OS 4.1 FE Classic in WinUAE, very unstable?

BarryB · 31 May 2018, 13:05

So I've just got around to installing my registered copy of OS 4.1 FE Classic by following lots of tutorials and have now got it up an running on a 4GB hardfile partioned/formatted as DH0 and DH1, have attached my WinUAE config if anyone can see anything wrong!

I've only been trying to web browse but it seems to cause the OS to become unresponsive or freeze? Tried Odyssey, that loads but will either freeze or freeze the OS. Tried OWB and for some reason it makes the OS unstable but have managed to download Odyssey and Timberwolf so it does work sometimes! Also tried Timberwolf but I couldn't get it working, even after copying over some directories from RC1 as it just hangs at the splash screen and makes the OS unresponsive too!

So I logged in to AmiUpdate and installed all the updates but still have the same issue? The network is set to A2065 using ethernet.device off Aminet, it's set to SLIRP + Open ports and following a post by FOL added it to the JIT Emulator as Disabled but still no joy

The only programs I've installed are LHA (PPC) and Diskmaster 2 from the Extras Install, they seem to run OK but as soon as I start a web browser then it all goes tits up!!

My PC is an Intel 4770K @ 3.2GHz, 16GB RAM, Nvidia GTX780, Optiarc DVD Writer and a mix of SSD/HDD running on a Dell U2410 @ 1920 x 1200 and as been running my OS3.9 install in WinUAE for years without issue, but OS4.1 is being a pain!

Any advice?

BarryB · 31 May 2018, 17:50

Done a bit more digging and it seems to be RAM related!

Currently only using 128mb on the CSPPC, no Z3! So seeing update 1 allows more RAM I added the C:BootLoader COMMANDLINE="NoRamPager" to my startup-sequence and added 256mb Z3, I now see the extra 256mb RAM and Odyssey is running fine so far (but slow due to the 10mb speed of the A2065) and avail shows this while Odyssey is running:

Installed: 403,685,344
Free: 103,978,752

So 300mb is being used with only one program running, so I guess it was just running out of memory but no error or warning is given about this? Have now browsed EAB, Lemon64, BBC, Ebay without any obvious issue so will add more RAM and see how that goes!

Also tried Timberwolf and it just crashed with a DSI error so added 512mb Z3 and it's now working, browsed the same sites as I did in Odyssey and it now seems to deal with them OK too, doesn't seem to be as compatible as Odyssey but I know it's based on Firefox 4 so really old. Main thing is it's not freezing or being unresponsive now while web browsing due to the extra 512mb, guess I should have known it needed more RAM than OS3.9

Next thing is, anyway to get the network speed faster than 10mbps

Toni Wilen · 31 May 2018, 19:33

Crash/hang when running out of memory (at least when using programs that require lots of memory) apparently is normal behavior and not emulation specific.

A2065 is not 10M limited in emulation (none of the emulated cards have any physical transfer speed limits), limit is probably due to card being non-DMA. Not that there are any DMA cards either.. PCI NE2000 + PCI Bridge may be best option, assuming there is proper PCI driver available. Real world classic hardware PCI bridges don't support PCI DMA so some "NG" hardware driver may be needed. PCI sound cards have same problem.

BarryB · 31 May 2018, 20:11

Pity OS4.1 doesn't have warning for low memory other than a crash/freeze warning :/

I've removed the A2065 and added the x-surf 100, seems to be running a bit faster but maybe placebo effect! I have my Towered A1200 with Mediator and whatever NIC card I put in it, but it's in storage sadly so that's why i'm using WinUAE.

Toni Wilen · 31 May 2018, 20:56

PPC native driver most likely is fastest, without it driver code is emulated twice. (Don't ask me which are native if any)

BarryB · 31 May 2018, 21:57

It's not a native PPC driver, I don't think there is one for x-surf, it just caters for all CPU's going by the wiki.

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31 May 2018, 17:50	#2
BarryB Amigaholic Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: UK Posts: 4,704	Done a bit more digging and it seems to be RAM related! Currently only using 128mb on the CSPPC, no Z3! So seeing update 1 allows more RAM I added the C:BootLoader COMMANDLINE="NoRamPager" to my startup-sequence and added 256mb Z3, I now see the extra 256mb RAM and Odyssey is running fine so far (but slow due to the 10mb speed of the A2065) and avail shows this while Odyssey is running: Installed: 403,685,344 Free: 103,978,752 So 300mb is being used with only one program running, so I guess it was just running out of memory but no error or warning is given about this? Have now browsed EAB, Lemon64, BBC, Ebay without any obvious issue so will add more RAM and see how that goes! Also tried Timberwolf and it just crashed with a DSI error so added 512mb Z3 and it's now working, browsed the same sites as I did in Odyssey and it now seems to deal with them OK too, doesn't seem to be as compatible as Odyssey but I know it's based on Firefox 4 so really old. Main thing is it's not freezing or being unresponsive now while web browsing due to the extra 512mb, guess I should have known it needed more RAM than OS3.9 Next thing is, anyway to get the network speed faster than 10mbps

31 May 2018, 19:33	#3
Toni Wilen WinUAE developer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland Age: 49 Posts: 26,518	Crash/hang when running out of memory (at least when using programs that require lots of memory) apparently is normal behavior and not emulation specific. A2065 is not 10M limited in emulation (none of the emulated cards have any physical transfer speed limits), limit is probably due to card being non-DMA. Not that there are any DMA cards either.. PCI NE2000 + PCI Bridge may be best option, assuming there is proper PCI driver available. Real world classic hardware PCI bridges don't support PCI DMA so some "NG" hardware driver may be needed. PCI sound cards have same problem.

31 May 2018, 20:11	#4
BarryB Amigaholic Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: UK Posts: 4,704	Pity OS4.1 doesn't have warning for low memory other than a crash/freeze warning :/ I've removed the A2065 and added the x-surf 100, seems to be running a bit faster but maybe placebo effect! I have my Towered A1200 with Mediator and whatever NIC card I put in it, but it's in storage sadly so that's why i'm using WinUAE.

31 May 2018, 20:56	#5
Toni Wilen WinUAE developer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland Age: 49 Posts: 26,518	PPC native driver most likely is fastest, without it driver code is emulated twice. (Don't ask me which are native if any)

31 May 2018, 21:57	#6
BarryB Amigaholic Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: UK Posts: 4,704	It's not a native PPC driver, I don't think there is one for x-surf, it just caters for all CPU's going by the wiki.

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