6MB chipRAM in an Amiga Technologies A1200 HD? WTF?!

[StevenJGore]

I've just acquired an Amiga Technologies A1200 HD with 170MB hard disk (ie. the Magic Pack) off eBay. I've just switched it on for the first time and noticed that 6MB chipRAM is reported:



But the ShowConfig tool reports the following:



Anybody know why there's a discrepency between the two? There's nothing weird (in fact, nothing at all) in the WBStartUp drawer. I also thought perhaps I was reading it wrong, and in fact it meant about 600K, but it's showing millions, right? I've also googled and searched the forums and can't find anything similar being reported before.

And yes, the trapdoor expansion slot and PCMCIA slot are both empty!

Also, shouldn't the processor be reported as 68EC020, not 68020?

Steve.

PS. I'm ready to be embarassed if this is something really obvious!

[Shoonay]

Cool!

Virtual chip memory on hd?

[alexh]

Check your startup sequence.

That is 6Mbytes... but it has to be caused by software.

There is no way to get more than 2Mbyte chip ram (apart from in WinUAE)

[Shoonay]

IIRC MCP had that function, where one could easly edit the text "up there", but why would the previous owner only change that?

[Ironclaw]

When I had an Amiga I used a tiny tool to get lots of fake mem, prolly called fakemem . 8 mb fast I think it was.. hmm.. don't remember.

[StevenJGore]

Found it!

A line in the startup-sequence right at the end:

memdoubler -c4

From aminet:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
This short utility simply increases your memory (Chip, Fast or both).
So if you have only 4MB of Fast but ADPro needs 16MB for processing gfx
then type:
MemDoubler -f4

Another example: when Personal Paint needs more Chip memory for very big
screen simply double it:
MemDoubler -c2

For more help type:
MemDoubler ?

REMEMBER: It's cheapest memory expander ever made!
It is coded in highly optimized assembler of course.
NO xpk.library, powerpacker.library are necessary.

If you like and use it send to me a postcard or e-mail.
This program is FREEWARE but you still CAN send to me 1GB hard disk, 040
or 060 card for my A4030, digital multisync monitor or even IBM PC XT :-).

Paul Hernik
Nowowiejska 24/3
25532 Kielce
POLAND

E-mail: spi-ph@srv1.tu.kielce.pl
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was hoping I'd got an experimental version of a new model of the A1200!

[StevenJGore]

I'd just like to add that I feel a bit of a plonker for not checking the startup-sequence before posting!

[ppill]

And this little proggy was written by guy from my town I even think I met him once... hmm

[Charlie]

I know nothng about this proggie - I assume it buggers about with the memory map to fake the extra RAM.
About right?

I assume that means the whole thing falls over as soon as the computer runs out physical RAM or is it smarter than that?

[Galahad/FLT]

Originally Posted by Charlie

I know nothng about this proggie - I assume it buggers about with the memory map to fake the extra RAM.
About right?

I assume that means the whole thing falls over as soon as the computer runs out physical RAM or is it smarter than that?

It probably caches memory onto the hard drive, much like Windows Swap file.

[thomas]

Probably it simply patches the AvailMem function of exec.library to report more memory than there really is. If a program then tries to AllocMem a big chunk of memory, it will still fail because the memory does not exist.

I wonder what the Avail command outputs.

[StevenJGore]

I've removed the line from my startup-sequence and not suprisingly I'm back to 2MB chipRAM.

Before I did that, though, I loaded Wordworth 4 and added one small piece of clipart, checked the memory usage, and I was down to only 450K of chipRAM. I quit Wordworth and went back up to 4.5MB chipRAM. So the memory usage is a bit strange, given that I could have performed those same actions with only 2MB.

Steve.

[Fingerlickin_B]

Hmm, so it does nothing except lie about memory?

It's classed as "game/gag" on Aminet.

PZ.

[TheCorfiot]

Originally Posted by Fingerlickin_B

Hmm, so it does nothing except lie about memory?

It's classed as "game/gag" on Aminet.

PZ.

@Fingers.

Beat me to it..

[Fingerlickin_B]

Originally Posted by Charlie

I assume that means the whole thing falls over as soon as the computer runs out physical RAM or is it smarter than that?

Your assumption is totally correct.

I put it through it's paces (just in case) with some real-world use tonight & it does absolutely nothing but display extra RAM.

Total waste of time.

I can only assume that it's intended purpose was initially to fool people into "OMG, he's got a crazy amount of RAM in there!" sort of thing.

PZ.

[TheCorfiot]

Probably initiated by Amiga Inc as an upgrade to the A1200

[Fingerlickin_B]

Originally Posted by TheCorfiot

Probably initiated by Amiga Inc as an upgrade to the A1200

Nah, it doesn't require unbelieveably expensive out of production add-ons, is easy to install & was released without legal delays!

PZ.

[Zetr0]

Originally Posted by TheCorfiot

Probably initiated by Amiga Inc as an upgrade to the A1200

Originally Posted by Fingerlickin_B

Nah, it doesn't require unbelieveably expensive out of production add-ons, is easy to install & was released without legal delays!

PZ.

!!!!!ROTFLMFAO!!!!!

oh my god...... need to breath..... oh my god.....coffee every where.... its coming out of my nose!!!!!

[TheCorfiot]

@Fingers

Can it be uploaded to the Zone or is it copyrighted()

Got to see this piece of c**p for myself,

btw I did say Amiga Inc initiated it not released it...
I don't think they have actually released anything!!! (usefull)


Sombody get Zetro a towel quick.......

[Fingerlickin_B]

Originally Posted by TheCorfiot

@Fingers

Can it be uploaded to the Zone or is it copyrighted()

Got to see this piece of c**p for myself,

Do you really want to check it out?

Ok then, it's Freeware so in The Zone right now

PZ.