PAL Jr documentation or software?

[craig65535]

Hello,

I am fortunate enough to have picked up a PAL jr in a haul of random computer hardware and software. I actually had no idea how rare it was until I searched for it just now. It has a 5.25" MFM hard drive (a ST-251) in it, and one slot contains a hard drive controller board.

I'll tackle getting the hard drive to work later, but for now I'd like to see if the built in RAM expansion (1MB AFAIK) works. My Amiga 1000 I would be testing it with works and is stock except for the front panel RAM expansion.

Does anyone know where to find documentation for this thing? Does the RAM expansion need software?

Thank you

[PlatformerZ]

I'm envious  Always wanted a PAL JR back in the day. We ended up ordering a RamBOard which actually got lost in the mail so that didn't happen either. 

There are some information links: http://amiga.resource.cx/search.pl?product=PAL+jr

                                                  https://bigbookofamigahardware.com/bboah/product.aspx?id=1361

I haven't found any references to driver disks or a manual but if it's not autobooting then you would need a Kickwork or Workbench disks with a mountlist entry for the HDD and assigns for the ram I'd guess. 

[craig65535]

Thanks for the reply. I tried booting it (using KS 1.2 and WB 1.2 on floppies).

With the hard drive disconnected (I didn't want to affect the data on it), the Amiga starts, starts loading KS, and then hangs on a blank screen. I suspected it was trying and failing to communicate with the HD, so I took out the hard drive controller card. With that removed, it got as far as asking for the WB disk, but then freezing again during loading.

I'm not really a knowledgeable Amiga user, having moved from a C64 to a PC in the 90s. I guess I assumed the RAM expansion would be autodetected like the front RAM card is.

[PlatformerZ]

Without Autobooting, the Amiga probably doesn't know there's a HDD there at all. You need a SYS:Devs Mountlist entry stating the device specs which is invoked in the SYS:s/startup-sequence at boot.

If you visually inspect the PAL jr pcb's and try re-seating any IC's on the PAL jr itself, ram card and SCSI card you might overcome any loose contacts that have developed over time on the cards which could be causing the boot issue. (?).

AFAIK Kickstart 1.2 won't autodetect expansion ram other than the 256k front unit. Something like Addram or AddFastmem is needed. Not sure what the actual command is. Kickstart 1.3 may be capable of it though.

[dlucks]

KS1.3 should autoload the driver from the st506 controller card. it should also recognize the memory on the main board of the pal jr. as fast mem. Good luck with that mfm hard drive. Most that ive tested have failed.
any a2000 board that can  physically fit should work.
You should get ks1.3 floppy and wb1.3 to  continue.
actually try to find them in your collection that cam with the paloJr
good luck

[craig65535]

I tried KS and WB 1.3, and WB threw a "task held" error during startup.

I looked for info on the Usenet archives on Google Groups, and also found some old magazine ads.

http://vintagecomputer.net/pictures/2016/1986_MagCovers/AmazingComputing_1986_4-issues.pdf
The ad on page 6 says it autoconfigures under 1.2.

https://groups.google.com/g/comp.sys.amiga/c/DPUBnznhbKg/m/rYofS_JRTR4J
This Usenet post says it included a custom WB 1.2.

I might be stuck without that disk?