Twinkick help please

[save2600]

Okay, so here I am with both versions of Kickstarts (KICK34005 & KICK40063) renamed to KICK13.ROM & KICK31.ROM as per the instructions. I execute tkg.exe (only works in OS1.3 btw) and looks for something (a kickstart boot-block?) with the Kickstart image. A regular formatted floppy with both Kickstarts appropriately renamed does NOT work. It simply does not recognise the disk I insert as a valid Kickstart disk.

SO... I insert my regular KS1.3 disk in DF0: and it works, but to a point. A requester then comes up and says Not A Dos Disk. Okay, so I throw my Kickstart 3.1 disk in (having used writekickdisk) and I get the same requester every time. If I retry the process with the 3.1 disk in first, the reverse happens.

There's much more to do here than simply execute tkg as the instructions insist. I'm guessing both Kickstart images need to be in their native form on one legit Kickstart disk. But how do you do that without overwriting the previous Kickstart to floppy?

[Ratte]

- please use a blank (fresh formated) 880 kb disk.
- copy both kickfiles on the disk
- rename them to "KICK13.ROM" & "KICK31.ROM" .. !uppercase is very important!
- execute the tkg.exe and insert the disk with both kickfiles
- leave the disk writeenabled and tkg is able to write the new kickdisk on the same disk

i am sorry for the "uppercase" problem, when i wrote tkg.exe it was something like a quick dirty hack, because i used twinkick since 1993.
in 2002 i thought it would be nice to create a "legal" patch, otherwise i could get in trouble with amiga.
so tkg was written in a fast way ... (i never thought about so many a1000-collectors would use it)

br
andre

[save2600]

Hello Andre,

 Thanks a bunch for replying. I've done ALL that you have mentioned. After reading your suggestions, I re-dumped my 34005/40063 ROM's to disk. Turned out my original dumps were bad  :-(   Well, and I had to actually run your program on a real A1000. I was getting nowhere fast using my A2500 (even with 1.3 Kicked and running OS1.3)! lol

Okay... so now the Workbench icon says: "v1.3 ROM Twinkick"... how does the 3.1 KS become available? Or how do you switch between them? Does a full 2MB fast need to be there right at boot?

Cheers!   :pint:

[Ratte]

Twinkick should boot Kick3.1 from the same Disk after loading from Kick1.3.
But you need FastMem at $200000 ....

What does SysInfo says about your Config?

[save2600]

I've got it figured out now. Had multiple simultaneous hardware config problems between my A1000's that were causing unpredictable results.

What an unbelievable program... Twinkick rocks! Take the disk out after the 256k 1.3 loads or leave it in for 3.1. Doesn't get much slicker than that (perfect for those that would like to keep an A1000 Kickstart-floppy based).

Just one more observation... when I allow Twinkick to fully boot, is it normal for the screen to go haywire for a second or two before that pretty picture of an A1000 w/ instructions pops up? Looks as if it is trying to sync to something other than 15khz...

[Ratte]

The first few seconds before displaying the instructions is just an indicate for "loading".
No syncproblems, just playing with the screencolor.
(Remember the old C=64 tapeloaders...)

Regarding selecting of Kick1.3 or Kick3.1:
You can switch back and for to Kick1.3 and 3.1 during operation!

If your reset your Amiga (CTRL+A+A) press the right Mousebutton to switch to the Kick1.3 or back to Kick3.1.

Try the mail with your working config.
I hope you like it.

[save2600]

Oh yeah, I remember the C64 tape loaders alright. Didn't have a tape drive too long though before a 1541 arrived! lol

Yeah, I saw how you can "morph" between the two Kickstarts during reset. Very cool. The advantage to yanking out the Twinkick disk if you're only going to use 1.3 is the 512kb saving of RAM by NOT loading KS3.1. For those of us that are A1000 RAM challenged (2.5mb currently) that is.

As an aside... when kicked to 3.1, I noticed DF1: now boots the Workbench! That wasn't a standard feature of KS3.1, was it? I don't seem to recall that, so maybe this is a hidden bonus for using Twinkick?

One last question (I think) and I'll stop bugging you... the docs mention that Twinkick is not compatible with 2 external ram expansions. Does a DKB Insider qualify as an 'external' ram expansion? I haven't tried it (prying out the 68k, swapping, etc. is a real pain), but am guessing that, coupled with my 2mb external MiniMegs, it would NOT work.

In any event, bravo! This program has got to be the coolest A1000 hack I've seen yet (next to a Rejuvenator/Phoenix/GB Board that is  :-)  

[Ratte]

OK, thats right.
You can save 512KB extra if you leave Kick3.1 away.

What does SysInfo reports about the "Insider" ... memoryarea at $???.
Is it autoconfig?

Btw. did you noticed the nice Game-Mode?
(Kick1.3 reset + both mousebuttons = colorflash -> gamemode)
It disables everything ... all expansions and external drives.
Even on my rejuvenator (with ECS and 2mb chipmem) the result is a A1000 with only 512KB ChipMem, no FastMem, no Expansions (HDD) and only internal Drive df0:.
Its perfect for some old games, demos ... and after reset+right button you are back in 3.1 with all goodies.

Booting from df0,df1,df2,df3 is a Kick2.x,3.x feature.

If you like coding ... Twinkick supports 1MB kickfiles.
$200000 - $300000 ... this area must be checksumed and Twinkick pays attention to it.
(You lose 1MB FastMem instead of 512KB)

Did you noticed my email?

[save2600]

Sorry - did not get a sysinfo reading for that Insider before removing it. It does autoconfig though. All I know is the Kwikstart board, 2mb MiniMeg & Insider, when all installed at the same time, interfered with your Twinkick program. I couldn't disable (by holding down reset for 3 seconds) the Kwikstart 1.2 ROMs to boot Twinkick.  I also had a goofy Daughterboard problem that was solved after touching up some solder joints. Only way I ended up getting Twinkick to work was by removing the Insider & the Kwikstart and then adding the 2mb MiniMegs. That's why I thought Twinkick needed to see a full 2mb of memory at once at the address you specified. I bet the Insider hogs that address first. System works like a champ now w/ 2.5 mb ram. REALLY freaky seeing the 3.1 screen on an A1000. And very cool seeing -512mb as chip and 1.5mb fast ram being reported from Workbench 3.1  :-)

I did notice the nice-game mode, but have not had to use it yet. There was an issue with a copy of NewTek's 1st demo though. It seems if Twinkick doesn't like or recognise a particular floppies boot-block, a different screen pops up asking to Install or Execute. Playing around with various settings and switching between KS1.3 and 3.1, there would come a time where only 1.3 was available and I could no longer switch to 3.1. Perhaps I accidentally pressed the 'clear vectors' option, but not sure if that would have zapped 3.1 from memory.

Coding intrigues me, but not really my thing. Much more of a hardware guy, tinkering, etc. I did purchase a Kickstart adapter from DJBase here and a 3.1 ROM from Zektor. I'm not sure I'm going to use them after getting Twinkick to work though  :-)  Or I dunno... could always put it in my 'spare' A1000 w/ the 1mb Insider (be a shame since the system just sits in its original box lol). Not sure the extra 512kb I'd save using a ROM with my "everyday" A1000 would really be useful though at this point. Most of the games I would play on the 1000 work plenty fine within the confines of 2mb.  

And about the e-mail... are you xxxxxxx_hobby@web.de? If so, yes - I got that, but haven't had time to play around with 'em yet. I did reply with a thanks. If that's not you, then no, I have not received it.