Filling up the 2000
15 messages in this thread
Larry,
Now that I've got an A2000 for my office, I'd like to know how to go about
using the IBM slots. I need to run IBM software (one business prog) and the
rest Amiga programs. Sounds like a perfect solution, but do you have any idea
if the 80286 bridge will be released soon? Also after bridging would it be
best to have an IBM type hardrive installed and partition it for Ami? That is
the better solution to HD for both sides isn't it? Can I just pop in an
internal modem for both sides or just the Amiga side or just IBM side? If I put
5.25 HD in the 2000 how do I make external 5.25 drive A:?
Well this is just a few of my questions I've run into since my purchase. Also,
just discovered the bug in the keyboard.
If you could give me some ideas on which path or paths to follow I'd
appreciate it.
Have a Happy New Year,
Chris Tolmie
Chris – I have a 2000 with the bidgecard installed. I added some goodies on the
PC side as I bring some work home from the office PC.
The first board I added was a multifunction board with two serial ports,
one parallel port, one game port, clock-calendar, and 256K extra memory. All
worked well except that the second serial port is not recognized by the
bridgecard, but at least I don't have to always type in the date & time.
The second item I added was a HARD DISK. THe unit I used was a NEC 20MEG
that can be used RLL for 30MEG with an ADAPTEC RLL control. I partitioned it
with 10MEG for the PC and 20MEG for the AMIGA. So far no problems at all. From
the AMIGA side it seems pretty fast, at least compared to floppies !!!!
It was SO much cheaper to add the HD to the PC BUSS than the AMIGA that
You can get alot more bang for your buck.
If you have any questions please drop me a line.
Regards – Peter Ganczarski
Thanks Peter,
I noticed I have one of the "buggy keyboards" where the first keystroke
is ignored during initial boot-up or after re-boot. It is irritating
and I'm calling the dealer tomorrow.
I'll probably do something similar to what you did with your
2000.
Thanks again for the info,
Chris
Chris,
I don't have a bridge card, so any advice I give you will only be based on
what I've heard from others, and what little I do know, with maybe a guess or
two thrown in.
There is a persistent rumor that there will be an 80286 bridge released early
in the new year, but I don't know how accurate that will turn out to be.
The access is said to be a little slow when using an Amiga partition on an
IBM-side HD, so if your main applications are on the Amiga side, it will
probably be better to go for an Amiga-side controller/drive and partition a bit
of it for the IBM side.
Don't know about the serial port access, but you can download to the IBM-side
and copy to the Amiga-side.
Perhaps someone else will jump in with more firsthand info.
Regards, Larry.
Larry,
Thanks , any comment on the buggy keyboard I seem to have with my
2000? It seems to ignore the first keystroke input after initial
boot-up or after a reboot, rather irritating!
Chris
Chris,
Contact your local Amiga dealer. They have (or soon will be) receiving
a service bulletin telling them how to fix that problem with the keyboard.
It's a simple fix…they remove 2 capacitors.
Don
Chris,
You can't share the serial port between the Amiga and the PC side of
things (at least not now you can't share them). This works either way..PC to
Amiga side or Amiga side to PC side.
The only way to make the external 5.25" drive A: is to modify the
BridgeBoard to reverse the select lines. This would mean cutting a couple of
traces and jumpering them. The other option is to run the drive cable into the
A2000 by removing one of the back cover plates…but that's not a real good
alternative for several reasons..not the least of which is it will disrupt the
air flow over the internal parts for cooling…and some of those parts get hot
and need the air flow.
Your best method (and most costly) for HD's is to have one on each
side. Next best is to go by what larry said…which side will be used most and
put the HD on that side. I've got a HD on the Amiga side and share it with the
PC side. It works out to be slower than a PC hard drive, but then I don't need
it that much, and do use the Amiga side often and on the Amiga side…it's
quite fast (relative to other Amiga HD's).
Don
Thanks for the quick response Don. Any comments on the keyboard problem?
Chris
Chris:
Looks like you missed one of the messages posted to you. Yes, contact
your dealer. CBM has released a mod that involves removing two capacitors.
This mod will fix your 'lost first character' problem.
Happy New Year and welcome back, bill
Which brings up a point…..where have you been?
One wonders what the caps were in there for in the first place…Dave
Dave:
There could be a lot of reasons but they were probably installed to
clean up the signals on the original keyboard (or something similar). I
suspect that the new keyboard worked fine when tested at CBM and the trouble
did not show up until the production units went out the door. Murphy works
there too! Happy New Year, bill
Bill, that's a reasonable explaination, and a happy new year to you too…Dave
bill,
I did catch the message between postings, thanks.
I've been around but have been staying off C$S for a while. I got a bit carried
away had to restrain myself. Only come in once in awhile now.
Thanks,
Chris
Chris:
Don't blame you. I think we all take a breather every now and then.
Mine have usually been forced by my employer (travel and working hours). Good
to see you around even if only occassionally.
Happy New Year, bill
And a Happy New Year to you too, bill!
Chris