2MB SRAM (fast?) installation to Amiga 600

27 October 2011, 11:37

Hi! Newbie in the forum!

I have Amiga 600 and bought 2MB SRAM to play more whdload games. However if I put the PCI SRAM to the slot and start, nothing happens - white screen only. Same thing with left mouse button pressed. The disc-light blinks fast but nothing happens. The blinkin is different without the SRAM - without the SRAM in the slot everything works out fine. I have the 4GB SDcard where it boots and has the games/software.

Is there something I should do to make the SRAM work (I read something about formatting the card either to RAM or DISK)? If that's tha case, could someone please post instructions how to do it from the workbench. And if the workbench doesn't load, should i insert the SRAM in after the normal startup?

Thank you! I'm looking forward to bringing back all of my fond Amiga-memories from my childhood!

johnim · 27 October 2011, 12:00

hi mate check you havent bent or snapped any pins on your pcmcia slot/port

27 October 2011, 12:11

Thanks. Just opened the unit and everything seems ok. No pins bent and it goes to place smoothly. Is this what usually causes this kind of action? Then there's something wrong with the motherboard... Any other suggestions?

Toni Wilen · 27 October 2011, 12:11

Boot without the SRAM card. Run Prepcard (comes with WB), insert the card, does it hang or does prepcard detect and report inserted SRAM card? If it seems to work fine, use prepcard to "format" it as a RAM expansion.

27 October 2011, 12:18

Ok. Where do I type prepcard? Sorry, I really have no clue - I used to insert discs in my youth and play. So... I boot without the card, insert card and white "prepcard" to where?

27 October 2011, 12:30

Workbench/Tools/Prepcard -> Prepare as RAM. Now works fine! Thank you! Slows the start up slightly but now it is fine. Why did it work like that? I bouught it as tested for Amiga 600? Does it mean it was not tested or was formatted wrongly etc?

johnim · 27 October 2011, 13:10

proberly not tested nice for getting it going

27 October 2011, 13:22

Dammit. Still doesn't work - doesn't add anything to memory. It's broken - going for refund. Prepcard didn't complain anything and it looked fine. Startup fast again without the card. Gonna buy new memory - what is your recommendation? SRAM or memory card?

johnim · 27 October 2011, 13:28

i would get 1 of these if you have the funds

http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/...oducts_id=1003

deicidal · 27 October 2011, 14:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnim

i would get 1 of these if you have the funds

http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/...oducts_id=1003

I agree with johnim if not got for another sram card that hopefully works just dont pay stupid money for it, if you are patient enough, I got mine for £20 which seemed a reasonable price but i have seen them go sometimes for silly money on ebay.

Cammy · 27 October 2011, 16:52

If PrepCard seemed to work, and now the bootup is slightly delayed and there's no extra RAM, perhaps you formatted the card as a storage device instead of memory. These PCMCIA SRAM cards can be used as both, and perhaps now you have a little 2MB hard disk rather than the RAM you wanted. Start PrepCard again and make sure you click on "Prepare as System RAM" and reboot, see if that helps.

Good luck!

roy bates · 27 October 2011, 18:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cammy

If PrepCard seemed to work, and now the bootup is slightly delayed and there's no extra RAM, perhaps you formatted the card as a storage device instead of memory. These PCMCIA SRAM cards can be used as both, and perhaps now you have a little 2MB hard disk rather than the RAM you wanted. Start PrepCard again and make sure you click on "Prepare as System RAM" and reboot, see if that helps.

Good luck!

or maybe the battery is flat.

roy.

28 October 2011, 07:57

In fact - my Amiga 600 motherboard is broken. The card worked ok in another unit and I formatted it correctly - we even formatted it with the another unit again and tested it - OK. It still didn't work in my Amiga 600. PrepCard shows that the battery is ok and everything goes by the book. My Amiga recognizes the card and formats it, but doesn't start with is - in the other unit it worked right away with no glitches. Looking for a replacement A600. Thanks to all!

roy bates · 28 October 2011, 08:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rhino

In fact - my Amiga 600 motherboard is broken. The card worked ok in another unit and I formatted it correctly - we even formatted it with the another unit again and tested it - OK. It still didn't work in my Amiga 600. PrepCard shows that the battery is ok and everything goes by the book. My Amiga recognizes the card and formats it, but doesn't start with is - in the other unit it worked right away with no glitches. Looking for a replacement A600. Thanks to all!

maybe its bad capacitors,its very common.

rkauer · 31 October 2011, 21:35

Or a near death battery inside the RAM card. Remove the battery as you'll not need it and try again.

Also check if the card doesn't have a lock switch (some cards with batteries have it to use as transfer read-only media).

27 October 2011, 11:37	#1
Rhino Posts: n/a	2MB SRAM (fast?) installation to Amiga 600 Hi! Newbie in the forum! I have Amiga 600 and bought 2MB SRAM to play more whdload games. However if I put the PCI SRAM to the slot and start, nothing happens - white screen only. Same thing with left mouse button pressed. The disc-light blinks fast but nothing happens. The blinkin is different without the SRAM - without the SRAM in the slot everything works out fine. I have the 4GB SDcard where it boots and has the games/software. Is there something I should do to make the SRAM work (I read something about formatting the card either to RAM or DISK)? If that's tha case, could someone please post instructions how to do it from the workbench. And if the workbench doesn't load, should i insert the SRAM in after the normal startup? Thank you! I'm looking forward to bringing back all of my fond Amiga-memories from my childhood!

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27 October 2011, 12:00	#2
johnim Amibay Mod/Staff Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: birmingham uk Age: 48 Posts: 1,019	hi mate check you havent bent or snapped any pins on your pcmcia slot/port

27 October 2011, 12:11	#3
Rhino Posts: n/a	Thanks. Just opened the unit and everything seems ok. No pins bent and it goes to place smoothly. Is this what usually causes this kind of action? Then there's something wrong with the motherboard... Any other suggestions?

27 October 2011, 12:11	#4
Toni Wilen WinUAE developer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland Age: 49 Posts: 26,507	Boot without the SRAM card. Run Prepcard (comes with WB), insert the card, does it hang or does prepcard detect and report inserted SRAM card? If it seems to work fine, use prepcard to "format" it as a RAM expansion.

27 October 2011, 12:18	#5
Rhino Posts: n/a	Ok. Where do I type prepcard? Sorry, I really have no clue - I used to insert discs in my youth and play. So... I boot without the card, insert card and white "prepcard" to where?

27 October 2011, 12:30	#6
Rhino Posts: n/a	Workbench/Tools/Prepcard -> Prepare as RAM. Now works fine! Thank you! Slows the start up slightly but now it is fine. Why did it work like that? I bouught it as tested for Amiga 600? Does it mean it was not tested or was formatted wrongly etc?

27 October 2011, 13:10	#7
johnim Amibay Mod/Staff Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: birmingham uk Age: 48 Posts: 1,019	proberly not tested nice for getting it going

27 October 2011, 13:22	#8
Rhino Posts: n/a	Dammit. Still doesn't work - doesn't add anything to memory. It's broken - going for refund. Prepcard didn't complain anything and it looked fine. Startup fast again without the card. Gonna buy new memory - what is your recommendation? SRAM or memory card?

27 October 2011, 13:28	#9
johnim Amibay Mod/Staff Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: birmingham uk Age: 48 Posts: 1,019	i would get 1 of these if you have the funds http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/...oducts_id=1003

27 October 2011, 16:52	#11
Cammy Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Tasmania, Australia Age: 39 Posts: 1,189	If PrepCard seemed to work, and now the bootup is slightly delayed and there's no extra RAM, perhaps you formatted the card as a storage device instead of memory. These PCMCIA SRAM cards can be used as both, and perhaps now you have a little 2MB hard disk rather than the RAM you wanted. Start PrepCard again and make sure you click on "Prepare as System RAM" and reboot, see if that helps. Good luck!

28 October 2011, 07:57	#13
Rhino Posts: n/a	In fact - my Amiga 600 motherboard is broken. The card worked ok in another unit and I formatted it correctly - we even formatted it with the another unit again and tested it - OK. It still didn't work in my Amiga 600. PrepCard shows that the battery is ok and everything goes by the book. My Amiga recognizes the card and formats it, but doesn't start with is - in the other unit it worked right away with no glitches. Looking for a replacement A600. Thanks to all!

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31 October 2011, 21:35	#15
rkauer I hate potatos and shirts Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Sao Leopoldo / Brazil Age: 58 Posts: 3,482	Or a near death battery inside the RAM card. Remove the battery as you'll not need it and try again. Also check if the card doesn't have a lock switch (some cards with batteries have it to use as transfer read-only media).