How do accelerator cards work? This one Apollo 1240

[theugly]

I always used Amiga without any add-on cards (except RAM).

I got my hands on an Apollo 1240 (not tested, not tried yet). http://www.bigbookofamigahardware.co...ct.aspx?id=110 . Before I start installing it I decided to get information from the internet. I found a manual http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com...df/a_68060.pdf

Somewhere it says I need to copy a file into the .libs directory and to add something to startup-sequence. So this means when booting it will boot from the 68020? And at some point the 68040 will take over?

Games booting from floppy will never be able to benefit the 68040 then?

To be honest I play games on the Amiga so I wonder its even to bother to install the 68040.

Can anyone help and point out some benefits?

[Leffmann]

The Apollo is active as soon as you turn the computer on, and all software will benefit from it even if you boot from a game disk. There are only a handful of games where you will see a difference though, typically the newer 3D games.

All the details of the 68040.library etc. are taken care of by Workbench, and if you want to use the Amiga for gaming you should check out WHDLoad, it's the easiest way to play all your old Amiga games directly from Workbench on your hard drive.

http://www.whdload.de/
http://eab.abime.net/project-whdload/

[johnim]

hi the libs are needed to use the 040 so copy them to the libs folder

there is a cpu command to be added to the startup sequence and copied to c: drawer

the 040 wont be used with floppy based games

but if you add a cf/hardrive you can use classicwb and whdload which has a vast library of games

also the 040 will speed up applications/software in workbench

see my guide to install classic workbench on to cf

[Hewitson]

Originally Posted by johnim

the 040 wont be used with floppy based games

Yes it will.

[daxb]

68040.library is the only stuff needed to run APollo1240. You don`t need the "CPU" command in S-S. SetPatch usually (should) activate CPU cache.

[theugly]

Thanks all!

Right now I can't boot Workbench because I don't have an HD. I have an SD card + IDE adapter on order... it seems my old 2.5 inch HD died after all those years

But I understand I can 'test' the Apollo by just plugging in and see if it boots? I suppose you cant spot the card like on a PC where you check the BIOS.

Meanwhile I started to read more and I just hope the card works at all, I have a mb revision 1.4B which isn't popular with Apollo it seems. Any stress programs like Prime95 for the Amiga available?


I am feeling abit noob again. It has been over 16 years I powered it on and I didn't had a clue how long to wait for the famous 'floppy insert' starter screen

Ow and another question. How does relokick hold with the Apollo? And how does wdhload deal with specific A500 games?

[fitzsteve]

Workbench has a generic 68040 library so no additional software is needed for the card to be detected and the 040 CPU to be utilised.

There are updated Math Libs if you want to get a little bit more performance like HSMath Libs but they are optional. They help better utilise the on board FPU.

If you boot from your Workbench floppy and enter CLI and type:

CPU

It will tel you what CPU is installed, you should see 68040 with the Apollo installed of course.

There's also the 'Showconfig' tool which is part of Workbench 3.x usually IIRC in the 'tools' drawer, I'm not sure if it's on one of the Extra's Disks or the main Workbench Disk though, this will give you a little more info like Ram installed and should show if you have an FPU/MMU (i.e full 040)

You could also download SysInfo this works from Floppy too and will show you info about the processor, etc. You can also benchmark the CPU.

One last very important thing, has the battery been removed? If not it's almost certainly leaking by now, any green corrosion on the near by chips? This must be neutralised and cleaned away if prsent and the battery if not already removed/replaced should be. The original battery on the Apollo is green cell battery with a white cap on tip.

Maybe post some pics.

Good luck with your project, The Apollo will take up to 32mb Ram in a Desktop Wedge case (without 2nd Simm socket) and will boost your Amiga to about 18MIPS @25mhz

When it comes to installing Workbench I highly recommend checking out Classic Workbench

[theugly]

Originally Posted by fitzsteve

Workbench has a generic 68040 library so no additional software is needed for the card to be detected and the 040 CPU to be utilised.

There are updated Math Libs if you want to get a little bit more performance like HSMath Libs but they are optional. They help better utilise the on board FPU.

If you boot from your Workbench floppy and enter CLI and type:

CPU

It will tel you what CPU is installed, you should see 68040 with the Apollo installed of course.

There's also the 'Showconfig' tool which is part of Workbench 3.x usually IIRC in the 'tools' drawer, I'm not sure if it's on one of the Extra's Disks or the main Workbench Disk though, this will give you a little more info like Ram installed and should show if you have an FPU/MMU (i.e full 040)

You could also download SysInfo this works from Floppy too and will show you info about the processor, etc. You can also benchmark the CPU.

One last very important thing, has the battery been removed? If not it's almost certainly leaking by now, any green corrosion on the near by chips? This must be neutralised and cleaned away if prsent and the battery if not already removed/replaced should be. The original battery on the Apollo is green cell battery with a white cap on tip.

Maybe post some pics.

Good luck with your project, The Apollo will take up to 32mb Ram in a Desktop Wedge case (without 2nd Simm socket) and will boost your Amiga to about 18MIPS @25mhz

When it comes to installing Workbench I highly recommend checking out Classic Workbench

great info thanks. Yes its an Apollo 040/25mhz. I figured that from jumpersettings. I am not sure about the memory size. I am using a flat 1200 btw, not a tower.

Good idea about the CLI command! And I recall Sysinfo yes. I suppose I still need a stress progam to check stability. So I can test my 1200 with and without add-ons.

I removed the white cap and I think the battery leaked yes. What kind of battery is it? It isn't mentioned in the manual.

I took a photo. I hope it will show here

[theugly]

I removed the white powder from the battery and checked board wasn't damaged due leakage.

I putted it in an 1200 revision 1.4D and it booted really quick It was like replacing an IDE HD with an SSD in an PC.

In Shell the CPU command shows its an 040 so I am happy so far

Memory shows over 33MB but that can't be right? It's a 32MB SIMM likely. Where does the extra MB come from? its a total added from the chip RAM?

[ajk]

That's just because one megabyte isn't actually 1 000 000 bytes, but 2^20 = 1 048 576 bytes. If you divide the number you have there with that, you get 31.75 MB, which sounds about right. Chip RAM is reported as "graphics mem".

[theugly]

Gotcha. I should have known that ty.

[fitzsteve]

Glad to see you're up and running

You should remove the battery ASAP as you see it has already begun to leak.

As said the Ram is reported correctly and that is fully maxed out.

For a quick stability test run some Doom (a good port is ADoom) that will give the CPU a good work out!

Your 040 CPU should have a fan fitted by the way, make sure this is operational the 040 needs extra cooling!

Enjoy

[DDNI]

You are in luck, that card has a mach131, which means a future 060 upgrade is possible!

[theugly]

Originally Posted by fitzsteve

Glad to see you're up and running

You should remove the battery ASAP as you see it has already begun to leak.

As said the Ram is reported correctly and that is fully maxed out.

For a quick stability test run some Doom (a good port is ADoom) that will give the CPU a good work out!

Your 040 CPU should have a fan fitted by the way, make sure this is operational the 040 needs extra cooling!

Enjoy

Yes a small fan is on the back. I am still waiting for IDE-SD adapter so I can create a workbench HD and play some games like DOOM.

Dumb question maybe, but what is the battery for on the Apollo?

Originally Posted by DDNI

You are in luck, that card has a mach131, which means a future 060 upgrade is possible!

Yes I realise, I saw a thread about it on this board. I doubt I will be up to it though.

[prowler]

Originally Posted by theugly

Dumb question maybe, but what is the battery for on the Apollo?

It's merely to preserve the date and time in the real time clock (RTC) on your machine when the power is disconnected.

[theugly]

Originally Posted by prowler

It's merely to preserve the date and time in the real time clock (RTC) on your machine when the power is disconnected.

RTC is on the amiga mb? or on the Apollo?

So basicly I could by using this board with the battery already not working.

[ajk]

The A1200 doesn't have an RTC on the mobo (some other Amiga models do though), so it's on the accelerator in this case.

[theugly]

I see, right now i dont really care for a clock. I will look at battery though.

Originally Posted by fitzsteve

For a quick stability test run some Doom (a good port is ADoom) that will give the CPU a good work out!

Using an CF card in PCMCIA (I understand its not preferred in speed?) I get about 9 fps in ADOOM_Demo (with added -fps in cli).

Still waiting for an IDE-SD adaptor :S

[fitzsteve]

Nice

That's about right for 040 @25mhz

You will benefit from loading via IDE with a file system like SFS/PFS3.

And yes get that battery off ASAP, having no clock is much better than a dead card!

The Battery can be replaced, Amigakit should be able to do that if you need.

[theugly]

Thanks Fitzsteve I just watched your video about installing Classic WB. Hopefully I can do it tomorrow.

You mention to change transferrate there for use with CF. I assume thats the same for an SD card?