Failsafe way to force libs and interrupt vectors to 32-bit ram?

[Photon]

Or, sure-fire way...

Just noticed, on my A1200-030 (Kick 3.0, M1230XA with 16MB expansion ram, WB 3.1), Sysinfo says libs are all in chipmem, no matter what I do. I've tried a few times now.

First in my startup-sequence, there's SetXA ADDMEM, which initializes the accelerator from the settings stored in EEPROM. Without it I get no extra ram.

Then I use Setpatch 43.6b, which is supposed to at least move VBR to fastmem. Is it supposed to also move the libs there?

Right after I do a CPU FASTROM, which should move at least the kickstart into fastmem. Is it supposed to also move the libs?

Then the standard Commodore-supplied wb-loader-startupsequence follows, but with the call to (the old WB 3.1) setpatch removed.

If not, any and all suggestions are welcome, custom commands, anything that forces libs & VBR up there.


(I've been thinking for a while now... what do you mods think about a separate prb.startup-sequence or prb.drivers or prb.software? Or prb.installation?

More of a tips & tricks for a perfectly configurated smooth Amiga than getting it to run forum, the latter could be in the hardware forum. Where software wizards can impress people and make stickies of things like "what to think about when editing the startup-sequence" and such.

A lot of the problems in prb.Hardware are problems with the software rather than the hardware, and it could be good for us who want to 'catch up with newer software to put in the startup-sequence.)

[rkauer]

There is a small utility inside the install floppy who does a dual boot using the MBX1230's MMU who is almost equal to "CPU FastROM", but since it reboots the Amiga with the fast memory already added it frees the chipmem.

"What's the name of the app?", you may say. It's called "autoXA" and must be the very first line on your startup-sequence.

[Photon]

Oh. The manual recommended "SetXA Addmem" after the Setpatch line.

It said "For maximum speed, you may wish to use AutoXA instead of the AddMem call. See the AutoXA.Readme file on the diskette."

But there was no readme file on the disk. Maybe I have an old disk version then? (Or at least different.) Mine is M1230XA-10003.dms.


Anyway, working fine and IDE speed increased from 1803 KB/s to 1971 KB/s. So, thanks!!

How would I do the same on a random brand accelerator, though?

On my PPS 68040, for example, the libs end up in 24-bit ram, since I guess the Kickstart puts them there - and there's no 68040 command supplied to do it.


Now don't worry, I'll try the MMUlib and also AutoXA on my A500-040 But I was looking for experienced knowledge of "how it's generally done" from software wizards - to save me and others from trying this and that and reboot 200 times

[Toni Wilen]

Update to KS3.1 which is supposed to autoconfig the ram? (or create custom ROM with modified KS that adds the ram automatically if KS3.1 does not work)

[Photon]

I will probably test Kick 3.1 in my A500-040, but this and my A1000 are the machines I'd like to use with old kickstarts. The A500 for programming and testing stuff that works on old OCS machines, and the A1000 for compatibility.

I guess you mean to say that there is no such software (such as a reset-patch similar to AutoXA above)?

I'm going to try AutoXA right away.

[Toni Wilen]

I don't see any solution to this problem because you can't move any OS structure after they have been allocated. (It is impossible to find all pointers/offsets that need to be changed)

Hmm.. I guess you can use coldcapture/coolcapture vectors to add resident module that adds the fast ram to exec lists. Needs one extra reset but should work. (but exec and expansion will remain in chip because it is quite difficult to add anything to memory lists before exec is created without some really ugly tricks..)

[rkauer]

AutoXA is a program who only work with the MBX1230XA accelerator.

[Photon]

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

I don't see any solution to this problem because you can't move any OS structure after they have been allocated. (It is impossible to find all pointers/offsets that need to be changed)

Hmm.. I guess you can use coldcapture/coolcapture vectors to add resident module that adds the fast ram to exec lists. Needs one extra reset but should work. (but exec and expansion will remain in chip because it is quite difficult to add anything to memory lists before exec is created without some really ugly tricks..)

Yepz, that's how AutoXA works. It resets if it hasn't already put a vector there.

And also, I did find out that AutoXA only works on A1200. Other accels for A1200, unknown, but at least it told me it was A1200-only (not necessarily M1230XA-only??) when I tried it.