Simius Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 I've a small question about the on-board flash memory. There are three chips of 512KB on the board. According to the description, 1024 KB is for SDX although only 512KB is used at the moment. So that leaves 512KB for the BIOS but according to point 4, that is only 96KB. So is the remaining memory also available to the BIOS or will it have other uses? This part of memory is unavailable. Two most significant addresses are connected to ground. In this place should be mounted in principle 1Mbit FLASH (29F010, 29C010 or similar), but for various reason it was easier to mount the same chip as the other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+tf_hh Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Hi, This part of memory is unavailable. Two most significant addresses are connected to ground. In this place should be mounted in principle 1Mbit FLASH (29F010, 29C010 or similar), but for various reason it was easier to mount the same chip as the other. An idea for a next batch run of new PCBs, if there is any demand: Include a jumperfield for the A17 and A18 address lines. So there´s an option to flash more than one version of the firmware and users have additional fail-safe options if something went wrong flashing a new firmware by the user itself. Regards, Juergen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drac030 Posted June 20, 2011 Author Share Posted June 20, 2011 Since SDX uses only 512KB at the moment, are there plans to uses the other 512KB for some kind of ROM disk to store utilities like FDISK. Then drives could be setup without loading FDISK from another source. Or will FDISK become part of the BIOS so it will be accessible at startup while holding <START>? FDISK will become a part of the BIOS. The other ROM is for now empty, there are some plans to use it as a supplementary ROM for use with SpartaDOS X, so that the user could put utils he likes there (without the limitations CAR: imposes) and use it as a flashable ROM-disk alternative to CAR:. But nothing has been yet done in this respect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 FDISK will become a part of the BIOS. Now I definitely wasn't expecting that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drac030 Posted June 20, 2011 Author Share Posted June 20, 2011 I have uploaded an update to my website. Problems with US SIO appear sorted out, i.e. SpartaDOS 3.2 already boots from SIO with this option enabled[1], so does RealDOS[2]. SpartaDOS X can also access SIO drives via this routine even in USE OSRAM mode. Added a PDF guide on the config menu. [1] Later it occurred to me that my post might have scared someone. Of course, SD 3.2 didn't boot from SIO with onboard UltraSpeed enabled (which is now fixed). From IDE it booted flawlessly. [2] Just I don't understand why it says "Unknown OS detected" whereas my 130XE has vanilla stock Atari OS built in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Guitarman Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 FDISK will become a part of the BIOS. The other ROM is for now empty, there are some plans to use it as a supplementary ROM for use with SpartaDOS X, so that the user could put utils he likes there (without the limitations CAR: imposes) and use it as a flashable ROM-disk alternative to CAR:. But nothing has been yet done in this respect. That will be cool!! Right now, I have a 'Partition Tools' ATR that I mount in APE at D6: or D7:. It has fdisk2, which I renamed to FD.COM and my SDrive loader, which I renamed to SD.COM. I put these 2 file at the root of every partition I make, so I always have the ability to get to the partition setup for the IDE or the disk mount menu for my SDriveNuxx. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEtalGuy66 Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 [2] Just I don't understand why it says "Unknown OS detected" whereas my 130XE has vanilla stock Atari OS built in If you are talking about REALDOS, that is a known issue and Steve Carden Knows about it and is working to fix it. It does the same thing on my stock 130xes.. I am collecting OS ROM dumps for him, so that he can update his OS RECOGNITION routines with the correct checksum values. REALDOS does recognize quite a few stock OS ROMS correctly, as well as many of the more popular replacement OS ROMS.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 I'm pretty sure he means RealDOS, hence the footnote reference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+rdemming Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 This part of memory is unavailable. Two most significant addresses are connected to ground. In this place should be mounted in principle 1Mbit FLASH (29F010, 29C010 or similar), but for various reason it was easier to mount the same chip as the other. I see, I believe the 29f040 chip are now even cheaper than the 29f010. With two address lines not used, does this mean 128KB is available for the BIOS or is it still limited by 96KB? Now I think of it, I suppose it is limited to 96KB because the bios range is probably shared with the 32KB Ram and the bank-switching is then probably limited to 64x2KB pages=128KB range. FDISK will become a part of the BIOS. The other ROM is for now empty, there are some plans to use it as a supplementary ROM for use with SpartaDOS X, so that the user could put utils he likes there (without the limitations CAR: imposes) and use it as a flashable ROM-disk alternative to CAR:. But nothing has been yet done in this respect. Great to hear the future will hopefully bring new possibilities to IDE+2. Take your time. I know it is a hobby and any extra functionality in the future is a bonus to me. On the top of my wanted list would be mounting .atr files at boot-up Now I definitely wasn't expecting that... Do I sense that there will be an FDISK-III with FJC's seal of quality? Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Do I sense that there will be an FDISK-III with FJC's seal of quality? Not unless someone wants one - I won't reinvent the wheel without being asked to. No - I was simply surprised that the firmware-based partition manager route is to be taken, but if firmware ROM space is plentiful, why not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simius Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Now I think of it, I suppose it is limited to 96KB because the bios range is probably shared with the 32KB Ram and the bank-switching is then probably limited to 64x2KB pages=128KB range. Exactly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+orpheuswaking Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Not sure I want to change my firmware again after my three day MYDOS nightmare Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Not sure I want to change my firmware again after my three day MYDOS nightmare What... you used MyDOS for three days? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bf2k+ Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Not sure I want to change my firmware again after my three day MYDOS nightmare What... you used MyDOS for three days? That IS a nightmare... I hope you have recovered Orpheus! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drac030 Posted June 20, 2011 Author Share Posted June 20, 2011 Not sure I want to change my firmware again after my three day MYDOS nightmare I am only adding files to the website, retaining the older versions, so if something does not work for you, you can always downgrade. Which is bad, because if users have a way to downgrade, they will never complain, so I won't be informed about bugs. Hmmmm.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drac030 Posted June 20, 2011 Author Share Posted June 20, 2011 Do I sense that there will be an FDISK-III with FJC's seal of quality? Not unless someone wants one - I won't reinvent the wheel without being asked to. No - I was simply surprised that the firmware-based partition manager route is to be taken, but if firmware ROM space is plentiful, why not? In fact, we'll see. As long as FDISK is not in the BIOS (or nowhere at all except my disk and backup archives), nothing is decided. The new BIOS (0.7) should boot from any drive without a problem. Which means you're always able to access FDISK, wherever it is on your disk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtm Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Not sure I want to change my firmware again after my three day MYDOS nightmare I am only adding files to the website, retaining the older versions, so if something does not work for you, you can always downgrade. Which is bad, because if users have a way to downgrade, they will never complain, so I won't be informed about bugs. Hmmmm.... That way lies madness You could always add cool new features, that will make them upgrade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Guitarman Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 Ok, another dumb question. What is the max drive size I can make on the IDEPlus 2.0?? The original IDEa manual states 16mb (65534@256bps) for standard DOS's and 65535@512bps (32mb) for SDX, yet I've seen pictures with partitions logical size much bigger (the graphic in the manual shows one of 262879@512bps, which would be 128mb).Yet, when I try to make a partition that big and format it, it still shows 65xxx sectors free when I do a DIR command. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bf2k+ Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 Ok, another dumb question. What is the max drive size I can make on the IDEPlus 2.0?? The original IDEa manual states 16mb (65534@256bps) for standard DOS's and 65535@512bps (32mb) for SDX, yet I've seen pictures with partitions logical size much bigger (the graphic in the manual shows one of 262879@512bps, which would be 128mb).Yet, when I try to make a partition that big and format it, it still shows 65xxx sectors free when I do a DIR command. Max size of SpartaDOS Drives: 256bps = 16mb 512bps = 32mb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Guitarman Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 Max size of SpartaDOS Drives: 256bps = 16mb 512bps = 32mb If that is the case why create a partition that is more than 65535@512bps?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bf2k+ Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 Max size of SpartaDOS Drives: 256bps = 16mb 512bps = 32mb If that is the case why create a partition that is more than 65535@512bps?? For now, I know of no reason to do this. Under future versions of SDX? Perhaps Drac030 can better answer this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 Well, given that we already have 8MB video files floating around, it's to be hoped that larger partitions will be forthcoming at some point in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drac030 Posted June 21, 2011 Author Share Posted June 21, 2011 Max size of SpartaDOS Drives: 256bps = 16mb 512bps = 32mb If that is the case why create a partition that is more than 65535@512bps?? This is for future SpartaDOS development, experiments etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louis Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 I have uploaded an update to my website. Where can I find the updates on your website? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drac030 Posted June 21, 2011 Author Share Posted June 21, 2011 "KMK/JŻ IDE -> Downloads" http://drac030.krap.pl/en-kmkjz-pliki.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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