A 590 questions

coze · 18 March 2006, 10:24

I've recently acquired an a590 with no ram and commodore rom. First I'ld like to add some ram to it, amiga hardware database says it uses 256k x 4 rams, but I'm not sure what's that supposed to mean. if I buy four from these rams will it do ? (or do I need sixteen ?)
also I read this article at aminet about the a590, which almost reads like an advert for the guru rom v6 and pfs2. I don't need pfs2 but I'ld like to have the guru rom, cause it I'ld like to be able to use new >2gb drives at my a590 (I don't need big filesystems though). but the distributor (http://www.schatztruhe.de
) doesn't seem to supply these roms anymore (I also need the revision 2 DMAC chip 390563-02) so does anyone know where I can get these ? (a quick ebay search returned no results)

T_hairy_bootson · 18 March 2006, 10:55

I got the ram from old PC video cards.

alexh · 18 March 2006, 13:59

Guru ROM for A590
http://www.softhut.com/cgi-bin/test/...=9149913_27104

New SCSI Chip for A590 (required for best speeds in conjunction with Guru ROM)
http://www.softhut.com/cgi-bin/test/...=9149913_27104

whiteb · 18 March 2006, 23:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by coze

I've recently acquired an a590 with no ram and commodore rom. First I'ld like to add some ram to it, amiga hardware database says it uses 256k x 4 rams, but I'm not sure what's that supposed to mean. if I buy four from these rams will it do ? (or do I need sixteen ?)

That ram will NOT do.

the ram MUST BE 256x4 chips, and check the manual, I think it can be populated by either 8 chips (1MB) or 16 chips(2MB). So if you get those chips in the ebay link you provided, (256x1), thats ONE bank of 256kbit. (you would NEED 64 chips). A590 does not have 64 sockets, the pinout is Vastly different.. NOT COMPATIBLE (Sorry, you may understand now, but some people would not).

Each chip is 4 banks of 256kbit (256x4), making each chip 1Megabit, so to the A590 having 2Megabyte of ram, 16 chips. (1Megabyte = 8Megabits).

http://www.amiga-stuff.com/hardware/256kx4-dram.html

Jope · 19 March 2006, 13:12

The A590 can be populated:

0MB - no chips
512kB - 4 chips
1MB - 8 chips
2MB - 16 chips

There's a jumper next to the RAM sockets that needs to be set to the amount of RAM you installed.

Doc Mindie · 22 March 2006, 20:14

I got one of those with one MB installed some 12 years ago.... took it downtown in Skien a month after and got another MB

It worked a dream for me up untill I got an A1200 and then put the A500 on the shelf

Unknown_K · 23 March 2006, 17:33

Doesn't the 590 have the same memory that is used in the more common 2091 Zorro board? I snagged some old PC VLB video cards to grab enough ram to fill up my 2091 and I believe that design is the same as the 590 (different layout maybe but the same thing).

Jope · 25 March 2006, 08:16

You are correct.

coze · 07 April 2006, 15:05

whiteb, thanks for the clarification. So it's bits, not Bytes, that's where I was getting the math wrong. Thanks.

Now I've solved the ram problem, from a 2091 card. I also need the guru rom chip, and if possile I do not want to pay 60$ + shipping to japan in the process. I'm planning to burn the rom myself, (the image can be downloaded from Ralph Babel's site) but the page talks about an adapter board (a small pcb I guess). If someone can send me a picture of this board I'll be really grateful, so that I can decide if I can pull this or not.

alexh · 07 April 2006, 15:38

No-one knows the correct PCB layout. It will be very simple, but you cannot make your own at this time

Wont work with just the EPROM

18 March 2006, 10:24	#1
coze hastala vista winny vista Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: mt fuji Age: 46 Posts: 1,335	A 590 & Guru rom V6 questions I've recently acquired an a590 with no ram and commodore rom. First I'ld like to add some ram to it, amiga hardware database says it uses 256k x 4 rams, but I'm not sure what's that supposed to mean. if I buy four from these rams will it do ? (or do I need sixteen ?) also I read this article at aminet about the a590, which almost reads like an advert for the guru rom v6 and pfs2. I don't need pfs2 but I'ld like to have the guru rom, cause it I'ld like to be able to use new >2gb drives at my a590 (I don't need big filesystems though). but the distributor (http://www.schatztruhe.de ) doesn't seem to supply these roms anymore (I also need the revision 2 DMAC chip 390563-02) so does anyone know where I can get these ? (a quick ebay search returned no results) Last edited by coze; 07 April 2006 at 15:06.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
A-590 questions ( ROMs, power, HD limits, etc. )	Overdoc	support.Hardware	25	13 September 2013 01:36
for sale: A-500, A-600, A-1200, A-590	Overdoc	MarketPlace	16	27 September 2008 03:38
More Questions	Macca	project.ClassicWB	9	25 May 2008 10:24
Some A-590 questions... (kick 2.0 ???, pass-thru-port ??, attach CF-card ?? )	Overdoc	support.Hardware	5	30 May 2006 07:30
A few questions!	One1	New to Emulation or Amiga scene	2	30 October 2002 17:41

18 March 2006, 10:55	#2
T_hairy_bootson Workbitch 1.3 Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Melbourne, Australia Age: 47 Posts: 2,084	I got the ram from old PC video cards.

18 March 2006, 13:59	#3
alexh Thalion Webshrine Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oxford Posts: 14,397	Guru ROM for A590 http://www.softhut.com/cgi-bin/test/...=9149913_27104 New SCSI Chip for A590 (required for best speeds in conjunction with Guru ROM) http://www.softhut.com/cgi-bin/test/...=9149913_27104

19 March 2006, 13:12	#5
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,876	The A590 can be populated: 0MB - no chips 512kB - 4 chips 1MB - 8 chips 2MB - 16 chips There's a jumper next to the RAM sockets that needs to be set to the amount of RAM you installed.

22 March 2006, 20:14	#6
Doc Mindie In deep Trouble Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Manchester, Made in Norway Age: 51 Posts: 841	I got one of those with one MB installed some 12 years ago.... took it downtown in Skien a month after and got another MB It worked a dream for me up untill I got an A1200 and then put the A500 on the shelf

23 March 2006, 17:33	#7
Unknown_K Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: Ohio/USA Age: 55 Posts: 1,380	Doesn't the 590 have the same memory that is used in the more common 2091 Zorro board? I snagged some old PC VLB video cards to grab enough ram to fill up my 2091 and I believe that design is the same as the 590 (different layout maybe but the same thing).

25 March 2006, 08:16	#8
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,876	You are correct.

07 April 2006, 15:05	#9
coze hastala vista winny vista Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: mt fuji Age: 46 Posts: 1,335	whiteb, thanks for the clarification. So it's bits, not Bytes, that's where I was getting the math wrong. Thanks. Now I've solved the ram problem, from a 2091 card. I also need the guru rom chip, and if possile I do not want to pay 60$ + shipping to japan in the process. I'm planning to burn the rom myself, (the image can be downloaded from Ralph Babel's site) but the page talks about an adapter board (a small pcb I guess). If someone can send me a picture of this board I'll be really grateful, so that I can decide if I can pull this or not.

07 April 2006, 15:38	#10
alexh Thalion Webshrine Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oxford Posts: 14,397	No-one knows the correct PCB layout. It will be very simple, but you cannot make your own at this time Wont work with just the EPROM

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)