German Amiga 2000a Rev. 4 mobo & GVP 030 combo accelerator problem

[save2600]

Re: the original 1986 rev. 4 Model A, A2000 German motherboard, is their a compatibility issue with the GVP combo card? I have a buddy that cannot for the life of him, get the system to recognise that the card exists. All of the jumpers are in the correct position and he's tried every possible configuration on the Combo card. Is there a jumper on the A2000 motherboard to enable certain access to the fast slot? He said he's got a  ram expansion card for that slot and it works. Also, the Combo cards' 030 chips get warm he says, so it sounds like the voltage is there.

When he boots the computer with the card installed, it goes directly to 68000 mode, no 32-bit ram is recognised and he has no SCSI access. He's got a 1.3 Kickstart chip and is running either OS 1.2 or 1.3. He's got a 3.1 Kickstart chip coming, but not sure if that'll clear things up for him. Oh, and yes... he has installed the GVP software. Put the GVP icon in the expansion drawer, etc.  

Amiga-Hardware.com mentions that the original revision 4.0 German A2000a motherboard's fast slot does indeed have "limited" function. So perhaps this is the problem. He's got an A2k that refuses to play nice with his accelerator card. Guess that particular motherboards "fast slot" isn't so fast? lol

[Zac67]

On that early A2000 model you need to remove the original 68k CPU from the mainboard - otherwise the accelerator card can't gain control. This respect is the main limitation of the CPU local slot on rev 4.0 (no fallback to 68000 possible), I hope there are no other issues...

[save2600]

Thanks Zac, good to know. I'll pass the info on and hopefully that'll do the trick!

[jupo42]

There is a particular jumper on my card for that revision of motherboard. I don't have mine handy right now... did you see something like that when setting that one up?

[save2600]

I no longer have that particular card, but looking at a poorly scanned manual I was forwarded, I do not see ANY info whatsoever about a jumper on the GVP for a 4.0 motherboard. Thanks though. I'm waiting to hear back from my buddy, so hopefully all that was needed was the 68000 taken out.  

[save2600]

Update: my friend from Italia is still having troubles with his GVP & Rev. 4a mainboard. He has tried removing the 68k to no avail and he claims all the jumpers are in the correct position. With the 68k removed and the GVP installed, the system no longer boots or shows a Workbench icon.

Any other ideas here we may be overlooking before he gives up?

Having read Haynie's comments on the architecture of that board, it really does seem as if the fast slot is just an A1000's external bus. That means the GVP will never work without some major modding. If this is truly the case, does anyone have a spare A2000 mobo with a higher revision they would be willing to sell and ship to Italy? If so, please PM and I'll put you in touch with the buyer. I've already pointed him to Amibay and here, but not sure he cares or has the time to get this involved as he hasn't already sought these avenues out.