Amithlon Setup Guide

[SnkBitten]

I'm starting to build out a new kernel compiling guide based on an older version of Ubuntu, but newer than the old Centos I had documented. Everything was installed and configured in VirtualBox last night and I ran a successful compile of Kernel4 and booted a VirtualBox Amithlon off of it.

Should have it hosted/posted this weekend. It's definitely much simpler than the Centos setup.

Not that this adds anything, but it does make it simpler and quicker to setup and get the kernel compiling.

[malko]

It's an interesting news !
I don't have much time to try to set-up Amithlon again now, so will follow this thread with good interest.
Keep the ball boing !

[SnkBitten]

Well I missed that deadline

99% of the text is done, I've reinstalled Ubuntu under Virtualbox and have screen grabs......now I just need to put it all together and post it.

Originally Posted by SnkBitten

I'm starting to build out a new kernel compiling guide based on an older version of Ubuntu, but newer than the old Centos I had documented. Everything was installed and configured in VirtualBox last night and I ran a successful compile of Kernel4 and booted a VirtualBox Amithlon off of it.

Should have it hosted/posted this weekend. It's definitely much simpler than the Centos setup.

Not that this adds anything, but it does make it simpler and quicker to setup and get the kernel compiling.

[SnkBitten]

Alright, here's the new kernel guide using Virtualbox and Ubuntu 5.10.

http://amithlon.snkbitten.com/files/...Ubuntu5.10.pdf

[SnkBitten]

For grins I pulled the Kickstart (shape.rom) out of my smallird.gz and replaced it with a stock A500/A2000 3.1 Kickstart (renamed to shape.rom). My Amithlon box booted with no noticeable difference. The only file I visually saw was different between the two was exec, though both were the same version and size.

exec_40.10(A500-A600-A2000) 14,428 bytes
exec_40.10(Amithlon) 14,428 bytes

Used doobrey's RomSplit 1.9a that he updated to support the Amithlon Kickstart to extract both.

I'm going to start applying the typical patches to the shape.rom to see what can be updated without creating problems. Since it booted with a bone stock 3.1 rom I believe most of your typical patches/updates will apply.

[malko]

Interesting
and thank you for the new guide. I have noted it on my to do list

[apex]

Great work! Thank you for this.

[SnkBitten]

Still experimenting with the stock A500/A600/A2000 kickstart 3.1 rom, I changed the following in the ROM, adding the below to replace the older versions...

Bootmenu_44.7(A500) - ROMUpdate (bb2)
console.device_44.8 - ROMUpdate (bb2)
exec_45.20(A1200-A500) - ROMUpdate (bb2)
filesystem.resource_45.10 - ROMUpdate (bb2)
filesystem_45.13 - ROMUpdate (bb2)
ram-handler_44.24_NoBss - ROMUpdate (bb2)
shell_45.7 - ROMUpdate (bb2)
icon.library (peterk's)
layers.library 45.27

System booted without issue.

I then removed battclock (there is code that injects v40.4 in Amithlon), added Blizkick modules patchmath020-all and romfixes2 and it booted as well. I may have removed scsi.device, unfortunately I'm not sure and will check later. I did remove workbench.library to make room as I have it sitting in libs: already.

[SnkBitten]

Some more experimenting with the kickstart in Amithlon. I started with the Amithlon Rom (loaded all it's modules in to remus) then replaced the ones with versions from the BoingBag2 extracted modules . I then replaced the math libs with hsmathlibs and layers.library with version 45.27.

I removed workbench.library, battclock.resource and scsi.device for room. Amithlon booted just fine and I haven't noticed any issues currently. I'll continue to monitor.

Changed my setpatch line to
SetPatch NOROMUPDATE NONSD >NIL:
in startup and commented out my LoadModule line.

battclock.resource is injected by Amithlon so not needed. scsi.device is not needed because Amithlon uses amithlon.device. workbench.library I use an updated version in libs.

Replaced modules:
exec_45.20 (A1200-A500)
bootmenu_447(A500)
console.device_44.8
filesystem.resource_45.10
filesystem_45.13
ram-handler_44.24_NoBss
shell_45.7
mathffp.library (HSML)
mathieeesingbas.library (HSML)
layer.library 45.27

Removed modules:
battclock.resource_39.3
scsi.device_40.5(A600-A1200)
workbench.library_40.5

Any suggestions of what else to replace/upgrade. We are limited to 512KB ROM image so keep that in mind.

[SnkBitten]

Same as above but replaced:
exec_45.20 (A1200-A500) with exec_45.25.17 (cosmos)
bootmenu_447(A500) with bootmenu_447(020)
dos.library with the version from BB4
icon.library with Peterk's latest

Still booted fine. At this point I'm fairly confident you could replace most modules as you would for any other Amiga (OCS/ECS) and it would work.

I'm still working out exactly what I'll replace and keep, but I'll probably play on the safe side and just replace the updated modules from BB2 to eliminate Setpatch from needing a reboot and I'll add the new layers.library and HSML math libs. That's mostly what I had loadmodules + setpatch doing anyway.

[gulliver]

I unfortunately coyld not even split the rom

[SnkBitten]

Originally Posted by gulliver

I unfortunately coyld not even split the rom

You need 1.9a of ROMSplit. Doobrey hasn't released it yet but he did give me permission to share the link he provided me. I had to ask him to include the Amithlon 'shape.rom' in ROMSplit which he gladly did.

http://www.doobreynet.co.uk/beta/ROMsplit_1.9a.lha

You need the latest version installed and then copy these files over the installed one.

Honestly though you don't even need to split the shape.rom, just split an A500/A600/A2000 3.1 ROM and go from there.
I've used a completely stock A2000 3.1 rom as my shape.rom without issue and the only Amithlon specific file from shape.rom I'm replacing anyway with BB2 modules (exec_45_20).

[gulliver]

@SnkBitten

Thank you very much!

It seems I was using another version of ROMsplit.

I am playing with it right now, following your guidelines

[rare_j]

I have a matrox g550 pci low profile and dual monitor adapter. Its useless for windows as there are no drivers beyound vista. Does anyone want it for cost of postage?

[LanceT]

Originally Posted by SnkBitten

You need 1.9a of ROMSplit. Doobrey hasn't released it yet but he did give me permission to share the link he provided me. I had to ask him to include the Amithlon 'shape.rom' in ROMSplit which he gladly did.

Thank you for sharing the link to the update. Before seeing this I manually extracted the modules using AMIKick (Windows).

I did notice that the module called "carddisk.device_40.1" should be named "carddisk.resource_40.1" as it is an exact match to the file in 40.63(a500-2000)
## Ignore this it appears that the a500-2000 was updated (renamed) also ##

Thanks again.

[jdog320]

Is there anyway to backup the amithlon partitions? In case a rogue software install renders it unbootable. It was easy with UAE, but different with amithlon

[SnkBitten]

Originally Posted by jdog320

Is there anyway to backup the amithlon partitions? In case a rogue software install renders it unbootable. It was easy with UAE, but different with amithlon

You can always compress the contents of the volume to an .lha file and save it off somewhere and then boot off the Bigird.gz (containing amithlon_hd) and then extract the .lha files back over your damaged partition.

I'm on a physical box for Amithlon and created an extra partition "Backups:" that I've copied by boot volume to a folder "System-Mar16-2018" and then if I have an issue I just boot with loadlin @amithlon which uses bigird.gz with it's own boot partition and then copy the contents of Backups:System-Mar16-2018/#? to my System3.9 partition. Anytime I install new apps or patches that I feel comfortable with and is stable I copy my System3.9: volume to a new folder on Backups: with that date again.

I treat my Amithlon partitions just like Amiga partitions.

[jdog320]

Also whenever I play a sound in VBox, there's like a 1 sec delay before it happens. I can notice it and it's very annoying.

[SnkBitten]

Originally Posted by jdog320

Also whenever I play a sound in VBox, there's like a 1 sec delay before it happens. I can notice it and it's very annoying.

Unfortunately that may be an issue of VBox, emulating hardware may be creating additional issues.

I don't use Amithon in VBox, it's just more of a test setup to experiment quickly before testing on my system, so I haven't done more than see if things work (audio, usb, etc..).

[jdog320]

Originally Posted by SnkBitten

Unfortunately that may be an issue of VBox, emulating hardware may be creating additional issues.

I don't use Amithon in VBox, it's just more of a test setup to experiment quickly before testing on my system, so I haven't done more than see if things work (audio, usb, etc..).

Is there any documentation on how amithlon really works? Especially the hardware passthrough part? And try to reverse engineer it plus do it on later kernels? Also have you tried using a voodoo 3 with amithlon with warp3d?