Re: A3000 problems

[RadosÅaw Kujawa <radoslaw.kujawa%c0ff33.net@localhost>]

On Dec 27, 2010, at 7:40 PM, Frank Wille wrote:

>> 1.Turbo board is not identified properly (as CyberStorm PPC). Again,
>> amigappc_identify() is at fault - this CSPPC's serial number starts
>> with 'DD'.
> 
> Yes, my CSPPC is also identified as "PowerUp". I don't know why Adam
> Ciarcinski, who wrote the initial amigappc port code, decided that only 'E'
> serial numbers are CSPPC, but I also didn't care much.

Maybe there's better way to differentiate between these two than checking 
serial number? We could assume that we're dealing with CSPPC if it's 604 and 
BPPC if it's 603. But this solution is as hackish as current.

>> 2. Kernel does not boot with ZorRAM RAM expansion installed.
> 
> Maybe because the kernel and/or the loader are loaded into Z3-RAM? I'm not
> even sure if PPC code works reliably in any other than the CSPPC onboard
> RAM.

Yup, that's the case - gobsdppc prints that kernel is loaded at 0x5000 0000. 
Loader should follow priority information from AmigaOS (CSPPC RAM is 
prioritized to be allocated first). Using firstseg option to gobsdppc is a 
workaround to this problem - kernel is loaded and executed successfully at 
0x0800 0000 (and works as expected).

> What experience did you have with WarpOS or PowerUp?

I don't remember ever running out of CSPPC RAM (128MB) while working with OS 
3.x. I bought ZorRAM before I acquired CSPPC, when I had only 4MB of onboard 
Fast RAM and A3640. Now it's mostly unused, because no AmigaOS 3.x program 
needs more than 128MB of RAM...

MorphOS does not support Z3 RAM at all. Current version of AmigaOS 4.0 does not 
work with Z3 RAM, but upcoming 4.1 is rumored to support it. If additional work 
was needed, then probably it's not straightforward.

>> Do we support Zorro III RAM expansions at all in amigappc port?
> 
> When the ZorRAM memory was recognized by AmigaOS it will be in the memlist
> passed by the bootloader. But currently initppc() will only recognize the
> memory segment where the kernel was loaded (which is usually the onboard
> RAM).

Looks like something bad happens if kernel is loaded into Z3 RAM.  Lack of BAT 
setup is the first problem here?

>> 3.
>> Kernel does not boot with Deneb USB card installed, even when flash ROM
>> is disabled and Poseidon USB stack unloaded.
> 
> I have a Deneb in my A3000 too and there was never any problem with it.
> Neither when booting amigappc nor amiga.

Actually, today I removed CV64/3D from this A3000 and kernel booted with Deneb. 
No idea what difference it makes...

> The card is just ignored by the kernel. Where exactly is the problem? Does
> the bootloader fail?

Kernel is loaded into RAM, then usual "flying colors", then black screen. 
Console is not initialized, no output on serial port. 

>> 4. Serial port does
>> transmit only in one way (same symptoms as earlier). I have machdep.c
>> rev 1.47 with recent Frank's changes.
> 
> Did it ever work for you with my last patch?

Hmm, I'm not sure, but it worked fine on A1200 after applying your patch, I'll 
need to check again - I didn't test it extensively. 

> The symptoms I had were that the system freezes, as soon as the first
> character is received. I tested my serial connection with tip(1) and a
> proper entry in /etc/remote.

I think that's not the case here, but I can't test it properly now, as I don't 
have a full userspace installed (and can't do it on A3000 due to unsupported 
FastATA controller, no compatible SCSI disk, etc. etc.), so... I need to revive 
my A1200 ;).

--
Best regards,
RadosÅaw Kujawa