A2000 16/32bit memory question

Olecranon · 16 August 2006, 04:26

I'm working on getting an A2000 restored (cleaned, os installed, etc), and have a question about mixing 16 bit (ZII RAM) and 32 bit (Accelerator RAM).

My configuration is as follows :

GVP A3001 50 Mhz 030 Accelerator w/IDE controller and 8mb of 32 bit Ram

GVP HC+8 series II SCSI controller with 2mb of ZII Ram.

Now normally I would remove the SCSI card and connect an IDE drive up to the 030 board, but the IDE controller is extremely incompatible from what I've heard (unless someone knows some specific drives that will work). I tried a couple IDE drives a 4GB and a 128MB with zero luck.

So.. I'm using the series II HC+8 to run my hard drive, but I'm wondering if I am taking a performance hit by leaving the 2mb of ram installed on the card ? From my understanding, the Zorro II SCSI controller cant DMA into 32bit RAM anyways, so it shouldn't hurt, but I'm just guessing here.

Anyone have any opinions? Should I remove the RAM or should I load the thing up?

Jope · 16 August 2006, 09:36

Well, it will be a slight performance hit, but you probably won't notice it too much in a Zorro II machine.

Just check what order the memory blocks are in RAM and use a tool to adjust priorities so that the 32bit ram is used first.

Olecranon · 16 August 2006, 17:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jope

Well, it will be a slight performance hit, but you probably won't notice it too much in a Zorro II machine.

Just check what order the memory blocks are in RAM and use a tool to adjust priorities so that the 32bit ram is used first.

Thanks Jope. Can you suggest which tools I could use to check the order and adjust the priority of the ram?

Jope · 16 August 2006, 19:20

To check, sysinfo will probably give you the info (I don't have an Amiga handy as I'm in the middle of moving houses).

As for the tool.. Sorry, I don't have any names off the top of my head. Aminet could help..

Olecranon · 16 August 2006, 19:26

I found a list of priorities.. According to sysinfo, my chip ram is -10, 2mb of ram on my SCSI controller is 0 (zero), and my 8mb of 32 bit ram is 5.

I'm guessing that I need that 32bit ram and the 2mb on my SCSI card to be switched around. Chip memory should be left at -10 ? How do I swap these?

Thanks!

Jope · 16 August 2006, 20:39

You're good. Higher is preferred when allocating.

Unknown_K · 16 August 2006, 21:40

Can you make the 2MB on the SCSI card used just for buffering so I won't slow down your apps?

I was thinking of installing an 2091 w/2MB RAM into my A2000HD because I want to add another HD but don't have any place to mount it (wish I had the external mounting plate for my GVP 030/40 card). Since the GVP card has 16MB of GVP RAM onboard I probably won't be using the 2MB on the SCSI card at all anyway. Mostly I want another HD (maybe 500MB) for use with my bridgeboard since I am having problems making a fake partition on my main 1.6GB drive because of the 030 processor.

Secret Vampire · 16 August 2006, 21:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unknown_K

Can you make the 2MB on the SCSI card used just for buffering so I won't slow down your apps?

I was thinking of installing an 2091 w/2MB RAM into my A2000HD because I want to add another HD but don't have any place to mount it (wish I had the external mounting plate for my GVP 030/40 card). Since the GVP card has 16MB of GVP RAM onboard I probably won't be using the 2MB on the SCSI card at all anyway. Mostly I want another HD (maybe 500MB) for use with my bridgeboard since I am having problems making a fake partition on my main 1.6GB drive because of the 030 processor.

It shouldn't cause any slowdown provided it's set to a lower priority than the 32 bit RAM on the accelerator, it will only get used when the higher priority memory is full, and it's still better than going into chip.
However, it might make more sense if the extra drive is just for bridgeboard use to get an ISA SCSI card, IIRC the bridgeboards are designed to work with ISA drive controllers if present, though that would make it totally invisible to the Amiga.

Unknown_K · 16 August 2006, 22:12

I would have no place to mount the ISA connected HD in the case, with the 2091 I would have the HD mounted on the controller card.

I was thinking of getting a hardcard (IDE HD and controller mounted on an ISA card), but I down't know if they would work with a bridgeboard. Mostly I just want to be able to use an ISA network card for transfer instead of the slow built in serial port (With Amiga Explorer). I do have a Z2 network card but it is in my A3000.

16 August 2006, 04:26	#1
Olecranon Registered User Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Wisconsin - USA Age: 56 Posts: 86	A2000 16/32bit memory question I'm working on getting an A2000 restored (cleaned, os installed, etc), and have a question about mixing 16 bit (ZII RAM) and 32 bit (Accelerator RAM). My configuration is as follows : GVP A3001 50 Mhz 030 Accelerator w/IDE controller and 8mb of 32 bit Ram GVP HC+8 series II SCSI controller with 2mb of ZII Ram. Now normally I would remove the SCSI card and connect an IDE drive up to the 030 board, but the IDE controller is extremely incompatible from what I've heard (unless someone knows some specific drives that will work). I tried a couple IDE drives a 4GB and a 128MB with zero luck. So.. I'm using the series II HC+8 to run my hard drive, but I'm wondering if I am taking a performance hit by leaving the 2mb of ram installed on the card ? From my understanding, the Zorro II SCSI controller cant DMA into 32bit RAM anyways, so it shouldn't hurt, but I'm just guessing here. Anyone have any opinions? Should I remove the RAM or should I load the thing up? Last edited by Olecranon; 16 August 2006 at 17:10.

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16 August 2006, 09:36	#2
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,861	Well, it will be a slight performance hit, but you probably won't notice it too much in a Zorro II machine. Just check what order the memory blocks are in RAM and use a tool to adjust priorities so that the 32bit ram is used first.

16 August 2006, 19:20	#4
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,861	To check, sysinfo will probably give you the info (I don't have an Amiga handy as I'm in the middle of moving houses). As for the tool.. Sorry, I don't have any names off the top of my head. Aminet could help..

16 August 2006, 19:26	#5
Olecranon Registered User Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Wisconsin - USA Age: 56 Posts: 86	I found a list of priorities.. According to sysinfo, my chip ram is -10, 2mb of ram on my SCSI controller is 0 (zero), and my 8mb of 32 bit ram is 5. I'm guessing that I need that 32bit ram and the 2mb on my SCSI card to be switched around. Chip memory should be left at -10 ? How do I swap these? Thanks!

16 August 2006, 20:39	#6
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,861	You're good. Higher is preferred when allocating.

16 August 2006, 21:40	#7
Unknown_K Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: Ohio/USA Age: 55 Posts: 1,380	Can you make the 2MB on the SCSI card used just for buffering so I won't slow down your apps? I was thinking of installing an 2091 w/2MB RAM into my A2000HD because I want to add another HD but don't have any place to mount it (wish I had the external mounting plate for my GVP 030/40 card). Since the GVP card has 16MB of GVP RAM onboard I probably won't be using the 2MB on the SCSI card at all anyway. Mostly I want another HD (maybe 500MB) for use with my bridgeboard since I am having problems making a fake partition on my main 1.6GB drive because of the 030 processor.

16 August 2006, 22:12	#9
Unknown_K Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: Ohio/USA Age: 55 Posts: 1,380	I would have no place to mount the ISA connected HD in the case, with the 2091 I would have the HD mounted on the controller card. I was thinking of getting a hardcard (IDE HD and controller mounted on an ISA card), but I down't know if they would work with a bridgeboard. Mostly I just want to be able to use an ISA network card for transfer instead of the slow built in serial port (With Amiga Explorer). I do have a Z2 network card but it is in my A3000.

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