RAM installation issue

Eamoe · 18 May 2006, 10:55

Hello there,

I'm the happy owner of an A590 storage and RAM expansion for the A500. Now, it came with 1Mo RAM. I later got some RAM chips which I put on the A590 free sockets (8 of them = 1Mo).

The added RAM doesn't show up in my WB 2.05. What's going on? Is there any special thing to do/chip to insert somewhere?

NOTES
- I've updated the board ROM to v7.0
- All of the added RAM chips are from the same manufacturer, but a few have a slightly different number on them (can't tell what these mean)
- Is it required, to have all chips from the same manufacturer?
- All RAM sockets have a name (U22, U23, U24...) and they are logically arranged on the board; though, only one of them is set apart, on the other end of the board, and bears the last tag (U30); could this be a socket for a special RAM chip? Or some ROM which would "validate" the RAM expansion? I tried to stick a regular RAM chip on it, but it quickly goes red-hot...
- To illustrate this last note, here are scans of the A590 board where you can notice this U30 socket (on the right, just left to the "XTDRIVE" port). One of the board is RAM-expanded, the other isn't. Interesting.

Can anyone help?
Many thanks in advance

DoctorQ · 18 May 2006, 12:16

You need to set the jumper correctly, in order for the extra ram to be recognised. There is a jumper block called Memory size, with the following options Amnesia, 512k, 1 MB and 2 MB.

Seing that you have installed a chip in the U30 socket, you might have fried the controller. Does it boot up from harddrive after you have removed this chip from the U30?

T_hairy_bootson · 18 May 2006, 12:22

Maybe a bit obvious but did you change the jumper settings on the A590 to reflect the new ram config?

edit: DoctorQ was too quick

Eamoe · 18 May 2006, 13:21

Ooooh guys, my S.T.U.P.I.D. blindness... of yourse, now I see this jumper block. No wonder it didn't work. I'll give it a try tonight. Thanks to you both.

@DoctorQ:
Yes the A590 still works fine. I wasn't sure what I was doing when I stuck the chip on the U30 socket, so I left the cover open during boot with a finger on the chip so I could quickly determine if things were normal or not. I often noticed that chips heat up when something's wrong, and till now it has worked to simply turn everything off before part(s) go fried up. Lucky, am I not?

Anyway I wonder what this U30 socket is for?... The board on the lower part of this page does have some chip plugged on it.

edit:
How weird to include an “Amnesia” jumper setting! Amiga-style!

DoctorQ · 18 May 2006, 13:52

@Eamoe

Glad it still works for you. Hopefully all the ram will as well when change the jumper.

As for the U30 socket. I have no idea what it does, but I think I have a manual for the A590 at my parents house, but it will be a couple of weeks before I can get my hands on it, so most likely someone else have told you the answer by then. If not, send me a PM.

T_hairy_bootson · 18 May 2006, 14:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoctorQ

@Eamoe

Glad it still works for you. Hopefully all the ram will as well when change the jumper.

As for the U30 socket. I have no idea what it does, but I think I have a manual for the A590 at my parents house, but it will be a couple of weeks before I can get my hands on it, so most likely someone else have told you the answer by then. If not, send me a PM.

I have two A590s, one has a chip in U30 and one doesn't... both work fine. I thought it was for XT drives but I don't think that is the case at all.

Eamoe · 31 May 2006, 11:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoctorQ

Glad it still works for you. Hopefully all the ram will as well when change the jumper.

Well all the RAM works now fine. Thanks!

Still no clue of what that U30 socket is for...

Smiley · 31 May 2006, 13:17

Is the expansion scsi? U30 could be for putting a chip in for termination purposes.

Eamoe · 01 June 2006, 12:23

Well actually, yes, the hard drive in the A590 is connected to an internal scsi port.

In fact, I don't need to know what the U30 is for, really. I'm just a nosy amigan.

18 May 2006, 10:55	#1
Eamoe Stunt Car Racer Vet Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Vevey/Switzerland Age: 43 Posts: 145	RAM installation issue Hello there, I'm the happy owner of an A590 storage and RAM expansion for the A500. Now, it came with 1Mo RAM. I later got some RAM chips which I put on the A590 free sockets (8 of them = 1Mo). The added RAM doesn't show up in my WB 2.05. What's going on? Is there any special thing to do/chip to insert somewhere? NOTES - I've updated the board ROM to v7.0 - All of the added RAM chips are from the same manufacturer, but a few have a slightly different number on them (can't tell what these mean) - Is it required, to have all chips from the same manufacturer? - All RAM sockets have a name (U22, U23, U24...) and they are logically arranged on the board; though, only one of them is set apart, on the other end of the board, and bears the last tag (U30); could this be a socket for a special RAM chip? Or some ROM which would "validate" the RAM expansion? I tried to stick a regular RAM chip on it, but it quickly goes red-hot... - To illustrate this last note, here are scans of the A590 board where you can notice this U30 socket (on the right, just left to the "XTDRIVE" port). One of the board is RAM-expanded, the other isn't. Interesting. Can anyone help? Many thanks in advance

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18 May 2006, 12:16	#2
DoctorQ What?? Who?? DoctorQ!! Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Rødding/Denmark Age: 43 Posts: 314	You need to set the jumper correctly, in order for the extra ram to be recognised. There is a jumper block called Memory size, with the following options Amnesia, 512k, 1 MB and 2 MB. Seing that you have installed a chip in the U30 socket, you might have fried the controller. Does it boot up from harddrive after you have removed this chip from the U30?

18 May 2006, 12:22	#3
T_hairy_bootson Workbitch 1.3 Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Melbourne, Australia Age: 46 Posts: 2,084	Maybe a bit obvious but did you change the jumper settings on the A590 to reflect the new ram config? edit: DoctorQ was too quick

18 May 2006, 13:21	#4
Eamoe Stunt Car Racer Vet Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Vevey/Switzerland Age: 43 Posts: 145	Ooooh guys, my S.T.U.P.I.D. blindness... of yourse, now I see this jumper block. No wonder it didn't work. I'll give it a try tonight. Thanks to you both. @DoctorQ: Yes the A590 still works fine. I wasn't sure what I was doing when I stuck the chip on the U30 socket, so I left the cover open during boot with a finger on the chip so I could quickly determine if things were normal or not. I often noticed that chips heat up when something's wrong, and till now it has worked to simply turn everything off before part(s) go fried up. Lucky, am I not? Anyway I wonder what this U30 socket is for?... The board on the lower part of this page does have some chip plugged on it. edit: How weird to include an “Amnesia” jumper setting! Amiga-style!

18 May 2006, 13:52	#5
DoctorQ What?? Who?? DoctorQ!! Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Rødding/Denmark Age: 43 Posts: 314	@Eamoe Glad it still works for you. Hopefully all the ram will as well when change the jumper. As for the U30 socket. I have no idea what it does, but I think I have a manual for the A590 at my parents house, but it will be a couple of weeks before I can get my hands on it, so most likely someone else have told you the answer by then. If not, send me a PM.

31 May 2006, 13:17	#8
Smiley Amiga-less! Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: UK Posts: 1,350	Is the expansion scsi? U30 could be for putting a chip in for termination purposes.

01 June 2006, 12:23	#9
Eamoe Stunt Car Racer Vet Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Vevey/Switzerland Age: 43 Posts: 145	Well actually, yes, the hard drive in the A590 is connected to an internal scsi port. In fact, I don't need to know what the U30 is for, really. I'm just a nosy amigan.

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