G F O R C E 0 3 0 I N S T A L L A T I O N D I S K N O T E S Version 1.12 ============================================================================= C O N T E N T S --------------- A. Introduction B. Files contained in the Utilities drawer 1. GvpScsiCtrl 2. FaaastPrep 3. MemTest 4. FPU_Test 5. InstallBB 6. GvpCpuCtrl C. GForce030 (25MHz/40MHz/50MHz) Combo Accelerator Notes 1. 68EC030 Explanation 2. RAM Expansion Options (Extended Memory Notes) 3. Quantum 120/240 firmware problems D. FastROM 4.5 Notes 1. Workbench 1.3 Operating System Removable Media Support 2. Quantum 120/240 firmware problems E. Getting Help ============================================================================= A. I N T R O D U C T I O N This GForce030 Install disk contains a minimal Workbench 1.3.2 environment (enough to boot from and prepare a hard disk). It should not be copied onto the hard disk and used as Workbench. The FaaastPrep program will prompt you to copy Workbench onto that hard drive after it finishes prepping and formatting a partition; this request is aimed at the Workbench disks that were included with the Amiga when purchased (or any subsequent Enhancer Kit). ============================================================================= B. T H E U T I L I T I E S D R A W E R This section of the document will describe the various utilities included on the GVP.Install disk in the Utilities drawer. 1. GvpScsiCtrl - This program was written to modify the operating parameters of the gvpscsi.device driver while it is running; without requiring a reboot. It has the following template: GvpScsiCtrl (option) where option is one of the following: -m This option will force gvpscsi.device to re-examine the SCSI bus and mount any cartridges inserted into removable media drives after the system has been booted. -r This option will force gvpscsi.device to re-examine the SCSI bus for drives (of any type) that it did not recognize when the system booted (i.e. a drive that is slow to spin-up from a cold start). -s This option is similar to the one above, except that if it locates a removale media device without a cartridge inserted, it will not return control back to the parent CLI until a cartridge is mounted and spun-up. (This can be RUN >NIL: in the startup-sequence, and then whenever a cartridge is first inserted into the drive, it will immediately be recognized). (DCOFF|DCON) This option forces gvpscsi.device to recognize Disconnect/ReConnect requests from a device or tells it to ignore those requests, regardless of what the information in a Rigid Disk Block indicates. This is useful for drives that do not support the Disconnect/ReConnect functions, but do not have a Rigid Disk Block either (i.e. a streaming tape drive). 2. FaaastPrep - This program is the Automatic Hard Drive Prep-and-Format program. It has an easy-to-use Intuition (point-and- click) interface, and performs most of the work for you. Please refer to the FastPrep chapter in the User's Guide for more information. 3. MemTest - This program is actually a small script that calls two memory test programs to allocate all of the RAM currently in your system (and not in use) and performs tests on it. These tests include writing random values to a RAM address and then reading it back to compare with the original value. If any errors occur, it will report them to the screen. Since it is almost impossible to detect which chip on a SIMM module (or even which SIMM module) is at fault when an error is reported, attempts should be made to slowly reduce the amount of RAM in the system (and the tests re-run) to determine where the bad RAM chip may be. 4. FPU_Test - This program is actually a small scripts that calls other programs to test the Floating Point Unit. If an error occurs it will be reported to the screen, otherwise the script will indicate that the FPU passed the tests. 5. InstallBB - This program is a small utility to make installing a BridgeBoard easier. It asks for standard file locations and copies the files there for you. It even modifies the ABOOT.CTRL file to indicate the location of the file set aside to emulate the PC Hard Disk. 6. GvpCpuCtrl - This program was designed to allow control over the GForce030 accelerator without needing to resort to changing jumper settings. Since the GForce030 line of accelerators can use a 68EC030 chip (without an MMU), special functions are needed to perform the most common MMU function -- remapping Kickstart. This program contains a option to performs this function. A complete list of the program options are listed below: FASTROM - This re-maps Kickstart into on-board 32-bit RAM (if possible). This function requires at least 4MB of RAM present on the GForce030 board! NOFASTROM - This function performs the exact opposite of the above function, and returns Kickstart control back to the ROM in the Amiga. BOOT68000 - This option will reboot the computer with the GForce030 accelerator disabled, and the original Amiga 68000 processor active. Note that this disables the entire GForce030 board (including RAM and SCSI interface). MOVESSP - This option will move the Supervisor Stack Pointer from its current location into 32-bit FAST RAM. This option should be used when ALL of the memory on the GForce030 board is set as extended. If some of the RAM is set to Auto-Config, and you are using Kickstart 2.04, the SSP is automatically moved. NOMOVESSP - This will return the Supervisor Stack Pointer to its previous location. ============================================================================= C. G F O R C E 0 3 0 A C C E L E R A T O R S ( 2 5 M H Z , 4 0 M H Z , 5 0 M H Z ) ( 6 8 E C 0 3 0 ) The GForce030 line of accelerators represents a new level of processing power for the Amiga. These accelerators utilize the new Motorola 68EC030 processor (which lacks an MMU -- and reduces the price) but contain special circuitry to emulate the most useful -- and most used -- MMU function: re-mapping Kickstart into 32-bit RAM. 1. The 68EC030 processor is a cost-reduced 68030 processor, and lacks a Memory Management Unit. This MMU is useful for things like re-mapping Kickstart into 32-bit RAM, and running a developer debugging utility. For those who wish to use an MMU, the 68EC030 chip can be replaced with a true 68030 without ANY modifications. However, the use of developer debugging utilities is rather limited, and for Kickstart re-mapping we have provided special on-board circuitry. This gives all of the power of a true 68030 without the extra cost! There are no performance losses or other draw-backs when using a 68EC030 chip. In fact, there is no way to tell what chip is in use during normal Amiga use (like word processing, desktop publishing, desktop video, etc.) 2. The GForce030 accelerators support the Extended Memory introduced by the Series-II Combo accelerators. Please refer to the GForce030 User's Guide for more information on RAM expansion options. 3. A word about Quantum 120 and 240LPS drives Quantum's two most recent drives, the 120LPS and 240LPS contain a firmware bug that makes them unreliable when more than one SCSI device is connected to a single SCSI host adaptor. Quantum is working on a firmware update, but until then user's of these drives may experience some problems when using multiple drives. GVP has developed a special version of gvpscsi.device (4.5) to help alleviate the problem with the Quantum drives, and under most circumstances, the problems do not appear. It is impossible to anticipate and correct all of the problems associated with the firmware bug, and some configurations will still experience problems. Tested and working configurations include (but are not limited to): Quantum 120LPS and Quantum 105LPS Quantum 240LPS and Maxtor LXT213SY Quantum 120LPS and Quantum 240LPS Quantum 120LPS and Quantum 52Q ============================================================================= D. F A S T R O M 4 . 5 1. Removable media support is now dependent on the operating system. With the release of Workbench 2.04 this functionality is built directly into the operating system. Users of Workbench 1.3 should update the RDB on all removable media cartridges with a copy of the FastFileSystem included on this disk in the L: drawer. This specific FastFileSystem is the one distributed with the Workbench 2.04 operating system for uses just such as this. Please refer to the FastPrep User's Guide for more information about how to re-prep a hard drive. Once the new RDB is written to all removable media cartridges, and the machine is rebooted, the operating system will begin to handle all removable media processing (inserting and removing cartridges). 2. Quantum 120 and 240 LPS drives have a new firmware revision, and this version has shown some compatibility problems when used with various Amiga SCSI controllers. We have developed a work-around for this problem that works in *most* cases. There are certain cases, however, that we cannot overcome. Only a fix from Quantum will solve those problems. If you are experiencing problems with either a Quantum 120 or 240LPS, please contact GVP Technical Support at (215) 337-8770. ============================================================================= E. C A L L I N G G V P F O R T E C H N I C A L S U P P O R T GVP maintains a staff of Technical Support Representatives to answer calls and assist with installation and operation problems with GVP peripherals. The phone number is (215) 337-8770 and the fax number is (215) 337-9922. Please try to have your machine in front of you when you call, and be ready to provide answers to questions about motherboard revision, Kickstart and Workbench versions, GVP product versions, etc. A little extra research ahead of time will make it easier for the GVP Technicians to diagnose and solve your particular problem. =============================================================================