CompuServe Thread

#2.0 more guru-proof?

8 messages in this thread
#50490From: Eric M. BramFeb 25, 1992 7:55 PM
I'm currently using version 1.3 on an A2000. After using several different programs (multitasking), the Amiga will eventually bomb to the Guru when I try to open another task (not because of memory shortage). I've just accepted this as the nature of the beast, but I'd be very leary about buying another Amiga until the system is as guru-proof as an IBM clone (well, almost). How much improvement is there in this area with version 2.0 (if any)? – Emb
#50498From: Richard EricksonFeb 25, 1992 9:39 PM
2.04 seems better with crashing on my 1000. It seems to take more to crash it. Richard
#50512From: Michael GerardFeb 25, 1992 11:25 PM
"…I'd be very leary about buying another Amiga until the system is as guru-proof as an IBM clone…" What, are you kidding? Have you ever tried to run multiple programs on a pc? Hehe. Michael ….from the north coast
#50597From: Eric M. BramFeb 26, 1992 6:51 PM
Perhaps I should have said, "leary about buying another multiprocessing computer until…" – Emb
#50521From: Don Curtis/SYSOPFeb 26, 1992 12:10 AM
Eric, You're already as "guru proof" as an IBM clone. As long as you treat your Amiga like an IBM clone…that is, only run one program at a time. Except for my own programming mistakes, I've not had a GURU in my Amiga for years…literaly. I use it for 4 to 6 hours a day, 7 days a week. I run multiple programs at once and it just simply works. At work, we have one guy who handles the PC stuff, he's kept busy 8 hours a day cleaning up after a PC goes down for one reason or another. We've got a few hundred of them…so on average…that'd mean each machine dies about once a year and like I said…I've run my Amiga quite a few years without it dying. What programs are you running? Can you repeat the sequence of events that causes the GURU? Don
#50531From: John DraperFeb 26, 1992 1:10 AM
Eric, Sounds like you have problems there, but I don't think it should be attributed to 'the nature of the beast'. Quite possibly, you have problems with specific programs, interaction between specific programs, hardware problems, or whatever. Yes, 1.3 was pretty solid, and 2.0 is more so. -larry
#50588From: Ray LewisFeb 26, 1992 5:46 PM
Eric: Are you _sure_ it's not guruing due to memory problems? The Amiga has two types of memory: chip ram and fast ram. Chip ram is called that because it is the memory directly accessable to the Amiga's customer graphics and sound chips. They can use that memory without going through the central processing unit. Both chip and fast ram are usable for the cpu. When multitasking it is possible to run out of chip ram and cause a crash, even when you have extra fast ram left around. That usually happens when you run hi-rez screens, animations, heavy sound all at once. OTOH — you can't have this problem on an IBM clone, since the clone can't handle this kind of multi-tasking at all. And the one's I've been around certainly do their share of crashing! BTW, you can get a device called a megachip board which will boost your chip ram to 2 megs, which makes chip ram crashes very rare. ?|^] Ray Lewis
#50606From: Leslie T. BartiromoFeb 26, 1992 8:19 PM
I think you are having a problem with a specific older program or combination of older programs rather than the operating system. I almost never crash and I put Amy through it's multi-tasking paces saving everything to RAM or LHarcing files in RAM to RAM while using word processors and downloading at the same time. My personal experience is that 2.04 is more stable than 1.3 but if you want to use it for games check for compatibility. (All but 3 or 4 games run fine on 2.04.) You are right that that IBM's multi-tasking is more "guru-proof" than Amiga. Simply buy two IBM's and you can run two tasks! <g>