Can you plonk a stock A4K CPU board in an A3K?

[samanosuke]

I am currently using an A4000 with a CS Mk II '060 and would like to start building up another Amiga, an A3000. My question is can I bung the old '040 card that came with the A4000 in the A3000 or will I have to buy a new accelerator? I couldn't bare to imagine what it must be like to use a 25mhz '030 after all these years!

[odin]

It should work nicely, the only minor nagging is that A3k's seems to need something called the 'INT2'-hack. I think this involves cutting a trace on the motherboard. Google around for a bit of info.

[Argus]

samanosuke wrote:
I am currently using an A4000 with a CS Mk II '060 and would like to start building up another Amiga, an A3000. My question is can I bung the old '040 card that came with the A4000 in the A3000 or will I have to buy a new accelerator? I couldn't bare to imagine what it must be like to use a 25mhz '030 after all these years!

It should work okay, though you are going to need a low-profile heat sink or cut a hole in the right end of the drive platform.  A fan would help too.

The 68030 is still a pretty capable processor, especially if you throw a graphics card in the a3000.  It's fine for internet, general use, etc.  But if you plan on using the a3640 you also are going to need expensive zip ram or a zip to simm converter card.

[TheMagicM]

depends on which revision.. I never had to do any int-2 hack.. I believe my board was a 3.1 revision.  why would he need a zip to simm convertor?  thats not so.  you can fill all banks on the A3000 mobo w/zip ram if you'd like..

[TjLaZer]

If the OP was planning to install the MKII in his A3000, and DID NOT have the CyberSCSI module on his CSMKII 060 card then NO Int2 Mod needs to be done! ;-)  But he was asking about the A3640 card.  This card can be made to work on the A3000, but AFAIK the A3000 needs all the latest chips.  Try Google.

[MrZammler]

I was using an A3640 in my A3000 for some time. There's no need for either the INT2 hack (no scsi on the A3640) and mine had all the original chips.

[Crisisdog]

I've successfully installed two A3640 cards (the processor card from the A4000) into two different A3000 computers.  Yes, it's possible.  Two 'must have' requirements are that the A3640 board needs to be revision 3.1 or 3.2, and the A3000 needs Kickstart 3.1 ROMS.  Success also depends on the revisions of the DMAC, BUSTER, and RAMSEY chips, but this is only something to pursue if you're unsuccessful in your fist try.  Other than that, you'll need to figure out the proper jumper positions for the A3000 motherboard (do a search, I've run across multiple sites with this info), and make sure you have a low profile heatsink.

The INT2 hack is only required for accelerator boards which have SCSI or a PPC processor also installed, which the A3640 does *not* have.

(FYI, if you every try to upgrade the A3000 with your CyberStorm 060 board, a known issue is that some earlier revisions did not like fast memory installed on the A3000 motherboard, it may need to be removed.  Also, the jumper positions are different than those required by the A3640 board.)

 :-D

[billchase]

My 3000 originally had a 3640 card installed.  The motherboard
had buster v7, and it worked fine. The only chip that might
need changing is the buster.  Revision 9 has a history of
problems with the 3640, which revision 11 fixed.  The 3000's
original ramsey and dmac should be fine.

C Snyder

[miles]

Have a look here:

a3640 info