Conference hydra::amiga_v1

    I am unable to get VD0: up.  It says to copy the device handler
    to the devs: directory, cat the mountlist, mount VD0: in
    startup-sequence, then access VD0: and it should work.  When-
    ever I try to access VD0: I get "can't find dev".  
    
    When I mount VD0: in the shell the device handler is loaded but INFO
    shows nothing and I cannot access it.  Any ideas?
    
    mark
    
    p.s.  I am using VD0.zoo from <-.1>

    What is the name of your device in the devs: directory?

    Re .1
    
    Oh, good.  I'm glad I'm not the only one who can't get the little
    bugger to mount.  I like to think of myself as a seasoned Amiga person
    but this one stumped me.  
    
    I've been seeing the same message when trying to access VDO:.  MOUNT
    doesn't complain a bit, as soon as I try to do anything with it, it
    tells me that it's not there.
    
    I plan to bang away on it some more in a few minutes.
    
    Gary

    
    Well, I don't have any problems *using* the new VD0:, probably because
    I only upgraded from an old one. ;-)
    However the release that made it to UseNet and consequently on Johns
    machine has a SEVERE bug, both CleanRamDisk and ResetRamDisk don't
    work...
    There was a description of this bug and if I remember correctly
    also a fix posted to comp.sys.amiga a few days ago, anybody grapped
    it?
    If not, I'm going to look at the 40+ MB of UseNet stuff I have online
    at home...
    
    Regards,
    
    <CB>

    Re: 1., .3
    
    BTW, I have a line "Mount = 1" in my VD0: mountlist entry, so that
    the device handler is loaded upon mount time. Might just do the
    trick for you fellas...
    
    Regards,
    
    <CB>

I heard someone ask for the patch, but I haven't seen it yet. I'll get it
when I see it...

John

    Interesting, I was able to make it work, no problem on my A1000,
    but I can't get it to work on my A500.  The configs are similar
    with software, but the hardware is different.
    
    	A1000 1 meg mem(Starboard 2 w/512k), Stardrive SCSI w/seagate
    	48 meg 3 1/2".
    
    	A500 1 meg, vinilla flavored.
    
    NET: and DNET connecting them at 19.2K baud.

    
    I haven't tried the new VD0: yet as my Scholar power
    supply melted down a few nights ago for no apparent
    reason...
    
    Anyhow from the previous note, I'm wondering if maybe
    some of you don't have BUFMEMTYPE set correctly in
    your mountlists.
    
    - steve

    
    My devs: entry is asdgvdisk.device.  BufMemType=5 and HighCyl value
    =31.  I will try the Mount=1 in the mountlist and see what happens. 
    Does it matter where it is inserted in the mountlist?
    
    mark
    
    p.s.  System is A500+A501+additional floppy+ece midi interface.

I seem to remember something about VD0: not working with systems whose
only "fast" memory is the half-fast memory at C00000 (Unexpanded
Amiga 2000s or Amiga 500s with the A501).

The Exec detects the presence of the half-fast memory by doing a
*destructive* memory test of the first byte on each 128K boundary 
in the half fast memory!  (The Exec stores a value and then reads it
back.  The old value is blown away.)

Amiga 2000s with expansion memory can also have trouble using VD0
if they run FastMemFirst (or SlowMemLast) since this will cause
VD0 to be allocated in the half-fast memory.

I got VD0 to work, but I have a 5 Meg system and I don't run FastMemFirst.

The above is based on a half forgotten memory.  Has anyone who has
no true fast memory gotten VD0: to work?

    
    Re: several
    
    First of, I scanned the ever growing UseNet subdirectories on my
    2nd HD and found the VD0: fix. It's at the usual location:
    FRAMBO::BZOEVFL:[BALZER.WORLD] (as vd0_fix.zoo)
    and I'll bet that as soon as this note will have penetrated John
    Guineau's sleepy eyes, it'll be upload to WJG::AMIGA:.
    
    Yup, Randy's right here, however I've been able to use VD0: on my
    stock B2000 with moderate success (loss of VD0: due to the RAM test),
    back in the dark ages. ;-)
    However, VD0: should at least mount, no matter what kinda memory
    is in the system.
    
    The placement of the "Mount=1" line in the VD0: entry may happen
    wherever you like, it should however be after the other (given) lines,
    for aesthetical reasons. ;-) 
                                
    Regards,
    
    <CB>

>    < Note 2846.10 by TLE::RMEYERS "Randy Meyers" >
>                          -< Requires true fast RAM? >-
>
>I seem to remember something about VD0: not working with systems whose
>only "fast" memory is the half-fast memory at C00000 (Unexpanded
>Amiga 2000s or Amiga 500s with the A501).

        The following article, I believe, is what Randy was talking
    about.
    
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Path: decwrl!decvax!ucbvax!hoser.berkeley.edu!bryce
Subject: AmigaLine #5 - Why recoverable ram disks don't on the A2000/A500
Posted: 13 Jan 88 03:07:39 GMT
Organization: The Institute for Reliable Software, Inc.
 
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
			Technical Note #5
	  Why recoverable ram disks don't on the A2000/A500
 
SUMMARY
 
$ 5/0 Why recoverable ram disks don't on the A2000/A500
$ release
$ 9-Jan-88 Bryce Nesbitt / BDI
$ recoverable ram disk, VD0:, VDK:, boot, reset, $C00000 memory, setalert, bug
 
    Recoverable ram disks are used by most programmers.  Normally these
come back to life after a crash or reset.  All too often on the A2000 and
expanded A500 the disk won't come back.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
THE PROBLEM
 
    These problems affect only "$C00000" memory.  Three examples of this
type of memory are:
 
1> Half of the 1 Meg of memory in an A2000.
2> The memory that sits in the pocket underneath the A500.
3> Expansion products such as the PAL, Spirit and Insider board for the
A1000.
 
    Other memory is not affected.
 
 
    The problem is not the hardware controlling the memory, it is the
software.  The system executive (exec) sees a crash or reset in at least
two different ways:
 
 1> WARM boot.	The system has already been set up, just do some cleanup
and start over.
 2> COLD Boot.	Reset everything and wipe out local memory (including
CHIP and $C00000).
 
    The fact that it ever wipes local memory to zero is the fundamental
bug.   The problem is compounded by the fact that it will be fooled into a
cold boot by several factors:
 
 1>  If someone tries to post a "Recoverable" Alert.  For example, the
AmigaDOS Replacement project does this if it can't find it's library. This
will crash the machine right away.
 2>  If you have more than 512K of chip memory.  (lucky you!)
 3>  If something writes to memory and happens to corrupt it in the area
that exec keeps a checksum for.
 4>  If some naugty programmer patches a library routine without using the
"SetFunction()" function.
 
 
SOLUTIONS
 
    Problem #1 can be fixed with a ram patch written be Andy Finkel of
Commdore.  This is attached at the end of this document.
 
    The next three problems are stickier, and will probably need to wait
until the next Kickstart revision for a complete fix.  For owners of an
A1000 with Kickstart disk, the "Transactor Amiga Magazine" will probably
publish a set of patches soon.	Everyone else is left out in the cold.	A
ram patch is possible, but had not been made available as of this writing.
 
    The US address of the Transactor is:
 
    The Trasactor
    PO Box 338 Station "C"
    Buffalo, NY  14209-9990
    Telephone: (416) 764-5273
 
    As of this writing, 1 year of "Transactor for the Amiga" was $15.
 
 
WHERE TO GET A RECOVERABLE RAM DISK (RRD)
 
    There are two.  Both with the same low price of just $10:
 
      1) VD0: - The first RRD ever.  Available from free software sources.
		Suggested $10 donation.
      2) VDK: - This program is from Expansion Technologies and it is
		a commercial program. (It is also know as SURVIVOR).
		Costs $10 from:
 
			  EXPANSION TECHNOLOGIES
			  46127 Landing Parkway
			  Fremont, CA	94538
 
      This program has the advantage that it will try and avoid $C00000
      memory if possilbe.  Obviously this feature is only of use if you
      have both $C00000 memory and some other non-affected types.
 
 
SETALERT PROGRAM
 
    This needs to be decoded with the "uudecode" program from Fish disk
#53.  After RUNing it, your computer will be safe from the recoverable
Alert() bug.
 
begin 644 setalert.ld
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end
size 2544
 
 
|\ /|  . Ack! (NAK, SOH, EOT)
{o O} . [email protected] -or- ucbvax!hoser!bryce (or try "cogsci")
 (")
  U	"Your theory is crazy... but not crazy enought to be true." -Niels Bohr
    
    	

    RE: .9 It should be asdg.vdisk.device .... asdgvdisk.device won't
           work!!

Yawwwnn, Ahh  , huh?  Oh!   Yup, wjg::amiga:vd0fix.zoo

John (Z z z)

    I've been using VDK: since I got my 2000 (march) and had no problems
    whatsoever.  Now, I've never been quite sure of whether or not VDK: was
    pd.  I believe it was posted to usenet way back when (86??), but later
    I believe someone stated that it was in fact free with some third party
    A1000 memory board, but was NOT PD.  Anyhow I've been using it with no
    problems for six months.  Of course, I have a Fat Agnus now, so I think
    VD0: should work fine now also in Fast memory.
    
    Originally, I pulled VDK off of TAPE:: where it has been for some time.
    
    regards,
    
    steve

    
    I just tried to install the new VD0: on my 1 MB A500 and it failed
    miserably with the descriped symptoms... 
    So it seems Perry wants to push his memory board sales by no longer
    supporting Slow or Chip memory...
    
    Too bad,
    
    <CB>