Newbie A1XE & OS4 user

I just got my first OS4 capable system:
A1XE, G4@800MHz, SIL(?) PCI-card, SB and Radeon

DMA and USB are not fixed according to seller. I've few questions here, which I'm in the process here to find out by reading older topics, but I put them here too, if someone could point me to right directions...

1) DMA and USB: Is this SIL card and USB-hub enough to avoid those hw/dma-problems? What about ethernet usage? If DMA-problem can cause errors with ethernet, should I use PCI-NIC? What about PCI USB? Are DMA-modes possible/recommended with SIL?

2) I'm not sure if this is because I haven't done clean install yet (it would seem that this is clean install, I just installed July-update and nothing else is here), but when I try to open 'USB' from Prefs, I get Guru Mediation/Grim Reaper. No USB devices are connected. This probably is not normal?

3) CPU & cooling: There is (probably original) heatsink and fan on the CPU, which seems little "wiggly" when I accidentally touched it. Is it normal that it's not nowhere near as tightly attached to CPU as it is with C2D/Athlon CPUs? What do you recommend if I wanted quieter and more efficient cooler?

4) Where I can locate mixer?

5) Other recommendations or possible pitfalls when fiddling with OS4 and A1 hardware?

Hopefully you guys have some time to give me some pointers!

I'm really enjoying my OS4 experience so far!!

@quenthal

Welcome

Quote:
Imho yes. I would comment out a1ide.device.kmod from the kickstart/kicklayout just to e on he safe side.

Quote:
Chipset cooler. I got one with the module from ACube, can't remeber the name. And get a descent thermal grease...

Quote:
os4depot:
http://os4depot.net/share/audio/misc/mixer.lha

Quote:

Batteries

If you have sigmatel chip I would throw out the SBlive!
There are threads on aw.net with pics of its whereabouts

Jack

@quenthal

Welcome. Jack has already answered your questions. However, I thought I'd just add that you should make sure that the CPU cooler is firmly attached. It shouldn't be loose. It would be a shame if your machine died because of a loose heat-sync.

I'm actually planning on replacing the heat-sync/fan on mine with this one. The temperature probe I have says that it gets up to 50 degrees (at the heat-sync, so it's actually hotter), and I'd prefer it to be a bit lower. Hopefully I'll be able to put the clock speed back to 933 MHz, where it should be.

I use a SIL card and external USB hub, and have no problems.

Hans

@quenthal

Quote:
Its a bug in Prefs/USB, the fixed version was not distributed yet.
Prefs/USB is just a GUI for editing the files in
the ENVARC:usb/system/ directory, you can use a text editor instead.

Thanks for replys!

Few additional questions:

1) What about NIC, does it suffer from this DMA-problem in the long run?

2) About AC97-chip: there is only empty socket, where probabably that sound chip should be.. could I just rip off that chip from some pc-motherboard and put it there, or would it require some additional components?

3) Are there any temperature monitors on the XE-motherboard that could be read from OS4?

4) Is Radeon 9250 AGP is fastest 2D/3D-card currently for OS4?

-q

@quenthal

And don't forget the Mixer themes available on OS4Depot...

Or if interested, there is also this one I might upload to OS4Depot in anyone wants it...



Jerry

@quenthal

Quote:


DMA and USB are not related problems.

DMA problems are problem that affects the 3COM chip and VIA686b chip, the problem is solved by rerouting some IRQ signals (there exists some Eyetech documentation about how to fix it, the PDF was leaked by distributors, you should not adamant it unless you know what your doing, experienced in electronics, some of the traces are where tiny. )

You can avoid the problem by using the VIA686b chip in PIO mode, whit the penalty of slower transferee speeds, or by not using the onboard ATA controller at all.

The USB problem is issue where USB devices are not recognised by the system, and need reboot to get system notice the devices, the problem is because some one forgot put some resistors on the motherboard, I have seen an internal USB fix, and the an external USB fix, but as long as you have stable USB connection that is never unplugged, you do not notice the problem, the easiest way to avoid the problem is use a powered USB hub between the device you unplug often.

The sound problem, the mixer chip is missing, it was present some first XE motherboards but then it was removed on newer motherboards,

Quote:

This true, the cooling is only attached whit tow pins that goes throw the original CPU / Northbridge cooler on to the CPU module, and it?s not attached whit any kind spring or force towards the CPU, many have replaced the CPU cooler whit better Northbridge cooler.

@quenthal

Hi there, nice to have a new os4 user now;)

It really was empty the socket for the AC97. Get CPUtemp
to monitor the heat from the machine for starters. I'm below 30C at 933Mhz. Here I have plastic clips to
secure the fan, maybe check that before earthing to push steadily, I didn't look it up as it was quiet and good.
Should be Very easy to replace, but needed?

Lots of threads about heat in AW and here maybe too. The usb from back does not work? There were some front sockets too, don't know about them. An USB- hub is recommended, the Evertech is ok. (Bought it from Gentle-Eye) Sure there is a bug but still should work. Maybe an update in the future..
The programs I have at WB-Startup are: AISS,Amidock,AsyncWB,AutoUpdateWB,ClickToFront,DefIcons, DiskImageGUI,(GFXMaps-drawer)LimpidClock,Mouseblanker,RAWBInfo,ScreenBlankerEngine.
Any other ideas? Maybe some to delete away from here too.

The WB-cd had the version(white-cd) for the last
installed to the machine. If not the latest before the July-Update, a Step-By-Step every version install after the original cd could be good? Have fun.

And Hyperion, I want my license back still!

@quenthal

Quote:
No it doesn't. Using a SIL card bypasses this problem completely. The issue is specifically the NIC and via IDE both using DMA.

Quote:

If you dig around on AW.net, you should be able to find the specific chip in question. You need the right audio chip; there are many different AC97 versions floating around out there.

Quote:
Some, but not all CPUs have a temperature monitor. Mine does (G4, 933 MHz, can't remember the model number).

Quote:
I'm not sure. I think that it's the radeon card with the highest model number that's supported, but, given ATI's weird numbering system, I don't know if it's the fastest. Definitely, anything higher doesn't have 3D support.

Hans

@PR1

Problems whit front side USB ports are related to none standard PIN outs on motherboard, the pins + power (red) on the correct pin and ? ground (black) is on the correct and signal pins, you check that voltmeter, there should be picture or description on pin outs in PDF provided whit AmigaOne motherboard.

@LiveForIt

Thanks for that.


Continuing my bad advices:

Oh yes the WorkBench/Kickstart/ KMOD a1.device and all useless other things like soundcards not used etc. can be removed and s/startup-sequence lines too for starters, keep the Sil- the other one can be removed too(from the other with NotePad or something else) . Good to have the boot-cd to correct any mistakes. Read the "faster bootup" -search AW how to improve OS4 bootuptime and get rid off not so usefull stuff, U-Boot delay etc... . Then get into os4Depot and emulation for more fun.

This is my startup for reference, Gygnis is assigned in
the user-startup etc. The KMOD things can be ";" uncommented but reading the stuff in threads before.

; $VER: Startup-Sequence 52.5 (03.07.2007)

C:SetPatch QUIET ADDCHIPRAM=100000

FailAt 21

C:Version >NIL:
SetEnv Workbench $Workbench
SetEnv Kickstart $Kickstart
UnSet Workbench
UnSet Kickstart

C:MakeDir RAM:T RAM:Clipboards

C:Assign T: RAM:T
C:Assign CLIPS: RAM:Clipboards
C:Assign KEYMAPS: DEVS:KeyMaps
C:Assign PRINTERS: DEVS:Printers
C:Assign REXX: S:ARexx
C:Assign HELP: LOCALE:Help DEFER
C:Assign AMISSL: DEVS:AmiSSL DEFER
C:Assign GHOSTSCRIPT: SYS:Utilities/GhostScript DEFER
C:Assign PYTHON: SYS:System/Python

C:LoadMonDrvs
C:AddDataTypes REFRESH QUIET
C:IPrefs

C:USBCtrl START
C:Mount QUIET DEVS:DOSDrivers/~(#?.info)
Run >NIL: C:AddNetInterface QUIET DEVS:NetInterfaces/~(#?.info)

Path RAM: C: S:Shell S:ARexx SYS:Utilities SYS:Utilities/Commodities SYS:System SYS:Prefs SYS:WBStartup

C:ConClip
SYS:System/RexxMast >NIL:

If EXISTS S:User-Startup
Execute S:User-Startup
EndIf

C:LoadWB
EndCLI >NIL:

The Radeon 9200Pro should be fastest.ATM.
I changed from 8500Le to 9250 which is slower if it's true. Well there is more memory and more "bandwith" so don't
know. The change was made because of the support of os4
is for this and the Radeon7000 RV200(?) Chipsets. Not a lot of differences noticed from the change. Only one fan less
and a bit quieter...

Thanks everyone!

And special thanks to PR, I was going to email you - everything seems OK!

Hi @quenthal

I just got my first OS4 capable system: A1XE, G4@800MHz, SIL(?) PCI-card, SB and Radeon

"...just got...", wow! I'm going on 4.5 years with the same -- A1-XE/G4 (MPC7451@800MHz).

>1) DMA and USB are not fixed according to seller. I've few questions here, which I'm in the process here to find out by reading older topics, but I put them here too, if someone could point me to right directions...

sii0680ide works fine with FFS2 and SFS 1.276 . I use UDMA3 settings.

>3) CPU & cooling: There is (probably original) heatsink and fan on the CPU, which seems little "wiggly" when I accidentally touched it. Is it normal that it's not nowhere near as tightly attached to CPU as it is with C2D/Athlon CPUs? What do you recommend if I wanted quieter and more efficient cooler?

Don't base your CPU life expectancy just the Sunon heat sink and 10mm fan. Get a Zalman 40mm fan like I did; SilentX stuff is good too. My Pictures:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11367727@N07/
(Note to myself: Shop for a new ATX case; this one is old and cheap!)

>5) Other recommendations or possible pitfalls when fiddling with OS4 and A1 hardware?

http://www.intuitionbase.com/
Yahoo Users Group -- AmigaOS4 ML; pitfall

@quenthal

Jean-Jacques from AmigaCenter/France can fit the chip.
And fix the mobo. Mine had the chip, so I did the usb/dma fix only. Works like charm. HD is udma5.
But if you have sil, usb hub, and don't need these pci slots, I wouldn't bother.
If you intend to run linux as well: internal sound isn't supprted yet afair, sb - works.

Jack