as DOS\01 and set the partitions to match.

I think the reason you're getting the clock error under 1.3 is because the A3000 clock hardware is different from the A500/A2000 clock hardware and the 1.3 SetClock command doesn't know how to handle it. The A3000 Install disk comes with a replacement SetClock for 1.3 that understands the A3000 hardware.

[Matt_H]

The problem starts when the computer tries to boot into 2.04 off the floppy disk. Again I have tried several versions of 2.04 and even the 1.3 WB off the 2.04 boot but doesn't work. There is an issue with loading 2.04.

On a copy of the 2.04 disk, add Set Echo On as the first line of the startup-sequence. Then you'll be able to see where it's getting stuck.

There is another issue and that is with the screen when I try to play a game from the 2.04 boot.

For now, I would attribute this to an 030/cache/OS2.0 incompatibility as opposed to a diagnostic indicator. That may change as we learn more, though.

[Matt_H]

This machine has the 2000 part numbers for ROM 390629-02 and 390630-02 and not the 3000 03 version. There are no jumpers at J180-181 to select compatibility mode with the 2000 so I am guessing by the time this motherboard was made the 2000 mode wasn't necessary and the chips are correct as there are two and the 2000 doesn't have the two chips.

I don't think any 3000s ever shipped with the 2000 ROM configuration. I imagine it was something used during development. Vestiges of it were left on the early commercial motherboards but removed on later revisions. If you're getting the 1.4 Kickstart selection screen I think it's safe to assume you have the correct 1.4 ROMs.

There may be an issue with the floppy and ribbon and the most likely is bad RAM/memory. I'm gonna go for memory. I've put the computer away now having got the Denise fixed and I'm giving up for now. I think there is little else to do until I can swap out the memory or atleast check. Not a today problem.

I agree, it sounds like a RAM issue, or at least something having to do with chips rather than floppy drives. The line in the startup-sequence where the boot failed is entirely normal and noncomplicated, so if copying something to the RAM: filesystem causes a crash then RAM is a good place to begin checking for problems. (I thought at first it might have been hanging on BindDrivers and the AMAX board but that doesn't seem to be the case; for testing purposes, though, it's probably best to remove the AMAX.)

Some of the install disks for GVP's 030 accelerators come with a decent RAM check utility. I don't know if they'll work on an A3000, but it's an easy first thing to try. There's also the relatively new DiagROM. I don't know if it can be softkicked by the 1.4 ROMs (i.e., name it Devs:Kickstart or create a SuperKickstart floppy with it) but if it can it'll be an easy way to get very detailed diagnostic info.

In the meantime, I'd suggest cleaning/treating the motherboard on the assumption it's had a catastrophic battery leak. Isopropyl alcohol, etc.

[Matt_H]

Another quick test: Try to fill up RAM: when you boot into 1.3 (i.e., just copy a bunch of files there).

The 3000 puts its SuperKickstart image into regular fast RAM (unlike the 1000 which has dedicated RAM for storing the Kickstart). Even though 1.3 appears to be working, it might simply be because the system isn't putting enough stuff into RAM to hit the "bad" sector. Under 2.0, in addition to a Kickstart that's double the size of 1.3, there's also the copying of ENVARC: to ENV: which doesn't happen under 1.3, plus more use of T:, etc. There's a lot more use of RAM (and the RAM disk), meaning the system is more likely to hit the bad sector.

Filling up RAM: under 1.3 might achieve the same result, helping to narrow down whether you're dealing with a RAM problem or a problem with another chip.