Z3 fastlane with 16mb Simms problem

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fitzsteve

fitzsteve

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Hey All,

Wondering if anyone here has used a Z3 Fastlane with 16mb Simms and had a similar problem to me, I fear I my be on my loansome here as the general consensous was it wouldn't work at all ;)

Anyway... I picked up 256mb of 30pin Simms, they are FPM modules and although a very very tight fit they work in the Z3 Fastlane I have.

If I fill up banks 1 or 2 running 64/128mb Ram everthing is fine, Memory works 100% without errors.

If I fill up bank 3 as well then it shows 192mb however the last 40mb or so it erronous, and if I fill all the RAM beyond that point I will get lockups.

If I fill bank 4 then only 208mb shows up and the RAM suffers errors almost right away.

The Jumper settings were all set as per the manual:

http://amiga.resource.cx/manual/Fastlane_jumpers.pdf

Some of you may have read the below thread:

https://www.amibay.com/showthread.php?t=10396

When I had 4mb Simms in bank 3 I had problems, so maybe bank 3/4 have problems?

It would be great to run the card with 256mb, however if thats not going to be possible I guess I could just sell half the Ram and stick with 128mb.

Any idea's?

Steve.
 
May looks like a power source problem to me. Can you check the slot and clean the board socket?
 
Just an idea: try to make a test on another ZORRO slot!
 
Thanks guys, I cleaned all the zorro slots when I first got the motherboard but I didn't yet clean the edge connector on the Z3 fastlane, so I'll try that and another slot.

Cheers!

Will report back...
 
Aye, good luck with that! I'd love to hear how you get on, since I'd like to whack 256MB on to my Z3 Fastlane some time, too!
 
Dunno what to suggest really Steve. I've never had the pleasure of such a phat Z3. ;)

However, cleaning the ram contacts might be an idea too, especially the Z3's Simm socket pins.

We had success here https://www.amibay.com/showthread.php?p=124957#post124957 only a few days ago. All the chap did was re-insert the ram modules a few times.

Have you tried chucking 4 x 4Mb Simm's in the last bank of four? Just an idea to take the board out of equation if you suspect dodgey tracks to be the culprit.

Best for now.

Charlie
 
Thanks for the input Charlie, appreciate it.

I'll try populating bank 3 with 4mb Simms and adjust the jumper settings for mixes sized modules, see if I still get errors.

The Ram has been in and out a few times and mixed up i.e known working Simms from bank 1/2 in 3/4 and still the same problems.

After the above tests I'll give the sockets a good clean and try again in a few days once its 100% dry :cool:

Steve.
 
@ Tahoe

8.5 was the highest firmware revision for the Z3. :thumbsup:

Kin
 
Its rev 2.4 not sure on firmware, how can I check?
 
Run SysInfo. Load the Devices TAB & scroll down to the Fastlane entry.

I'm sure you already are 8.5 though. ;)

Kin
 
Just brought the A4k down for some testing, damn that Elbox Tower weighs a tonne :blink:

Anyone know where I left my 4mb 30 Pin Simms? I can't find them anywhere :(

The FW version, can't seem to find in SysInfo, I've got Z3SCSI thats V5.1026 am I looking in the wrong place? This is under devices as suggested..
 
There lies your problem then, but something isn't right though. 2.4's never shipped with anything less than V8.5? :huh:

You can download the Firmware from here: Linky but it requires burning to a chip. There is no flashware for this procedure. Alternatively, Email Anthony Hoffman from his Web Site. He did have some V8.5 chips back a while.

Can you post a Pic of your SysInfo screen please. Also, I'm sure you can query the device from a Shell/Cli window, though the exact syntax eludes me atm.

Kin
 
Hardly Castellen will answer, Charlie.

He is on a trip to Antarctica 'till the end of November 2011!
 
I should be able to burn this chip for you Steve, I'm sure I have some spare flashroms around the same :) if so ill stick it in the post for you. :D
 
OK, so if you'll forgive me a quick thread hijack:

I have a rev2.1 Fastlane that has 64MB RAM on it, and I'd very much like to upgrade it to take 256MB. Does anyone know what's needed / is there anyone here who can fix it up for me? I guess it'll need new PALs/GALs and an upgraded ROM. Assuming of course that it can be upgraded to rev2.4 at all...
 
@ AndyLandy

Rev 2.3's can be upgraded to 2.4 with replacement MACH chips. Any revision before 2.3 is a 64Mb max board. Sorry m8. :|

@ rkauer

Oh heck! I forgot that. :Doh:

@ d0pefish

I had someone burn this for me in Malmsbury & it didn't work. I Emailed the Firmware from the A1.org site, but when they burned it, they didn't close it, what ever that means. As a result, with the PIC chip in place, the board was dead. Anthony Mailed me an 8.5 ROM when he repaired my CSMKIII CPU Socket.

@ fitz

Zetr0 might be worth asking for a v8.5 ROM. I know he had a board off me a while back & don't know if he ever sold it. That board was a Rev 2.2 afair but with an 8.5 ROM, so he might loan the ROM to you if you ask "kissy kissy" for a swaps until Anthony returns home. :lol:

Kin

*edit* If your ROM is a v5 point what ever, billy bollocks ripped you off chap. :nod:
 
On the Amiga.resource.cx scans of the fastlane, i see a plcc 27c256 flashrom.

I can't see how replacing the data held within it in the same way I've done many other roms can permanently murder the board, but if you reckon its risky, i'll stay out of it mate. :)
 
@Dopes

as you know theres no way a FlashROM can physically damage the card - its not possible.

incorrect insertion however can lol.

the 8.5 version of the FastLane I had I traded with MagerValp a while back.

I remember reading a hard-hack that requires some serious track re-routing on the 2.2 cards to allow for 256MB - I will see if I can find the document about it.

with a bit of time and patience it should be easy to figure out what tracks (of the first 4 banks) are re-routed to allow for 16MB SIMM's - doing so will obviously negate the use of 1MB units.

the latching Firmware (GALs) will need an update of course and possibly a couple of jumpers from one Address IO to the newly re-routed first bank of 4 - but with a little dilligence and a lot of time (with some schematics a multimeter and the mythical never ending pot of coffee) it should be easy to work a conversion for earlier cards based on the later revision.

The FastLane although a 4 layer device - two of wich are ground planes (either side) if I am not mistaken - so ignoring that for the moment the FastLane is only a 2 signal layer card - if only I had the time i tell you....
 
d0pefish said:
On the Amiga.resource.cx scans of the fastlane, i see a plcc 27c256 flashrom.

I can't see how replacing the data held within it in the same way I've done many other roms can permanently murder the board, but if you reckon its risky, i'll stay out of it mate. :)
Click to expand...

The data is too small for the PIC chip m8, that's all. It would be logical for the way I think, to close it. I advised the chaps I paid £20 for the pleasure of a Dead Burn of my problems. They said they were confronted with a prompt when buring the Chip about closure. :roll: - If only they had phoned me ffs....

Kin

*edit* - Thanks Keith. :)
 
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