Question about old Fusion Forty accelerator

[orb85750]

I have this old Fusion Forty accelerator.  In my A2000 (with 2.0 roms), the CPU is recognized, but the on-board memory is not.  Should it be available automatically, or do I need to run an install disk?  Thanks.

[Motormouth]

The memory should automount and be available automatically.

However the install disk does have some useful utilities including SetFF which you should definitely install and configure in the startup-sequence

The memory, eventhough it is only 30 pin simms, is dual channel and faster than my A3000's and A4000's memory.  Further, my A2000 with 28 mhz FF40 is faster than my A3000 and A4000 both with A3640s in just about every AIBB test except for graphics.  Throw in a picasso II you actually have a pretty nice amiga.

I did have a recent issue with my FF40, one of the SIMMs went bad.   luckily I had bought a lot of old memory (~70-80 sticks couple years ago) off ebay for a couple bucks.  It had the memory I needed to get it working again.

As for the FF40 itself DO NOT flip the cpu enable/disable switch when your amiga is on.
This could destroy the card or your amiga.

lastly,  Which version of the plug-n-go roms do you have?  I suggest upgrading to v3.4 so that you may use amigaos 3.1 roms.

[TjLaZer]

What version Plug'N Go roms do you have?  I have the latest version I can burn for you.  $45 shipped.  It's four ROM chips.  This will auto map the RAM for you as it has a built in config menu to save the settings.  Works with KS 3.1+ also.

[Crumb]

What version Plug'N Go roms do you have?  I have the latest version I can burn for you.  $45 shipped.  It's four ROM chips.  This will auto map the RAM for you as it has a built in config menu to save the settings.  Works with KS 3.1+ also.

I have some doubts about Fusion Forty...
I think my board is rev1. It probably has latest roms (it seems to autoconfigure all the ram) but I'm not 100% sure. Is it possible to replace the 56Mhz crystal by a 80Mhz one and replace the 040/25 by a 040/40Mhz?

I ask because I have read here that there are two models:
http://amiga.resource.cx/exp/fusion40

Is it possible to update rev1 to rev2 so 128MB of ram can be installed?

here it's stated that there are 28, 33 and 40Mhz versions:
http://amiga-hardware.com/showhardware.cgi?HARDID=213

[nscaleworld]

I have some doubts about Fusion Forty...
I think my board is rev1. It probably has latest roms (it seems to autoconfigure all the ram) but I'm not 100% sure. Is it possible to replace the 56Mhz crystal by a 80Mhz one and replace the 040/25 by a 040/40Mhz?
 
I ask because I have read here that there are two models:
http://amiga.resource.cx/exp/fusion40
 
Is it possible to update rev1 to rev2 so 128MB of ram can be installed?
 
here it's stated that there are 28, 33 and 40Mhz versions:
http://amiga-hardware.com/showhardware.cgi?HARDID=213

Yes you can upgrade the 040 chip and the crystal, but, you may also have to use faster memory.  Try to find an "MC" version 040 processor.  Most are the "XC" version, which run hotter.  Use high quality SIMMs, the DRAMs will have Germany or Japan printed on them.

[orb85750]

I have no idea what the ROMs are, but I suppose they're not the right ones.  I say that because the card will not work at all with OS3.1.  The CPU is recognized using OS2, but the memory is not recognized.  So do I likely have a defective card?  If the memory itself were defective, would I expect none of it to be recognized (or would I more likely expect the card not to work at all)?  Thanks for your help.

[orb85750]

The memory should automount and be available automatically.

As for the FF40 itself DO NOT flip the cpu enable/disable switch when your amiga is on.
This could destroy the card or your amiga.

Thanks for the warning.  Actually I can't do that anyway at the moment,
because I have no jumper switch -- had to borrow a jumper from another
board to enable the 040.

But I learned my lesson a while back when I plugged in an external
floppy drive, destroying an older A2000.

[AltRN8]

Do you have and used the setff command off the install disk?
With the 3.1 roms have you tried holding done (one or both) of the mouse keys on boot?
I know I had to do that on mine to get it to boot with 3.1 roms.
Upgrading to the latest roms for the FF fixes this issue obviously.

Try using setff to activate the ram.

[Motormouth]

Do you have and used the setff command off the install disk?
With the 3.1 roms have you tried holding done (one or both) of the mouse keys on boot?
I know I had to do that on mine to get it to boot with 3.1 roms.
Upgrading to the latest roms for the FF fixes this issue obviously.

Try using setff to activate the ram.

You do not "have to" use the SetFF command
but like SetCPU or SetBatt it lets to get the best configuration possible for your use
The SetFF command allows you to set cpu caches, copyback mode, emulate a 68882, softboot a KS rom and/or put KS into 32 bit memory, etc.

and yes with the older roms you can hold the (I think the "right" (it has been a while)) mouse key at start up to get the plug n go menu.  This allow you to disable a significant amount of F40 features and allow the 3.1 roms to work.  This menu will also tell you the version of the plug n go roms you have (I think again it has been a while).

However, I would recommend buying plug n go 3.4 roms if you can.  I got mine from TjLaZer "above" and they worked just fine.

[AltRN8]

You should probably tr the startup with right mouse button to see if you can get it to boot with 3.1 roms and to check the version. You can try using setff to enable the disabled features if you can get it to boot.

[orb85750]

Guys... Thanks, but will that fix the problem I'm having with the memory?  That's my primary concern at the moment.  My OS3.1 machine is back in storage, but I'll get it if you think I can access the on-board memory somehow with it?  Or somehow access the memory with an install disk?? (which I do not have).

[Motormouth]

Guys... Thanks, but will that fix the problem I'm having with the memory?  That's my primary concern at the moment.  My OS3.1 machine is back in storage, but I'll get it if you think I can access the on-board memory somehow with it?  Or somehow access the memory with an install disk?? (which I do not have).

Sorry,  Thanks for getting us to focus.  The "plug n go" boot screen (again this is from my memory and who knows if it has gone bad) will tell you what the F40 thinks the memory in it is.  Also remember you need to change four slots at a time of the eight total.  This makes it a bit harder to diagnose exactly which simm is bad.  my older F40 uses either 1 or 4 meg 30 pin simms and I have been able to use both parity (does not use parity) and non parity simm.

I think the last revision used 72 pin simms, but I cannot comment on that.