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 Post subject: MyIDE II stress test
PostPosted: Tue Feb 19, 2013 2:45 pm 

Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2004 10:34 am
Posts: 261
Location: NL
Hi All,

Since I have some strange issues with my MyIDE ][ interfaces. To know what is going on, I wrote a stress-test. I hope some people can test this too on their atari and MyIDE ][ interfaces. Especially computers with known PH2 issues are welcome (and ofcourse people with Ultimate 1MB (read also bottom of this message about U1MB))

Please follow next steps, 100% as described. If you don't know how to do it, don't do it. It is only interesting info for Steven Tucker, Sijmen and me; thanks for your help.

0. Make absolutely SURE that you have FAT32V20130110 on your Interface!*
1. Put the MyIDE-Stresstest.ROM (attachment here) on your MyIDE ][ FAT32 partition.
2. Make sure you have a MyDOS partition on D1: on your MyIDE partitions (very important!)
3. Switch on your Atari.
4. First chose MyBIOS-FE 4.8.05 or MyBIOS-F2 4.8.06 from your MyIDE Interface**
5. On MyIDE welcome screen press SHIFT
6. Start the FAT32V20130110 fat32 loader
7. Start the MyIDE-Stresstest.ROM

**) People with -RE or -R2 can skip step 4

*) Other versions of the FAT32 loader give different results; so please make 100% sure you use the V20130110 version (you'll find that version here on the AtariMax forum)

As soon as the .ROM is started you will see:
Testing CF Stability
it loads 10x sector 001 from your D1: partition

Then it leaves to MyDOS, and immediately starts the test again, so the testing starts all over. You do not have to do a thing. Only watch your screen.
Please let this run for a few minutes. It is an infinite loop, so when you want to leave this, switch off your atari; it does not harm your equipment you can let this run for hours if you want.

If no Error occurs, your atari + MyIDE ][ you do not have the issue I have.
At my place it depends on the combination. Interface X runs fine with Atari Q. Interface Y has issues with Atari Q. Interface X has issues with Atari R, and Interface Y can run fine on Atari R etc.

The only Error that can show up is:

ERROR! CF LOCK : ($D50E Bit 6 = 0)

Ultimate 1MB Users
On my Ultimate 1MB I even can not start this test sometimes. It simply would not boot MyDOS, it will only show you a long list of "Boot?" on your screen. Well... if you have the ERROR! CF LOCK, or this Boot? error problem, please report this here and your setup. It is very interesting diagnostic information.

Thanks for testing. If you need questions, feel free to ask.

Greetings
Marius

p.s. if you want you could also put this as 8K rom on the FLASH part of your MyIDE interface (using the workbook) this will sometimes also result in the CF lock error!


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 Post subject: Re: MyIDE II stress test
PostPosted: Tue Feb 19, 2013 4:19 pm 

Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2012 8:39 pm
Posts: 7
It is my understanding that MyBIOS doesnt play well with the SpartaX. I understand some of the registers in MyBIOS are the same registers used in SDX, hence it locks up/goes crazy. I tried the stress test and couldnt get it to boot up. I have ordered a Side II cart (which I understand was built with U1MB in mind), and hope that this fixes the problem.

However, results of the stress test +U1MB = couldnt get it to boot/run. It always locked up my atari as soon as I loaded the rom.


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 Post subject: Re: MyIDE II stress test
PostPosted: Tue Feb 19, 2013 4:44 pm 

Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2004 10:34 am
Posts: 261
Location: NL
Hi!

Thanks a lot for testing!

Please turn of SDX before testing.

The computer should not lock up. When it all goes wrong it should show a long list of Boot? on the screen.

Which version of MyBIOS did you use?


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 Post subject: Re: MyIDE II stress test
PostPosted: Tue Feb 19, 2013 5:48 pm 
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Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2003 4:37 pm
Posts: 230
Location: Arizona USA
CF TESTING
then boots MyDOS and repeats until I turn off 800xl..
485 RE rom in Ultimate OS settings.
Ultimate SDX off
SIDE on w/button off
stress test loaded via FAT32 and on Cartmenu same results..



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 Post subject: Re: MyIDE II stress test
PostPosted: Tue Feb 19, 2013 11:15 pm 
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Joined: Tue Aug 05, 2003 9:55 am
Posts: 1042
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
There are hardware sector read/write tests in the default workbook that should be run under the following configuration if you experience errors:

Standard XL/XE OS ONLY
No Cartridges
No 'Stacked' or 'Internal' cartridge configuration.

Tests that rely on 3rd party test programs, MyBIOS or other carts or OSes to run may only be showing bug in software, or some combination of 3rd party software.

Please follow up any of those tests with the official hardware testing tools.

Steve


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 Post subject: Re: MyIDE II stress test
PostPosted: Wed Feb 20, 2013 2:26 am 

Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2004 10:34 am
Posts: 261
Location: NL
Hi Steve,

Today I will do your tests again. But the reason I wrote this, is that it can not be a software issue but a hardware issue that might not be covered by the official hardware test.

I could not explain the next:

Situation 1
I have 10 standard 800xl computers. All 64kb all rev. 2 Os
I run my test on all these atari's using the SAME myide interface.

Result: 4 of the Atari's report an ERROR. 6 of the Atari's run my test for a long time without error.
This can not be a software/3d party bug.

(the reason that you need to use mydos is just because I programmed the test to auto rerun after running)

Situation 2
Ok I take one of the four Atari 800xl with the ERROR found in my tool in situation 1.
I test all seven myide interfaces I have. Three of them give ERROR on this Atari the other four keep running fine for a long time.

Situation 3
I take one of the six Atari computers that had no ERROR found and now I test the myide carts that resulted in ERROR in situation 2. They run perfect on this good Atari.

My conclusion: I found a rare hardware issue and I wanted to recreate the circumstance where this issue happens.

It only happens as soon as a 8k rom is used AND dos is booted or tried to boot.
I am not sure your diagnostic software is simulating that but I guessed not, that is why I created it.

Since I have four standard Atari's that give the error and I am suspecting ph2 issues I will do a ph2 fix on one of these four and check then if that changed result.

As promised I will do your tests too again.


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 Post subject: Re: MyIDE II stress test
PostPosted: Wed Feb 20, 2013 3:45 am 
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Joined: Tue Aug 05, 2003 9:55 am
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Location: Cleveland, Ohio
And that may well be the case.. but I need tests uncluttered by other software and hardware to make any sense of the results.

Then we can proceed to finding a more simple test case that demonstrates the problem.

Steve


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 Post subject: Re: MyIDE II stress test
PostPosted: Wed Feb 20, 2013 3:55 am 
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Joined: Sun Nov 02, 2003 8:15 am
Posts: 1549
Location: netherlands
Looks like a (timing) bug in MyBIOS rather then MyIDE-][ hardware.
This is also more plausible, since the new MyIDE-][ interface has no phi2-issues.
:?

I see when bit-6 is gone: all IDE_registers read #$FF ($D50E read #$BF)
Power-LED is still on. So this definitely looks like a CF-lockout.

When you do a $D50E power-cycle it brings the CF back to normal.


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 Post subject: Re: MyIDE II stress test
PostPosted: Wed Feb 20, 2013 4:55 am 

Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2004 10:34 am
Posts: 261
Location: NL
mr-atari wrote:
When you do a $D50E power-cycle it brings the CF back to normal.


Sometimes yes, but after a while it comes back.

But... when you do this:

LDA #$3F
STA $D50C
LDA #$00
STA $D50D
and then a $D50E power-cycle, the problem does not return ever.

And this is very strange (IMO) since I use MyBIOS-FE and/or MyBIOS-RE which are not touching $D50C/$D50D. So it's odd that this is a perfect cure for the issue; even on the most instable crappy atari, it works.


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 Post subject: Re: MyIDE II stress test
PostPosted: Wed Feb 20, 2013 5:15 am 

Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2004 10:34 am
Posts: 261
Location: NL
Now I did a CPU swap.

The issue is gone on the standard 64KB atari 800XL's when I do that.

All problematic atari's did have that Mexico brand chip.

I swapped this with 6502 from 600XL, now it works great.
But...

On the ultimate1MB computer the issue is still there with the 'good' CPU.


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 Post subject: Re: MyIDE II stress test
PostPosted: Wed Feb 20, 2013 5:57 am 
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I agree with Steve:

You have to test without software that touches D508-D50F.
So without MyBIOS.

Just the plain hardware and a CF.

Run your test-software from SIO loaded into RAM.

Then try to reproduce this error.


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 Post subject: Re: MyIDE II stress test
PostPosted: Wed Feb 20, 2013 6:07 am 

Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2004 10:34 am
Posts: 261
Location: NL
mr-atari wrote:
I agree with Steve:
run your test-software from SIO loaded into RAM.


That is impossible, since the error only occurs when the MyIDE interface acts like a 8K rom.

I will switch on the CF card adapter in my ROM, and then check whether it will lock or not. Then MyBIOS can be bypassed completely.

For some reason there is a connection between the logic involved with 'being an 8krom' and the state of the CF card adapter.

It's interesting to check whether this issue will occur without MyBIOS or not. I could try to create this.


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 Post subject: Re: MyIDE II stress test
PostPosted: Wed Feb 20, 2013 6:34 am 

Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2004 10:34 am
Posts: 261
Location: NL
And another problem with that idea is, that I do not know how to write my own 'access the CF' routines.

There must be CF access to get the error.

When there is no CF access at all, the CF card adapter is not going to lock.


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 Post subject: Re: MyIDE II stress test
PostPosted: Wed Feb 20, 2013 7:49 am 

Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2004 10:34 am
Posts: 261
Location: NL
Although a CPU swap has good results, I tried a few more things and I think I found something useful. Please read the following steps careful.

As soon as an 8k rom is active there is an 'INIT' and a 'START' address. When there is a DOS boot needed bit 0 of $BFFD reads 1. If I am correct first the CART-INIT is performed, then the DOS is booted, and then the CART is started at the address that is located in $BFFA/BFFB. Right?

Ok here it comes, step by step:

1. MyBIOS is loaded
2. 8Krom is loaded
3. Atari performs a coldstart
4. The CART performs first the INIT routine (address stored in $BFFE/$BFFF). At this moment the CF card reader is NOT locked. $D50E reads #%111xxxxx. This is OK!
5. The INIT routine ends with an RTS; and BANG... the CF card is locked. $D50E reads #%101xxxxx
6. The Dos is TRYING to boot, but that is not happening due to the locked CF card.
7. Boot Errors.

Carts like basic.rom, atari-assembler-editor.rom, synassembler.rom do not have a 'real' init-routine. The only instruction in their INIT routine is "RTS" ... as soon as this RTS is performed the CF card is locked.

And here is where I am going to repeat myself:
This does not happen when you before all this do a
lda #$3f
sta $d50c
lda #$00
sta $50d

or
This problem does not happen on all atari's
This problem does not happen on all myide interfaces.
This problem does not happen when 16K roms are used (like AtariArtist; that also does a dos boot!)
The official diagnostic programs do not result in any errors.

More than this I can not provide. I think I have analyzed the issue to the maximum I can do here.
It is a weird problem, that might be related to hardware (the atari? the MyIDE interface?) but also to software (MyBIOS?). I am 100% sure that there is something wrong, and I do not believe it is a defect in my MyIDE interfaces.

If I can do more/other things let me know.


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 Post subject: Re: MyIDE II stress test
PostPosted: Wed Feb 20, 2013 8:32 am 
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Joined: Sun Nov 02, 2003 8:15 am
Posts: 1549
Location: netherlands
Sysop*Marius wrote:
I am 100% sure that there is something wrong, and I do not believe it is a defect in my MyIDE interfaces.

This is correct.

Now:
Try to produce the error WITHOUT MyBIOS.
With 8k flash as you suggest.

You can use the source found on the "old" MyIDE utility disk to access CF/IDE.

Perhaps I forgot to mention: I can now reproduce this strange phenomena.


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