Amiga 2000 & OS Version Recommendation

[QuikSanz]

The GVP has 5 MB of 32-bit RAM.  The Supra has 6 MB but I had to set it back to 4 MB because the VA2000 needed 2 MB of address space.  So, if there is a max of 8 MB in the Zorro II address space, is the GVP doing 2 MB of Zorro II address space RAM, Supra doing 4 MB, the VA2000 taking up the other 2 MB and then the GVP doing the remaining 3 MB somewhere else?  Is there a way to put all GVP RAM "somewhere else" so I can set the Supra back to 6 MB?

I think I would try 9MB on the GVP and remove the Supra. You will probably see a jump in performance.

[SaludaLabs]

Running OS3.9 with a Vampire Board 500v2 in my Amiga 2000.

[Motormouth]

Running OS3.9 with a Vampire Board 500v2 in my Amiga 2000.

@SaludaLabs  Your configuration will blow a mere 68030 out if the water.  It is 20-50 times faster (depending on the benchmark) and has 128 megs of 32bit ram.
 
I have run 3.9 on a A3000 with 030 and 8meg of 32bit fast ram without any problems.  With only 5megs of 32bit fast ram you may run out of 32bit ram from time to time, the 16 bit ram will keep things running, but the programs loaded into it will slow down.

[amigakid]

I would say 3.5 for that.  3.1 is nice also

[madgrizzle]

I upgraded the GVP to 13 MB of RAM... was cheap enough.  I'm waiting on a GVP 4.15 ROM to arrive tomorrow (woot) so I can install OS3.9 to a CF card and see how it runs.  Since the GVP seems to load most everything it its RAM, is there any reason to have the Supra and its 4 MB in the computer?

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Since the GVP seems to load most everything it its RAM, is there any reason to have the Supra and its 4 MB in the computer?

Some older applications require 16-bit RAM to be present.  I'd keep it, it's not costing you anything other than a few cents extra on your power bill each month.  :lol:

[QuikSanz]

@madgrizzle,

Your combo card has a limit, it is 16MB of total memory. With a total of 13 MB on the card you only have 3 MB of room left on the Zorro bus! If you plan on a graphics card add that to the bus, If a 2MB Card you will Have 1MB left. With a 4MB Graphic card you would have to do with 9MB or change the soldered Mem to 4MB and leave out 1 stick of 4MB. Or if not adding any card you can change the soldered mem to 4MB, fill the GVP and have 16MB.

Chris

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

@madgrizzle,

Your combo card has a limit, it is 16MB of total memory. With a total of 13 MB on the card you only have 3 MB of room left on the Zorro bus! If you plan on a graphics card add that to the bus, If a 2MB Card you will Have 1MB left. With a 4MB Graphic card you would have to do with 9MB or change the soldered Mem to 4MB and leave out 1 stick of 4MB. Or if not adding any card you can change the soldered mem to 4MB, fill the GVP and have 16MB.

Chris

If the GVP card puts its memory in the 32-bit address space (I assume it does, most do), then this information is incorrect.

Your actual limits are closer to 128MB (32-bit RAM), 8MB (16-bit RAM), and 2MB of chip. If you later add a graphics card (2MB or 4MB) that will come out of the 16-bit (Zorro 2) address space.

Of course YMMV, bases on any limitations of your particular accelerator. If it maxes out at 16MB of 32-bit RAM, then adjust accordingly.

[QuikSanz]

If the GVP card puts its memory in the 32-bit address space (I assume it does, most do), then this information is incorrect.

Your actual limits are closer to 128MB (32-bit RAM), 8MB (16-bit RAM), and 2MB of chip. If you later add a graphics card (2MB or 4MB) that will come out of the 16-bit (Zorro 2) address space.

Of course YMMV, bases on any limitations of your particular accelerator. If it maxes out at 16MB of 32-bit RAM, then adjust accordingly.

I have the 030/40 one with 4 MB on board. If I load it to 16MB and add anything to Zorro it either will not boot, have glitchy operation or things will just not show up. I must remove 4 MB to put anything in Zorro. There was a post from a GVP engineer not too long ago about this on this site or the other but can't find it yet to point to it. Something about limited address space on old cards.

[madgrizzle]

Well, that's interesting.. I get my 4.15 ROM today in the mail and will be trying it out.  Bummer the VA2000 uses 4 MB of Zorro space. It's not like I'm using the high resolutions. I wonder if that can be configured.  If it was 2 MB, then I could get 13 MB on the GVP card.  I'll inquire with the developer.

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

If it was 2 MB, then I could get 13 MB on the GVP card.

If it were me, I'd look for a different accelerator - one that's not so limited - rather than crippling your graphics. Plenty of other cards out there that properly support up to 64MB or 128MB, assuming you have the budget. Good luck!

[QuikSanz]

@Oldsmobile_Mike,

I loved the way the TEK2060 made my A2000 fly. I think it's time for a Vampire now that Gold Core 3 is going to be released!

[madgrizzle]

I have the 030/40 one with 4 MB on board. If I load it to 16MB and add anything to Zorro it either will not boot, have glitchy operation or things will just not show up. I must remove 4 MB to put anything in Zorro. There was a post from a GVP engineer not too long ago about this on this site or the other but can't find it yet to point to it. Something about limited address space on old cards.

Well, I booted the Amiga and installed OS3.9 and boingbags 1-4 with 13 MB in the GVP, 4 MB in the Supra and the VA2000 taking up 4MB of address space (which apparently can be changed to 2 MB if needed per the developer).  I had no problems with it running all night, but I'm not sure I really taxed the memory.. All I had time to do was bring up aminet.net on AWeb after I got the plipbox working.  I'll see if I can max it out tonight to see what happens.  At the worst, I can set the VA2000 to 2 MB and pull the Supra leaving 13 MB on the GVP.

[madgrizzle]

Plenty of other cards out there that properly support up to 64MB or 128MB, assuming you have the budget. Good luck!

And there's the rub.  

[thebajaguy]

Set you accelerator's memory jumpers for all memory mapped high.

Set your VA2000 for the preferred size for your machine (I have read that 2MB is preferred in Zorro II situations, not for speed, but to leave space for other memory allocations in the 8MB Zorro II expansion (8MB) space.)

Set the Supra to 6MB mode if the above is true, or 4MB if you are advised otherwise.

Make sure you are using some kickstart remap tool (GVPCPUCTRL - if the CPU is an EC model) or the OS CPU FastROM command (if the CPU has an MMU), and that both caches are on (CPU Cache).  I don't know if the VA2000 is preferred to have the data cache turned on after the drivers load for it - check the docs.  

As for being 'picky', know the Amiga memory architecture and where your product's memory is being placed.  In most cases, placing all Accelerator 32-bit RAM up high is best, unless you have a need for some in 16-bit DMA space.  16-bit RAM,l like on the Supra, is used later, after all 32-bit FastRAM is used.

[thebajaguy]

The GVP accelerator boards never had any further RAM expansion options when they came out.  Back then, 16MB was a lot.  The 64MB on the 68040 was enormous.  These boards came out in 1991-1992 and were very popular.

Cards that came out after the 'fall' of the market in 1993 have since taken RAM amounts further, with cheaper memory packages.

I've got a 256MB RAM expansion on my A4000T - made in the last 15 years.  Unheard of in 1994.  And the A2630 big RAM expansion was rarely seen back then, if you could find one.