Blizzard 1260 memory issues

papa_november · 31 July 2009, 22:28

I'm working on an A1200T with a Mediator busboard and Blizzard 1260 accelerator. It seems to work perfectly, except I'm getting errors when I run ICD MemTest.

It came with a 64MB SIMM in the onboard socket and an 8MB SIMM in the SCSI-KIT socket. I've tried a whole bunch of SIMMs and they all seem to have problems - either they are seen as the wrong size or they have errors as well.

I can't test the machine without the Mediator as that's the only way it gets power. Could the Mediator be causing false alarms or is there something wrong with the accelerator?

adolescent · 01 August 2009, 03:36

Are you sure ICD MemTest works with the Blizzard? If the system is working fine, then I'd suspect the memory test program is broken. If you're really concerned then try another memory test program.

Shadowfire · 01 August 2009, 15:58

Actually, if the memory test doesn't outright refuse to run, and shows the correct amount of memory.... I would trust that there was a memory issue of some sort.

papa_november · 04 August 2009, 12:20

I tried a couple of other memory testing programs and they aren't reporting any problems. I've been using ICD MemTest because it seems to work on a wide variety of systems(so far), but maybe it's possible it doesn't like 060 machines? It was written before the 060 was available, so that could definitely be a possibility.

It's given a false negative once before on an Oktagon SCSI card, but I guess that isn't an isolated case. Maybe it's seeing non-RAM areas as RAM?

Bamiga2002 · 04 August 2009, 17:06

Have you tried WITHOUT memory installed on the scsi-kit (only on turbo board)?
Also you could try SysSpeed to test the memory.

Angus · 04 August 2009, 17:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by papa_november

I'm working on an A1200T with a Mediator busboard and Blizzard 1260 accelerator. It seems to work perfectly, except I'm getting errors when I run ICD MemTest.

I have the same hardware - Blizz1260/Mediator - if you like I'll try it here, and let you know my results. Where did you get the program, Aminet?

papa_november · 04 August 2009, 20:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angus

I have the same hardware - Blizz1260/Mediator - if you like I'll try it here, and let you know my results. Where did you get the program, Aminet?

I got it from here.

Chain · 05 August 2009, 12:42

there is a jumper on mediator (dont know name of it) but in one position it works with blizzard card and in other with apollo card, at least for me. you can always try it

EDIT: its probably jumper "waitstate" or something like that

Shadowfire · 05 August 2009, 17:36

Folks, if a memory test tells you there is a problem with your RAM...

There really is a problem with your RAM.

Now, it might not show its ugly head with whatever program you use most of the time. But rest assured, that program generated that error because it wrote a value to RAM and didn't read the same value back later. This is NOT a "false positive" (unless it wasn't actually checking RAM...)

It's up to you to decide whether you want to pay the $$ (in most cases, RAM will need to be replaced, or maybe RAM timings are set incorrectly) to fix the problem and get system stability, or if you just want to deal with occasional unexplained guru's.

Toni Wilen · 05 August 2009, 17:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shadowfire

Folks, if a memory test tells you there is a problem with your RAM...

There really is a problem with your RAM.

I am not so sure about that..

This program may only support specific 24-bit addresses, it may hate too large memory expansions or something similar.

ADDED: tested it on emulation and it reported 1 failure in Z3 fast ram

adolescent · 06 August 2009, 16:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

ADDED: tested it on emulation and it reported 1 failure in Z3 fast ram

Better swap out that memory Toni!

31 July 2009, 22:28	#1
papa_november Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: California Posts: 184	Blizzard 1260 memory issues I'm working on an A1200T with a Mediator busboard and Blizzard 1260 accelerator. It seems to work perfectly, except I'm getting errors when I run ICD MemTest. It came with a 64MB SIMM in the onboard socket and an 8MB SIMM in the SCSI-KIT socket. I've tried a whole bunch of SIMMs and they all seem to have problems - either they are seen as the wrong size or they have errors as well. I can't test the machine without the Mediator as that's the only way it gets power. Could the Mediator be causing false alarms or is there something wrong with the accelerator?

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01 August 2009, 03:36	#2
adolescent Powered by Motorola Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Age: 52 Posts: 1,065	Are you sure ICD MemTest works with the Blizzard? If the system is working fine, then I'd suspect the memory test program is broken. If you're really concerned then try another memory test program.

01 August 2009, 15:58	#3
Shadowfire Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Connecticut USA Posts: 617	Actually, if the memory test doesn't outright refuse to run, and shows the correct amount of memory.... I would trust that there was a memory issue of some sort.

04 August 2009, 12:20	#4
papa_november Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: California Posts: 184	I tried a couple of other memory testing programs and they aren't reporting any problems. I've been using ICD MemTest because it seems to work on a wide variety of systems(so far), but maybe it's possible it doesn't like 060 machines? It was written before the 060 was available, so that could definitely be a possibility. It's given a false negative once before on an Oktagon SCSI card, but I guess that isn't an isolated case. Maybe it's seeing non-RAM areas as RAM?

04 August 2009, 17:06	#5
Bamiga2002 BlizzardPPC'less Join Date: May 2004 Location: Finland Age: 46 Posts: 3,210	Have you tried WITHOUT memory installed on the scsi-kit (only on turbo board)? Also you could try SysSpeed to test the memory.

05 August 2009, 12:42	#8
Chain A-Collector, repairments Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Czech Rep. Age: 50 Posts: 1,536	there is a jumper on mediator (dont know name of it) but in one position it works with blizzard card and in other with apollo card, at least for me. you can always try it EDIT: its probably jumper "waitstate" or something like that

05 August 2009, 17:36	#9
Shadowfire Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Connecticut USA Posts: 617	Folks, if a memory test tells you there is a problem with your RAM... *There really is* a problem with your RAM.** Now, it might not show its ugly head with whatever program you use most of the time. But rest assured, that program generated that error because it wrote a value to RAM and didn't read the same value back later. This is NOT a "false positive" (unless it wasn't actually checking RAM...) It's up to you to decide whether you want to pay the $$ (in most cases, RAM will need to be replaced, or maybe RAM timings are set incorrectly) to fix the problem and get system stability, or if you just want to deal with occasional unexplained guru's.

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