#AMAX: WHICH MAC ROMS?
17 messages in this thread
I'm getting an Amax (the regular one, that plugs into the Amiga Drive
connector) I have a few questions:
1) the ROM's from WHICH MAC is needed? I have a set from the MAC 512K
motherbord. 2) how big are these MAC ROM's? (the MAC 512K ROM's) are they
27128 (16K) or are
they 27256 (32K) or even 2764 (8K) EPROM's?
3) can the AMAX be used without the external MAC drive connected? In other
worsd
can the AMAX boot System from the internal Amiga drives? (I have an A2000,
with DF0: DF1: and DH1: 2.5MB Fast, 512K CHIP (more FAST coming this WKND)
By the time I run the AMAX, I will have 8.5MB fast RAM, and 512K CHIP
(will be 1MB CHIP in a few weeks)
any help to an AMAX newcomer-to-be much appreciated!
Tony
Tony,
You need the 128k Mac ROMs which are found in the Mac Plus and Mac
512. There are two ROMs. I think you should be able to use the ones you
say you have. Amax can be used without an external Mac drive, but the one
you are getting will not be able to read a Mac disk unless you have a Mac
drive. It will, however, be able to create Amax compatible disks on the Mac
side, but these disks are in AMax format and cannot be read on a Mac.
Sorry, but you will need to invest in a Mac drive if you use the Amax
cartridge. Amax will not be able to boot from the Amiga drives. When you
get the Amax you will find instructions on how to create a special disk
that can be used to get things started, but your life will be made simpler
with a Mac drive. Ideally, you need the Mac drive and a hard drive large
enough to create an AMax partition on it.
Thanks for the info. yup…the ROM's are from a MAC 512K (I saw the logic
board, with the 512K soldered in on one side of the MB). 128K ROM's… is
this the total (128k) of BOTH ROMs's? in other words, these are WHICH
PROM's? 27256? or 27128? I wish to duplicate these in case I screw anything
up!
Tony
Tony,
I'm not really sure whether the ROMs are each 128k or each 64k.
Think you need to talk with a Mac man about that unless you can see a
identifying code on the chip itself. As you know duplicating the ROMs is a
violation of Apple copyrights, just so nobody thinks that the forum in any
way would condone what you propose to do.
well, it's for backup purposes. I don't want to risk the ONLY set I have, as
I also backup all my software. Archival backups *ARE* legal, BTW.
Tony
Tony,
Well, if you say so. I don't know what Apple's policies are about
that stuff, but I won't tell!!!
Though you shouldn't need to make a backup of the ROMs (most ROMs are
fairly robust, and not as prone to damage as other chips, like CPUs), they
will fit on 27512 EPROMs. (For a Mac 512KE)
(Remember, this is for archival purposes ONLY! You should erase the EPROMs
once your system is running.)
BTW, you will find AMAXII to be a really useful product!
Erik Flom
ok. lemme get this straight. the ROM's I have are from a MAC 512K Logic Board.
I MUST use 27512? they won't fit on 27256? (in other words, are they 64K ROM's
each?)? I just don't know which EPROM's to put them onto! 27256 or 27512?
Again…the from a MA Logic Board (MC68000, 512K soldered on board as
2 banks of 8 412!N~?~?~?~5656 chips, no SCSI). Thanks for the help. I just don't want to
lose my **ONLY** set of MAC ROM's. I had to buy the whole logic board, because
a friend of mine (an Apple dealer) told me Apple no loger sells the ROM's alone.
Thanks
Tony
Tony,
You have MAC 512K ROMS? Hold on to those babies! IF/MAYBE/WHEN Emplant
becomes a viable product you'll be all set to use them. However, they're
not useable with AMAX. It requires the 128K MAC Plus ROMS.
Yeah, you can boot system without the MAC drive, but you have to make an
AMAX II mini-transfer disk (272K) which is much smaller in capacity than
the MAC DD 800K disk size. And all this has to be accomplished on a real
MAC. Once you have a working System disk, you will be able to use any of
the other transfer methods available. See page 47 of your AMAX II version
2.5 User's Guide. It is easier to have that external MAC drive to get
started, and better if you can come up with a hard disk formatted as
macintosh.
Chris
well, lewmme rephrase that……these are ROM's from a MAC 512k (512K on
the Logic Board, MC68000 CPU, no SCSI)
would it help if I gave you Apple's part number(s) from the ROM's
themselves?
Tony
Tony:
If those ROMs came from a 512k Mac, then those are the ROMs you need!
Everything should be OK as long as you orient the ROMs properly. There are
2 ROM sockets, and it doesn't matter which ROM you put in which socket.
// -Mike Schiller
\X/ AMIGA! On AutoPilot in sunny Fort Lauderdale
Tony,
I'm only quoting from the User's Guide. I haven't heard of anyone using
the 512K ROMS with AMAX, however if the computer itself is called a MAC
512K then maybe they are the correct ROMS. I thought 512K ROMS were the
MAC II Color ones and a different size. I am probably mistaken, I've been
before. 🙂
Page 10 of AMAX II Version 2.5 User's Guide
2.2 About the Mac ROMS
There have been several revisions of both Macintosh 128K ROMS but all
revisions will work equally well with A-Max II. The Macintosh ROMS are
Apple part numbers 342-0341-x and 342-0342-x where 'x' is a revision
letter A,B,C. Often the set of two chips will have different revision
letters, but always keep the two as a set — the letters need not match.
Orient the chips with the notches pointing in the same direction as all
the other smaller chips on the board.
Chris
Hmmm…the ROM's I have, are 342-0220-b, and 342-0221-b
and these came out of a MAC 512K (512K soldered on logic board,68000, no scsi)
know what those ROM's are?
Tony\
Tony,
No idea on those part numbers, I only know what I quoted from the user
guide. Maybe give Readysoft a phone call? I like the idea of the archival
backup of the ROM chips, wish I knew how to do that too, after all, it IS
the only set of ROMS I have, but maybe since they are legit Apple ROMS,
you could replace them via a dealer if they fail by exchanging the core
chips? At least that is what I intended on doing if they should fail me.
Chris
yeah….well, that all goes down into time wasted exchanging stuff. ROM's
are no longer sold like that (what my dealer told me – he's a personal
friend). look at it, also, as, would you do the same thing with software?
easier to send yours back to lotus, WP, etc…? you *STILL* have to wait.
the DEALER isn't going to replace it for you – you gotta wait till the
manuf. sends the replacements (usually AFTER they have received your FAULTY
ones. NOW you have to add shippng BOTH ways to the waiting time!!) for me,
it's easier to go out and BY a legit set, then make a copy for MY purposes.
I in no way condone piracy, mind you. I mean, they have families to feed
too. and if they are only able to just-get-by, what "gumption" are they
going to have to develop new stuff for us power mongers?? <g>
Tony
Tony,
If I could back up my ROMs I'd do it for the MAC ones and the CLtd
LazerXpress PAL chips on my KRONOS controller. Cause when that PAL dies so
does my use of a SCSI GCC laser printer. What do I need to do this a ROM
reader/burner thingie? What does something like that cost?
Chris
well, the ROM burner I have is for my IBM…it handles up to a 27512 chip
(the latest AMI BIOS for clone boards are on a single 27512 chip. to know
the "k" of a 27xxx chip, divide the numbers AFTER the 27 by 8, because they
are xK x 8 ROM's. ie, a 27512 is a 64K ROM)
for PAL's, that's another thing. I know it's available,but for the Amiga I
have no idea….got an IBm around the house?
Tony