New A2000

[k4lmp]

Wow, this board is GREAT!  Darrin, thanks for the tip.  I tried it and found out that the supra board had also came out during shipping.  Memory is kinda confusing, though:

via showconfig-

chip ram=1meg
fast ram=8meg

accelerator=2meg
scsi card=2meg
ram board (unidentified)=4meg  These two are on the one supra card.
ram board (unidentified)=2meg

Workbench shows:

9meg graphics, and 8meg other.

This kinda confuses me, as I see 10meg total, but the total chip plus fast is only showing a total of 9meg.  I probably just don't understand how  it works.  Could it be a version 2.05 issue, not supporting the 10meg total?

Thanks,
Jeff

[Motormouth]

Wow, this board is GREAT!  Darrin, thanks for the tip.  I tried it and found out that the supra board had also came out during shipping.  Memory is kinda confusing, though:

via showconfig-

chip ram=1meg
fast ram=8meg

accelerator=2meg
scsi card=2meg
ram board (unidentified)=4meg  These two are on the one supra card.
ram board (unidentified)=2meg

Workbench shows:

9meg graphics, and 8meg other.

This kinda confuses me, as I see 10meg total, but the total chip plus fast is only showing a total of 9meg.  I probably just don't understand how  it works.  Could it be a version 2.05 issue, not supporting the 10meg total?

Thanks,
Jeff

Try using sysinfo (on aminet) or AIBB to look at your memory configuration
You should see something like:
Chip ram
Fast ram
32bit Fast ram

As others have said the amiga only has 8 megs of 16 bit addressable space.

but one can have significally more 32 bit ram (example in the a3000 and a4000 one can have 16 megs on board, 128 meg from the fast processor slot and 1 gig in the zorro III slots)

Also it will help you determine if the 32 bit fast ram is mapped into the 16 bit ram configuration space.   I cannot remember it this is a problem with the A2630 or not but is certainly the case for other accelerators.  One would prefer having the 32 bit memory outside the 16 bit space. ie look at the memory addresses.

Also the 2630 allow for 4 megs of ram.  If you can find some 256kbit x 4 zips around to fill up your 2630, that would be helpful.  I know mechy (ie mechware) is selling 1Mbit x 4 zips, maybe he has some 256kbit x 4 around

[Tenacious]

You made a great find with your A2000!  

I'm curious what you want to do with it.  I usually mentally categorize other Amigans into several camps (emulators, gamers, collectors, those enamored with the OS/HW, and, hardcore folks who will NOT use any other platform even for modern tasks, etc).  This will have some bearing on how you continue.  Example: a gamer may feel retargetable graphics (RTG) is a waste when coupled to an 030.  People in the other categories might feel RTG is essential.

[k4lmp]

Well, I guess I just like to tinker.  I used Commodore 64/128, in the early years, and like the retro feel, and just seeing if I can make something work.  I use Linux as my primary OS, I guess because it is different, and like I said, it is something to tinker and experiment with.  I never did know much about Amiga back in my Commodore days, as they were too expensive for me, but now I see how much ahead of the times they were.  Not really much of a gamer, however I will play one now and again.  

Darrin, good point on the HD limits with version 6.6 roms.  The chips look like they are just EPROMS.  If that is the only difference, if anyone knows what type of chip they are, and has the ROM files that are used, I could burn version 7 chips and replace them.  I don't know if those ROMs are still copyrighted or not, someone else might know the answers to these questions.  Thanks.

Jeff

[k4lmp]

Well, someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the A2091 version 7 roms take a 2764 EPROM.  Anybody know if that is correct, or have the roms?  Of course, if this is not legal, I understand.

Jeff

[bbond007]

Darrin, good point on the HD limits with version 6.6 roms.  The chips look like they are just EPROMS.  If that is the only difference, if anyone knows what type of chip they are, and has the ROM files that are used, I could burn version 7 chips and replace them.  I don't know if those ROMs are still copyrighted or not, someone else might know the answers to these questions.  Thanks.

Jeff

if you can find it, it would really help the 2091 if you had a Guru ROM. Unfortunately you can't just burn the EEPROM as there is some additional circuitry on the board to accommodate the a larger that stock ROM. http://babel.de/amiga.html

[darkage]

Guru Roms are very rare to see...

Check out this thread, http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=34626

Would be great if the ROM adapter was opensource... hmm wonder if its just got simple TTL logic or a PAL or just a bare pcb.. hmmm

Update - Its protected by a GAL.

[k4lmp]

Ok, so I have my CF card reader on the way.  I have been thinking about it, and would like to add a CD drive, instead of keeping my old HD.  I have a couple of SCSI CD burners laying around.  I realize that the burner function wouldn't work, but could I use one of these as a CD-ROM, or will my A2091 only support certain drives?  I have the Ver. 7.0 ROMs on the way, as well, as it has 6.6 right now.  Thanks.

Jeff

[touringsedan]

Recently completed an A2000 restore and upgrades. Personally found the CD-ROM to be a waste of space and time. The only thing I ever used it for was to install WB3.9.

With CF cards and the reader, you can mount multiple LUN's, so you can easily use an SD card to move data back and forth.

Once I added an Ethernet card, the CD-ROM really became useless as I could use samba or http to transfer files easily.

I put the CD-ROM in storage and can call upon it if needed, but that hasn't happened yet.

[psxphill]

Update - Its protected by a GAL.

It should be possible to create an equivalent GAL by following the clues here: http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?t=29356&page=2
You should even be able to do it with TTL/PAL/PIC if you feel like it.
 
If I didn't have so much trouble finding an A2091 without getting ripped off then I might be tempted to have a go.

[k4lmp]

Well, I got my Kickstart 3.1 chips today, and my CF adapter from Mechware.  I am waiting on my 3.1 WB disks, and my converter so I can hook up a VGA monitor, as I only have composite now.  I got an A520 with an A500 I bought, but no go on using it, as there is no  composite signal from it.  I tried hooking it up to a TV as well, no RF.  Either the A520 is bad, or something is wrong with the output on my RGB video.  It looks like if the A520 was good, I would at least have a blank screen on a TV instead of snow.  Anyway, I guess I will find out when my converter gets here.  

So here is my main question.  I set the jumper on my accelerator so that when I boot, it asks for me to pick 68000 or 68030, for compatibility with older software.  I noticed at the top of the screen, when it boots, it says "autoconfig out of memory" on the screen when it is waiting for me to make the selection, but it boots up fine when i pick either 68000 or 68030.  Is this a problem?  If so, what could I check?

Thanks,
Jeff

One more thing, do you have to do anything to enable an A520, as I assume it gets power from some pins on the RGB port.

[k4lmp]

Well, I did some searching, and possibly the reason for the error is that I have more memory installed than autoconfig can use.  I never thought of this, it makes sense, though as I didn't see it until I changed a jumper on my RAM expansion to use all of its memory.  According to the post, it doesn't hurt anything, and the machine boots up fine.  I think there is a total of 10 meg installed.  I found this info on the English Amiga Board.  

Any ideas on the trouble with my A520, I hope it is just bad, and not my RGB port.

Thanks,
Jeff

[bbond007]

Any ideas on the trouble with my A520, I hope it is just bad, and not my RGB port.

A520s were notorious for running hot and burning out

[k4lmp]

Well, the A520 is good, works on my A500.  Not good.  I guess I will have to see if voltage is coming out of the A2000's video port to power the A500.

[Darrin]

Well, the A520 is good, works on my A500.  Not good.  I guess I will have to see if voltage is coming out of the A2000's video port to power the A500.

Even if the video port is fried (assuming the worst), a flicker-fixer that inserts into the video slot could get around that.

Hopefully this isn't the case though.