Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Author Topic: CS-PPC/GREX A4000 crashes when using AGA software! ATX PSU causes it, why?  (Read 1974 times)

Description:

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline keropiTopic starter

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Sep 2004
  • Posts: 2466
    • Show only replies by keropi
I have this very strange problem on my A4000 with a CS-PPC / GREX4000 ....
When using chipset software (a whdload game or something that uses chipset display) I get corruption and eventually a lockup. in whdload games it is more apparent, as there is gradual corruption, color changes and then a crash, in apps there are flickering pixels, or the lower part of the screen changes colors or luminance...
the only way to "fix" this, is by either removing the voodoo card or deleting the powerpc.library in libs: ....
the voodoo display is flawless, no crashes whatsoever and 3D works fine. and the ppc is OK too, as it works after long time of testing... it is a phase5 233mhz csppc, never overclocked... and I use a 250W ATX psu on an Elbox adapter... I tried the following with no results:

1. cleaned chipram simm socket and tried 4 different 2MB simms
2. used a 2nd arxon scandoubler
3. used a 2nd voodoo card, this time a slower 2000 model
4. removed all other pci cards and tried the voodoo on another slot
5. tried several other psu's
6. tried the 16.1b1 powerpc.library, it allowed me to use for more time whdload games without the eventual lock-up
7. tried lowering and inserted waitstates in 68k ram access in csppc menu
8. tried a 2nd 4000 mobo and a 2nd p5 csppc

nothing helped (except the new powerpc.library but still it locks)
is there an incompatibillity with g-rex+p5 csppc? I flashed the g-rex bios... any special setting on the warpOS prefs ? The DCE csppc worked fine (until ppc died that is) and never had to worry for things like that...
what should I try next? any ideas?  :-?  :-?  :-?

EDIT: as the grex+voodoo+aga combo works perfect _without_ the powerpc library (I assume then the ppc chip is not used at all) is there a possibility that some g-rex traces used by the ppc part are broken and that leads to this kind of corruption/crash?
 :-?
 

Offline keropiTopic starter

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Sep 2004
  • Posts: 2466
    • Show only replies by keropi
Re: CS-PPC/GREX A4000 crashes when using AGA/ECS/OCS software!
« Reply #1 on: February 26, 2007, 06:36:59 AM »
I guess noone else faced that... it is very strange indeed...
 

Offline d0pefish

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Join Date: Apr 2006
  • Posts: 150
    • Show only replies by d0pefish
    • http://lavaburn.com
Re: CS-PPC/GREX A4000 crashes when using AGA/ECS/OCS software!
« Reply #2 on: February 26, 2007, 01:45:38 PM »
Sorry I can't be of any help, but I have a CSPPC (by Phase5) plus G-Rex + Voodoo 3 3000 etc and WHDLoad games and AGA demos work as well as ever.

However, you say that you have tried changing waitstates etc. My CSPPC may be an earlier hardware revision that didn't allow modification of these settings as they are greyed out. I wonder if anyone else that has these settings available has trouble with G-Rex and AGA apps.

Does your 2nd CSPPC allow waitstate settings changes?
 

Offline keropiTopic starter

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Sep 2004
  • Posts: 2466
    • Show only replies by keropi
Re: CS-PPC/GREX A4000 crashes when using AGA/ECS/OCS software!
« Reply #3 on: February 26, 2007, 02:03:42 PM »
yes, both my csppc's allow to change the RAM options...
one is 200mhz and the other 233mhz, both with 060's...
damn, I don't know what to try next, I am puzzled on this! and noone seem to have this prob before...  :madashell:

edit: do you have any special settings on WarpOS prefs?
I just have a clean 3,9 install, both bb's , wos5,1 and latest cgx4 , nothing more.... and ofcourse the g-rex 060 libs...
 

Offline keropiTopic starter

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Sep 2004
  • Posts: 2466
    • Show only replies by keropi
Re: CS-PPC/GREX A4000 crashes when using AGA/ECS/OCS software!
« Reply #4 on: February 26, 2007, 04:13:24 PM »
again I see the psu is the problem! I cannot believe it! 3 different ATX psu's and NONE works fine! what the hell can be wrong? Using both elbox and amigakit.com psu adaptors! only the original 4000 PSU can really drive the 4000+ppc+grex , no matter if the atx ones have 2x watts!
 :madashell:  :madashell:  :madashell:  :madashell:  :madashell:  :madashell:  :madashell:  :madashell:  :madashell:
 

Offline zipper

Re: CS-PPC/GREX A4000 crashes when using AGA/ECS/OCS software!
« Reply #5 on: February 26, 2007, 06:20:09 PM »
Perhaps insufficient power draw... :-D
 

Offline a1200freak

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Join Date: Jun 2006
  • Posts: 83
    • Show only replies by a1200freak
Re: CS-PPC/GREX A4000 crashes when using AGA/ECS/OCS software!
« Reply #6 on: February 26, 2007, 07:31:11 PM »
Quote
again I see the psu is the problem! I cannot believe it! 3 different ATX psu's and NONE works fine! what the hell can be wrong? Using both elbox and amigakit.com psu adaptors! only the original 4000 PSU can really drive the 4000+ppc+grex , no matter if the atx ones have 2x watts!


Hi Keropi,

I also have trouble with CSPPC + GREX + ATX PSU + adapter from Amigakit. The Amiga boots only from time to time. I tried a microATX with 200W and a standard ATX with 300W. Same symptoms. So I replaced the GREX + Voodoo + PCI NIC + PCI Soundcard with a CVPPC + Zorro cards and now it works.

With the standard PSU it worked with GREX.

I wanted to replace the standard PSU with a smaller one with silent fan.

So what is missing when using another PSU ?

A4000T-CSPP200/060-CV643D SD/FF-Toccata-AriadneII
A3000D-CSMK2060-CV64-Prelude-Hydranet
 

Offline keropiTopic starter

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Sep 2004
  • Posts: 2466
    • Show only replies by keropi
Re: CS-PPC/GREX A4000 crashes when using AGA/ECS/OCS software!
« Reply #7 on: February 26, 2007, 07:41:21 PM »
interesting...! and proving that it needs more investigating from tech ppl!

I have no idea my friend, so there is something needed on the g-rex side...
the original PSU delivers:

+5v  -> 18A
+12v -> 4A
-12A -> 0.4A

I have failure with different PSU's that deliver:

+5v  -> 25A
+12v -> 13A
-12v -> 0.8A

clearly well above the original ratings...  :-?
used both an elbox adapter and an amigakit.com one, no difference...
what is different!  :-?  :-?  :-?
 

Offline CLS2086

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Oct 2003
  • Posts: 1456
    • Show only replies by CLS2086
Re: CS-PPC/GREX A4000 crashes when using AGA/ECS/OCS software!
« Reply #8 on: February 26, 2007, 07:43:07 PM »
Quote
So what is missing when using another PSU ?

Simple : REAL right voltage output...
Todays PSU and PC mobo are too tolerant.
You can have per example a brand new hi-class 420W PSU that deliver +4.68v for +5v... if you got under 4.86v on your Amiga you'll get crash... I tried 4 to one with a correct output...

Amiga machine are not so tolerant, and much less with CSPPC and GREX.
Old PSU got a better output. You can pick up a 5 years old 300W PSU and compare it to the one now, you'll be surprised...

@Keropi : have you tried to power your GREX with both AT and ATX plug ? Sometimes it really help, sometimes it's dangerous...
Keep the Faith !
VG 5000/A1000/500/500+/600/2000/CDTV/1200PPC-GREX/1200PPC -ATEO-BV/4060D/CD32/Aone/Peg 1/Peg2 G4/ various funny machines too  :-) http://www.mo5.com/collection/index.php?pseudo=CLS2086
I also repair drives of our old beloved Amiga
 

Offline keropiTopic starter

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Sep 2004
  • Posts: 2466
    • Show only replies by keropi
Re: CS-PPC/GREX A4000 crashes when using AGA/ECS/OCS software!
« Reply #9 on: February 26, 2007, 07:51:04 PM »
@CLS2086:

you cannot power the G-REX4000D externally, it only gets power from the csppc...
I will measure the PSU's +5v , and let you know...

original psu: steady at 4.90v
atx: 4.85v , when using gears3D test it drops to 4.82v but does not crash and in whdload it crashes at 4.83v ...

so we need a better quality mATX psu, something highly unlickely to be found, considering the fact that mATX psu's are somewhat rare...