bob@imsvax.UUCP (Bob Burch) (11/20/85)
About a month ago, I requested information concerning the
"Quarter-Meg Atari 800XL" article appearing in BYTE 9/85. At the
time, I had just ordered the necessary parts and was awaiting delivery.
I have since received those parts and have performed the upgrade.
The hardware apparently works well, however, the RAMdisk software
from BYTEnet has problems. I have not been able to get it to work.
My DOS2.0s has been configured to recognized Drive #3. The ATARIRA2
.ASM file (from BYTEnet) has options Drive 3 single density defined.
The source code was assembled to produce an AUTORUN.SYS. Upon booting,
I get a momentary screen flash of garbage resembling multiple "=" signs
across the entire screen when the AUTORUN boots. This does not seem to
be a problem. Once the DOS menu appears, the RAMdisk (D3:) should be
formatted. This operation causes the machine to hang.
Upon further investigation it appears that the "format" process
operates on banks 5 thru 0, respectively. In the source code, the
initialization code to set-up a given bank is accomplished in routine
SETBNK, while the format code is in routine FORMAT. FORMAT controls
the procedure calling SETBNK via a JSR. It appears that bank 5 formats
properly, switches to bank 4, then hangs on the RTS return from SETBNK
to FORMAT. In fact, all *odd* banks format properly while *even* banks
blow-up. Apparently the return address for the returning RTS has
been damaged in the stack when *even* numbered banks are swapped in.
Since I am not an 6502 assembly language wizard, I do not have a
FIX. I am depending (hopefully) on one of you guys to correct this
situation and release it to the World.
Judging from the responses I've seen on the Net, a number of us
are having similiar problems/interests. Since a 256KXL is of
particular interest and has exciting possibilities, I suggest that
those individuals interested form a Users Group of our own. I will
be willing to act as a clearinghouse for information. It is to our
mutual interests to share whatever associated information/software
that we can obtain. My address is
Bob Burch
6609 Charles Dr.
Mt. Airy, MD 21771
Now, to repond to other articles:
In article <oyster@uwmacc.UUCP (Vicious Oyster) writes:
>
>The local Atari user's group Hardware SIG has two working 256K 800XLs.
>I saw them demo'd at both the SIG and general meetings. They work;
>however, I think they found that the BYTE article wasn't 100% accurate,
>but since they have the hardware knowledge, have done there own modifications,
>and have also modified DOS 2.5 to work properly. The good news is that we
>(the User's Group) have made both the circuit diagrams and the DOS patches
>Public Domain. I'm not sure how you, as a member of the public,
>would go about getting this information, but since I'm here on the net
>and a member of the AUG, I'll take names of interested people and see what
>I can do. (If you ARE a member of some Atari user's group, it might be easier
>to ask your chairman or secretary or whatever to get ahold of my chairman or
>secretary or whatever, and request the info. Here's the address:
>
> Madison Area Atari Users Group (MAAUG)
> Post Office Box 56191
> Madison, WI 53705
>
>Further news: they haven't yet made a 256K 1200XL, but they've opened one
>up and said it can be done........(etc.)
>
> - joel "vo" plutchak
> [allegra,ihnp4,seismo]!uwvax!uwmacc!oyster
Thank you, Joel, we appreciate the help. In fact, about 3 weeks ago my
AUG, Potomac Atari Computer Users (PACU), president Fred Ward wrote to MAAUG
requesting the information. To date, there has been no response. We would
appreciate it if you could query your folks as to the issue. I'm supposed
to demo this thing at the AUG meeting this Saturday!! Further, your
suggestion of sharing info between user groups is good. Our group would
be glad to pass any information you could provide to other groups in
the Washington Metropolitan area (or anywhere).
In article <djk611@uiucuxa.CSO.UIUC.EDU writes:
>yes the mod works... be careful when assembling the code
Please enlighten us!!! Given recent Net articles and what has been
written above, what is it that you did that allows the mod to work?
Are we talking the same "mod"? Did you do anything special? Was the
upgrade completely successful for you? We would appreciate your
insight.
In article <DYOUNG@USC-ISID.ARPA (C. David Young) writes:
>We have been shipping the 256KXL for a couple of weeks and no problems
>have been noted. It makes the 800XL look exactly like a 130XE except that
>bits 5 and 6 of $D301 have been redefined to address twice as much memory.
Who are "we"? Can you please explain the theory of the bit-usage of
PORTB ($D301) and the significance of its use. Also, how can a given
bank be directed to the upper or lower 32K when swapped in?
In article <scp@akgua.UUCP (S.C. Pierson [Stephen]) writes:
>I've currently upgraded a 1200XL to 256K using the article from the
>september issue of Byte.....When we run Ramsgl or RAMdbl and format a
>drive, the screen turns to blue and white horizontal stripes from top
>to bottom. The rest of the computer works fine, it's just when we try to
>access the extra ram for ramdisk that it seems to fail and lock-up.....
> Steve Pierson
> AT&T Network Systems Atlanta Ga.
> 404-447-2142 c 583-2142
Steve,
This is exactly what happens on my 800XL. My stripes come at boot-time
for only a second, while the machine just hangs when trying to format.
Whatever info. I get I'll try to pass along.
In article <DYOUNG@USC-ISID.ARPA (C. David Young) writes:
>...I just finished souping up the ramdisk handlers in OMNIVIEW XL/XE
>to treat the extra RAM in our 256K upgrade for the 800XL....
Also, in a following article C David Young writes:
>That 256K RAM upgrade in BYTE was a real dog. We have got a 256K upgrade
>(256KXL) that will make your 1200 130 compatible. You can buy it without
>RAM for $50 or with for $100. The reason that the BYTE upgrade is such a
>dog is that it ends up including the stack in the bank switch area.
Hurray for Dave!!!!! Can we purchase just the software you've created for
this upgrade? If so, where can we order? Or, can you pass along the
patches necessary to kick-start the BYTE "dog" that us suckers have
fallen for. It is wonderful to know that we are not without
alternatives in this situation.
In article <dsaker@iuvax.UUCP (Daryel Akerlind)
>I too want a copy of the answers. thanks
and artivle <BillHolland.ES@XEROX.ARPA
>Please copy me in all answers, Thanks
Consider yourselves copied. We would appreciate any experiences you've
had in this matter, thank you.
Anyway, this has been long enough. I'm preparing a letter to
Claus Buchholz author of "The Quarter-Meg Atari 800XL". Any replies
I'll post on the net. I would appreciate any other contacts/replies.
Bob Burch
6609 Charles Dr.
Mt. Airy, MD 21771
(301) 831-7690 evenings
:Oh! He had high hopes....just remember that dam.
:OOPS! There goes another Quarter-Meg RAM!!!!
-wocka-wocka-wocka-wrd@tekigm2.UUCP (Bill Dippert) (11/23/85)
> > Judging from the responses I've seen on the Net, a number of us > are having similiar problems/interests. Since a 256KXL is of > particular interest and has exciting possibilities, I suggest that > those individuals interested form a Users Group of our own. I will > be willing to act as a clearinghouse for information. It is to our > mutual interests to share whatever associated information/software > that we can obtain. My address is > > Bob Burch > 6609 Charles Dr. > Mt. Airy, MD 21771 > > >Further news: they haven't yet made a 256K 1200XL, but they've opened one > >up and said it can be done........(etc.) > > > >yes the mod works... be careful when assembling the code > > Please enlighten us!!! Given recent Net articles and what has been > written above, what is it that you did that allows the mod to work? > Are we talking the same "mod"? Did you do anything special? Was the > upgrade completely successful for you? We would appreciate your > insight. > > >We have been shipping the 256KXL for a couple of weeks and no problems > >have been noted. It makes the 800XL look exactly like a 130XE except that > >bits 5 and 6 of $D301 have been redefined to address twice as much memory. > > Who are "we"? Can you please explain the theory of the bit-usage of > PORTB ($D301) and the significance of its use. Also, how can a given > bank be directed to the upper or lower 32K when swapped in? > > Whatever info. I get I'll try to pass along. > > In article <DYOUNG@USC-ISID.ARPA (C. David Young) writes: > > >...I just finished souping up the ramdisk handlers in OMNIVIEW XL/XE > >to treat the extra RAM in our 256K upgrade for the 800XL.... > > Also, in a following article C David Young writes: > > >That 256K RAM upgrade in BYTE was a real dog. We have got a 256K upgrade > >(256KXL) that will make your 1200 130 compatible. You can buy it without > >RAM for $50 or with for $100. The reason that the BYTE upgrade is such a > >dog is that it ends up including the stack in the bank switch area. > > Hurray for Dave!!!!! Can we purchase just the software you've created for > this upgrade? If so, where can we order? Or, can you pass along the > patches necessary to kick-start the BYTE "dog" that us suckers have > fallen for. It is wonderful to know that we are not without > alternatives in this situation. > > >Please copy me in all answers, Thanks > > Consider yourselves copied. We would appreciate any experiences you've > had in this matter, thank you. > > Anyway, this has been long enough. I'm preparing a letter to > Claus Buchholz author of "The Quarter-Meg Atari 800XL". Any replies > I'll post on the net. I would appreciate any other contacts/replies. > > Bob Burch > 6609 Charles Dr. > Mt. Airy, MD 21771 > (301) 831-7690 evenings > > :Oh! He had high hopes....just remember that dam. > :OOPS! There goes another Quarter-Meg RAM!!!! > -wocka-wocka-wocka- I too am interested in all of the above -- I have deleted over 50% in the interests of brevity. I am interested in converting a 1200XL, 800XL and a 130XE all to 256K. That's correct, since it only has a 90 day warrenty which is almost up, why not upgrade the 130XE to 256K also!!! Please add me to any mailing list. I am: Bill Dippert c/o Tektronix, Inc. D/S C1/775 P.O. Box 3500 Vancouver, WA 98668-3500 or by eMail: tektronix!tekigm2!wrd Thanks, --Bill--