Kickstart checksum algorithm ?

BlankVector · 06 July 2012, 02:43

Hello.

I'm interested in building custom kickstart ROM alternatives, such as EmuTOS for Amiga.

It seems that kickstart ROMs have a 32-bit checksum at the end. For 256 kB ROMs, it is at offset $3ffe8.

Question 1: Is that long at offset $3ffe8 really is a checksum? I can't find any documentation about it.

Question 2: What is the algorithm to compute that checksum? It seems to be something like computing the sum of all the longs in the ROM, but I can't get the exact value...

Question 3: For a custom kickstart, it that checksum really important? A custom kickstart without checksum works fine with WinUAE. Does any components use that checksum, such as soft kicking tools, etc? I'm in the mood of not including such checksum in custom ROMs if it is not required.

Thanks in advance.

Leffmann · 06 July 2012, 04:04

Just like in Amiga bootblocks there's no actual checksum stored, it's inferred, and the 32-bit word you're looking at is just used to correct the checksum.

At -20 bytes from the end of a Kickstart ROM there's a 32-bit word that holds the size of the ROM in bytes. I don't know if software cares about it, but maybe this is how the hardware can map ROMs so they always end at $100 0000 regardless of size.

Also, the Amiga 1000 only has a small boot ROM which loads the Kickstart from disk and verifies the checksum, so at least in this case the checksum must be correct. The checksum is the sum of all 32-bit words and the carry digits, and must be equal to -1.

Toni Wilen · 06 July 2012, 08:06

Size (end-20) is at least used by some reset routines to find start address of ROM.

BlankVector · 06 July 2012, 09:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leffmann

At -20 bytes from the end of a Kickstart ROM there's a 32-bit word that holds the size of the ROM in bytes.

Ah, I didn't know that. This is a useful meta-information, I will add it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leffmann

Also, the Amiga 1000 only has a small boot ROM which loads the Kickstart from disk and verifies the checksum, so at least in this case the checksum must be correct.

Ok, that makes sense.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leffmann

The checksum is the sum of all 32-bit words and the carry digits, and must be equal to -1.

Many thanks, this is exactly what I needed

I didn't add the carry bits, this is why my result was almost good, but not exactly.

BlankVector · 06 July 2012, 22:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leffmann

The checksum is the sum of all 32-bit words and the carry digits, and must be equal to -1.

Good, I have fixed my routines, now my checksums are correct

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leffmann

Also, the Amiga 1000 only has a small boot ROM which loads the Kickstart from disk and verifies the checksum, so at least in this case the checksum must be correct.

This seems to be wrong.
I made tests with WinUAE, and it still works fine when the kickstart on the floppy has invalid checksum.

Leffmann · 06 July 2012, 23:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlankVector

This seems to be wrong.
I made tests with WinUAE, and it still works fine when the kickstart on the floppy has invalid checksum.

Ok, good to know. I read this in Ralph Babel's Amiga Guru Book and some other book but never verified it myself, perhaps it only applies to some versions of the A1000 boot ROM.

BlankVector · 06 July 2012, 23:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leffmann

Ok, good to know. I read this in Ralph Babel's Amiga Guru Book and some other book but never verified it myself,

Hehe, experimentation rulez

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leffmann

perhaps it only applies to some versions of the A1000 boot ROM.

Yes, maybe.

Toni Wilen · 07 July 2012, 07:25

I remember getting red screen but only after first keyboard or software reset if loaded kickstart disk had bad checksum.

BlankVector · 07 July 2012, 11:18

I made further tests with WinUAE, Amiga1000 settings and Kickstart 1.3.
Indeed, the checksum makes a difference on reset (either LCtrl+Win+Win or WinUAE reset function).

- On startup, the kickstart is loaded from the floppy. Valid or invalid checksum makes no difference.

- On reset, if the checksum of the loaded kickstart was valid, it is reused from WOM and not reloaded from the floppy. It behaves just like a kickstart in ROM.

- On reset, if the checksum of the loaded kickstart was not valid, it is loaded again from the floppy, just like on cold boot.

I reproduced the same behavior with an EmuTOS floppy, no more mystery

NB: I never saw a red screen, maybe that function was introduced in later kickstarts...

06 July 2012, 02:43	#1
BlankVector Registered User Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: France Posts: 183	Kickstart checksum algorithm ? Hello. I'm interested in building custom kickstart ROM alternatives, such as EmuTOS for Amiga. It seems that kickstart ROMs have a 32-bit checksum at the end. For 256 kB ROMs, it is at offset $3ffe8. Question 1: Is that long at offset $3ffe8 really is a checksum? I can't find any documentation about it. Question 2: What is the algorithm to compute that checksum? It seems to be something like computing the sum of all the longs in the ROM, but I can't get the exact value... Question 3: For a custom kickstart, it that checksum really important? A custom kickstart without checksum works fine with WinUAE. Does any components use that checksum, such as soft kicking tools, etc? I'm in the mood of not including such checksum in custom ROMs if it is not required. Thanks in advance.

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06 July 2012, 04:04	#2
Leffmann Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Sweden Posts: 2,269	Just like in Amiga bootblocks there's no actual checksum stored, it's inferred, and the 32-bit word you're looking at is just used to correct the checksum. At -20 bytes from the end of a Kickstart ROM there's a 32-bit word that holds the size of the ROM in bytes. I don't know if software cares about it, but maybe this is how the hardware can map ROMs so they always end at $100 0000 regardless of size. Also, the Amiga 1000 only has a small boot ROM which loads the Kickstart from disk and verifies the checksum, so at least in this case the checksum must be correct. The checksum is the sum of all 32-bit words and the carry digits, and must be equal to -1.

06 July 2012, 08:06	#3
Toni Wilen WinUAE developer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland Age: 49 Posts: 26,505	Size (end-20) is at least used by some reset routines to find start address of ROM.

07 July 2012, 07:25	#8
Toni Wilen WinUAE developer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland Age: 49 Posts: 26,505	I remember getting red screen but only after first keyboard or software reset if loaded kickstart disk had bad checksum.

07 July 2012, 11:18	#9
BlankVector Registered User Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: France Posts: 183	I made further tests with WinUAE, Amiga1000 settings and Kickstart 1.3. Indeed, the checksum makes a difference on reset (either LCtrl+Win+Win or WinUAE reset function). - On startup, the kickstart is loaded from the floppy. Valid or invalid checksum makes no difference. - On reset, if the checksum of the loaded kickstart was valid, it is reused from WOM and not reloaded from the floppy. It behaves just like a kickstart in ROM. - On reset, if the checksum of the loaded kickstart was not valid, it is loaded again from the floppy, just like on cold boot. I reproduced the same behavior with an EmuTOS floppy, no more mystery NB: I never saw a red screen, maybe that function was introduced in later kickstarts...

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