CompuServe Thread

#A4000 040 into 3000T

11 messages in this thread
#166309From: Eulogio (DJ) GarciaOct 4, 1994 10:25 PM
My 4000's daughterboard reads "A3640" – I can't imagine they'd have different models with the same designation (?!). DJ On AP from Queens, the thrill and excitement of the Big Apple Where a little paranoia is always a healthy attitude …
#166428From: Steven D. KapplinOct 5, 1994 5:12 PM
Nope, it's apparently the same card, so Dale Larsen informed me. If you have the docs for that board, Eulogio, can you tell me anything about the Map ROM jumper on the board? When I bought mine used, it had no docs, so I have no idea about any jumpers on the board. I'm using it in a 3000T without any problems, but I'd sure like to know whatever I can about the board. I had to trial and error my way through the motherboard jumpers to get it to work!
#166440From: Dale LarsonOct 5, 1994 6:14 PM
I don't believe the user docs say anything about jumpers on the 3640. There is no reason for you to mess with them. You can disable MapROM for example, but why would you want to? You can otherwise make the 3640 stop working, but why would you want to?
#166479From: Steven D. KapplinOct 5, 1994 11:27 PM
Dale, Problem is, I don't know which jumper setting enables MapROM. See, I don't really know if the board is mapping the ROM and once SetPatch runs and loads the 68040.library, neither CPU nor Set040 can control the MMU or the caches and neither tells me whether the ROM has been mapped. In fact, I don't even know if it's possible to map the ROMs nor do I have any of the software that supposedly comes with the board. So, you can see why the enquiry. If I knew that the jumper was in the correct position, and if I knew the ROM was getting mapped, that would be useful information. So, if you have this information, would you kindly pass it on?
#166521From: Dale LarsonOct 6, 1994 8:09 AM
No one would have disabled MapROM, but MapROM enabled does not mean that you are running from RAM. You must use the MapROM program (not SetPatch) to copy the ROM to RAM and execute from there. I don't believe that MapROM (or any other software) comes with the 3640 — MapROM is a developer tool intended mostly for running beta versions of the OS.
#166569From: Steven D. KapplinOct 6, 1994 4:16 PM
Dale, No, I don't have MapROM, nor have I found it on any of the bbs. The person from whom I bought the board did provide me with the correct math libraries and the 68040.library. I got the correct SetPatch from here. When I upgraded to 3.1, of course, all of the then current versions of these files came with the OS upgrade, but no MapROM. I'm sort of curious if mapping the ROM with the '040 is desireable. It did make a significance difference in graphic performance with the '030 and the '040 graphic benchmarks about equal those of the '030 with the mapped ROM. The other thing I seem to recall seeing was that MapROM only worked with a disk-based copy of Kickstart. At least that's what the Maprom option is for with CPU or Set040. Is there any compelling reason to have MapROM? If so, given the state of CBM affairs, where might I get the MapROM program? Not that all this is essential, mind you, but I just can't stand having something where I know so little about it. It took me several days of piddling and phone calls to figure out the jumper changes to get the 3640 working, but I've been able to help at least three other people get there's working after I went through the struggle. But I still don't know diddly-squat about ROM mapping with the 3640 or how to get it done. I do know that neither CPU nor Set040 will do it.
#166590From: Dale LarsonOct 6, 1994 9:09 PM
As far as I can tell from checking a few sources of listings, MapROM is not available except to developers. If you want to use CPU or Set040 to do the MapROM function, and those require a diskbased kickstart, you should be able to create one easily. You just need to copy ROM to a file. A program or two exist to do this for you, but I don't know how readily availble they are. The reason there is no good documentation for the 3640 is probably that it isn't intended to be swapped around by end-users — it is intended for dealers to deal with. Obviously, this breaks down more than a little in the current market. 🙂
#166607From: Steven D. KapplinOct 6, 1994 10:19 PM
Dale, I've tried making a disk copy of Kickstart with one or more of the available programs, but once the system has booted any program attempting to mess with the MMU or caches (other than Enforcer and the Emplant's HardKickMMU) is apparently locked out when 68040.library is loaded. Now, if I don't run SetPatch, then it's possible to let Set040 or CPU take control, but the machine isn't reliable. Many programs simply break down if 68040.library isn't loaded, so that's simply not a reasonable alternative. Well, I guess this will just remain an unsolved mystery. Apparently, if only developers have access to MapROM, then it isn't really necessary for one to purposely map the ROM into RAM or 68040.library handles that itself through SetPatch. Guess if that's how the installation is normally made, that's how it's supposed to be, and end-users aren't supposed to mess with it. And, there's the worthy adage: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I agree that end-users probably weren't meant to install these things, but then CBM wasn't supposed to disappear and leave end-users without products. BTW, I note that Creative Computers is advertising limited quantities of the A3640 for $500. This is down $250 from what they were selling them for right about the time of CBM's announced demise. Then they were all sold out. This is a good example of economic theory out the door – As demand increases, lower the price.
#166615From: Dale LarsonOct 6, 1994 10:31 PM
Make a copy of the Kickstart. Copy it to disk. Put a line in your startup sequence to call Set040 or CPU for MapROM as the first line in the Startup-Sequence. (If you look on a 3.x Install disk, you should find a MapROM startup-sequence.) Reboot. Presto. SetPatch will be run AFTER MapROM is used and all should be well.
#166729From: Steven D. KapplinOct 7, 1994 2:08 PM
Dale, Doesn't work because my machine is ROM based. Set040 will report that there's already a copy of Kickstart operating. I've tried that already. I think that Set040 will only do that for Soft kick machines (leastwise that's what it seems to say in the Set040 documentation).
#166490From: Eulogio (DJ) GarciaOct 5, 1994 11:53 PM
Unfortunately, the 4000 docs don't say anything about the CPU daughterboard. I wish it did. I think there's a doc in one of the Amiga libraries with info from some of the C= engineers. Try searching for 3640 as a keyword. DJ On AP from Queens, the thrill and excitement of the Big Apple Where a little paranoia is always a healthy attitude …