BigRamPlus?

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

This is a dumb question, but one I'd been meaning to ask for a while.  What would happen if you use one of these devices (or a ZorRam) on a Zorro II system?  Would they be able to use 8MB of it?  Or not see it at all?

Reason is pretty logical, if I wanted to replace old full-size ZII RAM expansion boards with more modern components, better reliability, better airflow inside case, etc.

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Makes sense.  Bummer, oh well.  Thanks @danbeaver!  

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

I just installed a BigRAM+ board in my A4000 but ran into a problem. I have WB35 on my hard drive. It does not see the board at all. But if I boot off a WB31 floppy, it works just fine. Any ideas?

When you say "It does not see the board at all", what tools are you using to detect it?  See if it shows up in Scout or SysInfo or ShowConfig or similar?

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

I use ShowConfig and Amiga Analyzer, even just the top window bar. Like I said, it works fine in WB31 from a floppy boot, but when I boot from the HD with WB35, neither memory nor board show up. Even did a memory test on it and all the memory came up good (in WB31).

So what you're saying if you hold down both mouse buttons and go into early startup, the card shows up fine, but then by the time 3.5 is finished loading the card has disappeared?  That's very odd.  Can you boot with no startup sequence and detect the card then?

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Could somebody please tell me how I could modify the partition mask without repartitioning the hard drive?

You should be able to do this in HDToolbox.  As long as you don't touch any of the other settings I believe this is a non-destructive change.

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

I tried to boot with no startup sequence and loaded amiga analyzer and it failed to see the memory. But as I said, when I boot from floppy, WB31 sees it just fine. I even ran a successful memory diagnostic. Could the HD partition mask have anything to do with it?

I'm not familiar with this "Amiga Analyzer" software.  Just boot with no startup sequence and type 'avail' at the command prompt.  Autoconfig memory should automatically show up.  When all else fails, don't try fancy tools.  Just use the basic stuff already built into the OS for troubleshooting.  

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

I booted with no startup-sequence and typed avail as you suggested. It shows my 2MB of chip ram and my 16MB of fast ram and that is all. The ram board does not show up. (Unless I boot with WB31, then everything sees it.)

Well that's no bueno.  Is there an autoconfig jumper? Have you tried it in a different slot? Try removing any other boards and using just the BigRamPlus. Any changes then?

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

I actually tried that but it did not change my mask.

You have to type in a new value, press enter, and then save changes.

HDToolbox is funny that way.  If you don't press enter after each field it can act funny.  Known bug.

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

You should start a new thread for this and explain what you are trying to do and where you need help.

Post #13. The memory on the board won't autoconfig.

I forgot or if I missed it somewhere:  it does show up correctly in Early Startup, correct?

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

OK, I see the connection between the BigRam+ and the OS, but if the board is available in 3.1, then it is working; if unavailable in 3.5, then there is a bad install or something similar going on; I can't figure out how a HDD mask (using default settings) would affect an autoconfig device already in place by the time the HDD is initiated.

Personally I would vote for junking the crappy 3.5 install, format the hard drive and install a fresh copy of 3.9, but maybe that's just me.  

Either way, a boot with no Startup-Sequence and typing avail should show the memory.  It may have some kind of issue that is 3.1 disk is working around, like maybe it's got an AddMem command stuck in there, or something.  May help to analyze further why it works when booting off the 3.1 floppy but not off 3.5 on the hard drive.  Post the startup-sequence off your 3.1 disk?

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

I'm just grasping at straws at this point.  You said this is the only expansion board you have, right?  Do you have any other boards you can test with to see if maybe the problem is with your expansion bus?  Have you cleaned and re-seated the backplane connector?  Is there any possibility of testing this board on another system?

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Well, that Expansion Board Diagnostic screenshot you posted seems pretty straight-forward.

Probably a dumb question, but do you have any other systems you can test it in?