x86 Bridgeboard update (PCem core)

[Toni Wilen]

The older the hardware, the more sensitive it is for speed changes (mainly some BIOS diagnostics tests can fail..). Emulation can't detect it.

EDIT: I guess I can disable +cpu speed until display gets initialized. It should fix most issues without making memory test awfully slow..

[AnnaWu]

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

EDIT: I guess I can disable +cpu speed until display gets initialized. It should fix most issues without making memory test awfully slow..

Very helpful, thank you.

[superfrog]

Originally Posted by AnnaWu

Ok, I tried Janus 2.0
Janus Handler 2.63
Janus Library 33.1

No any problems.

Can you please upload the config and hdf you used for this? Mine still freezes when I open PC Color on Janus 2.0 with Beta 1. Works if I boot from floppy, but not HD. I know it's not very important, but it's bugging me that it doesn't work when it should. Thanks!

[Toni Wilen]

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

EDIT: I guess I can disable +cpu speed until display gets initialized. It should fix most issues without making memory test awfully slow..

Done.

Now all bridgeboards boot at normal speed and switch to fast speed (if x86 CPU slider is >0%) after first write to video register.

[AMIGASYSTEM]

Ciao Toni, the fact that Win95 does not detect the network card may depend on the fact that my PC uses a Wireless Network?

WinUAE in Network Adapter also detects me 2 VMWare Virtual Eternet network adapters, can i use them?

[Toni Wilen]

Originally Posted by superfrog

Hey Toni, would you mind taking another look at the BB CGA 4-color graphics emulation? I mentioned this in post #208. The color text display works fine, but it seems like the 4-color CGA graphics display does not work correctly. I can't verify this worked with the real HW Bridgeboard, but I know in the official C= docs it says Bridgeboard supports 4-color CGA graphics, and I doubt they would have built a product that claimed 4-color CGA capability and made a board that produced the out of phase output that I showed in the attached pics. Not a high priority, but I do think this is something that should work. Thanks.

http://eab.abime.net/showpost.php?p=...&postcount=208

I need better example (single executable, must not require extra key presses)

Originally Posted by AMIGASYSTEM

Ciao Toni, the fact that Win95 does not detect the network card may depend on the fact that my PC uses a Wireless Network?

No. Physical network is irrelevant in emulation.

There is no guarantee Windows can detect it automatically. Just try to add it manually.

WinUAE in Network Adapter also detects me 2 VMWare Virtual Eternet network adapters, can i use them?

I don't know. Probably not.

[AMIGASYSTEM]

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

No. Physical network is irrelevant in emulation.
There is no guarantee Windows can detect it automatically. Just try to add it manually.

The user Zilog told me that to him the Network Card was detected automatically but I manually can not find that card, which one should I choose? I've tried more than one.

I don't know. Probably not.

I'll test when I can find the right network card

[superfrog]

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

I need better example (single executable, must not require extra key presses)

I started a new thread in the general WinUAE support forum since this isn't really related to the beta, includes HDF and is very automated, just have to boot it up and watch for x86 VGA. For built-in BB CGA emulation, just boot the HDF and open PC Color window and the program starts automatically. I tried to make it as easy as possible. Any program that uses 4-color CGA graphics has this problem (and there are many of those.) I can find others if you like.



http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=93882

[AnnaWu]

Maybe the CGA Compatibility Tester is helpful?
http://www.oldskool.org/pc/cgacomp

[LanceT]

Thanks Toni for all you do. Also thanks to the participants on this thread.

I was reading that the upgrade CPU upgrade was a CYRIX 486.

When I changed the sx2386 rom to an AMI486.bin rom I got this.

Will mess with it a bit more to see if I can go any further.
Can't access keyboard on the x86 side. Same config works with the default sx2386-01 rom.
Thanks again Lance.

EDIT: I wonder if the problem lies in the NVRam file. Is it true one can be created in PCEM or x86box? Will try different things.

[Toni Wilen]

Originally Posted by LanceT

Thanks Toni for all you do. Also thanks to the participants on this thread.

I was reading that the upgrade CPU upgrade was a CYRIX 486.

When I changed the sx2386 rom to an AMI486.bin rom I got this.

Will mess with it a bit more to see if I can go any further.
Can't access keyboard on the x86 side. Same config works with the default sx2386-01 rom.
Thanks again Lance.

EDIT: I wonder if the problem lies in the NVRam file. Is it true one can be created in PCEM or x86box? Will try different things.

You can't use other BIOS ROMs. Bridgeboard BIOS ROMs are customized versions. It for example talk to Amiga side when early diagnostics tests are done. Some IO ports and emulated MDA/CGA also need special BIOS support.

Keyboard needs Janus and Janus won't initialize until BIOS tells it is ready.

[LanceT]

Thank you Toni , I must have got confused by the "Elite Microsystems: 486SLC"
http://www.bigbookofamigahardware.co...ct.aspx?id=331

"This bridgeboard is actually a Commodore A2386SX card which was adapted by Elite Microsystems to accept a 486 processor, before being shipped."

Wont spend to much time getting nowhere.

Have managed to boot to win98SE be it slow. Win95 is faster though.

[Toni Wilen]

Originally Posted by LanceT

Thank you Toni , I must have got confused by the "Elite Microsystems: 486SLC"
http://www.bigbookofamigahardware.co...ct.aspx?id=331

"This bridgeboard is actually a Commodore A2386SX card which was adapted by Elite Microsystems to accept a 486 processor, before being shipped."

Wont spend to much time getting nowhere.

That board may have modified BIOS but good luck finding someone who has it..

[LanceT]

Strange result... Rom used is ami286-atvga.
Show as a 80486


Left the bios as it was.
Keyboard works

[LanceT]

Last one, I promise
Found a 486 bios that works with Janus.library
[ Show youtube player ]
On reboot the mhz drops to 15-16 so not sure when it loses it.

[AMIGASYSTEM]

Ciao LanceT "ami.bin" it also works well with 286/386
Question how did you emulate the 486?

[LanceT]

Hi AmigaSystem I didn't change anything except for the bios. I used ".\Roms\PC-x86\machines\dtk486\4siw005.bin" from the PCEM v14win emulator. The NVRam = "A2286_Color_HDD_Flash.nvr" that was posted here.
Amiga side A3000 - 68030-no jit-ks3.1 -x86 CPU speed 0%

[AnnaWu]

Originally Posted by LanceT

Last one, I promise
Found a 486 bios that works with Janus.library

Can you upload the 486 BIOS?

[Toni Wilen]

It is possible some BIOS versions work "accidentally" in bridgeboard because only "check" that Janus does is set first byte in shared RAM to non-zero, then poll until it changes back to zero (by BIOS init code). If it changes to zero quickly enough (or BIOS simply clears the IO space): Janus assumes everything is fine. If not: error.

[LanceT]

Originally Posted by AnnaWu

Can you upload the 486 BIOS?

As Toni said it is accidental, The AST Advanced Diagnostics Release 2.23 tests fail all over the place, except for the VGA Tests they all pass.
Maybe the could fail because I haven't set up shadow rom in bios, I don't know. It has been years since I have messed with 386/486 setting.