ACA500 plus?

[demolition]

Originally Posted by E-Penguin

With Daedalus's shiny new Zorro II adapter you can bring your A2000 cards to the ACA500+!

Sure, but the question is - will it blend?

[StingerHU]

Guys,

a really strange "issue" I'm facing with. Until now I used a February fw version (v0.79 maybe) on my ACA500+ without any issues. Yesterday I updated both FW to actual versions (menu v0.110, installer v0.8). After a fine fw update, old lady's first reaction was a bootstuck (the card wasn't able to boot or froze at Kickstart extraction process at different stages, cannot read anything from the CF's, led's are not blinking).

A hard reset didn't solved the issue. I've tried to boot a few times (used my config what is stored in flash or tried with default configs), none of them helped. When I hit F1 (Kick3.1), ACA starts to extract Kick to flash but stucked at this part and not able to complete this process. It seems for me, extraction is freezing at different stages - and if even do, just got a blank screen, and don't start to read from Boot or AUX cards. I've tried to boot with Kick 1.3, but fails at amigados with an error "IF".

I played with the settings a few times but the symptoms were different. Slow boot, stuck at boot or at Kickstart exctraction or similar. Then I started to step down the clockspeed of the card to 28 from 21 (Until now I used 28 without any issues) and my WB is loaded finally. When I put back the speed to 28, however is WB loaded (this time I don't know why) but WHLoad isn't stable, producing freezes randomly (example: Turrican loaded, when the game starts, got a blank screen, CF is not blinking).

Has something big is changed during the latest version which can cause a malfunction or instability like these above ? I wanted to try to flash back my original version but cannot download from the FW page. I have a first batch manufactured card.

Anybody met with these kind of issues? Just to make sure, I did the flash for a second time without any issues. Now, I'm using 21Mhz which seems to be stable at least for now but this is definiately not right, 'cause formerly used 28Mhz perfectly. (I remember that even with 42Mhz I had a fine WB load, but now... with the latest FW, ACA simply not booting with this option - not passing the kick extract. Why? Why Kick 1.3 fails and drops an error "IF" under amigados ?

[spudje]

I hear too many issues with the latest firmware. Guess I will stay with my below 0.100 version (don't remember which exactly)

[demolition]

Originally Posted by spudje

I hear too many issues with the latest firmware. Guess I will stay with my below 0.100 version (don't remember which exactly)

I have been running with the latest firmware version for a little while and have had no issues. Where did you see people have problems except from StingerHU above?

[spudje]

I read a couple of people semi-bricking their ACA500plus while updating to the latest version. They could fix it with the unbrick procedure, but it is not a seducing forsight.

[alpine9000]

No problems for me, but I have never had much stability above 14mhz

[Daedalus]

Having run maybe a dozen updates on an ACA500Plus (swapping back and forth between several different versions), I haven't had any problems at all. The CPU speed might be a good point though, the board I was using ran perfectly at 21MHz, but was unstable above that, so I never tried flashing it at anything above 14MHz. Maybe that's worth thinking about, just in case there's a slight glitch during flashing.

[Toni Wilen]

One random guess: if you use previous firmware but toggle reset mode (or whatever it is called, don't remember now, the one that has sync/async choices) in F8 menu. Does it cause similar crashes?

[E-Penguin]

Originally Posted by Daedalus

Having run maybe a dozen updates on an ACA500Plus

The version that's on it now seems rock solid, despite the unholy mess of adaptors hanging off it.

[Daedalus]

Originally Posted by Lorfarius

If you try moving them around in the slots they won't budge because... they have the runs there to keep them in place. The ACA card doesn't.

Hmmm, it normally does, and from your picture it seems the rail on one side of one socket has snapped off. It's present on the other socket (the "Aux" socket), but there appear to be plastic shavings along the side of it. It could be a trick of perspective - it's hard to tell, but it might also be slightly bent outwards, since the outermost edge of the rail is beyond the silkscreen outline on the PCB. In both cases, it appears that the side of the socket with the damage is the side with the wide keyway. That sort of damage is consistent with inserting CF cards upside down; that side of the socket will take the majority of the stress in that case due to the layout of the CF card keyways. But anyway, whatever caused that abuse and wherever that occurred, it's not something that such sockets are designed to tolerate, cheap or expensive.

My wallet isn't the only victim, I only bought the A500 a few weeks before the card and it cost close to £100, its dead with several chips inside fried including the floppy drive controller and I've had to go and buy another Amiga.

You said your Amiga was still working fine and you couldn't detect any damage inside it. What changed?

Originally Posted by Lorfarius

The Amiga is still working fine and I could find no sign of any damage or smells inside so its def this card.

I have put it to one side well away from the Amiga and the smell is coming from the card.

Hi, recently got the aca500plus and just getting back into using my amiga 500. Still figuring out all thats gone on since the 500 and wb1.3 days. If i was to add something like an aca1221ec via the aca500plus, can i then run wb software with a minimum requirement of a 68020 processor or is it purely a speed/memory boost that i would gain? Is the processor on the main motherboard completely bypassed when using an aca500plus or aca500plus with aca1221ec?

No problems updating to the latest firmware or stability issues but i haven't messed about with any speed settings on the card. The new installer is great, had tried the old one before flashing with the latest updates. Very simple for inexperienced users like myself to get up and running quickly. Is there a changelog available somewhere for the firmware updates or installer updates to see what software is pre-installed or should i just keep an eye on the forums?

[demolition]

I don't know the exact rules in EU but I think that here in Denmark anything below three months in handling a repair is generally legally acceptable, so two weeks without a message seems like very short time.

I find that it is often better to be patient and polite because if you start attacking the seller and demanding stuff, then they won't feel like treating you better than they absolutely have to according to the law and you will be sent to the bottom of the priority list..

[Daedalus]

Originally Posted by tobinj

Hi, recently got the aca500plus and just getting back into using my amiga 500. Still figuring out all thats gone on since the 500 and wb1.3 days. If i was to add something like an aca1221ec via the aca500plus, can i then run wb software with a minimum requirement of a 68020 processor or is it purely a speed/memory boost that i would gain? Is the processor on the main motherboard completely bypassed when using an aca500plus or aca500plus with aca1221ec?

Yeah, only one CPU can normally be active on Amigas at a time. When you're using the ACA by itself, the 68000 on the ACA is active and the motherboard one is disabled. And when you connect an ACA1221, the 68020 is active and *both* 68000s are disabled. 68020 software runs just fine, and any system testing software will show you that you have a 68020 installed.

Is there a changelog available somewhere for the firmware updates or installer updates to see what software is pre-installed or should i just keep an eye on the forums?

Hmmm, not that I've seen. There are some brief notes on the firmware download page but not a full changelog.

[DH]

Originally Posted by Lorfarius

You are just excusing his bad behaviour. This isn't acceptable, why promise a refund a second time then when asked a week later when it can be expected, to just ignore it? He had me close the Paypal case on the promise he would refund, a week passed and nothing. In a month I've had a total of 2 messages as shown above.

PayPal gives me until december 5th to reply to your claim. I will take that time, unless you close the case from your side and post a public apology.


That was the last on the 15th Nov. It's now the 1st December and no sign of any refund or ANY other messages.

I emailed him on the following dates so not exactly chasing him repeatedly:

6th
13th
15th
22nd
23rd

I had 1 email response on the 15th. That's it. Not hiding any in Private messages here either. Why do you think it's acceptable to behave like this?

Ever heard of incorporating delays due to actions of others?

Perhaps he's purposely incorporating these delays due to your postings on EAB? Maybe you have simply rubbed him up the wrong way and he's taken the hard line approach. I'm not saying that this is the right thing to do, I am merely pointing it out.

Plenty of other members have had no such issues and have been pretty happy with their dealings and on that basis, I can only assume he is either having problems himself, or, you're posts are having a detrimental effect on how he is dealing with you.

My advice regarding this matter, keep it to PM or email, don't make it public where possible, and definitely don't piss him off

[demolition]

Originally Posted by Lorfarius

Why do you think it's acceptable to behave like this?

Now there's two sides to every story and I can't know exactly how this thing went but to me it sounds like you're very hard to deal with. In big shops and establishments you might get away with that behaviour, but in what is mostly a 1-man operation with a few helpers (and no, I'm not comparing it to Santa's workshop ), things can easily become personal and he doesn't need to please everybody.

If I were him, the more difficult the customer was, the slowlier I'd handle their case just to make sure they don't buy anything more.. I'd handle their returns to the extent as required by law but absolutely no more than that.

[DH]

Originally Posted by Lorfarius

But this is the problem he won't respond to any emails at all, he's vanished. The only time I got a response is when I posted about it on here.

And are you getting the right responses from him?

If you're not, then perhaps this approach is the wrong way to go about sorting it out.

I doubt he has forgotten about you, but in all honesty, posting what you have so far, with the exception of the apology, he's probably already put you on the back burner and will deal with you when he absolutely has to.

You've obviously already peed him off, but I am not in a position know for sure, with that said, you can only try and be amicable from this point onwards with the hope that things will change in your favour.

[Decker]

Different strokes... Dealing with ancient hardware, you're always liable to fry either your system or your new card. Too many combinations of oddware and human error for any manufacturer to cross-check for.

It's well within your right to approach the seller, but don't expect to win any court cases when installing new hardware to ancient hardware.

I know I certainly wouldn't try the name and shame routine if the vendor is known to be reputable.

[E-Penguin]

There are some dodgy characters out there but Individual Computers are the closest thing to volume hardware manufacturers left for the Amiga. I doubt they are out to scam anyone out of a paltry hundred euros on one of their most popular products.

Lorfarius it's a shame that you've had problems and the communication has been slow but you haven't helped yourself.

[Decker]

Oh boy, I don't know why but I read a few pages of this scandal. Here's a similar experience of mine. See if we can learn something from each other.

A couple of years ago the IDE connector in my 1200 physically broke and I messed it up even more with a botched re-solder. I then sent it for repair and re-cap to Amigakit, just as they were getting ready to roll out... I don't remember what. X4000 or 4.1 Final or something.

They were completely stuffed with work and the holidays etc. Took like 6 months with my system.

I did:
- Ask for an update every few weeks to a couple of months or so.
- Pay upfront for the repair items as soon as they quoted me for the service.

I certainly DIDN'T:
- Bug them every three days, claiming patience.
- Claim that the CF adapter they sold broke my system.
- Twist and turn my case on forums like a baby without a lolly to get attention.

You messed up your card by bending the pins and then your system by powering it on with shorted pins. CF form factor is a harsh mistress.

[StingerHU]

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

One random guess: if you use previous firmware but toggle reset mode (or whatever it is called, don't remember now, the one that has sync/async choices) in F8 menu. Does it cause similar crashes?

Dunno, but I'll definiately do a test with this option. More additionally, i'll do a 3rd firmware flash but on 14MHz option only.

In parallel... somebody mentioned an unbrick feature of the ACA500+ somewhere here. What is this exactly?