Benching and optimizing CF-IDE speed

Photon · 10 July 2009, 01:37

Hey. Modding my A600 into a portable, and noticed that directories list slower than on my A500. Now, the A500 has 68000+SCSI to IDE to CF, but no fastram. The A600 has 8MB fastram, and 68000+IDE to IDEfix97 to CF, and the CPU "runs" 1.35 times as fast as the A500.

That's really my only problem right now - it seems the read speed (clocked at 618 KB/s) is okay, and it yet it "seems" slower than the A500 (it has 800 something KB/s in SysInfo).

What I was wondering was, what is the bottleneck? Card? Buffers? IDE?

Alas my A600 is in pieces briefly, so I can't give you the RDB stats for the CF in the A600.

-- But is there a way to change #buffers in RDB without losing the WB, WHDload etc setup on the card?

(I added 320 buffers with addbuffers in CLI, but that didn't change the speed one iota.)

Thankful for advice

Jope · 10 July 2009, 07:52

It doesn't destroy anything if you don't change the partition's geometry or filesystem.. It will always warn you that you'll lose everything, even if you make a non-destructive change.

What SCSI does your A500 have? If it has DMA SCSI, then that is the answer to your speed difference. PIO IDE just can't go much faster than what you get now.

Toni Wilen · 10 July 2009, 08:22

Move A500's CF to A600 (or vice versa). Still slow = can't be card or filesystem problem.

Rabbit80 · 10 July 2009, 12:20

I found switching to SFS filesystem increased my speed by order of magnitude!

Toni Wilen · 10 July 2009, 12:22

SFS is 68020+ only. (PFS3 is 68000 compatible but there are usual "problems"..)

Photon · 10 July 2009, 16:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jope

It doesn't destroy anything if you don't change the partition's geometry or filesystem.. It will always warn you that you'll lose everything, even if you make a non-destructive change.

What SCSI does your A500 have? If it has DMA SCSI, then that is the answer to your speed difference. PIO IDE just can't go much faster than what you get now.

I thought it was, but it isn't. (Trumpcard 500 Pro).

Yes, trying the A500 CF card in the A600 was already planned

A600 mobo is upside down on the surgeon's table right now, when Humpty Dumpty is put together again I will test.

Still tho, I was after some figures from other dudes; maybe there's a thread already with setups+sysinfo speed? Just to know what's possible.

rkauer · 11 July 2009, 06:14

As Jope said: SCSI controllers alleviate the Amiga CPU from some work, hence the slight difference.

Even non-DMA SCSI controllers will easy the CPU task.

Photon · 11 July 2009, 22:16

My A600 portable is running out of space in the case as it is, so unless you know a SCSI interface for A600 that fits inside, and a smaller SCSI-IDE adapter than Vesalia's, I can't use a SCSI interface.

Could someone email me thin semiflexible wires for under-mobo soldering please?

I'm beginning to run out... slaughtering cables now...

prowler · 11 July 2009, 22:23

@Photon,

Do a Google search for "wiring pen".

Edit: Specifically, Vero Technologies Wiring Pen:
http://www.applegate.co.uk/listings/...1/79-1732.html

Vero Technologies have a new distributor in Sweden, according to this press release:
http://www.findtheneedle.co.uk/press...-in-sweden.asp

Photon · 13 July 2009, 00:13

Yes, a wire wrap pen would be good for prototypes, I guess the wires used could be optimal.

Anyway, I was mainly complaining cos I didn't bring my cartons of handy multiwire cables with me when I moved :P

I slaughtered a phone cable for wires, and the underside soldering is done. If I run out again I'll go fetch my cables or slaughter a network cable, so I'm good

So anyway, back to topic

620KB/s-ish is what I'll have to settle for with 68000+IDE+CF+FFS?

Or has someone beaten me

(I hope so!!)

Zetr0 · 13 July 2009, 04:07

@Photon

depending on your plans, you could upgrade the Kickstart to a custom one that includes the PCMCIA card for booting (its been done from a CDROM !) this is a16bit databus and should be slightly faster access than the onboard IDE.

you could do some more exotic work and use the signals on board to create a mini A500 interface... from that you could build an external SCSI solution in case OR build a very small SCSI based around this version pending on your skills.

hmmmm I may even do it LOL!!!

BUT at the end of the day you are limmited to both the shovelling of the 68k chip and the BUS and the SCSI controller.

Photon · 14 July 2009, 23:14

Well, I'd rather get any kind of accelerator with memory and scsi (if such a thing existed for A600) than keep the 68000.

I'd like to keep the PCMCIA for my Ethernet card atm. I'll test some more when the Amiga is in its case again.

rkauer · 15 July 2009, 01:48

Source an rare and very expensive A630 accelerator and you are sorted.

10 July 2009, 01:37	#1
Photon Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Eksjö / Sweden Posts: 5,602	Benching and optimizing CF-IDE speed Hey. Modding my A600 into a portable, and noticed that directories list slower than on my A500. Now, the A500 has 68000+SCSI to IDE to CF, but no fastram. The A600 has 8MB fastram, and 68000+IDE to IDEfix97 to CF, and the CPU "runs" 1.35 times as fast as the A500. That's really my only problem right now - it seems the read speed (clocked at 618 KB/s) is okay, and it yet it "seems" slower than the A500 (it has 800 something KB/s in SysInfo). What I was wondering was, what is the bottleneck? Card? Buffers? IDE? Alas my A600 is in pieces briefly, so I can't give you the RDB stats for the CF in the A600. -- But is there a way to change #buffers in RDB without losing the WB, WHDload etc setup on the card? (I added 320 buffers with addbuffers in CLI, but that didn't change the speed one iota.) Thankful for advice

11 July 2009, 22:23	#9
prowler Global Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Sidcup, England Posts: 10,300	@Photon, Do a Google search for "wiring pen". Edit: Specifically, Vero Technologies Wiring Pen: http://www.applegate.co.uk/listings/...1/79-1732.html Vero Technologies have a new distributor in Sweden, according to this press release: http://www.findtheneedle.co.uk/press...-in-sweden.asp Last edited by prowler; 11 July 2009 at 22:32.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Optimizing WHDLoad config for 040/060	8bitbubsy	project.WHDLoad	1	03 November 2011 22:37
Optimizing question: instruction order	TheDarkCoder	Coders. Asm / Hardware	9	29 October 2011 17:07
Layered tile engine optimizing.	Thorham	Coders. General	0	30 September 2011 20:43
For people who like optimizing 680x0 code.	Thorham	Coders. General	5	28 May 2008 11:48
SCSI-IDE bridge + IDE to CF adapter - How can I make a backup?	Tuffy	New to Emulation or Amiga scene	2	02 April 2008 21:14

10 July 2009, 07:52	#2
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,861	It doesn't destroy anything if you don't change the partition's geometry or filesystem.. It will always warn you that you'll lose everything, even if you make a non-destructive change. What SCSI does your A500 have? If it has DMA SCSI, then that is the answer to your speed difference. PIO IDE just can't go much faster than what you get now.

10 July 2009, 08:22	#3
Toni Wilen WinUAE developer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland Age: 49 Posts: 26,505	Move A500's CF to A600 (or vice versa). Still slow = can't be card or filesystem problem.

10 July 2009, 12:20	#4
Rabbit80 Its hard being famous! Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Gateway to the dales, UK Age: 43 Posts: 633	I found switching to SFS filesystem increased my speed by order of magnitude!

10 July 2009, 12:22	#5
Toni Wilen WinUAE developer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland Age: 49 Posts: 26,505	SFS is 68020+ only. (PFS3 is 68000 compatible but there are usual "problems"..)

11 July 2009, 06:14	#7
rkauer I hate potatos and shirts Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Sao Leopoldo / Brazil Age: 58 Posts: 3,482	As Jope said: SCSI controllers alleviate the Amiga CPU from some work, hence the slight difference. Even non-DMA SCSI controllers will easy the CPU task.

11 July 2009, 22:16	#8
Photon Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Eksjö / Sweden Posts: 5,602	My A600 portable is running out of space in the case as it is, so unless you know a SCSI interface for A600 that fits inside, and a smaller SCSI-IDE adapter than Vesalia's, I can't use a SCSI interface. Could someone email me thin semiflexible wires for under-mobo soldering please? I'm beginning to run out... slaughtering cables now...

13 July 2009, 00:13	#10
Photon Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Eksjö / Sweden Posts: 5,602	Yes, a wire wrap pen would be good for prototypes, I guess the wires used could be optimal. Anyway, I was mainly complaining cos I didn't bring my cartons of handy multiwire cables with me when I moved :P I slaughtered a phone cable for wires, and the underside soldering is done. If I run out again I'll go fetch my cables or slaughter a network cable, so I'm good So anyway, back to topic 620KB/s-ish is what I'll have to settle for with 68000+IDE+CF+FFS? Or has someone beaten me (I hope so!!)

13 July 2009, 04:07	#11
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 49 Posts: 9,768	@Photon depending on your plans, you could upgrade the Kickstart to a custom one that includes the PCMCIA card for booting (its been done from a CDROM !) this is a16bit databus and should be slightly faster access than the onboard IDE. you could do some more exotic work and use the signals on board to create a mini A500 interface... from that you could build an external SCSI solution in case OR build a very small SCSI based around this version pending on your skills. hmmmm I may even do it LOL!!! BUT at the end of the day you are limmited to both the shovelling of the 68k chip and the BUS and the SCSI controller.

14 July 2009, 23:14	#12
Photon Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Eksjö / Sweden Posts: 5,602	Well, I'd rather get any kind of accelerator with memory and scsi (if such a thing existed for A600) than keep the 68000. I'd like to keep the PCMCIA for my Ethernet card atm. I'll test some more when the Amiga is in its case again.

15 July 2009, 01:48	#13
rkauer I hate potatos and shirts Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Sao Leopoldo / Brazil Age: 58 Posts: 3,482	Source an rare and very expensive A630 accelerator and you are sorted.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)