Some Mediator 4000Di questions

[spudje]

After quite some time, recovering from a broken foot and given prio to an A500 with ACA500plus I finally have time to build my power horse machine, an A4000 with CSPPC, Mediator, Voodoo, etc.

I have some hardware/physically building the thing together questions.

1. Extra Zorro Memory. I have a ZorRAM 128 MB next to the 128 MB on the CSPPC, which if I'm not mistaken can now also be used as RAM in OS 4.1FE Update 1. But I saw there are BigRAMPlus 256 MB modules available for sale again from Icomp. However they are bigger. Will they fit together with a PCI Card on the same row? Epsilon managed to get it squeezed in (in an A4000T): http://amigax1000.blogspot.nl/2016/1...4000t.html?m=1 it seems, but I'd love to hear about some more experience.

2. Risers/separators advise. What is the easiest/cheapest/ safest/insulating/heat resistant way to separate the Mediator bridgeboard from an indivision AGA MK2 and the mainboard jumpers (as indicated as risk in this guide: https://mediators.github.io/), and e.g. separate the BigRAMPlus from the PCI board on the same row or different PCI boards or Zorro boards from each other for that matter.

Thanks!!!

[jack-3d]

Zorro and PCI are not in the same row, with some luck you can install all 4 PCI and all 3 Zorro card together.

Zorro RAM anyway suxx by speed and OS4 is better under NG systems.

[spudje]

OK, thanks! Hopefully everything will fit. I also got a nice nylon standoff to keep Indivision and bridgeboard apart. However, I run into another issue. I already reported it to the shop where I bought the mediator and to Elbox. But maybe anyone here can shed some light.

It's a black Mediator 4000Di MKiii 3V

It runs fine after a cold boot (power on).
- Voodoo 3 2000
- ZorRam 128 MB in Zorro slot
- Cyberstorm PPC
Mainboard is recapped and PSU is also refurbished.
All memory is detected fine.
MMCD + update 2.5 and PCI.library 11.0.
I have some nice P96 screen modes setup and the PPC Warp3D "gears" demo runs fine over the Voodoo.
On poweron it shows up fine in the early startup menu, 2 devices for the Mediator, 1 for the ZorRam and 1 for the Cyberstorm PPC

But.... When I reboot (Ctrl - A - A) the Mediator is not recognised anymore.
- Without any cards it reboots fine, but no Mediator is recognised and PCIInfo returns: "Can't open PCI.library"
- With the Voodoo PCI and ZorRam in Zorro slot a reboot results in the same situation as without any cards (Mediator not recognised, "Can't open PCI.library"), if I remember correctly
- With the ZorRam in the Zorro slot and without PCI cards a reboot gives a bootloop with yellow screen (bus issue)
Directly after reboot early startup menu shows only 1 entry: Only the Cyberstorm PPC is shown, the 2 entries for the Mediator are not there and the ZorRam is not there (even when it is in the zorroslot)

I tried all jumper combinations on the Mediator bridgeboard, no difference.
I tried some different slots, not all, but the issue also happens without any cards in the mediator, so I didn't see any use in trying all combinations.

With my original A4000 daughterboard everything works 100% OK (although no PCI cards obviously )

According to this guide https://mediators.github.io/ see section 4.1.1, exactly the behaviour I have, it's most likely a mediator issue.

Thx!

[trixster]

Welcome to the world of Mediator being a right pita

[grelbfarlk]

Originally Posted by spudje

OK, thanks! Hopefully everything will fit. I also got a nice nylon standoff to keep Indivision and bridgeboard apart. However, I run into another issue. I already reported it to the shop where I bought the mediator and to Elbox. But maybe anyone here can shed some light.

It's a black Mediator 4000Di MKiii 3V

It runs fine after a cold boot (power on).
- Voodoo 3 2000
- ZorRam 128 MB in Zorro slot
- Cyberstorm PPC
Mainboard is recapped and PSU is also refurbished.
All memory is detected fine.
MMCD + update 2.5 and PCI.library 11.0.
I have some nice P96 screen modes setup and the PPC Warp3D "gears" demo runs fine over the Voodoo.
On poweron it shows up fine in the early startup menu, 2 devices for the Mediator, 1 for the ZorRam and 1 for the Cyberstorm PPC

But.... When I reboot (Ctrl - A - A) the Mediator is not recognised anymore.
- Without any cards it reboots fine, but no Mediator is recognised and PCIInfo returns: "Can't open PCI.library"
- With the Voodoo PCI and ZorRam in Zorro slot a reboot results in the same situation as without any cards (Mediator not recognised, "Can't open PCI.library"), if I remember correctly
- With the ZorRam in the Zorro slot and without PCI cards a reboot gives a bootloop with yellow screen (bus issue)
Directly after reboot early startup menu shows only 1 entry: Only the Cyberstorm PPC is shown, the 2 entries for the Mediator are not there and the ZorRam is not there (even when it is in the zorroslot)

I tried all jumper combinations on the Mediator bridgeboard, no difference.
I tried some different slots, not all, but the issue also happens without any cards in the mediator, so I didn't see any use in trying all combinations.

With my original A4000 daughterboard everything works 100% OK (although no PCI cards obviously )

According to this guide https://mediators.github.io/ see section 4.1.1, exactly the behaviour I have, it's most likely a mediator issue.

Thx!

You're not the only one other than CMSJ that has had this issue. Unfortunately CMSJ sold his out of frustration. There was another thread recently that described something very similar that I blathered in about. I don't know what the issue is with this run of Mediators but it seems to be a recurring problem. My random guesses based on the issues I had and resolved are:
1) Power Issues (fixed with replacing corroded motherboard power connectors)
2) Some kind of issue with the IDE (two issues, wrong scsi.device and replacing IDE cable)

[spudje]

OK, thanks! I looked at some of CMSJ's posts boot unfortunately they were not that much of help.

What I forgot to say: I'm running Rom 3.1, OS 3.9 BB1&2 (+ CWB 3.x), Buster 11
I also have an IDE splitter.

I'll be trying the following later:
- Test with Mediator, but without the mediator bridgeboard
- Test with lower OS version, or without OS version, since it's maybe the BB2 ROM update that is causing this, since issues only occur after reboot
- Test without IDE splitter

Although I think it's hardware related (heat?). All works fine on a power up (also a power cycle after the machine has been running). If I quickly reboot after the system booted fully, most of the time it also works again. But when I keep the machine running for a few minutes and reboot then, I run into the described issues.

If only I had a second mediator which has proven to work and another A4000 just for testing purposes

[trixster]

Sounds like similar problems to what I've been experiencing. I'm going to give Mediator one last chance when I get some time and if I can't get it working and stable I'm selling it.

[spudje]

Do you also have the latest revision mediator? Black mkiii 3,3v

[spudje]

OK, I'm more and more thinking the bridgeboard is faulty.

- I tried the mediator busboard without the bridgeboard, with ZorRam and everything just runs fine! Leaving the machine on for quite some time and then reboot after reboot, the zorram is detected without problems.
- As soon as I put in the Mediator Bridgeboard again, same problems arise again. Then I thought, well maybe it's the ROM update of BB2, since it only happens after a reboot. But I tried it without HDD. Powering the machine on, shows Mediator (2 items), CSPCC and ZorRam. Leaving the machine on with the kickstart screen for a few minutes and after a reboot, again the same problems.

[Wrangler]

I'm also experiencing problems with a new mediator black mk III 3.3v. To begin with the thing didn't work at all. Then after hours of fiddling around, cleaning all the connections, reseating it all (no change), trying an ATX PSU, I reinstalled the whole OS up to 3.9 BB4.

That works with just a Voodoo card and FastATA but when tonight I added some extra PCI cards, it fails soon after opening the Voodoo screen.

My suspicion is that it's power supply problems linked to heat build up (hence it works to begin with and then fails after a while). I don't think it's the PSU itself but could be bad power distribution to the back plane. And given these mediators draw power to create a 3.3v line from 5v, I think they are borderline on power consumption. But it's just a theory but I see on other forums lots of folk are having problems with these mediators...

[trixster]

Originally Posted by spudje

Do you also have the latest revision mediator? Black mkiii 3,3v

Yep, bought late last year new.

[Wrangler]

I've been spending time on my mediator more and it is working now. The root cause of the problems I was having was a software bug that corrupted pci.library (I think) which made it look like the hardware was failing. All sorted now.

I do recommend cleaning all contacts with IPA - I think that sorted out the initial problems I was having when I first plugged it in.

[spudje]

Thanks guys for all your help. Unfortunately nothing helped so far, but Elbox agrees with me and thinks the bridgeboard/logic board is faulty and I can return it for repair.

[trixster]

Wow, Elbox replied to you!?

[spudje]

Yes, should I feel privileged

[Kin Hell]

Originally Posted by trixster

Wow, Elbox replied to you!?

Originally Posted by spudje

Yes, should I feel privileged

Yes, absolutely.

[cmsj]

fwiw, Elbox were really helpful and responsive with me during my Mediator tribulations. They replaced the one that was disappearing from autoconfig, but the replacement never worked at all, even after they sent me replacement MACH chips.

As grelblarkhamsterbarkwtf said, I sold mine out of frustration - I was hoping to get a perfect A4000 with fancy "modern" PCI cards, and ended up with literally months of nothing but anger

[wawa]

i kinda cant believe that you got two broken boards one after the other. especially after how i treat my hardware and i have mediator too even if actually disassembled while testiing other stuff. maybe something is wrong with your a4000?

[mech]

Originally Posted by wawa

i kinda cant believe that you got two broken boards one after the other. especially after how i treat my hardware and i have mediator too even if actually disassembled while testiing other stuff. maybe something is wrong with your a4000?

I can attest to his troubles i was helping him thru the tribulations. I will likely be flamed for saying this but i think something is buggy with the new mediators 3v versions. Does anyone have one of these running solid/stable out there?
The old 5v mediators are pretty much rock stable.

[trixster]

I'm going to give my Mediator mk iii another try this weekend now I've swapped out the pimped a3640 060 for a Cyberstorm Mk2 and removed the hacked bb2 Roms for standard ones.

So I've got a recapped main board, the psu has been tested and is ok plus I've got a second voodoo3 card to try and rule out that being the issue. I know my motherboard daughterboard slot works fine as my zorram is ok with the standard zorro board.

With all that, if I can't get the Mediator to work without constantly crashing workbench (or disappearing pci devices) then I'm going to send it back for a refund as it's junk.