f1sami@uta.fi (Samu Mielonen) (04/02/91)
I am a novice Amiga 500 user (I got my machine a week ago) planning to upgrade my system with a harddisk drive and extended memory (or whatever it is called). My problem is however, that I face a jungle of hardware and I do not posses the right tools to cut my way to the open. So, if any of you remembers how it was to be a novice, please help me with these questions: THE HD What kind of controller/disk is considered to be fast/reliable? Can these attributes be tested with a program (a PD such?). Where can I get one (FTP- site?). My friend is offering me a 65 MB ALF 2 drive/controller which does not have room for additional memory circuits, but has a "pass through". What does this mean? Has anyone had experience with the mentioned model? If I want to boot the HD without an additional boot floppy should I change my Kikstart to 1.3? How does this affect software compatibility? MEMORY My current configuration is A500 (Kikstart 1.2, 68000 CPU) and A501 memory expansion cartridge. I would like to upgrade the memory to 3 MB. What kind of memory should I buy? Is the 1.8 MB expansion cartridge reliable or should I just go for an expansion board (attached to my upcoming HD) with 2 MB chips. What is the use of getting a new Agnus, with which - according to my friend - I could upgrade my chip ram to 1 MB. What is the use of getting a faster 68000 or a 68010 CPU? What about compatibility? I know these are probably quite tiresome questions, so I would be happy to receive information on an accessible source for data on the subject. Samu Z. Mielonen, f1sami@uta.fi
dtiberio@libserv1.ic.sunysb.edu (David Tiberio) (04/03/91)
In article <2483@kielo.uta.fi> f1sami@uta.fi (Samu Mielonen) writes: >I am a novice Amiga 500 user (I got my machine a week ago) planning to upgrade >my system with a harddisk drive and extended memory (or whatever it is called). >My problem is however, that I face a jungle of hardware and I do not posses >the right tools to cut my way to the open. So, if any of you remembers how it >was to be a novice, please help me with these questions: > >THE HD > >What kind of controller/disk is considered to be fast/reliable? Can these GVP - look for the one that EXACTLY matches the A500 case 50 megs costs about $600, plus it comes with an 8 meg exp board >attributes be tested with a program (a PD such?). Where can I get one (FTP- >site?). My friend is offering me a 65 MB ALF 2 drive/controller which does >not have room for additional memory circuits, but has a "pass through". Look at the left side of the A500, next to the keyboard. There is a small trapdoor. This is where 95% of the A500 hard drive controllers are plugged in. If a hard drive has pass thru, then it will allow you to plug in more than one controller into that slot by making another slot at the side of the controller. >What does this mean? Has anyone had experience with the mentioned model? >If I want to boot the HD without an additional boot floppy should I change >my Kikstart to 1.3? How does this affect software compatibility? Yes, you should get Kickstart 1.3 for autobooting, and make sure that the hard drive controller supports autobooting. You will probably have increased software compatibility. A new 1.3 kickstart sells for $30 to $40. Feel free to try and find a used one. Many people have spares, or are upgrading to 2.0 roms when they are released. The kickstart rom is located in a socket next to the 68000, probably rigt under the F3 key on the keyboard. > >MEMORY > >My current configuration is A500 (Kikstart 1.2, 68000 CPU) and A501 memory >expansion cartridge. I would like to upgrade the memory to 3 MB. What >kind of memory should I buy? Is the 1.8 MB expansion cartridge reliable or Most boards use 256x4 DRAMS, at 80-120ns. Some boards, like the GVP SERIES II hard drive + ram, uses a SIMM module. A SIMM module is a group of chips plugged into a green circuit board, and then inserted into a slot on the ram board. 256k x 4bits = 256k of memory per chip, but you need 8 bits worth to gain the 256k. Since each chip is 4 bits, you need 2 chips in order to get the 256k. If they were already 8 bit chips, you only need one, etc. HOWEVER, most expansion boards recognize ram in increments of 512k, 1meg, or 4megs. >should I just go for an expansion board (attached to my upcoming HD) with >2 MB chips. What is the use of getting a new Agnus, with which - according >to my friend - I could upgrade my chip ram to 1 MB. What is the use of 1meg chip ram lets you use more programs multitasking at the same time, and may affect other things such as screen sizes and sound lengths, but I am not sure about that. You also get a PAL mode for European software that ses more raster lines. You will lose some compatibility, and you probably should not bother with the 1 meg agnus yet. >getting a faster 68000 or a 68010 CPU? What about compatibility? You will lose some compatibility with a 68010, and only gain about 10% in speed increase. If you get a faster 68000, you will need to modify the hardware jumpers/circuits, so it is not advised. > >I know these are probably quite tiresome questions, so I would be happy to >receive information on an accessible source for data on the subject. > >Samu Z. Mielonen, f1sami@uta.fi You can get a 6 meg ram expander for about $100, although at first they will only allow 4 megs onboard (the last two megs are used with a special adaptor). These boards are made by ICD-AdRam, Expansion Systems-Baseboard, and EXP 8000 by Progressive Peripherals. There is also a new one that fits under the 68000 and gives 8 megs of ram, but I don't remember `the name (check the classifieds in Amiga World). Your best bet is a GVP or Supra Hard drive/ ram expander. :) -- David Tiberio SUNY Stony Brook 2-3481 AMIGA DDD-MEN -- Any students from SUNY Oswego? Please let me know! :) -- Looking to buy a used 68000 CPU and 1.3 Kickstart