Kickflash OS4: noob question!

[woody.cool]

Hi all,

Not really a problem, more of a question.

Is it possible to upload a Kickstart ROM image into the flash memory on the Kickflash OS4 and use that as my Kickstart?
What I intend to do is to have Kickstart 3.1 and a recent or patched scsi.device so that it can recognise drives bigger than than the normal 4GB properly.

Is it even worth doing? or should I concentrate my efforts on trying to put a 'Kickstart 3.9' image (basically, 3.1 with Amiga OS ROM Update)?

The machine(s) I intend to use it on are either my A2000 or my A3000 (my A2000 has 1.3 ROM chips and the A3000 has 2.04 ROM chips)

Thanks in advance
woody.cool

[alexh]

Yes.

http://www.coyoteflux.nl/flashtools.htm

[woody.cool]

Cheers Alex

The Kickflash hasn't arrived yet, but I've had word that it's on it's way

[woody.cool]

Right, it's all arrived, but I'm having difficulties with the Kickflash OS4

I've uploaded a 3.1 ROM (A3000 version, as it's in my A3000) but it's not even attempting to boot the new kickstart, even though it's uploaded.
I've tried taking the jumper off (so that the Flash ROM is write protected) to get it to boot, but it still doesn't attempt to boot.

Any ideas?
Do I have a duff card?

[Doobrey]

#1. Does your CPU card support ROM remapping ? (Cyberstorms + A3640)

#2. Does your A3000 have real 3.1 Kickstarts ? (There's a 'feature' of the KickFlash firmware, it won't remap if the first 16 bytes of the ROM image match that found in the physical ROMs)

[woody.cool]

Originally Posted by Doobrey

#1. Does your CPU card support ROM remapping ? (Cyberstorms + A3640)

No. It's just an '030 (the one that comes as standard with the A3000)

Originally Posted by Doobrey

#2. Does your A3000 have real 3.1 Kickstarts ? (There's a 'feature' of the KickFlash firmware, it won't remap if the first 16 bytes of the ROM image match that found in the physical ROMs)

No, it has 2.04 ROMs (37.175) .... that was one of the ideas of getting a Kickflash OS4, so that I could kick 3.1 with patches to scsi.device etc.

[fryguy]

@woody.cool: I have the same problem. From what i read i thought it was possible to use a newer rom than you own if you had a newer firmware on the card but i didn't do any difference.

I'm using an A4000 with Apollo 4040 with 3.0 roms though and tried putting 3.1 on the Kickflash.

[Jope]

So.. Neither of you guys can use the rom remapping feature of the Kickflash then.

Rekick into 3.1 with skick or similar, then have the kickflash configured so that it doesn't show any of the installed modules unless 3.1 is detected.

[hit]

are we talking about the Kickflash by Individual Computers? if so, maybe PM user "Schoenfeld". he is the one behind IC. maybe he didnt saw this postings and he would answer to a private message.

[Jope]

Jens doesn't visit forums very frequently. If you wish to get hold of him, send him an email. The address can be found at his site.

[woody.cool]

Originally Posted by Jope

So.. Neither of you guys can use the rom remapping feature of the Kickflash then.

When I uploaded the Kickstart ROM file to the Kickflash, I was asked if I wanted to restrict the Kickflash to only do it's thing when on 3.1 .... I said NO to this question, assuming this ment that it'll do it's stuff regardless.

Originally Posted by Jope

Rekick into 3.1 with skick or similar, then have the kickflash configured so that it doesn't show any of the installed modules unless 3.1 is detected.

I'm having problems getting a compatible Kickstart 3.1 image for SKick.

I've tried the A3000 one I have, but SKick tells me it has an incorrect checksum.
I've tried the A1200 one, that doesn't work - boots to a yellow screen.
I've tried the A500/A600/A2000 one, it works, but does not boot the hard drive (I just get the purple 'insert disk' screen) which is what I expected, because they don't have scsi.device built in!

Any ideas?

[Jope]

Originally Posted by woody.cool

When I uploaded the Kickstart ROM file to the Kickflash, I was asked if I wanted to restrict the Kickflash to only do it's thing when on 3.1 .... I said NO to this question, assuming this ment that it'll do it's stuff regardless.

Yes indeed, it will now show the modules even to 2.04. Might not be what you wanted.

I've tried the A3000 one I have, but SKick tells me it has an incorrect checksum.
I've tried the A1200 one, that doesn't work - boots to a yellow screen.
I've tried the A500/A600/A2000 one, it works, but does not boot the hard drive (I just get the purple 'insert disk' screen) which is what I expected, because they don't have scsi.device built in!

Any ideas?

Get another A3000 one. Are you sure it isn't a superkickstart version? Snip off the trailing bonus code if it is.

[woody.cool]

Originally Posted by Jope

Yes indeed, it will now show the modules even to 2.04. Might not be what you wanted.

I want to get my 2.04 to kick into 3.1 via the Kickflash!
Is that possible? I'm starting to doubt it now.

Originally Posted by Jope

Get another A3000 one. Are you sure it isn't a superkickstart version? Snip off the trailing bonus code if it is.

Nope, it's not a Superkickstart A3000 .... it has proper 2.04 chips in it.
Also, the A3000 ROMs I got were Kickstart 3.1 (40.005) A3000.rom and Kickstart 3.1 (40.55) A3000.rom .... both of which don't work.
They are not SuperKickstart versions.

These came from a download of Kickstarts off the net ... it's a complete collection, and I'm sure these ROM images work fine in WinUAE.

It's now getting to the stage where I think I had a wasted purchase

[hit]

i had a look into the manual again. it says, using "Firmware 1.0" only allows install of 3.5 and 3.9 RomUpdates - but not kickstart ROMS - "Firmware 1.1" will change this.
so can you confirm you have another version than 1.0 of the firmware in use?

[woody.cool]

Originally Posted by hit

i had a look into the manual again. it says, using "Firmware 1.0" only allows install of 3.5 and 3.9 RomUpdates - but not kickstart ROMS - "Firmware 1.1" will change this.
so can you confirm you have another version than 1.0 of the firmware in use?

I have tried it with Firmware 1.52 and 1.6 .... so yes, higher than 1.0

[hit]

tried to find 1.6 on their page, but only found package with 1.52, even www.coyoteflux.nl says, IC has 1.6 for downloading on their website (they really need someone to update their support / product page).
well, strange device, or just badly documented. did you tried contacting IC using their online webmailer ( http://amiga.think42.com/email/email.htm ) ?

Edit: 1.6 can be found at www.coyoteflux.nl - just missed it at first sight

[woody.cool]

Just been discussing this on the EAB chat thingy
Jope reckons it don't work on my 030, apparently I need an 040 (or better) that supports 'Kickstart Remapping'

Is this correct?

[alexh]

I think he is wrong. 030 accelerators with MMU's support remapping. But is that how Kickflash works?

I would have imagined Kickflash would work fine, cept the authors seem to have included some sort of "anti-piracy protection" in it to prevent people from avoiding buying a real KS3.1 ROM.

I would imagine that Individual Computing might consider taking this limitation out these days. Contact them direct.

Otherwise you're gonna have to buy a KS3.1 ROM

[woody.cool]

So why don't it work?

[Calgor]

@alexh

Where is this anti-piracy protection to force buying a real KS3.1 ROM documented?

In the KickFlashOS4 docs it says you should be able to use KS2.04 and up, and also that the yes/no question on whether to apply rom updates is for those who have software-mapped KS3.1.

The conditional activation only makes sense if you don’t have a real 3.1 kickstart rom, but still want to have the RomUpdates in the flash memory. In this case you can soft-kick V3.1, and Kickflash will only activate itself after the reboot with the soft-kicked V3.1 rom.

So the documentation is saying that software mapping KS3.1 (through some other program? - why not just use KFOS4 for everything) and then using KickFlashOS4 to apply 3.5/3.9 ROM updates is a valid use. Well if another program does it, you still need a reboot - so perhaps the copy protection is for Kickflash booting a 3.1 ROM image?