3.1.4 Kickstart: What's the difference between version for A500, 1200, etc?

Puggsy · 26 November 2018, 23:09

So why are there different versions (four) of Amiga OS 3.1.4 available? Can't we use any version on any machine?

I thought with softkick this was possible

Daedalus · 26 November 2018, 23:38

Certain machine-specific hardware needs specific drivers - the A600 and 1200 have IDE and PCMCIA for example, A3000 and A4000T have SCSI. Also, some machines have 16-bit ROMs, others have 32-bit, so the images you download will be set up accordingly. AFAIK the disk images are the same for all versions other than the Modules disk, which similarly has machine-specific stuff on it.

Puggsy · 27 November 2018, 00:38

So would A1200 and A600 ROM be interchangeable then?
Also A500/A600/2000 are very different, yet they all share one ROM? I'm a bit confused.

Daedalus · 28 November 2018, 11:34

The A500, 600 and 2000 are all much more similar than you might think. They all use the same bus design and the same 16-bit ROMs. The 600 has PCMCIA and IDE, but the drivers for both are simply disabled when the hardware isn't found on the 500 and 2000. This lets simple, cheap "Gayle-style" IDE adaptors be fitted to the A500 or 2000 which then work as if they were in an A600.

The A1200 uses a 32-bit ROM (physically two 16-bit ROMs interleaved), so while software-wise the ROM content would be very similar, the physical layout of the chip images for physical ROMs is very different between the 600 and 1200.

Puggsy · 28 November 2018, 19:28

Thanks, I understand!

But if we're using softkick, there is no worry of physicality, so can I use the A1200 ROM on an A600?
I mean, with softkick, I can use an A500 ROM on an A1200 just fine...

Now that I think of it, and I asked this on the 3.1.4 thread, not sure if it would work. Maybe I should try with a 3.1 ROM first?

hooverphonique · 29 November 2018, 10:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Puggsy

But if we're using softkick, there is no worry of physicality, so can I use the A1200 ROM on an A600?

Maybe, unless the A1200 rom contains 68020+ instructions, and your A500 has an 68000.

26 November 2018, 23:09	#1
Puggsy Banned Join Date: May 2018 Location: Toronto Posts: 158	3.1.4 Kickstart: What's the difference between version for A500, 1200, etc? So why are there different versions (four) of Amiga OS 3.1.4 available? Can't we use any version on any machine? I thought with softkick this was possible

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26 November 2018, 23:38	#2
Daedalus Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Dublin, then Glasgow Posts: 6,341	Certain machine-specific hardware needs specific drivers - the A600 and 1200 have IDE and PCMCIA for example, A3000 and A4000T have SCSI. Also, some machines have 16-bit ROMs, others have 32-bit, so the images you download will be set up accordingly. AFAIK the disk images are the same for all versions other than the Modules disk, which similarly has machine-specific stuff on it.

27 November 2018, 00:38	#3
Puggsy Banned Join Date: May 2018 Location: Toronto Posts: 158	So would A1200 and A600 ROM be interchangeable then? Also A500/A600/2000 are very different, yet they all share one ROM? I'm a bit confused.

28 November 2018, 11:34	#4
Daedalus Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Dublin, then Glasgow Posts: 6,341	The A500, 600 and 2000 are all much more similar than you might think. They all use the same bus design and the same 16-bit ROMs. The 600 has PCMCIA and IDE, but the drivers for both are simply disabled when the hardware isn't found on the 500 and 2000. This lets simple, cheap "Gayle-style" IDE adaptors be fitted to the A500 or 2000 which then work as if they were in an A600. The A1200 uses a 32-bit ROM (physically two 16-bit ROMs interleaved), so while software-wise the ROM content would be very similar, the physical layout of the chip images for physical ROMs is very different between the 600 and 1200.

28 November 2018, 19:28	#5
Puggsy Banned Join Date: May 2018 Location: Toronto Posts: 158	Thanks, I understand! But if we're using softkick, there is no worry of physicality, so can I use the A1200 ROM on an A600? I mean, with softkick, I can use an A500 ROM on an A1200 just fine... Now that I think of it, and I asked this on the 3.1.4 thread, not sure if it would work. Maybe I should try with a 3.1 ROM first?

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