Cannot access control menu in CSPPC

[57goldtop]

The title pretty much explains it, Neither pressing ESC or S brings up any menu at all. I only received this yesterday and I can't help thinking that previous owner may have tried to flash the card but screwed it instead, I'm not exactly very pleased.

I did the _INT2 mod, checked my wiring with a multimeter, changed the jumpers according to the manual instructions that came with the card but the SCSI on the CSPPC is basically dead & I'm currently using the onboard SCSI in the A3000. Unitcontrol is able to see the drive but whenever I click on any of the buttons, the program just freezes and does nothing.

Is there anybody out there who repairs these ?

Cheers.

[Amigaz]

Have you tested to press the SPACE BAR and see if the menu appears? it switches from 15khz to 31khz modes

[57goldtop]

No, The control menu is not loaded at all,  the machine just boots up WB 3.1 from the onboard SCSI in the A3000 even with the ESC key down.

[Piru]

with the ESC key down.

There's your problem.

Try hitting the key repeatedly instead of just holding it down.

[Jeff]

I have a CS MK III (same card) installed in an A4000T and it isn't easy to bring up that menu on my system. It requires several attempts while the machine is either powering up or re-booting, I can't remember which. I have been able to get it to work though.

You can't just hold the key down, you have to get the timing correct "hitting the key" while powering up or re-booting.

Good Luck,
Jeff

[57goldtop]

I tried that too, I'll keep trying but I don't really like my chances.

Just wondering, did any button configurations change at any point ? My card has a DCE serial number.

[Boot_WB]

Check the version of CybPPC.device at the CLI (this relates to the version of the flashROM).
The earlier versions had no GUI boot menu.

There is a website somewhere detailing which versions relate to which flashrom - can't seem to find it at the moment though.

There may be more info in the readme of one of the flash updates.

If you want the GUI boot menu, just reflash with a later version.

@Piru

with the ESC key down.

There's your problem.

Try hitting the key repeatedly instead of just holding it down.

Whilst that is true for accessing the boot menu of the Picasso IV, I've never had a problem accessing the CSPPC boot menu by just holding down the ESC key, but that is just my experience.

@57GoldTop

Please detail your scsi chain, including termination.

[57goldtop]

Check the version of CybPPC.device at the CLI (this relates to the version of the flashROM).
The earlier versions had no GUI boot menu.

I'm currently at work so I cannot verify it right now but I think the version number returned was 44.24.

I'll verify this tonight.

If you want the GUI boot menu, just reflash with a later version.

The PowerUp website has a Flash update, unfortunately the "HOW_TO.." documentation only describes how to do the update via the boot menu by pressing 's' and I cannot access this either.

2) Hold key "s" while booting and press both mouse buttons
   to enter the AmigaOS bootmenu.
...
...

In addition, the .LHA files provided on the PowerUp site will not uncompress using LHA on my Amiga ( downloaded from Aminet ), I tried using fixlha but that doesn't seem to be the  problem. I can unpack other LHA files I download from the internet with no problems at all, perhaps the compression method for these files may be different, I don't really know. WinRar has no problems but I cannot just simply copy the files across to my Amiga , it doesn't handle PC long filenames.

Please detail your scsi chain, including termination.

I'll provide a photo if that makes it easy later on today. I just wanted to keep things relatively simple and removed all other SCSI devices and SCSI cables, the cable is the original yellow SCSI cable that came with the unit. Only 1 drive is connected.

Regards.

[matthey]

My Cyberstorm Mk3 has the 44.24 cybppc.device and no bootmenu also. My Cyberstorm SCSI works just fine with the 44.24 cybppc.device though. I found flashupdates here...

http://phase5.a1k.org/

I'm going to do a flashupdate soon. The directions are in the .lha flashupdate file and they decompressed just fine for me from the site above.

[57goldtop]

That's reassuring to hear, the card is probably OK then.
I'll give it another shot tonight and I'll report my findings.

Thanks to everyone for your replies and help.

[57goldtop]

Matthey, I don't know if the method in those instructions will work because we cannot get into the bootmenu.

I found some info here

It gives you some good instructions on how to do the update without using the bootmenu. To summarise you disable your hd in the early bootup menu, boot from floppy where u copied the flash files and enter PPCUpdate from the CLI prompt.

[Matt_H]

@ 57goldtop

I think you misunderstood the Firmware instructions. The S key isn't supposed to go into the bootmenu at all. It's supposed to disable the Cyberstorm's SCSI. The bootmenu described therein is the standard AmigaOS Early Startup Control.

Basically, you want to disable the onboard SCSI, boot with no startup-sequence, and run the Flash updater (put it on floppy). To be extremely safe, disconnect all your drives from the Cyberstorm, but that's probably overkill.

And make sure you're using the latest LhA to extract the Flash update.

[57goldtop]

Thanks Matt, I should have read the doc's more carefully.

[Akiko]

Flashed my CSPPC last year, nerve wrecking experience  :lol:

[Matt_H]

@ 57goldtop

Hopefully that will get you going, but be advised that newer versions of cybppc.device are a LOT more sensitive about termination and other SCSI settings.