GVP Impact A2000-HC

[k4lmp]

Has anyone ever used one of these scsi cards?  I have one I am trying to set up using one of the Mech CF readers.  If I boot from the install disk, it sees the drive as unit 0, and says it is starting a low-level format, then dies with an error 100.  I need to install WB 3.1 on the CF drive, but can't seem to load the driver for the GVP scsi card, and using scsi.device, it doesn't see the GVP card.  Any thoughts on this?  When I run the GVP boot disk, before it dies, it says the autoboot roms are not installed.  I would rather use an A2091, but unfortunately my extra 2091 is bad.  This is the only other scsi card I have.  Thanks.

[k4lmp]

Update...I was able to find that I have an A2090a, but have read that they can be a bear to set up.  HDTools will not see the A2090a, either.  It does flash the LED on the CF reader, when it boots, though.

[orcish75]

In order to use one of Mechy's CF readers, SCSI CD-ROM, or a decent size HDD on a Series-1 GVP controller, You'll have to get the gvpscsi.device 3.15 ROM from Ralph Babel's site. http://babel.de/amiga.html Unfortunately most Series-1 cards need a PAL update as well to use the 3.15 ROM. If your card has two EPROMS, an odd and even one with Ver 1.0 burned in them, the chances are you won't be able to use the 3.15 ROM as it'll more than likely still have the old PAL on it. I've been trying very hard to find a Series-1 controller with the updated PAL so that I can make the PAL available to everyone.

If you do download the 3.15 ROM, you don't need to split it into odd and even, just burn it into 1 EPROM (If I remember correctly, you'll need a 27C128) and plug it into the even socket.

Your alternative is to get a GVP IO Extender card http://amiga.resource.cx/exp/ioextender and use the EPROM socket on that to get your 3.15 working. Just check the version of the IO Extender card, the newer versions didn't have the socket soldered on the board. You'll need to ensure that the autoboot jumper is disabled on your series-1 card and then enable J4 on the IO Extender card. This is the method I've used to get the 3.15 rom working with my A2000-HC+2 series 1 controller.

Hope this helps! :anger:

[k4lmp]

Thanks for the reply.  I found the 3.15 rom, and burned it to a 27C128.  I found the rom, and through some reading, figured this out.  I don't know which is the 'even' socket, so i've tried it in both, same result.  I also tried it with the jumper, J2 on and off, and it still says autoboot roms not installed.  I guess it is due to the PAL update you are talking about.  If you find out any more on this, let me know.  Thanks.

[motrucker]

In order to use one of Mechy's CF readers, SCSI CD-ROM, or a decent size HDD on a Series-1 GVP controller, You'll have to get the gvpscsi.device 3.15 ROM from Ralph Babel's site. http://babel.de/amiga.html Unfortunately most Series-1 cards need a PAL update as well to use the 3.15 ROM. If your card has two EPROMS, an odd and even one with Ver 1.0 burned in them, the chances are you won't be able to use the 3.15 ROM as it'll more than likely still have the old PAL on it. I've been trying very hard to find a Series-1 controller with the updated PAL so that I can make the PAL available to everyone.

If you do download the 3.15 ROM, you don't need to split it into odd and even, just burn it into 1 EPROM (If I remember correctly, you'll need a 27C128) and plug it into the even socket.

Your alternative is to get a GVP IO Extender card http://amiga.resource.cx/exp/ioextender and use the EPROM socket on that to get your 3.15 working. Just check the version of the IO Extender card, the newer versions didn't have the socket soldered on the board. You'll need to ensure that the autoboot jumper is disabled on your series-1 card and then enable J4 on the IO Extender card. This is the method I've used to get the 3.15 rom working with my A2000-HC+2 series 1 controller.

Hope this helps! :anger:

I thought I had one of these cards. Turns out it is an A 4000 HC8 Series II with a FASTR 4.13 ROM - would that work?, or do I still need to upgrade?

[motrucker]

Thanks for the reply.  I found the 3.15 rom, and burned it to a 27C128.  I found the rom, and through some reading, figured this out.  I don't know which is the 'even' socket, so i've tried it in both, same result.  I also tried it with the jumper, J2 on and off, and it still says autoboot roms not installed.  I guess it is due to the PAL update you are talking about.  If you find out any more on this, let me know.  Thanks.

There is a 2091 on it's way to you (with the computer) that has version 7 ROMs and revision 8 SCSI chip. I do believe this will do what you need, too.

[k4lmp]

Mo, I sent you an email, I got the A2000 yesterday, and the a2091 is bad.  I have tried several drives, and a CF reader, and all will work sometimes, but it fails, usually in a read/write attempt, or while formatting.  Also, when I first turn the a2000 on, it tells me the board is defective.  I found the Impact card and am trying to get it to work, but no luck so far.  Thanks.

[Mamejay]

Can someone elaborate on the updated PAL?  What exactly are we talking about here?

[orcish75]

I'm not sure which PAL it is yet, I'm still trying to source an A2000-HC series 1 controller that has the upgraded PAL in order to compare with my current A2000-HC+2 series 1 that has the old PAL on it. I've tried the 3.15 rom on it without success.

Here is a link that briefly describes it, it's near the bottom of the FAQ:

http://ftp.back2roots.org/padua/text/GVP.FAQ1

AFAIK, the PALs on the old GVP cards aren't protected, so it should be easy to copy them.

In the end, I just bought an A2000-HC+8 series II card to solve my problems. I'm still on the hunt for a series 1 card with the upgraded PAL so that I can make the upgraded PAL available for everyone.

Cheers

[k4lmp]

Well, I managed to get WB 1.3 loaded on a HD using the A2090a and the original XT drive.  I never could get the A2090a to recognize the SCSI drives (Quantum).  I tried using a SCSI CF reader, but it wouldn't see that either.  I am assuming that is SCSI II, though, and the A2090a supposedly won't work with SCSI II devices (my SCSI knowledge is limited, but I can usually fumble my way through).  Anyway, I was glad to get something to work, but I am not happy with it, so I guess I'll keep playing, or try to pick up a cheap A2091 off of ebay.  I also never got the GVP Impact to work.

[zipper]

2090a: "does not support the SCSI Direct protocol;
does not support partitions and drives larger than 256 MB " So it's quite limited.

[k4lmp]

I thought I would update this thread, as it seems there were several people interested in this.  I burned another v3.15 EPROM, and placed it in the even auto-boot rom socket.  I put a jumper on J2, which is located next to the auto-boot rom sockets.  I turned the A2000 on, and WOW, it loaded WB 3.1 from my SCSI card reader.  It works great, very fast.  This is on my backup A2000, which is OCS.  So now I have 2 working A2000s.  I am not sure about the PAL question, mine just worked with the newly burned EPROM and the correct jumper setting.  I am unable, however, to find the HD LED connector anywhere on the board.  There is only one more jumper, which is J1, but that doesn't seem to be it.  Just wanted to give everyone who responded to this thread an update.  If anybody has anything they want me to try, or if I can be of help, let me know.

Thanks

[k4lmp]

Anyone with one of these boards know where the HD LED connects?  According to the Amiga Hardware Database, it has one, but it is nowhere to be found on my board.

[orcish75]

Excellent! Your card has the updated PAL already installed. From the pictures on amiga.resource.cx it looks like there's another jumper just above and to the left of the 50pin SCSI connector. Connect your LED cable to that jumper and see what happens. The LED will only work when the cable is connected the right way round. If it doesn't work at first, just rotate the cable plug 180 degrees and plug it in again. You can't damage the card this way, so don't worry.

[k4lmp]

Well, I tried that jumper, but I will try it again.  If that isn't it, I don't see another jumper on the board.  Thanks very much for the reply.