PCem v16 x86 Bridgeboard test

Toni Wilen · 02 August 2020, 11:21

x86 Bridgeboard emulation is now using v16 PCem core. (Previously it was v14). Main new feature is pre-486 FPU support. And bug fixes.

Main reason for this post is: to test existing bridgeboard configs. They should still work identically.

Only new visible feature is FPU checkbox in bridgeboard expansion config panel. I didn't test if it really works (not sure how to test it) but at least A2286 BIOS reports detected 80287 when FPU is enabled.

http://www.winuae.net/files/b/winuae.7z

1: Do not post non-bridgeboard bugs (unless it prevents use of bridgeboard) or features

2: This is not "how to use bridgeboard" or bridgeboard troubleshooting thread

(There might be future post about another PCem feature that is not bridgeboard related...)

Zilog · 03 August 2020, 04:23

Hi Toni,
I have test old conf e function correctly:
BirdgeBoard a2386SX
CPU 486/50DX (Do you add a Box with select cpu?

XITDE
x86 vga GD5429
Windows 95

Thanks a lot for work.

superfrog · 11 August 2020, 22:41

Oh look, what fun lies ahead! Thanks Toni, I will get to testing the FPU functions with Polyray and Fractint (my 2 favorite DOS progs that make use of FPU) and let you know what I discover.

superfrog · 06 September 2020, 08:08

Sorry, this has been a long time in coming, but I have been testing the new beta release with PCem v16 core for Bridgeboard. So far, my tests have been successful in establishing that the emulation works as expected, and that the FPU emulation works as well.

I have tested the various flavors of FPU using Polyray and Fractint, and have found the FPU emulation performs exactly as expected.

I have encountered a few small glitches in the emulation, but none that can be clearly characterized as bugs that were introduced with the move to the PCem v16 core. Rather, I suspect that I am uncovering small issues that existed even before the v16 switch.

There are also a couple of bugs that have been around for a very long time (mainly pertaining to floppy emulation) that stretch way back even to before the switch to PCem core, that are still present.

Overall, the x86 emulation within WinUAE performs beautifully. I will try to create some test cases that highlight specific minor issues I have found when I have the time to do so.

Thanks for all your hard work, Toni!

Toni Wilen · 06 September 2020, 18:17

Do you mean A2386SX floppy weirdness? It does something weird and it is probably impossible to solve without real board.

superfrog · 07 September 2020, 09:24

The A2386SX does not read 1.2M 5.25" high-density floppies. It fails with "Sector not found" error. The odd thing is though, it will write to a freshly-formatted 1.2M floppy. I can format a new floppy and write data to it. But if I eject and re-insert it, it fails to read again. This floppy image will be readable on an A2286.

If I try to write data to an already-formatted 1.2M floppy, it fails with "Sector not found" error as well.

02 August 2020, 11:21	#1
Toni Wilen WinUAE developer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland Age: 49 Posts: 26,570	PCem v16 x86 Bridgeboard test x86 Bridgeboard emulation is now using v16 PCem core. (Previously it was v14). Main new feature is pre-486 FPU support. And bug fixes. Main reason for this post is: to test existing bridgeboard configs. They should still work identically. Only new visible feature is FPU checkbox in bridgeboard expansion config panel. I didn't test if it really works (not sure how to test it) but at least A2286 BIOS reports detected 80287 when FPU is enabled. http://www.winuae.net/files/b/winuae.7z 1: Do not post non-bridgeboard bugs (unless it prevents use of bridgeboard) or features 2: This is not "how to use bridgeboard" or bridgeboard troubleshooting thread (There might be future post about another PCem feature that is not bridgeboard related...)

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03 August 2020, 04:23	#2
Zilog Registered User Join Date: May 2014 Location: Italy Posts: 419	Hi Toni, I have test old conf e function correctly: BirdgeBoard a2386SX CPU 486/50DX (Do you add a Box with select cpu? XITDE x86 vga GD5429 Windows 95 Thanks a lot for work.

11 August 2020, 22:41	#3
superfrog Registered User Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: San Francisco, USA Posts: 169	Oh look, what fun lies ahead! Thanks Toni, I will get to testing the FPU functions with Polyray and Fractint (my 2 favorite DOS progs that make use of FPU) and let you know what I discover.

06 September 2020, 08:08	#4
superfrog Registered User Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: San Francisco, USA Posts: 169	Sorry, this has been a long time in coming, but I have been testing the new beta release with PCem v16 core for Bridgeboard. So far, my tests have been successful in establishing that the emulation works as expected, and that the FPU emulation works as well. I have tested the various flavors of FPU using Polyray and Fractint, and have found the FPU emulation performs exactly as expected. I have encountered a few small glitches in the emulation, but none that can be clearly characterized as bugs that were introduced with the move to the PCem v16 core. Rather, I suspect that I am uncovering small issues that existed even before the v16 switch. There are also a couple of bugs that have been around for a very long time (mainly pertaining to floppy emulation) that stretch way back even to before the switch to PCem core, that are still present. Overall, the x86 emulation within WinUAE performs beautifully. I will try to create some test cases that highlight specific minor issues I have found when I have the time to do so. Thanks for all your hard work, Toni!

06 September 2020, 18:17	#5
Toni Wilen WinUAE developer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland Age: 49 Posts: 26,570	Do you mean A2386SX floppy weirdness? It does something weird and it is probably impossible to solve without real board.

07 September 2020, 09:24	#6
superfrog Registered User Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: San Francisco, USA Posts: 169	The A2386SX does not read 1.2M 5.25" high-density floppies. It fails with "Sector not found" error. The odd thing is though, it will write to a freshly-formatted 1.2M floppy. I can format a new floppy and write data to it. But if I eject and re-insert it, it fails to read again. This floppy image will be readable on an A2286. If I try to write data to an already-formatted 1.2M floppy, it fails with "Sector not found" error as well.

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