mohabir@arisia.Xerox.COM (Daniel A. Mohabir) (02/13/91)
I have had my new A3000/16-50 (which I instantly converted to an A3000/16-200) for a few days now and had some time to play with it. I now have a few questions and comments (NOT flames). Most are just nit-picking, and in no particular order. So, here goes: 1. Why is it that the Hardframe controller on my A2000 automatically recognizes a diskchange on my Syquest drive but the A3000 does not? 2. Why couldn't one of the bits in the battery backed-up RAM be used as a "drive-click" bit? If the bit is set, your drive is capable of not- clicking; if it is cleared, your drive is not capable of not-clicking. 3. Why doesn't the "list" command have a sort option (like the "dir" command)? 4. I installed a second floppy drive in the A3000 (an A2000 floppy drive), and of course the eject button is not the same. Where can I get a new A3000 eject button? 5. The NoClick program that I run on my A2000 to stop drive clicking does not work on the A3000 with 1.3.2 OS. Where can I get a new NoClick program to use on the A3000 with OS 1.3.2? 6. What is a SetRamsey, and where can I get one? 7. Why does my 486 AT compatible machine at work still run MSDOS 3.3 (which can directly address a full 640K bytes of memory)? OOPS!!! Wrong newsgroup. I am getting carried away here. 8. This one is addressed to Commodore. Please, give us a way to still boot Kickstart 1.3 after 2.0 goes goes into ROM. I said PLEASE. 9. Why doesn't the schematics in the A3000 Introduction manual have songs associated with the Chips? 10. Whatever happened to SetClock? PS. Did I mention that I think the A3000 is a great machine? Well done guys. -- |******************************|*****************|********************| | Daniel A. Mohabir | Phone: | Amiga. | | Email: mohabir@arisia.UUCP | (716)427-1886 | Just do it! | ***********************************************************************
kevin@cbmvax.commodore.com (Kevin Klop) (02/14/91)
In article <21104@know.pws.bull.com> mohabir@arisia.Xerox.COM (Daniel A. Mohabir) writes: >1. Why is it that the Hardframe controller on my A2000 automatically >recognizes a diskchange on my Syquest drive but the A3000 does not? Hmmmm.... mine does. What rev of the OS are you running? >2. Why couldn't one of the bits in the battery backed-up RAM be used >as a "drive-click" bit? If the bit is set, your drive is capable of not- >clicking; if it is cleared, your drive is not capable of not-clicking. I'm not sure this is truly necessary. Status bits are somewhat scarce in the RAM, and this is a problem that can easily be fixed with some other outside program. If you have a system capable of no-clicking, then you run the patch program in your startup-sequence. If you do NOT have a drive capable of no- clicking, then you don't run the patch program. >3. Why doesn't the "list" command have a sort option (like the "dir" >command)? What about piping the output of LIST through SORT? >4. I installed a second floppy drive in the A3000 (an A2000 floppy drive), >and of course the eject button is not the same. Where can I get a new A3000 >eject button? Hmmm... good question. Try asking your dealer if he has a service center - you might be able to scam one off of them. >6. What is a SetRamsey, and where can I get one? >7. Why does my 486 AT compatible machine at work still run MSDOS 3.3 >(which can directly address a full 640K bytes of memory)? >OOPS!!! Wrong newsgroup. I am getting carried away here. 42 >8. This one is addressed to Commodore. Please, give us a way to still boot >Kickstart 1.3 after 2.0 goes goes into ROM. I said PLEASE. I'm sure some enterprising hacker will find a way to do this. Clever, these hackers. >9. Why doesn't the schematics in the A3000 Introduction manual have >songs associated with the Chips? We couldn't get the rights from BMI/ASCAP??? ;^) >10. Whatever happened to SetClock? It's not needed anymore. The preference editor sets the clock correctly, and the new operating system automatically sets the OS time from the internal clock on the A3000. Poof, it's gone. > >PS. Did I mention that I think the A3000 is a great machine? Well done guys. T'anx from "de hardware and software crew"... -- Kevin -- Kevin Klop {uunet|rutgers|amiga}!cbmvax!kevin Commodore-Amiga, Inc. ``Be excellent to each other.'' - Bill and Ted's most excellent adventure Disclaimer: _I_ don't know what I said, much less my employer.
harris@hobbes.ncsu.edu (Michael Harris) (02/16/91)
kevin@cbmvax.commodore.com (Kevin Klop) writes: >>8. This one is addressed to Commodore. Please, give us a way to still boot >> Kickstart 1.3 after 2.0 goes goes into ROM. I said PLEASE. >I'm sure some enterprising hacker will find a way to do this. Clever, these >hackers. I'm sure that Dave will do whatever he can to make SetCPU work. V1.06 works fine under 2.02 now. I can even load KS1.2 (Not that I really need to... just wanted to see if it could be done.) -- __ _ ___ ___ Michael Harris - harris@catt.ncsu.edu // _ | / \ | | Computer and Technologies Theme Program // /||\/||/ _ /| |__ / /_\ | | North Carolina State University \X/ /-|| ||\_|/-|
daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie) (02/20/91)
In article <21104@know.pws.bull.com> mohabir@arisia.Xerox.COM (Daniel A. Mohabir) writes: >1. Why is it that the Hardframe controller on my A2000 automatically >recognizes a diskchange on my Syquest drive but the A3000 does not? Maybe you have an old version of either the Syquest firmware or the A3000 OS? The up-to-date A3000 release supports both the scsi.level and FFS level diskchange operations necessary to deal with removable media. >2. Why couldn't one of the bits in the battery backed-up RAM be used >as a "drive-click" bit? If the bit is set, your drive is capable of not- >clicking; if it is cleared, your drive is not capable of not-clicking. It doesn't make any sense to put bits in battery backed RAM that aren't necessary, or at least nearly necessary, to get your system booted. You can run some kind of program to turn off clicking as soon as you boot. I think there's a field somewhere, perhaps in trackdisk.device, to turn off clicking under 2.0. >3. Why doesn't the "list" command have a sort option (like the "dir" >command)? Ideally, you should just be able to pipe list into sort. I tried this under 1.3, which in WShell would just be "list | sort", but it didn't work. Sort requires both input and output files to be named; it doesn't default to stdin and stdout. Hopefully the 2.0 version does. >4. I installed a second floppy drive in the A3000 (an A2000 floppy drive), >and of course the eject button is not the same. Where can I get a new A3000 >eject button? I'm not sure about that. If you order an A3000 add-in floppy, you get one. A dealer might know if they're available as a replacement part, assuming the floppy you have now lines up OK in the first place. You might have to order the whole floppy, I'm not sure. Believe me when I tell you I know what that sounds like, but some companies don't think about spare parts. I recall an editorial not too long ago about trying to replace the ball in an IBM mouse. IBM doesn't sell the ball, just the mouse. I has a similar problem, twice, when a windshield wiper motor system in my old car (since sold and not missed for a moment) failed. Not the motor itself, but some kind of voltage regulator. While this part probably went for all of $1.00 or less, GM didn't sell just the part. You had to buy the whole assembly for $300, motor included. I should have fixed it myself, but I didn't have the time. >6. What is a SetRamsey, and where can I get one? Forget about it. SetRamsey was a toy to play around with various Ramsey (A3000 Fast RAM controller) settings, before 2.0 knew how to set it up correctly. You don't need it, and it can get you into trouble if you set things up wrong. >7. Why does my 486 AT compatible machine at work still run MSDOS 3.3 >(which can directly address a full 640K bytes of memory)? Intel made a number of compromises in the '486, which allow it to run MS-DOS, but cause a performance penalty versus what they more than likely could have done, if all they had to worry about were "operating systems", rather than "glorified program loaders with lots of available hacks to simulate operating system features in application programs". >8. This one is addressed to Commodore. Please, give us a way to still boot >Kickstart 1.3 after 2.0 goes goes into ROM. I said PLEASE. With a little brain surgery, SetCPU V1.6 should work on an A3000 and allow you to boot 1.3. Last I tried it, it had some trouble with the A3000, and it doesn't know where the 32 bit Fast memory is (it specifically looks for 32 bit Fast memory on the A26x0 cards, defaulting to the first Fast memory it finds on other systems). >9. Why doesn't the schematics in the A3000 Introduction manual have >songs associated with the Chips? The songs were never strictly associated with chips, per se, but rather with the page, or even something associated with the function on the page. The A3000 schematics are probably no exception in most cases (I put in most, but not all, of the lyrics). How clever are you at figuring out such associations? >10. Whatever happened to SetClock? It changed. It accesses the clock through a resource, so we can change the clock hardware any time we like. Like we did from A2000 to A3000. This means that the old SetClock in 1.3 won't set the A3000 clock. >PS. Did I mention that I think the A3000 is a great machine? Well done >guys. Thanks. Glad ya like it. >| Daniel A. Mohabir | Phone: | Amiga. | -- Dave Haynie Commodore-Amiga (Amiga 3000) "The Crew That Never Rests" {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!daveh PLINK: hazy BIX: hazy "What works for me might work for you" -Jimmy Buffett
mwm@pa.dec.com (Mike (My Watch Has Windows) Meyer) (02/20/91)
In article <19126@cbmvax.commodore.com> daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie) writes: >3. Why doesn't the "list" command have a sort option (like the "dir" >command)? Ideally, you should just be able to pipe list into sort. I tried this under 1.3, which in WShell would just be "list | sort", but it didn't work. Sort requires both input and output files to be named; it doesn't default to stdin and stdout. Hopefully the 2.0 version does. Sorry, the version of sort I have (36.7) isn't fixed. Wouldn't work in this case anyway, as you've still got to deal with the header line. Whether "list nohead | sort" works depends on your definition of "works". >4. I installed a second floppy drive in the A3000 (an A2000 floppy drive), >and of course the eject button is not the same. Where can I get a new A3000 >eject button? I'm not sure about that. If you order an A3000 add-in floppy, you get one. You might try A.I.R. They also make A3000 internal drives. >PS. Did I mention that I think the A3000 is a great machine? Well done >guys. Seconded. Thanks. Glad ya like it. We're glad ya did it! <mike -- The handbrake penetrates your thigh. Mike Meyer A tear of petrol is in your eye. mwm@pa.dec.com Quick, let's make love before we die. decwrl!mwm On warm leatherette.
cs326ag@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Loren J. Rittle) (02/20/91)
Dave, > >3. Why doesn't the "list" command have a sort option (like the "dir" > >command)? > > Ideally, you should just be able to pipe list into sort. I tried this > under 1.3, which in WShell would just be "list | sort", but it didn't work. > Sort requires both input and output files to be named; it doesn't default > to stdin and stdout. Hopefully the 2.0 version does. Ahh, the problem is that you are still using the C= sort (Hi Dave :-)! I can do `list | sort' (er, `ls -1 | sort') from the WShell. I don't for the reason you sight, namely ls has that option builtin. You could get a real version of sort (In this case, a real version is one that acts as a filter, of course... :-). Hate to say it, but quite a few of the standard C= commands have problems acting in filter mode. I dumped them a long time ago... More (on 1.3 and before at least) can't even be used in filter mode! I use a locally hacked version of less (mine does not open unnecessary windows). Loren J. Rittle -- ``NewTek stated that the Toaster *would not* be made to directly support the Mac, at this point Sculley stormed out of the booth...'' -A scene at the recent MacExpo. Gee, you wouldn't think that an Apple Exec would be so worried about one little Amiga Device... Loren J. Rittle l-rittle@uiuc.edu
vfg2@phx.mcd.mot.com (02/21/91)
In article <19126@cbmvax.commodore.com> daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie) writes: >SetRamsey was a toy to play around with various Ramsey >(A3000 Fast RAM controller) settings, before 2.0 knew how to set it up >correctly. You don't need it, and it can get you into trouble if you set >things up wrong. Interesting. I got it off a Fish disk, and although my A3000 has static column chips, SetRamsey tells me that static column mode is off. Does it still report the current settings correctly? Anyway, I had tried telling it to turn that mode on, and tried to do a list, and got an error about list not being executable! (First feeling of impending doom.) So I did the 3-key salute, and got the "Insert Workbench Disk" kickstart screen! (Impending doom feeling intensifies!) With a gulp, I cycled the power, and everything was back to normal. (Phew!) But the question remains, is my A3000 making use of the static column mode of my RAM? --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dan Quella, vfg2@phx.mcd.mot.com Somehow, someday, we need Just One Victory, and we're on our way ____________________________________________________________ - Rundgren ___
trasc@dworkin.UUCP (James Trascapoulos) (02/28/91)
rticle <19126@cbmvax.commodore.com> daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com A>(Dave Haynie) writes: >>SetRamsey was a toy to play around with various Ramsey >>(A3000 Fast RAM controller) settings, before 2.0 knew how to set it up >>correctly. You don't need it, and it can get you into trouble if you >>set things up wrong. > >Interesting. I got it off a Fish disk, and although my A3000 has >static column chips, SetRamsey tells me that static column mode is >off. Does it still report the current settings correctly? Same here! I've got 2 megs Chip and 4 more 1Mx4 Static 70ns ZIPs, and SetRamsey tells me that: SetRamsey V1.02 by Nic Wilson CURRENT SETTINGS Static Column Mode - OFF Burst Mode - ON Burst Wrap Mode - OFF FAST RAM chip Size - 1 Meg by 4 bit Refresh Rate - 238 clocks >Anyway, I had tried telling it to turn that mode on, and tried to do >a list, and got an error about list not being executable! (First >feeling of impending doom.) So I did the 3-key salute, and got the >"Insert Workbench Disk" kickstart screen! (Impending doom feeling >intensifies!) With a gulp, I cycled the power, and everything was back >to normal. (Phew!) That was being nice - on my system it crashed the machine in something like 2 operations. It do the guru, bigtime. And the damnest thing is that my A3000 is SOLID! It really NEVER crashes (and yes, I USE it - AmigaVision, DP3, S/A 4D, PageStream. Yes, PAGESTREAM!) I just don't bother with stuff that causes a crash, and I WANT to get that damn ram running as fast as possible. Especially with Pagestream. So what's all the hub-bub.....bub? >But the question remains, is my A3000 making use of the static column >mode of my RAM? Words off MY lips too... >-------------------------------------------------------------------- > Dan Quella, vfg2@phx.mcd.mot.com > Somehow, someday, we need Just One Victory, and we're on our way >____________________________________________________________-Rundgren -------///----------------------------------------------------------- /// Jim Trascapoulos * CSAccess BBS * 609-584-8774 /// "I was told once that people don't like to think. So I \\\/// tried to sell one a Mac. It worked." --\XX/---------------------------------------------------------------
daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie) (03/13/91)
In article <27@dworkin.UUCP> trasc@dworkin.UUCP (James Trascapoulos) writes: >rticle <19126@cbmvax.commodore.com> daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com >A>(Dave Haynie) writes: >>>SetRamsey was a toy to play around with various Ramsey (A3000 Fast RAM >>>controller) settings .... You don't need it, and it can get you into >>>trouble if you set things up wrong. >>... my A3000 has static column chips, SetRamsey tells me that static column >>mode is off. Does it still report the current settings correctly? >Same here! I've got 2 megs Chip and 4 more 1Mx4 Static 70ns ZIPs, and >SetRamsey tells me that: OK, for the last time.... This is SetRamsey "1> SetRamsey" This is your A3000 on SetRamsey "READ/WRITE ERROR" Any questions? As I must have said 100 times this month, THROW SETRAMSEY AWAY. It does not use the proper names for the Ramsey register bits. What it calls "Static Column Mode" is NOT specifically Static Column Mode. There are two modes that require static column DRAMs -- Page Detect Mode and Burst Mode. In the current revision of Ramsey, a bug in Page Detect Mode causes a failure in conjunction with hard disk activity (technically speaking, TRP on the DRAMs will occasionally come out as 40ns, rather than the 80ns most DRAM want). Burst mode works just dandy, and it is automatically set up by the OS. >>But the question remains, is my A3000 making use of the static column >>mode of my RAM? >Words off MY lips too... If you put static column DRAMs in the A3000's Fast RAM bus, the A3000 will use static column features under 2.0. Automatically. Don't you guys have anything real to worry about :-) -- Dave Haynie Commodore-Amiga (Amiga 3000) "The Crew That Never Rests" {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!daveh PLINK: hazy BIX: hazy "What works for me might work for you" -Jimmy Buffett
rjc@geech.ai.mit.edu (Ray Cromwell) (03/13/91)
In article <19800@cbmvax.commodore.com> daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie) writes: >OK, for the last time.... > > This is SetRamsey "1> SetRamsey" > This is your A3000 on SetRamsey "READ/WRITE ERROR" > >Any questions? Hahahahah, ROTF! Funny, Dave. >-- >Dave Haynie Commodore-Amiga (Amiga 3000) "The Crew That Never Rests" > {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!daveh PLINK: hazy BIX: hazy > "What works for me might work for you" -Jimmy Buffett So Dave, are you going to moonlight as a stand-up now?
dave@unislc.uucp (Dave Martin) (03/16/91)
From article <19800@cbmvax.commodore.com>, by daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie): > In article <27@dworkin.UUCP> trasc@dworkin.UUCP (James Trascapoulos) writes: >>rticle <19126@cbmvax.commodore.com> daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com >>A>(Dave Haynie) writes: >>>... my A3000 has static column chips, SetRamsey tells me that static column >>>mode is off. Does it still report the current settings correctly? > >>>But the question remains, is my A3000 making use of the static column >>>mode of my RAM? > >>Words off MY lips too... > > If you put static column DRAMs in the A3000's Fast RAM bus, the A3000 will > use static column features under 2.0. Automatically. Don't you guys have > anything real to worry about :-) Well, I don't doubt that it will, my problem is that I would like to verify that my dealer did in fact install static column rams as opposed to not so static column rams. I would like some way to do this other than taking it apart and looking. I'm glad I found out about this setramsey problem though before trying it and then running down and screaming at the dealer. (Actually I probably would have taken it apart and looked at that point.) What kind of speed difference can be expected using stat col vs. regular? -- VAX Headroom Speaking for myself only... blah blah blahblah blah... Internet: DMARTIN@CC.WEBER.EDU dave@saltlcy-unisys.army.mil uucp: dave@unislc.uucp or use the Path: line. Now was that civilized? No, clearly not. Fun, but in no sense civilized.