#PC/XT BB under 2.04 ?
24 messages in this thread
I have a dilema. I just purchased a 2088 PC/XT BridgeCard for my A2000.
I've tried carefully to install all the software and the hardware but I
can't quite get it to work. My main problem seems to be with the
janus.library and BindDrivers.
My A2000 is running under 2.04 of the operating system. The only board in
there other than the 2088 is my GVP SCSI Controller/40MB HD/2M Memory
Expansion Board which the A2000 boots from.
The main problem occurs when BindDrivers fails. I believe the message
sent is "BindDrivers Failure, #8000 000B". This happens when I COLD-boot
with the janus.library in the Expansion directory. If I boot w/o
janus.library, the PCMONO program says "Can't find library" and crashes. If
I put janus.library in Expansions after a successful boot and then
WARM-boot, it finds the library, but can't find the keytable or the
scantable (which I might not have installed. They were in the SideCar
directory which I didn't copy 'cause I didn't have a SideCar). The PC
Window opens, but when it asks for the date, every character I type in
comes out as a period '.' including Return.
I notice all the software on the Bridgeboard Install disk is Workbench
1.2 . I'm wondering if I need an updated version of the libraries and
devices, or if the 2088 software simply will not run under 2.0.
Thanks for the info,
Mike McCormick
I'm running a 2286 bridgeboard under 2.04 without any problems. In my PC
system directory is included the keytable and scantables. You might need
these even though you don't have a sidecar. The installation put these in
the pc\system directory for me. You might want to try copying the
janus.library file into the expansion directory again. Maybe it got
corrupted. Good luck, Steve
Michael,
Did you manage to use the installation program? It doesn't work with
v.2.04, so you have to install everything by hand. You need to copy ALL the
Bridgeboard-related files, including, strangely enough, the FORMAT command.
Even so, some people have had problems, though others say it's OK.
The best way, if you can, is to switch down to V1.3 for the installation,
then switch back up. Of course, you have to have the Kickstart "tower" or
something similar.
Marion
CROSSINGS
Newsletter for the Bridgeboard
Michael, There is a version 2 release of the Janus software. The version 2
Janus isn't specifically for AmigaDOS 2.x, it's just a newer version. If
your Install disk is WB1.2, it might well be an old version of the JANUS
software. There's supposed to be a newer version comming soon that is more
compatible with DOS 2.04. I've used the Bridgeboard under 2.04, but as
others have pointed out, the install program does not work. You have to do
it manually. Also, did you run 'Enforcer' before the 'Binddrivers' in your
startup-sequence?
_jim
BindDrivers is in the Startup-Sequence and the manual and everyone I've
talked to said "Don't change the S-S". I wouldn't, therefore, be able to
run Enforcer *before* BindDrivers whithout making a change.
Where can I get a newer version of the Janus software, and will it work
with the 2088 PC/XT board I'm using?
Actually, I got the BridgeInstall program to work. It put 'janus.library'
in the Expansion directory, 'jdisk.device' in the Devs directory, created
and loaded a PC directory, and tried to overwrite my S-S, but I wouldn't
let it. But when I boot, BindDrivers blows up with an #80000004 error,
which means nothing to me.
Help,
Mike McCormick
Mike:
Run ENFORCER QUIET before BINDDRIVERS in your startup sequence.
Michael
….from the north coast
While it is recommended to leave the startup-sequence alone and put
everything in user-startup, this is the exception. The 2.04 install manual
recommends putting Enforcer -quiet before the Bindrivers if a Bridgeboard
is present. Enforcer itself may not be on the HD. It comes on the install
disk, so you may need to copy it over.
Any dealer should be able to get the newer software if you need it.
However, if a newer version is immenent, the older version may be difficult
to find. The Janus software supports either Bridgeboard.
I'm surprised you got the install to work. When I tried it, it got as far
as picking the files to install & just hung there. What did it try to write
to the startup-sequence? I don't remember anything like that happening.
I suggest trying the enforcer command first, before looking for a newer
Janus.
-Jim
I got the 1.3 version of the Janus software today (at least, the version
that comes with WB 1.3 instead of 1.2) and I've managed to get PC Mono
working consistantly off of the MS-DOS 3.2 boot disk. I had to use the DOS
3.2 that came with the older software because my drive won't read the newer
DOS 3.3 disk without error.
There are still many problems. I'm pretty sure I should be setting the
memory address for the 2088 board to E000. But every time I run PCPrefs it
blows up, even if I just open it then select CANCEL. It always gives error
#80000003.
JLink, AWrite, and Mode don't work. They always freeze up the system and
sometimes even Ctrl-Alt-Del won't reboot it. I have a lot of trouble
transfering files around with only one device I can access.
One thing I'd like to know now is: Can I use my 3 1/2" drives as MS-DOS
drives? Can I format a 720K MS-DOS disk and read and write to it as a B:
device or something? Can I run PC software that comes on a 3 1/2" disk?
Muchly appreciated,
Michael McCormick
It's been reported around here that PCprefs doesn't work under 2.04. I
try to avoid using it in any case. I've seen it make a bogus config file
that crashes the system when you go to PCcolor. The Jlink, Awrite, and Mode
problems could be related to that file. I'd try deleting it, or copying it
from the boot floppy to the hard drive. It's in the SYS:pc/system drawer,
but I forget the exact name….
The folk who make Crossdos are comming out with a product called
Ambassador that lets you use the Amiga drives as MS-DOS drives. I don't
know if it's shipping yet. That's the only way I know of to use the Amiga
drives as 'drives' on the pc-side. You've got the XT bridgeboard, right?
You can connect an Amiga external 3.5" floppy to the port on the back of
the Bridgeboard. It will be drive B:.
BTW, I was wrong about Enforcer- that's only for accellerated machines.
Jim
The file produced by PCPrefs is called 2500prefs. It has only one byte
in it. Using newzap I changed it from "DE" to "EE" which changed the
PCPrefs values to Memory Address E000, Mono Screen ON, Color Screen OFF.
I'm going to play with it some more to see if I can get the color screen
on. I'll also try deleting it altogether and let the 2088 go with the
defaults.
Michael McCormick
For what it's worth, I've had BBoards for years under WB1.2, 1.3 and
2.0 everything has been ok, but I just got a new GVP GForce 030 and
the altest WB. Same problems with PCPREFS, same error message. Trying
out the 2500prefs fix you described. I need to turn off both mono and
color for my 2286 to see the vga paradise board properly. Hope
editing 2500prefs does the trick! Thanks for the useful line of
comments!
Mike,
While we discussed some of this last night in CO, there are a few
other questions in your message we didn't hit.
Yes…ARead and AWrite work fine (at least they do for me) under
2.04
No…you can not directly use the Amiga's 3.5" floppies as MS-DOS
drives for the Bridgeboard.
Don
What is Enforcer? BTW thanks for the E-Mail with the address, hope to visit
soon.
Enforcer is (I gather) a developer's tool that uses the MMU in
accelerated machines to trap out some kinds of memory accesses caused
by some of the more common programming snafus. Apparently, the Janus
software contains some of those. 🙂 Under 2.04 in accelerated
machines you're supposed to run it before the Binddrivers if you've
got a Bridgeboard. Drop in at the store anytime….
I think you got the wrong Michael McCormick, ya gotta send us messages
via User Number.
a Mike McCormick
Mike,
I didn't send a message that I know of.???.
David
– via Whap!
From what I understand unless you have a machine with an MMU you can't run
Enforcer. One thing I know is that you have to copy the .info file for the
Janus library into the Expansion directory also. There is some information
stored in the icon file that the library needs. Hope this helps a little.
What's a MMU? I don't think I've heard that term before.
Michael McCormick
Mike,
Memory Management Unit. It remaps adresses to 'elsewhere' (usually)
under CPU control. It also allows swapping in external memory on some
systems.
Its primary use is for allowing memory sections to be 'protected' and for
swapping tasks in and out. There are other uses, such as multiple low
memory setups, defragmenting memory, etc. It also allows for read one
thing, write another (A la' the CBM 64 memory 'under' the ROM) and can
ghost ROM/RAM in a similar manner. I first saw it in a primitve form with
the PHANTOM memory under early Z80 systems, where you could have an
additional 64K of memory swapped in and out as needed. The CPU still saw
64K, but one bank might hold something entirely different.
The CPU 'sees' things where they ain't, as the address lines get switched
around. The CPU might see the memory at, say, $80000 as being at $40000.
Makes for some neat tricks.
Doug
A MMU is short for Memory Managment Unit. It was a seperate chip on my
Commodore 020 board but is built into the 030 chip on my GVP combo board.
(I've since heard that there are some economy 030's that don't have it)
What it does is lets you do certain tricks with your memory. By using a
program like SetCPU you can copy KickStart into 32 bit memory and then have
the MMU have the operating system look there for it instead of in ROM.
This really speeds things up. The program Enforcer uses the MMU to do its
tricks also and will decline to run an a machine without one.
I'm pretty sure you need ENFORCER in your startup-sequence only if you have
an accelerated (68020, 030, or 040) system. I don't think the user in
question stated that he had one of these systems, so that probably isn't
his problem.
Don
Hmmm… That was a 3000t I had in mind. I'll have to check the 2.0
installation guide again for notes on unaccelerated systems.
On unaccelerated systems, you do nothing. In fact, the manual says you
should <avoid> reinstalling the Bridgeboard software unless you have Janus
2.1, which is not yet available.
Don
Right, I went back and re-read the 2.0 quickie-install guide. That advice
is definitely in there. Too bad for people buying a 2000 now, eh? New
systems have 2.04 already installed. It's not that hard to do the
installation manually anyway.