Antonia 4MB Operational Questions

[Simius]

@ Simius-

when you were working on getting the IDE+2 "C" version working, did you see similar behavior? Or something else?

-Larry

 

I don't remember exactly. It was bad. Who cares?

Different device can manifest different behaviour in the same hardware conditions.

 

 

would it be possible to put a "switcher" routine in some of the unused space that could be called from the keyboard via hot keys? It is a bit cumbersome to run the flasher program from SIO with no carts just to change OS. IMO, of course.

-Larry

 

I wrote the switching procedure a few post ago. Why don't you do it yourself? SHIFT+CONTROL+1 (2,3,4,5...) for example.

 

[+Larry]

Thanks, but if you mean this one:

 

>How to handle eXtension CONfiguration register (XCON=$D1F7)

 

bit7 - Write Enable.
Set this bit to 1 enables write operation to the register. Write operation must be done within next 4 machine cycles, with cleared bit7.

bit6...4 - ROM Bank Select

These bits select the ROM slot number

bit3 - High RAM enable

This bit enables linear RAM over $FFFF for W65C816 microprocessor.

bit2...0 - Banked RAM Configuration:

000 - no RAM bank

001 - 4 banks (130XE compatible.)

010 - 8 banks (130XE compatible.)

011 - 32 banks (130XE compatible.)

100 - 64 banks

101 - 12 banks

110 - 16 banks

111 - Axlon, 127 or 251 banks dependent of bit3

 

Example routine:

 

nmien equ $d40e

wsync equ $d40a

xcon equ $d1f7

 

sei ;IRQ off
lda #$00
sta nmien ;NMI off
lda #$80 ;bit7 set
ldx #new_conf ;(bit7=0)
sta wsync ;wait for end of scanline
sta xcon ;write enable
stx xcon ;write new configuration
lda #$40
sta nmien ;NMI on
cli ;IRQ on
rts <

 

...then I believed this is for switching ram. In my case, I switch OS far more often than changing ram -- I rarely change from 320K Rambo. I'll look back through your other posts, but this is the only type that I recall.

 

-Larry

[Simius]

This routine is for switching both - ROM and RAM. See bits 6..4.

[+Larry]

OK, I see. I'll give it a try.

 

-Larry

[+Larry]

EXSEL?

I have two Rev C IDE+2. One has bios 1.2 and it works perfectly in my 600XL with the EXSEL line connected. On the other Rev C, with bios 1.3, I get a high speed "boot error" display when booting using the same CF card.

I haven't tried other bios versions -- which version should we use -- 1.4 (latest)? Or perhaps it should not matter?

-Larry

 

Edit: re-flashed with 1.3, and now it works. (???)

[mr-atari]

More on compatibility...

 

It would appear that my only hard drive device that can successfully load ANT.EXE is the IDE+2 rev d. I don't have the EXSEL mod in my 600XL Antonia, but looks like I need to do it.

 

For the Black Box, if I try to load ANT.EXE from any drive with the BB plugged onto the PBI, I get a "device not found" error.

 

For the MIO it's worse, the MIO will read, go to its menu, etc, but I cannot write to the MIO. In fact, if I try to load ANT.EXE, the MIO gets locked up. (I've edited the post above where I said that it worked -- it only partly works.)

 

The MyIDE-II can't be used for ANT.EXE -- gives a "remove cartridge" error.

 

@ Simius-

 

I will do the EXSEL mod, but when you were working on getting the IDE+2 "C" version working, did you see similar behavior? Or something else?

 

Being able to load ANT.EXE from a D1: hard drive and use the menu would make using the menu much easier, I think. Especially not having to unplug the PBI to load it from SIO.

 

-Larry

 

Hmmm, I load ANT.EXE using the FAT32-loader on the MyIDE-][ cartridge and that works just fine.

[+Larry]

Thanks, Sijmen. I had not thought to try the fat32 loader. Just regular binary loading from MyDos.
Larry

 

Edit: Works great, and definitely easier than using SIO.

[+Larry]

Do I understand well: these problems only occur with ANT.EXE and no other program?

 

 

This means that something occupies the cartridge area $A000-$BFFF. The BASIC, by chance?

 

 

Sorry, I didn't see this due to being at the end of the page.

 

I can't say "no other program," but it is really, really rare, unless I run into a program that loads too low. Since this loads from SIO OK, that wouldn't seem to be the case.

 

Well, here is an update after attaching the EXSEL connection.

 

Here is what works:

 

IDE+2 Rev D, Rev C -- Both these will properly load ANT.EXE and appear to have it work correctly. Edit: Not so sure about always working correctly with Rev C. I've updated C to Bios 1.4, and still occasionally I get a few "boot error" messages on the screen upon powering up. But I think that by setting the Poweron Delay to 2 seconds, I've completely eliminated the issue. But since I have a Rev D, I'm going to use it day-to-day.

 

Black Box: "Device not found" when running ANT.EXE. Otherwise everything works fine. Menus, booting, etc. -- all good. BTW, I tried to set D1: to be Floppy #1 on the BB menu, but it still will not execute ANT.EXE properly.

 

MIO: It got worse after adding EXSEL. In addition to hanging and glitching the MIO HD system, now it corrupts Antonia's flash rom. "System not flashable" (or words to that effect). Had to do the flash recovery and reload all the rom files. I won't be trying that again any time soon!

 

MyIDE-II Mr-Atari's suggeston to use the FAT32 loader works great. ANT.EXE loads and functions correctly. When it originally would not load from MyDos ("remove cartridge"), there was no Basic loaded.

 

-Larry

[drac030]

Sorry, I didn't see this due to being at the end of the page.

 

I can't say "no other program," but it is really, really rare, unless I run into a program that loads too low. Since this loads from SIO OK, that wouldn't seem to be the case.

Indeed, ANT.EXE loads at no lesser address than $3C00.

 

But I understand the issue better now: the problem is not with the loading itself. Just please note that the Antonia controlling register is at $d1f7. The page $d1 is also used for PBI registers.

 

So the problems are probably caused by a hardware conflict between the Antonia and the PBI devices regarding that address.

 

IDE+2 Rev D, Rev C -- Both these will properly load ANT.EXE and appear to have it work correctly. Edit: Not so sure about always working correctly with Rev C. I've updated C to Bios 1.4, and still occasionally I get a few "boot error" messages on the screen upon powering up. But I think that by setting the Poweron Delay to 2 seconds, I've completely eliminated the issue. But since I have a Rev D, I'm going to use it day-to-day.

Probably no conflict, because IDE+ does not use this address ($d1f7, that is).

 

Black Box: "Device not found" when running ANT.EXE. (...) it still will not execute ANT.EXE properly.

The message means however that the program has been executed properly. It just did not detect the device (probable cause being the hw conflict with the BB).

 

MIO: It got worse after adding EXSEL. In addition to hanging and glitching the MIO HD system, now it corrupts Antonia's flash rom.

"System not flashable" (or words to that effect).

This message means that the visible ROM did not react to the flasher's commands.

 

When it originally would not load from MyDos ("remove cartridge"), there was no Basic loaded.

Maybe not BASIC, but there was certainly something there. The program checks the value of the RAMTOP (106), when it tells you to "remove cartridge", the ramtop value is < 192. And ramtop < 192 means that the system thinks that there is a cartridge inserted (or at least that RAM ends before $BFFF).

Edited July 8, 2016 by drac030

[+Larry]

Thanks for you help, patience, and explanations. I believe that I have my Antonia just where I want it. It is working really well for me, and by being able to load/flash using a hard drive, the flasher is much nicer to use!

 

I'm happy!

 

-Larry

[Roydea6]

Side version 1 works well with Antonia CPU upgrade, but with the Linear Ram selected as on the ULTIME.SYS responds Ultimate clock not present.. Help would be appreciated.

 

Side2 does not work at all. Just goes to the READY prompt or Self Test..

[drac030]

Side version 1 works well with Antonia CPU upgrade, but with the Linear Ram selected as on the ULTIME.SYS responds Ultimate clock not present..

 

The issue does not seem to be software-related, as there is no reason why ULTIME.SYS should not work in presence of the linear RAM. And indeed, I have configured U1MB on Altirra with linear RAM enabled and ULTIME.SYS works. I nevertheless asked trub to confirm this on real hardware.

[+Larry]

After using the Antonia 4MB upgrade with its 65C816 cpu for about a month, I finally ran across one program that doesn't work properly. It is a ML tracing program for Basic from Antic "Basic Tracer." I would say that for all the programs that I've run, finding one that doesn't run correctly is very good compatibility. Extremely happy with this upgrade!

 

-Larry

[Simius]

Memory map.

Antonia 4MB Memory Map.pdf

[Roydea6]

@Simius

 

The screen effect after upgrading with USB Blaster and Quartus Prime .pof file..

 

 

 

But the Side2 Cartridge does Boot with the Antonia 800XL

 

Graphics programs seem to clear the screen. With SDX449 the Last Word is clear, and also SI2.EXE, EDDY.EXE and any graphics program does not flicker the Screen.

But as soon as I return to any GR. 0 programs the screen does this..

Edited August 30, 2016 by rdea6

[Roydea6]

Simius is a hero new flash file and all back to normal..

[mr-atari]

Can you pm me the .pof?

 

my flashing resulted in a gr.9 screen with corrupted Ref/Halt.....

atari seems to boot and works, but cant read the screen.

 

thanks.

Edited August 31, 2016 by mr-atari

[Simius]

Check your mailbox.

[mr-atari]

Check your mailbox.

Sure, yee lets see. I've got mail.....

 

I moved Antonia to my test-PCB (all sockets were I can test atari-IC's).

Yes, Antonia is back to life again. :-)

No keyboard, no nothing.

But I get READY and STARRAIDERS looks ok.

So now to move it back to my 816-case....

And continue on the MyIDE-][ quest.

[AtariGeezer]

Check your mailbox.

Who should be doing this upgrade? All Antonia users or ???

[+Larry]

A related question -- what gets fixed that we would notice? Evidently it fixes the SIDE2 compatibility -- and MyIDE-II? Changes some aspect of the timing slightly?

 

-Larry

[Simius]

Who should be doing this upgrade? All Antonia users or ???

All Antonia users having the USB Blaster and Quartus II software can do it.

[Simius]

Let's wait for the result of Mr-atari tests.

[mr-atari]

Almost there.....

 

I get the MyIDE-][-MENU from time to time on powerup.

Sometimes the complete screen, sometimes partial, sometimes corrupt.

I hear one beep as if the user pressed a key or moved the joystick.

But it locks-up directly afterwards.

So it seems the bank present in A000-BFFF is not stable.

 

When I keep pressing RESET and it finally boots over SIO (from APE):

(the OS ignores the bad ROM)

I can load files and also stream video from CF, so IDE-access is stable.

 

Hoop this is something to work on.

 

....

Currently trying to make it boot again over SIO to load the MyIDE-][ diagnostic software.....

.....

All test done, it has no problems, so why does it not boot.??..??

.....

Doing a MyIDE-][ recovery flash to 4.9.B17 and try again.

.....

Recovery successful.

.....

Boot again to a in-stable menu.

Beeps locks and or partial display.

 

Back to you Jacek.

:-)

 

Last edit....

I tried repeatedly hitting enter directly after powerup.

Got to load MyBIOS and it seems to works.

hehehe!

 

So why the in-stable Menu.

ATARIMAX uses DLI/NMI extensively to create the colorful display.

Something to look at vector-pulls / disabled IRQ-flag?

Edited September 1, 2016 by mr-atari

[+Larry]

While using my Black Box today, I discovered that there is an issue with Antonia. I doubt that this will affect many folks, because there aren't that many BB's still in use, and still fewer that would be used with an Antonia. I ran this combination before and it appeared to work. Then I added the extra line needed for the Rev C IDE+2 to work correctly with Antonia. Now, my BB hard drive gets corrupted. I don't know if adding the extra line caused it or not, but I don't remember having a BB issue prior to adding the line. (?). So just be aware that if you are using the BB and an Antonia, it may not work. Good to have a recent backup available.

 

-Larry

 

Edit: All is well. Leaving the MegaSpeedy disconnected, I also removed the added wire used for Rev C (EXTSEL?) and the BB works fine.