Sunday, December 12, 2010

Guide: Create and Burn a custom Kickstart 3.9


Legal Notice: In order to use the following guide, it's really important for you to own legally an Original Amiga OS 3.9 Installation, along with a legal Kickstart 3.1.
Ok lets start...
To be able to run Remus and make the Custom ROMS the requirements are the following:

Hardware:
- Amiga OS3.0 and above.
- At least 1MB of free RAM

Software:
MUI 3.8 (everyone has it anyway)

Remus 1.0 (rc23) + ROMsplit 1.0 (rc15)
Remus 1.0 (rc35 - update 27/07/2010)
Remus 1.0 (rc36 - update 04/08/2011)

BlizKick 1.24

- The MUI libraries bellow
Nlist.mcc
BetterString.mcc
ToolBar.mcc
TheBar.mcc
PopupMenu.library
UrlText.mcc (although optional)
rxasl.library (used by Arexx scripts)
rmh.library (used by Arexx scripts)
xvs.library (for Anti-Virus usage)
Or you can get ALL the above in the following archive that I putted on my Dropbox here

Once we install everything... We need to run the program ROMsplit in order for us to extract the modules from our Kickstart 3.1 ROM and from our BB2 ROM update (DEVS: AmigaOS ROM Update). So we either click "Grab ROM" for ROMsplit getting the contents from our Kickstart 3.1 ROM or... we search from our Partitions to find a legal 3.1 ROM in file for contents to appear. (1st pic has 3.9 Update while 2nd pic has the 3.1 Kickstart)





Once we have the contents loaded we click "Select All" for all contents to be selected and then we click "Extract file(s)".
Note: A folder will be created under DEVS: Modules/<Auto_Name_Depending_On_Kickstart_Version>


Next, we'll be running "Remus" which is the program which will help us make an image of our future custom Kickstart.




Lets get a bit familiar with the interface a bit...
1. Left side below toolbar are the contents that we're gonna put on our future ROM
2. Right side below toolbar are the folders/files from which we're gonna choose what to put into the left list.
In this screenshot for example I have in the right side a folder in which I have the following folders:
- 40.68(A1200) --> This is an extract of my A1200's 3.1 Kickstart ROM
- 44.57_ROMUpdate(3.9bb2) --> This is an extract from "AmigaOS ROM Update)
- BlizKick --> This is a copy of DEVS: Modules that were installed with BlizKick


In next step, we're creating a new Normal Kickstart by pressing the button "New" in toolbar, and we insert the info from the following screenshot:




Now, we only need to add the required files from our folders to the left side list.




As an example, I'm attaching the order of my files based on folder name.

IMPORTANT: YOU NEED to insert "Exec" first and then "1MB_ROM" module or else the Kickstart won't work at all!
  • Modules/44.57_ROMUpdate(3.9bb2)/exec_45.20(A1200-A500)
  • Others/Blizkick/1MB_ROM
  • Modules/40.68(A1200)/audio.device_37.10
  • Modules/40.68(A1200)/battclock.resource_39.3
  • Modules/40.68(A1200)/battmem.resource_39.2
  • Modules/44.57_ROMUpdate(3.9bb2)/bootmenu_44.7(68020)
  • Modules/40.68(A1200)/card.resource_40.4
  • Modules/40.68(A1200)/carddisk.resource_40.1
  • Modules/40.68(A1200)/cia.resource_39.1
  • Modules/40.68(A1200)/con-handler_40.2
  • Modules/44.57_ROMUpdate(3.9bb2)/console.device_44.8
  • Modules/40.68(A1200)/disk.resource_37.2
  • Modules/40.68(A1200)/dos.library_40.3
  • Modules/40.68(A1200)/expansion_40.2(A1200)
  • Modules/44.57_ROMUpdate(3.9bb2)/filesystem.resource_45.10
  • Modules/44.57_ROMUpdate(3.9bb2)/filesystem_45.13
  • Modules/40.68(A1200)/gadtools.library_40.4
  • Modules/40.68(A1200)/graphics.lib_40.24(AGA)
  • Modules/40.68(A1200)/icon.library_40.1
  • Modules/40.68(A1200)/intuition.library_40.85
  • Modules/40.68(A1200)/input_40.1
  • Modules/40.68(A1200)/keymap.library_40.4
  • Modules/40.68(A1200)/layers.library_40.1
  • LIBS:mathffp.library (These are my regged HSMathLibs that I included)
  • LIBS:mathieeesingbas.library (These are my regged HSMathLibs that I included)
  • Modules/40.68(A1200)/misc.resource_37.1
  • Modules/40.68(A1200)/potgo.resource_37.4
  • Modules/44.57_ROMUpdate(3.9bb2)/ram-handler_44.24_NoBss
  • Modules/40.68(A1200)/ramdrive_39.35
  • Modules/40.68(A1200)/ramlib_40.2
  • Modules/40.68(A1200)/romboot_40.1
  • System: Devs/scsi.device
  • Modules/44.57_ROMUpdate(3.9bb2)/shell_45.7
  • Modules/40.68(A1200)/timer.device_39.4
  • Modules/40.68(A1200)/trackdisk.device_40.1
  • Modules/40.68(A1200)/utility.library_40.1(020)
  • Modules/40.68(A1200)/wbtask_39.1
Okey dokey...
As you will realize, we putted all the Modules of Kickstart 3.1 (with the same order as it existed on the Kickstart itself) but we changed some modules with the new ones from the extracted BB2 3.9 Update. That way we have a nice new Custom 3.9 Kickstart missing though Workbench.library and Intuition.library. No worries, we left them to save space, and we're gonna put them in the extended Kickstart (Hell yeah! 1MB ROM ftw) in a while...
Now, we're gonna click the button "Compile" in toolbar that will make the Kickstart under RAM:3.9normal.rom (if you kept the same name as the screenshot under "Settings" tab like mine)
(It's a good idea to save the template of your Normal Kickstart for future use like "MyCustomKickstart39_Normal.rpf")

Time for the extended Kickstart ROM now. We're clicking on "New" in toolbar and we insert the info from the following screenshot:




As we did before we need to add the required remaining files from our folders on the right to the right side modules.



As an example, I'm attaching the order of my files based on folder name.

IMPORTANT: YOU NEED to insert ROMHeader and DummyCDstrap (only if you use an BPPC or CSPPC accelerator) first, or else the Kickstart won't work at all!
  • Others/RomHeader/romheader
  • Others/DummyCDstrap/DummyCDstrap (This is optional module for BPPC and CSPPC accelerators)
  • System:Libs/workbench.library
  • DH0: Devs/morelibspace_module (This is AfA OS Morelibspace Module to avoid declaring it in Startup-Sequence!)
  • DH0: Devs/Modules/BPPCFix (This is BPPCFix Module to avoid declaring it in Startup-Sequence!)

Cool! That was it 
Now we only need to click "Compile" in the toolbar for the file to be created under RAM:3.9extended.rom (if you kept the same name as the screenshot under "Settings" tab like mine)
(It's a good idea to save the template of your Extended Kickstart for future use like "MyCustomKickstart39_Extended.rpf")

Now we have both the Normal+Extended ROMS under RAM:




You can now easily check if you newly created Custom 3.9 Kickstart are working under WinUAE by inserting the ROMS in the corresponding area 



Cool isn't it? 

If you wanted this Custom Kickstart for your WinUAE environment then your work is done so congratulations and cya later 

If you want this Custom Kickstart for your Classic Amiga... there's work to be done! Fear NOT though!... LETS GO!


We were back at the point where we had the 2xROMS in RAM Disk. From Remus now, we click the button "ARexx" and then on the submenu entry "1MB_ROM.rx". By pressing this option a window will appear asking our Amiga Model.




That is done just for Remus to split the ROM into 2 pieces (for A1200/A4000 etc) or into 1 piece (for A500/600/2000 etc).
Note: If you make custom kickstart for using under MapROM environments (like ACA630/ACA630 via ACATune utility) better choose A500/600/2000 to only get 1xOutput file instead of 2x that A1200/A4000 choice will

Next steps are selecting the Normal ROM image, the Extended ROM image and last but not least... The location+name where the "To-Burn-Image(s)" will be put...





The last step asks us if Remus should perform a ByteSwap operation for the ROM. Our choice will be based on the following:
If you wanna burn the image to a Real Kickstart Image: then choose YES, since we won't need to byteswap it in the EPROM Programmer application - since Amiga requires ByteSwapping procedure for its ROMS).
If you wanna use the image to kick it via MapROM (like for example on ACA6x0/ACA12xx accelerators via ACATune utility): then choose NO, since ACATune and general MapROM applications use normal (non-ByteSwapped) images. In that case... your ROM image is ready to be used so you can kick it right away by using the following line in you Startup-Sequence (according you have an ACA6x0/ACA12xx with ACATune utility installed):
C:ACATune -maprom <path & name of the kick file> <rest options> >NIL:
for example:
C:ACATune -maprom Devs:kick39_mfilos.rom -cache on -burst on >NIL:


If we done everything as intended... We must have 2x Files (since we choose A1200)



A you'll see on the screenshot the files that Remus created based on the filename that I gave was:
  • mfilos_Custom_39.rom_LO.bin
  • mfilos_Custom_39.rom_HI.bin


Bye bye Amiga... Time to use our trusted old PC where we have an El'Cheapo Parallel Willem Programmer.




I won't go as deep as How to Install/Setup the Willem... But we need to choose to burn EPROM of type (at least in my example 27C400)



Next step is to "Load" one of our files (for example the 3.9_LO.bin)




Yey! That was it. File is loaded succesfully so now it's time for us to BURN it by clicking the designated button in the toolbar!



Important: Make sure you're burning an erased by UV EPROM


Next step is to load the next file (for example the 3.9_HI.bin)




And repeat the procedure of Burning it.



--- VOILA! That's it dudes!  ---

Ok for testing your Kickstarts now make sure that...

For A1200
- You insert the EPROM burned from LO file into the U6B Kickstart socket (top)
- You insert the EPROM burned from HI file into the U6A Kickstart socket (bottom)

For A3000 - thx to drbrain for the clarification
- You insert the EPROM burned from LO file into the U181 Kickstart socket (top)
- You insert the EPROM burned from HI file into the U180 Kickstart socket (bottom)

For A4000 - thx to drbrain for the clarification
- You insert the EPROM burned from LO file into the U176 Kickstart socket (bottom)
- You insert the EPROM burned from HI file into the U175 Kickstart socket (top)


OFC you won't notice any difference on your booting since the SetPatch is the same in your Startup-Sequence and the "AmigaOS ROM Update" still exists on your DEVS folder.

Time to change some stuff:
  • Move the file in DEVS: "AmigaOS ROM Update" to another folder, or Rename it to something else.
  • Comment the line you have for SetPatch and insert the following SetPatch declaration instead:
C:SetPatch NOROMUPDATE QUIET

If you had other declarations like me for example:
- C:BPPCFix install >NIL:
or
- C:Morelibspace
you can comment them also if you included them in the Custom 3.9 ROM.

That's all folks. I hope this guide will be useful to someone else but me.


P.S. I'm attaching an example of my Custom Kickstart Remus files (renamed to .txt). You just need to alter the location of the folders if you wanna try them out.
  1. Kickstart 3.9 A1200 Normal ROM Image
  2. Kickstart 3.9 A1200 Extended ROM Image

----------------------------------------------------------------------


EDIT:
Since I was tinkering with creating a Custom Kickstart 3.9 for an Amiga A4000D I found and solved the following problems:

Problem:
A4000 doesn't support >512KB ROMS which can be a problem for custom 1MB ROMS
Solution:
Create your custom rom as a 512KB as my guide says but you exclude the 1MB_ROM module (if you use the 3.1 exec, or 3.9 exec).
We'll leave outside though Workbench.library which is rather big and can't be left out (can be put in hard drive's LIBS: folder with no problem). You'd should include the WBFind module in your ROM as well as it's a module that tells the system that the Workbench.library exists in SYS:Libs

Problem:
Since we're not making an 1MB ROM (we'll only make Normal ROM without Extended), we can't actually use Doobrey's awesome Make_1MB_ROM Arexx script (since it combines normal/extended, and splits and byteswaps according to your need).
Using utilities like most guys suggest in forums (WinHex) is cool, but it was certainly uncool for me to register WinHex (45 euro) just to dissect the 512KB ROM file to even/odd files.
Solution:
After checking Doobrey's script, I managed to realise that you only need to use his tool SplitRROMImage that exists in "Tools" folder under Remus installation folder.
The declaration of the command is fairly simple:

SplitROMImage <your_512kb_rom_name> SWAP
(SWAP is optional and it only ByteSwaps your files for using it under your Eprom Burner)


In my example: SplitROMIMage kick39_a4000.rom SWAP
...created 2 files:
  • kick39_a4000.rom.hi (256kb)
  • kick39_a4000.rom.lo (256kb)

Now you can get these files and burn them to your programer (in 256KB EPROMS).

Note: If you want to write your custom Kickstart to 512KB EPROMS (like 27C400) you'd need to double the HI and LO images (since they are 256KB in size) before burning them or else the Kickstart won't work. To double these images, the easiest way is to use the DOS Command Prompt like this:

C:\> copy kick39_a4000.rom.hi /B+kick39_a4000.rom.hi /B kick39_a4000_512.rom.hi /B
C:\> copy kick39_a4000.rom.lo /B+kick39_a4000.rom.lo /B kick39_a4000_512.rom.lo /B

That way you created 2 new files (kick39_a4000_512.rom.hi and kick39_a4000_512.rom.lo) which now you can burn to the 27C400 EPROMS just fine :)


Disclaimer: I haven't burned this ROMS myself to use them on a real A4000 but others did and it works just fine :)

A1200: Idefix Express mod + more

I thought of updating some pictures of progress since the last YouTube videos don't show the inside pr0n!

So...
In the following picture you can see the ready PicoPSU in Ian's adapter but now trimmed and glued to the custom base along with a 25mm Fan that blows air into PicoPSU's extra copper heatsinks
You can also see DJBase's S-VHS adapter insulated with a tube.



Next picture shows the removal of the embedded connector pins on Idedix Express adapter (in both Idefix+Express adapter) and soldered with a ribbon cable underneath. Aye, the height of the connectors was a definite NO if I wanted the Slim IDE DVD-RW mounted inside the miggy



On the next image, you can clearly see the ACard SCSI to IDE Bridge glued where the Floppy rested and next to the custom Power connectors. Power lines where soldered under the ACard due to height limitations of the original molex power connector.
Underneath there is a an IDE 40pin extension cable that connects to the CF2IDE adapter. In the picture the Floppy Terminator is shown as well along with Ratte's awesome auto AGA/RTG switch.



After receiving an 14cm 44pin cable from AmigaKit, I decided it's time for Idefix Express to gain it's permanent position just above Indivision AGA.
Idefix was hotglued in a custom plastic base and then in some spot over Indivision in order to be able to be removed whenever needed!
You can also see in the top right corner the EZkey PS/2 adapter for all my keyboard needs all this time that the miggy doesn't have it's keyboard attached





Yep!... Slim DVD-RW + CF2IDE adapter + 4GB CF (including OS4.0+Debian PPC) fitted like a glove!!!
That was a long time waiting relief and after powering up and realising that everything worked like a charm... a large smile took place upon my face!



Just before closing tonight's update, take a last look from the side where you can see how tight everything resides in there! WTF... I really can't understand why the fok I decided to go through all that shiz but... if you check my previous post... you will see that the actual photo was 100% implemented as my design was.



That's all for tonight, more updates soon to come.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

A1200: Booting with Custom Kickstart 3.9

YEY! I finally did it!

While waiting some stuff from eBay and AmigaKit to finish some last details on my A1200D PPC I found some time to experiment on custom Kicstarts.
After Gulliver's advices (since in the past I haven't managed to make it happen)... I managed to burn my own OS3.9 Kickstart including BB3+AfA OS along with some BlizKick modules as well!!!

I couldn't imagine the thrill when I powered my Amiga (after altering the Startup-Sequence) without seeing a reboot and everything work like a charm!

Check it out yourself comparing to my last video when I was just testing Ratte's Auto switch!




Thank again Gulliver mate for pointing out some stuff that I have overlooked in Remus Guide.

Soon more to come \o/

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

A1200: ACard installation + more

These days I've been working almost every night on my beloved A1200 so I'd though of a little more update to my Blog

So far I made the following:
  • Removed UMON (AGA/RTG switch) that I had with a manual switch
  • Removed Jumpers plus Fast 10 pin header from Idefix Express Gayle Adapter plus the Fast 10pin header from Idefix Express Adapter since they were messing with the height of the internal DVD-RW. Ofc these were replaced by a ribbon soldered underneath of both PCBs.
  • Installed my spare EZkey that I had after removing some component sockets that would never be used (since they were messing with my BVision) and soldered it with an ultra cool custom PS2 plug that will be installed on the right side (next to USB plug). You can't imagine how convenient is having an external keyboard for messing in the OS while the internal keyboard is not installed. Since space exists... why not?
  • Installed (Finaly!) the ACard (next to my custom power lines). I couldn't believe how perfect it fitted along with an IDE Male-->Female extension cable that I bought in the past. BPPC's SCSI to 50pin M cable mounted also just fine in a custom 3cm 50pin F-F into ACard's socket and everything works perfectly!

I'm attaching a quick video that I took (this time from my Cybershot) showing the auto switching of Ratte's outstanding switch plus some SysInfo drive speed tests on both ACard+Idefix Express after my mods

--------- Video missing here. Will upload again and re-link ---------

If you watch it carefully (around 15-18 secs of the video) you will see that the DVD-RW+CF2IDE adapter that connects to Idefix Express is shown upside down and you'll see that the CF has a weird angle...
Nope I'm not crazy... I did that on purpose since when Idefix will move, and DVD-RW will mount the CF2IDE+CF was giving me a height that wasn't appropriate. That way I managed with an free angle, to be able to stuff CF2IDE under the DVD-RW and just before PicoPSU!!!
Don't laugh with the design. I just took a pic from BBOAH and used paint to just show you how I thought to implement it



Now I'm waiting now a 44pin cable extension from AmigaKit for moving Idefix Express in order to install permanently the internal DVD-RW+CF2IDE adapter. Next steps will be mounting Ratte's switch along with the power connector in a nice custom metal backplate (with the help of Keropi). I'm also waiting a nice 3way (on-off-on) switch from eBay for mounting it in the old UMON's switch position (in case manual switching is required for OS4.0, MOS and Debian).

Soon more to come with some better quality pictures

Monday, November 22, 2010

A1200: Ratte's Auto AGA/RTG Switch arrived

No updates for long due to excessive work and wedding plans ahead...

But today... I received Ratte's Automatic AGA/RTG switch to replace my Amiga's UMON adapter.

The package contained all the necessary stuff for different setups:



After disconnecting the installed cabling into UMON, and after installing Ratte's Switch and Software on User-Startup everything worked like a charm!!!

You can give a quick sneak peak in the following YouTube video that I uploaded some mins ago.




Awesome work Ratte!

...More to come soon...