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UPDATE 2018-02-17:
Yesss, it works again. Another gem saved. Microbotics' "MBRTest-2" tool from the M1230XA install disk does an excellent job of testing (any) RAM. FastRAM installed on the M1230XA can be tested even without adding it to the system. That way I was able to diagnose the problem, and fix it (see picture below: green wire fixes some broken address- or data line). The board also got some new capacitors.
Thanks to everyone who helped me! :-)
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I have an old Microbotics / Paravision M1230XA accelerator board, and it's not working properly. Can you help me debugging it?
For starters, a few screenshots would help: SetXA utility window /
running, Early Startup Menu boards listing, "showconfig" output, SysInfo
screen with speed test results (each of course with a working M1230XA
installed).
I mostly test my board with Kickstart 3.0 - are you aware of any issues regarding KS3.0 and the M1230XA?
(apart from the fact that RAM has to be added "manually" / software-wise)
Please leave a comment in the comments section below, if you think you can help.
Or contact me
via amiga.org
Or
via amigaworld.net
If you want to keep track of my efforts debugging/repairing the M1230XA it's maybe best to watch my
"Microbotics / Paravision M1230XA accelerator board information" page.
Thanks!
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Situation / Error description:
The Microbotics M1230XA seems to work fine without memory installed.
With memory installed, adding the memory to the system doesnt work.
This is the situation with a Kickstart 3.0 Amiga 1200:
In the picture below you can see the previous settings ("RAM Speed: 100nsec", ...), new settings("setxa ramspeed 70", ...), and the state after adding the board's memory. After "setxa addmem", it takes maybe half a second to activate the memory. During this short timespan the Amiga remains usable - e.g. a mouseclick on the workbench. But once the memory has been added, it looks like any memory access fails. That includes (re)focussing the shell-window, clicking an icon. When keeping the shell window active (no workbench click), keyboard input is still possible, but entering a valid command and hitting <Return> crashes the machine.
Behaviour is almost the same with different RAM SIMMs/speeds/cycles, only the type of system crash differs: sometimes screen graphics corruption, sometimes black screen, sometimes Guru Meditation.
With a Kickstart 3.1 (=autoconfiguring) Amiga 1200 the screen stays black on powerup.
