SDX439rc Maxflash

[danwinslow]

I have been trying to get the spartados update from http://trub.atari8.info/index.php3?strona=...upgrade_en.html to work on an 8MB maxflash cart...no luck. It seems to burn fine, but upon reboot it hangs. The image is sdx439rc_maxflash8mb.atr Has anyone had any luck with this, or is there a known issue?

 

THanks

Dan

[drac030]

I have been trying to get the spartados update from http://trub.atari8.info/index.php3?strona=...upgrade_en.html to work on an 8MB maxflash cart...no luck. It seems to burn fine, but upon reboot it hangs. The image is sdx439rc_maxflash8mb.atr Has anyone had any luck with this, or is there a known issue?

 

There is an issue: the default CONFIG.SYS loads the R-Time 8 driver (CLOCK.SYS), and this searching for the RTC causes the Maxflash to switch its banks unexpectedly (for the DOS). It somehow works with Maxflash 1 Mb, but never with the 8 Mb version, AFAIK.

 

To work this around, make own CONFIG.SYS file, as such:

 

USE BANKED

DEVICE SPARTA

DEVICE SIO

 

Save it to the main directory of your boot disk (must be SpartaDOS formatted), and reboot. The DOS should now load your CONFIG.SYS instead of the default CAR:CONFIG.SYS, and so the problem with the R-Time driver should be avoided.

Edited March 3, 2007 by drac030

[danwinslow]

Thanks, Drac, that worked. Looks nice.

[danwinslow]

Drac, do you know of any problems using the APE pc-mirror option with spartdos 4.39? It doesn't seem to recognize the format of the pc-mirror drive.

[drac030]

This is fixed already.

[atarifan49]

Can someone clarify a question for me. Can I use the binary ROM image for 4.39 and program to an EPROM for use in my Spartdos X cart?

 

Also, does anyone know the fuse programming code for the GAL chip used on the SDX cart? It would be nice to populate a few blank SDX boards that I have.

 

Thanks,

Glenn

[drac030]

Can someone clarify a question for me. Can I use the binary ROM image for 4.39 and program to an EPROM for use in my Spartdos X cart?

 

Not directly. The original 4.20/4.22 cartridge is 64k, 4.39 is twice as big (128k). So some modifications have to be done, I am not even sure, if the original cartridge can be easily modified for that. Try asking via private mail the SDX Upgrade page maintainer ( http://trub.atari8.info/index.php3?strona=...upgrade_en.html ), he should know more about hardware issues.

[danwinslow]

This is fixed already.

 

....well, is the fixed version available? Because the version I have 4.39rc on maxflash 8MB is not fixed.

[drac030]

well, is the fixed version available?

 

Not yet. The version with fixes is 4.40, which is to be released really soon, but not today

[danwinslow]

Hehe, ok thanks Drac.

[trub]

Can I use the binary ROM image for 4.39 and program to an EPROM for use in my Spartdos X cart?

As Draco said, some kind of a hardware mod is required to use SDX 4.39rc (or 4.40) with the original SDX cartridge.

So, the easiest option is to use the Maxflash cartridge (either 1MB or 8MB). We are also going to release the SDX 4.40 with an additional image for the Turbo Freezer 2005 from Abbuc (which is also programmable).

 

However, if you are a hardware guy, you can get the general idea how to modify the SDX for 128kB from here (this involves adding the A16 line for the larger EPROM via an extra 74LS175). The description is for the intSDX, which is Pasiu's idea of an SDX hardware built into the computer (quite many Atarians in Poland have this). There are also pictures here (sorry, no English text) showing similar modification for the Atrax cartridge, which is another SDX clone (however it does not utilizes any programmable logic chip).

Having that knowledge, you can do similar mod for the original SDX cartridge.

Also, does anyone know the fuse programming code for the GAL chip used on the SDX cart? It would be nice to populate a few blank SDX boards that I have.

There is a file on Jerzy Sobola's site, which contains the SDX cartridge schematic (SDXMG.PCX). I am not quite sure, but apparently the internal logic can be seen there.