Category Archives: Uncategorized

DiagROM V0.9 Released

Ok.

Time to do a new Versionbump and stable release.

The REVISION Edition as I am at the Revision demoparty.
Whats new?

A lot of internal changes.

But changed keyboardhandling in “Manual Edit” mode, hopefully keyboard works better now.

Chipmemdetect at startup does more tests to capture more biterrors.

Also added tests if CPU can do odd/eveb reads and writes. Request by Terriblefire.

Added a testpicture as GFX Test

Added test for RTC Chip, reads both types you have to know what chip is in your machine.

Added a experimental Autoconfig support for Zorro II boards and memory, Remember that you can only run this ONCE.
Autoconfigcode is based on Terriblefires code with addons by me.

Audiotest now includes several notes and waveforms and also a module.

 

 

CD32 Support avaible

Now there is support for CD32.

 

Actually, there always was. it is just how to put it into rom:

You take a 27c800 prom, and on bank 0 you program the “32bitHI” file and at Bank 1 you program “32bitLO”

and it works.    as my programmers only handles 27C400 I need to do it in different banks with an adapter.

if your programmer can do it in one take, just join the 2 files and it will work

DiagROM V0.8 Released

Yet another time it is time to call it “Stable”

 

What have happend since last time?

Well. Now I have added exceptioncode handling, so if there are a crash or something like that, the machine will try to handle it, also telling the user what happend.

Chipmem detection in the beginning is now totally rewritten.
Now while detecting (actually done by writing a series of data to one longword every 32K block and reading it back) it will show on the serialport what address it is working on.  AND if there are a failure it will print what it wrote to the memory and what it read so you can see biterrors.  to make detection somewhat fast only combinations of 00 and $ff is used.

If there are errors in the beginning it will check until 2MB is checked or memory is detected, if errors comes after memory is detected it will take that as there is no more memory avaible.
DiagROM will use the end of detected memory as workspace.

There is a CIA Check aswell. this have space for improvements and will HOPEFULLY give correct result, I have atleast sucessfully tested it with removing a CIA and got fail.  also by removing the TICK signal on the A3000/2000 will also fail the test so. guess it works. 🙂
(OF some reason, if you remove the ODD CIA, the machine will crash in the start, will try to figure out how to handle this)

At last stable version I told that I will open the source. and YES I will someday. I just need to figure out how to handle it.  YES,  GIT etc exists. I know.  it is not really about that point. the point is to handle how to implement changes etc.  so I might instead just do so that I will include the source, no verisionhandling etc. and if someone does a change, this person must hand me the original source AND changed source. so I can diff it out.  not sure yet.

I have got question about supporting my project with donations.

Well sure. if you want to. just use: http://paypal.me/JohnHertell

I also got questions about sending preprogrammed ROMs. Sure also, no problem BUT think if that this is a program in constant change. so unless you have a eraser and epromprogrammer you will have a very outdated version real fast. but if you still want this.  contact me.

It will now be some time until next stable version as I need to finish more tests first.

Anyway, Enjoy and please comment.

 

And if you cannot find it: Downloadpage is located at: http://www.diagrom.com/index.php/download/

DiagROM V0.7 Just realeased

Time for a new Versionbump.

After some work I have now come to the point that I think the code is ready for the next Stable version.

Just download it from: http://www.diagrom.com/index.php/download/

There have not been that much input, but some and bugreports have been very useful so please, tell me more. and also ideas what needs to be done.  and if you actually DO have examplecode how to test different things, do tell me.

 

I have plans to release the source lateron aswell. But I need to tidy up the code. AND even if I do release the source. how to maintain changes etc?  ideas?

 

Anyway, what is new?

  • Lots of bugfixes, now keyboard works decent, serial works good, mouseinput works.
  • Added more memorytest options
  • Added a very BASIC keyboardtest
  • Added a very BASIC Joystick/Gameport test
  • Added a IRQ test
  • Errorhandling of traps like illegal instruction etc, if you have instabilityissues.

todo:

Oh lots of more stuff as:

  • CIA Tests
  • Graphictests
  • DMA tests
  • CPU-Stresstests
  • Adresstests

and much more..

 

Anyway. Enjoy it.

and I am still searching for defective ICs that still makes your amiga to try to startup but behaves wrong.  So I can try if I am able to detect it.  but Sorry.  I am NOT able to buy anything. I can at some points pay for shipment.  Contact me at: chucky<at>thegang.nu

Soon next stable version should be ready

I had a vacation so not that much coding (Legoland. YAAY)

But I have been working on a lot of internal stuff and the biggest issue for sure is handling of keyboard.  a machine with no kickstart whatsoever loaded behaves very different then a machine with kickstart started. So working on getting it to work but programming new roms every try is tiresom, and UAE does not really handle keyboard as the real hardware.

 

I guess it WOULD be more easy if I did use IRQs etc, but as I want this software to run on very defective machines, this is not an option. (as now, the rom starts with paula removed, this will not be possible then as an example)

 

Anyway, when I got that issue solved I will release that version as next stable.

Next Stable version ready

Ok

Today I bumped the versionnumber to 0.6 meaning the next “stable” version is up.

I use the versionstandard:  Version.Revision

It means that this is NOT a decimal system.  meaning 0.6 is LOWER than 0.10 as an example.

Anyway. Reworked the keyboard and serialroutines totally. They should now work in both UAE (that I actually develope in) and on physical machines.

Now it is time for more tests to be done.

 

AND! hey.  IF you have ICs that behaves strange etc. Contact me. I am interested of the, to test on my diagrom!

 

Download it from: http://www.diagrom.com/index.php/download/

PUBLIC BETA, NOW AVAIBLE!

Well.

Today I decided to release this site.

DiagROM Are now a public beta.

 

Feel free to use the downloadlink on the top right corner on this screen or : http://www.diagrom.com/index.php/download/

Burn into a prom and test. it IS recomended that you have a eprom-eraser as this software is in a very extreme beta-state yet. and will be changed a LOT!

The basic idea is that this software should start on many machines with different issues. This idea means a lot of problems. I cannot rely on ANYTHING!.  menaing no timers, no IRQ, no nothing.

Remember that I have NO possability whatsoever to give support on repairs etc. I actually DO repair machines etc depending on time. such questions can be mailed to:   repairs<at>diagrom.com  .

 

But I am glad to get any input, ideas, suggestions, bugreports etc.

 

This is NOT for the novice.  you need to have a Eprom-programmer that can program 27C400 proms, and you need a eraser.

 

Anyway, hope you will find this software useful and I will code on!

 

This sites design etc can be changed at any time.

What is DiagROM?

DiagROM is a diagnostic tool for the amiga computers.

And it is to be used on defective machines, trying to help no-boot situations etc.

You simply replace the Kickstart roms in the Amiga with the DiagROM. and when poweron. your Amiga will start a diagnostic software. It will try to dump info on the serialport (and actual menus etc aswell) while also trying on the screen.

One important thing is that the software relies on as little hardware as possible. so no timers, no IRQ etc. so you can start up the machine on a very broke machine and from that test different things. and hopefully help finding hardwareissues.

The software will be FREE download with an option to donate money but the important thing: IT WILL BE FREE.

And at a later point, the source will be open aswell. but not right now.

You will be able to buy programmed roms for a small fee if you do not have a EPROM Programmer.