Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Author Topic: Totally new to Amigas. Picked up a A1200HD/40 with a CSA twelve guage accelerator  (Read 11327 times)

Description:

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline vortexau

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Feb 2002
  • Posts: 1341
    • Show all replies
    • http://home.swiftdsl.com.au/~vortexau
pete_pumpkin said:
Quote
.....The disks I inserted were DD Amiga disks. Most were 'cover' disks, and yeah I think I remember some message saying 'non DOS disks' etc. So what I think I'll do is put one of the disks in and try and format it. ......

What they meant was- games disks commonly use a custom boot block; the way to use THESE is to insert one while the machine is off and thus, BOOT from that floppy itself! Another way, if the machine is running from its HD System Partition then; after inserting that game disk do a System Reset (Ctrl+Left_A+Right_A. The system will BOOT from the internal Floppy Drive as the FIRST preference.

WARNING- ReFORMATING a Games Disk with a CUSTOM Boot Block will render that game inopperable!
Quote
The games CD I got is full of directories (A-Z) with files ending in .dms and also quite a few LHA ; which from memory is amigas compression format ?

DMS Files will self-extract to Floppy. ie: Create a complete (sometimes- Self Booting) Floppy!
LHA Files are compressed and can be expanded to Hard Drive or to Floppy!
Quote
The power supply that I'm using looks to be an A500 type.

A500 PSUs have a higher output than the original A1200 ones, and are prefered for use with an expanded A1200!
Quote
I clicked on 'reply' in the last answered post. I was hoping to be able to scroll thru some of the replies whilst I write this thread.

THAT puts you in a POST-with-the post being replied to-visible ONLY-mode!
-vortexau; who\\\'s still waiting! (-for AmigaOS4! ;-) )
savage Ami bridge parody
 

Offline vortexau

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Feb 2002
  • Posts: 1341
    • Show all replies
    • http://home.swiftdsl.com.au/~vortexau
pete_pumpkin asked:
Quote
Hey Tickly, have you had any luck finding a progy that might help me identify what devices are attached to my A1200. I've got a feeling that i don't have any drivers installed for the csa1250.

May I commend a Tool (Amiga-speak for "progy") called- SysInspector?




Various areas of your running system can be examined with this tool. As can be seen from THIS Screen Grab; the Tasks running on my A2000 include the actual tool- SysInspector itself, gvpscsi.device and 2060scsi.device (forth from bottom). These TWO scsi.devices are the ones on my system (the GVP one currently is non-functional).
The trackdisk.devices are for my two Floppy Drives.
 
-vortexau; who\\\'s still waiting! (-for AmigaOS4! ;-) )
savage Ami bridge parody
 

Offline vortexau

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Feb 2002
  • Posts: 1341
    • Show all replies
    • http://home.swiftdsl.com.au/~vortexau
alx asked:
Quote
Quote
   A500 PSUs have a higher output than the original A1200 ones, and are prefered for... an expanded A1200!

Are you sure of this? I've got an A500 - could I use the PSU to give the 1200 extra juice?

Short answer- YES! On the base of many A1200 PSUs can be seen the words: "A600" or "A300". The A300 was the ORIGINAL A600 designation.
Meaning: An A1200 is sold with a PSU no more powerful than an A600's!

Long answer- A modified XT(or AT) PSU is an even BETTER proposition!


Diagram

Use J1 & J2 to obtain the +5V, +12V, -12V, GND & GND.

"On the bottom of the Amiga 500 power supply, as well as in the user's
manual, the following diagram of the Amiga 500's connector appears:

                     +--\___/--+
                     | 3     4 |
                     |    5    |
                     | 2     1 |
                     +---------+

    where:
        pin 1: +5VDC
        pin 2: Shield Ground
        pin 3: +12VDC
        pin 4: Signal Ground
        pin 5: -12VDC

With the power supply disconnected from the Amiga, turn the power supply on
and verify these voltages, BEING CAREFUL NOT TO SHORT OUT ANY PINS!  All
voltage readings should be performed with the voltmeter's ground cable
connected to the connector's Signal Ground.  Record each pin's Voltage.

Once satisfied with the Pin versus Voltage supplied, turn off the power
supply and unplug it from the wall.

Cut The Amiga 500 side of the power cord leaving approximately 10 inches
sticking out of the original power supply.  Carefully strip back 1 inch of
cable insulation from each side and then strip each wire, leaving about
1/4 inch of the wire showing.

Crimp then solder onto each wire on the power supply side, a female
connector.  Do the same on the side normally attached to the Amiga 500
except use MALE connectors.  Each side should have a total of 5 wires with
connectors.

Now insert the female connectors into the Molex-style female connector.

Do the same for the male connectors, BUT MAKE SURE THAT THE WIRE COLORS ON
EACH SIDE OF THE CONNECTOR ARE THE SAME WHEN THE MOLEX-type CONNECTORS
ARE PLUGGED INTO EACH OTHER.

Once completed, verify that there are no shorts between the various wires.

Plug the two MOLEX-style connectors together, plug in the Amiga 500's power
supply and re-verify the voltages.  They should be the same as previously
measured.

Once satisfied, your Amiga 500 will operate with the original power supply.
(This allows the A500 PSU to be put back into use as a backup)

Now on to the PC-XT power supply.  Referring to the picture, PC-XTpwr.pic,
    1) Cut the 3, +5VDC power wires on connector J1 and then wire all
       three to a single female connector. Label this +5V.
    2) Cut the +12VDC power wire on connector J2 and then crimp and
       solder it to a female connector. Label this +12V.
    3) Cut the -12VDC power wire on connector J2 and then crimp and
       solder it to a female connector. Label this -12V.
    4) Cut the 4, GND power wires two on J1 and two on J2 and then
       wire all four to a single female connector.
    5) Connect on end of the multistranded hookup wire to a female
       connector and crimp the ring connector on the other end.

Using the Ohmmeter and the previous diagram, determine which pin in the
Amiga 500 power cable MOLEX-type connector carries the +5 volts.  Connect
the PC-XT wire labelled +5V to the same slot in the remaining plastic
connector.  Repeat this procedure for +12V, -12V and Ground.

The multistranded hoodup wire should be inserted into the slot where
connection will be made with the pin labelled SHIELD GROUND.  Remove
one of the screws in the PC-XT power supply, attach the ring connector, and
the put the screw back.

****************************************************************
**                         WARNING!!!!!                       **
**                                                            **
**  IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE SHIELD CONNECTOR BE SCREWED     **
**  SECURLY TO THE PC-XT POWER SUPPLY.  FAILURE TO DO SO MAY  **
**  DAMAGE THE AMIGA 500.                                     **
****************************************************************

Plug the Amiga 500 power cable into the PC-XT power supply, BUT DON'T
ATTACH IT TO THE 500 YET.  ALL POWER CONNECTIONS MUST BE VERIFIED!

Plug the PC-XT power supply into a wall outlet, power it on and using the
voltage meter verify that all of the power connections are the same as
previously checked.

Once satisfied, turn off the power supply, unplug the power supply from the
wall, install the power supply in a suitable case and connect to the
Amiga 500.  If you wish, you may plug the monitor into the switched AC
connector on the power supply.

IF YOU WERE CAREFUL AND VERIFIED ALL CONNECTIONS, TURNING ON THE PC-XT
power supply should result in the complete powering of your system.

IF YOU FAILED TO CHECK THE VOLTAGES, IT IS LIKELY THAT YOU MADE A MISTAKE
AND TURNING ON THE POWER SUPPLY AT THIS TIME WILL RESULT IN THE COMPLETE
LOSS OF YOUR SYSTEM.

(AT PSUs colour-coding is different .... varify pins with an Ohmmeter)"






-vortexau; who\\\'s still waiting! (-for AmigaOS4! ;-) )
savage Ami bridge parody
 

Offline vortexau

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Feb 2002
  • Posts: 1341
    • Show all replies
    • http://home.swiftdsl.com.au/~vortexau
Its common for external SCSI Ports, on an A1200, to be a D25 fitted to a knock-out plastic port just behind the Floppy Drive.

The BASIC Driver and File System go in DEVS/DOSDrivers (often CD0) and L/ (AmiCDFS, CacheCDFS, or other).

The Driver is actually a TEXT File similar to this:

/* $VER: CD0 2.36 (22.08.96)
 *
 * CD-ROM filesystem mount entry
 *
 * Created by CU Amiga CD AmiCDFS installer
 */

         Device = 2060scsi.device
     FileSystem = L:AmiCDFS
          Flags = 0
 BlocksPerTrack = 32
      BlockSize = 2048
       Reserved = 0
         LowCyl = 0
        HighCyl = 11000
       Surfaces = 1
        Buffers = 64
     BufMemType = 1
           Mask = 0x7fffffff
        GlobVec = -1
       Priority = 10
        DosType = 0x43444653
      StackSize = 600
          Mount = 1
      FORCELOAD = 1

        Control = "LC BL=8 FB=32"

/* Unit number is given in icon tooltype
 *
 * Control field template:
 *
 * LC=LOWERCASE/S,CS=CASESENSE/S,
 * HF=HFSFIRST/S,TD=TRACKDISK/S,
 * BL=BUFFERLINES/K/N,FB=FILEBUFFERS/K/N,
 * DC=DISKCHANGE/K/N,MT=MOTORTIME/K/N,
 * SD=STARTDELAY/K/N,TDC=TDCHANGE/S,
 * TOSHIBA/S,OLDMODE/S
 */

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Device = MUST match your own {NAME}scsi.device
The FileSystem = MUST point to your own CD Filing System.
The Unit number is the ACTUAL SCSI Unit No switched on the CD Drive itself. This can be a VALUE after a = or, as in my own case, indicated in Icon Tooltype. A Single LMB click on the CD0 Icon will activate a data-field when the RMB Opens Icons/Information with the THIRD Workbench Menu item. My own shows UNIT=0 in the Tooltypes field.

A Default Tool- C:Mount can be shown here too. This makes the Driver visible to the system.
-vortexau; who\\\'s still waiting! (-for AmigaOS4! ;-) )
savage Ami bridge parody
 

Offline vortexau

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Feb 2002
  • Posts: 1341
    • Show all replies
    • http://home.swiftdsl.com.au/~vortexau
A Recoverable RAM disk is a bit more than THAT;

It will require an ENTRY in Devs/DOSDrivers like THIS-

/* $VER: SD0 37.2 (29.1.94)
 *
 * Recoverable RAM disk mount entry
 *
 * The maximum size of the disk is controlled by the value of the HighCyl
 * line. Increasing this value by 1 consumes an additional 11K of RAM.
 * So the default value of 79 consumes, when the disk full, around 880K of
 * memory.
 */

Device        = statram.device
Flags        = 0
Surfaces    = 2
Reserved    = 2
Interleave    = 0
LowCyl        = 0
Buffers        = 5
StackSize    = 600
Priority    = 5
Mount        = 1

/* The Unit, BlocksPerTrack, HighCyl, BufMemType and DosType fields are
 * controlled by tooltypes in the icon.
 *
 * Unit            = 0
 * BlocksPerTrack    = 11
 * HighCyl        = 79
 * BufMemType        = 1
 * DosType        = 0x444F5303
 */

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

and an associated {NAME}.device in Devs/, as in my case;
statram.device.

So, as can be seen, in THIS case the RAD's Icon is named: SD0

How this Icon appears under OS3.5 can be seen in the TOP Left corner of
this image


-vortexau; who\\\'s still waiting! (-for AmigaOS4! ;-) )
savage Ami bridge parody
 

Offline vortexau

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Feb 2002
  • Posts: 1341
    • Show all replies
    • http://home.swiftdsl.com.au/~vortexau
OS 3.1, 3.5 & 3.9 require 3.1 ROMS.

OS 3.5 & 3.9 additionally require:
 ° A CD-ROM (ie. Installed from CD-ROM)
 ° At least 4Mb of FAST Ram
 ° At least a 68020 CPU
 ° At least 1Mb of CHIP Ram
 ° A Hard Drive

OS 3.5 CDs include OS 3.1 for 3.5 installs as an update to 3.1

Not sure about 3.9's position, here.

3.9 is as much of a leap over 3.5 as 3.5 is over 3.1

-vortexau; who\\\'s still waiting! (-for AmigaOS4! ;-) )
savage Ami bridge parody