Amithlon Setup Guide

[SnkBitten]

Originally Posted by jdog320

So what now?

I don't know. I have it playing non-stop at 22050 as well.

What is your host OS/specs and what version of Virtualbox are you using?

My host PC is
Windows 10
i7 3.5 Ghz
32 GB ram

Virtualbox is
5.0.24r108355

System
1024 MB
Floppy, Optical, Hard Disk
VT-x/AMD-V, Nested Paging
PAE/NX, KVM Paravirtualization

Audio
Host Driver: Windows DirectSound
Controller: ICH AC97

Amithlon is
mem=768M in init string
Kernel 3.10 and it's modules
AmigOSXL update
BoingBag2 update
AmithlonUpdate131 update
PowerPCI update
OpenPCI libs
AHI 6 (m68k-amigaos-ahiusr-6.0.lha)



My physical Amithlon performs better than my virtual, as I mentioned I use the Virtual primarily to test installing software (before doing it on my physical box) and taking screen captures while writing up installation documentation.

[jdog320]

Originally Posted by SnkBitten

I don't know. I have it playing non-stop at 22050 as well.

What is your host OS/specs and what version of Virtualbox are you using?

My host PC is
Windows 10
i7 3.5 Ghz
32 GB ram

Virtualbox is
5.0.24r108355

System
1024 MB
Floppy, Optical, Hard Disk
VT-x/AMD-V, Nested Paging
PAE/NX, KVM Paravirtualization

Audio
Host Driver: Windows DirectSound
Controller: ICH AC97

Amithlon is
mem=768M in init string
Kernel 3.10 and it's modules
AmigOSXL update
BoingBag2 update
AmithlonUpdate131 update
PowerPCI update
OpenPCI libs
AHI 6 (m68k-amigaos-ahiusr-6.0.lha)

Attachment 49029

My physical Amithlon performs better than my virtual, as I mentioned I use the Virtual primarily to test installing software (before doing it on my physical box) and taking screen captures while writing up installation documentation.

Maybe it's the AHI? The specs are as follows:
Intel Atom Z3536f
2GB DDR3L RAM
32GB Storage

[SnkBitten]

Originally Posted by esc

For some reason I just can't get any DNS to resolve no matter what I do.

Spent a bit looking at this and running WireShark to see if I could figure out where it's failing.

I "can" ping from my VB amithlon to inside/outside addresses but WireShark show it going nowhere. Testing with AWeb when I request a site I see DNS request to my router but no response. If I try to http://ipaddress it looks like basic initiation of connection occurs but goes nowhere. I've run from AmiTCP:bin/ftp and every once in a blue moon I get a "connected" message back but it immediately drops it.

I've read online of issues with the Bridged network setting and Windows 10 hosts and that installing of Virtualbox needs to be done with all the network devices disabled as Win10 won't allow VB to update the devices. I've done that with a reinstall of VB but no change. I'm not at the point I want to try a full uninstall/reinstall to test that.

Still looking. I may switch back to NatNetwork as I did have that functioning at one point on this Windows 10 PC.....but that was also a few versions back of Virtualbox and Microsoft updates (plus I deleted that VM a while back).

Interesting. Yeah, I should try installing it in VirtualBox on my OSX machine at some point for a sanity check.

Additionally, I'm sure there is actually some VirtualBox CLI args we could use for manual debugging. I'm leaning toward this being a strange issue related to VBox itself. I recall absolutely that networking in Amithlon via VBox has worked in the past. So if I get some time today I'll take a dig.

Ran some debuggers with VirtualBox. Still haven't actually tested it on OSX. So far on Windows 10 I'm completely boned on this. No dice.

Interestingly enough, with the nat network set up (with defaults) and Genesis using localhost 10.0.2.15 and router/dns as 10.0.2.1, once in a while I can ping external IP addresses (like 8.8.8.8 for example). However, this is short lived, since oftentimes it just gives up inexplicably.

[jdog320]

Well that's really annoying dunno what I'm doing wrong really.

[SnkBitten]

Originally Posted by jdog320

Well that's really annoying dunno what I'm doing wrong really.

You may want to create a new VM and start over. Use the latest version of Virtualbox, start with kernel 3.10 and install all the basics, ie....updates, patches, kernel drivers, ahi v6. Work on getting your audio functioning and then apply additional software features (USB/Arakattack, etc..).

The VM I created I did Amithlon (OS + Internet), kernel drivers, AmigaOSXL patch, BoingBag2, AmithlonUpdate131, PowerPCI and OpenPCI libraries and then AHI v6.

Allocate 512MB of ram to Amithlon, let VirutalBox and your Host PC have as much as possible...

[Dunny]

And, in case it got lost, let me re-iterate:

You need to be running the correct host CPU type. VirtualBox does not create a dynamic recompiler or JIT system for the host CPU, it runs the x86 code on bare metal with hooks. That's why it's so fast.

That's why OSX will only run on some machines running VirtualBox and not others. Your chipset also makes a difference.

When running Virtualbox, you don't get the same virtual PC as your mates do.

Do you think that may be screwing up networking? For the purposes of Amithlon, booting into freedos (in a VM) and using loadlin to bootstrap a (more or less) 2.4 linux kernel, how would I appropriately set the processor type to something fully supported?

[SnkBitten]

Back to physical hardware setups, any additional motherboards or setups people are having great success with that's not included in the hardware list?

http://amithlon.snkbitten.com/Docs/SupportedHW.html

I'm extremely pleased with my current setup:

Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L - Socket LGA775 (3 PCI slots)
Nvidia FX5500 256MB PCI
Soundblaster Live PCI
Realtek Chipset 8169 10/100/1000 Mbps PCI

I'm running my own compiled kernel based off kernel4 with all additional drivers removed and having the nvidia and realtek drivers compiled in. The Soundblaster is handled by drivers included with AHI v6. No "pciinsmod" being used

I'm afraid to add up how much I spent working towards this setup...I've bought numerous motherboards, tons of ram modules, video cards from AGP to PCI to PCIe, CPUs, network cards, and even a couple of laptops and then ram, replacement batteries, and about 10 mini-pci wireless network cards to find one that worked for it.
I had a few older systems I was able to raid (SoundBlaster, initial testing, etc..) as well as a few systems donated by friends/family (those unfortunately weren't very useful other than CD/DVD drives).

It definitely helped with learning the ins and outs of installing Amithlon.....and was a driving force for me to write up a newer guide as well as trying to compile a list of what hardware worked well.

Always looking to add what works to the supported list....

[themamboman]

Hey SnkBitten, I've heard before that the Gigabyte GA-p35-ds3l is one of the best supported boards for Amithlon. Someone once wrote that he liked using the setdma option for faster harddrive throughput on it though, which limited him to using the kernel 3.1 though.

What CPU are you using? I've heard that some of the ones compatible for that card are very overclocking friendly. Also, have you tried using the SATA connectors for the harddrive?

Finally, could you make your kernel compile configuration available somewhere in case someone wanted to replicate your particular build? Thanks!

[SnkBitten]

What's nice about that board is that USB works, it has SATA/IDE and it's takes to overclocking very well. Plus it has three PCI slots to handle Network, Sound, Video. Kernel 3.10 and kernel4 work just fine as well.
http://www.gigabyte.com/products/pro...px?pid=2629#sp

I'm using an Intel Core2Duo E8600 3.33 ($29 on eBay) Ghz CPU overclocked to 4.0x Ghz and it runs all day without a hitch. I'll have to look at my settings but I kept the memory clocked low and using two 512MB so I get the advantage of dual channel access. Dual Core is more than you need (Amithlon is single core) so it depends if you are dual-booting Windows/Amithlon or Linux/Windows/Amithlon, etc.. on going for the more expensive.

I think I am using SATA HD drives but and IDE DVDRW. I'll check that too.

**** Yep, my HD's are SATA and my DVD-RW is IDE. I may try a SATA DVD-RW again and check if I see it under hdtoolbox with perhaps a different device id. ****

I've played around with kernels so much I'm not sure if I have a valid .config currently, I'll have to check.

I've also been very guilty of playing with my (new to me) Amiga 4000. I've been configuring and testing things on it, and getting pieces/parts in for it (Toaster4000, Flyer, Indivision AGA MkII, 4-way IDE interface, X-Surf 100, etc....) and trying to see how best I can maximize it. Patches, tweaks etc...so I can have it running as best it can and then compare it to Amithlon. Luckily I've had some assistance from friends in acquiring some of the expensive pieces or I wouldn't have them.

[SnkBitten]

Added the Indivision AGAMKIIcr to my Amiga 4000. Here it is on the left with Amithlon on the right. Had to crop the picture to cut out as much of the mess behind/around/below the monitors

Amiga - 1280x720 and 32 colors
Indivision AGA MKIIcr with HD720 monitor driver.

Amithlon - 1680x1050 and 32bit colors (eh..1280x1024 ...forgot I had changed the resolution).
Nvidia FX5500 PCI 256MB Hardware accelerated driver.



Right now I'm 68040 @ 25 Mhz (stock Amiga4000/40) but that should be changing soon. I'm 4.0x Ghz on the Amithlon.
Once I have the A4000 upgraded (WarpEngine) I hope to do some usage comparisons.

[jdog320]

What about video card?

[SnkBitten]

Originally Posted by jdog320

What about video card?

I have a Toaster 4000 and Video Flyer which limits the cards I can add. I already have a network card so my slots are full. With the prices of Amiga RTG cards so high I can't justify buying one for testing purposes.

[SnkBitten]

Here's a little WinUAE vs. Amithlon. WinUAE on the left, Amithlon on the right.

WinUAE host is Windows 10 (64bit), Intel i7-4770K @ 3.50 Ghz, 32 GB ram.
WinUAE 3.3.0 32bit, config: Amiga 4000 with 1 GB ram, 2 MB chip, UAE Gfx, Fastest possible, JIT enabled. UAEGFX 1920x1080x32bit

Amithlon is an Intel Core2Duo @ 4.00 Ghz, 1 GB ram, hardware accelerated video. NVidia-1 1680x1050x32bit

Workbench:


SysInfo v4: ModePro promoted SysInfo to 640x480 screens.

[Methanoid]

Would be interesting to see a apples to apples comparison ie. both running same CPU/clockspeed/screen res/custom chips..

[SnkBitten]

Originally Posted by Methanoid

Would be interesting to see a apples to apples comparison ie. both running same CPU/clockspeed/screen res/custom chips..

Custom chips.....WinUAE is going to win hands down. I'd have to run E-UAE inside Amithlon to emulate the custom chips. **

Matching hardware would be difficult. I can't get Win 10 x64 to intall/run on a 1 GB system and Amithlon won't boot on a 32 GB system. A 256 MB Gfx card on Windows 10 would suck and Amithlon wouldn't work with a 4 GB card (128 MB is probably more ideal since Amithlon allocates all the Gfx card memory into the Amiga's address space).

Currently it's not possible to bring Amithlon up to the higher specs so I'd have to bring Windows/WinUAE down to the lower specs. Windows 10 would require at least 4 GB to do a fair comparison, and performance on the C2D vs. the i7 is going to take a hit as well as video if I stay with a 256 MB card (and this one barely supports DX9, another Win10 requirement).

I'm not sure if a real "apples to apples" comparison is possible.

**Anyone have a configuration file for E-UAE that works under Amithlon? I had it booting on an older system but I haven't been successful getting it to boot on my current setup. Locks Amithlon requiring a physical reboot of the hardware. Or general tips on configuring?

[jdog320]

Try nerfing the cpu to 2 cores w/o ht. Use e-uaeload. For e-uae

[Methanoid]

SnkBitten, just read on your blog about possibility of PCIE graphics support.. that WOULD be cool.... Would that give us any family of faster VGA cards or just PCIE FX5xxx series?


AND if he can fix the kernel so you could boot Amithlon on machines with more than 2Gb that would be awesome (even if the kernel limits the ram available to Amithlon). I can boot my Atom D945GCLF2 with 2Gb but that is probably cos the board is single channel by design (ie one slot only) whereas people with same chipset but 2x1Gb cannot boot it...