exxos's Atari, Amiga & retro forum

frank.lukas wrote: 28 Oct 2021 14:07

frank.lukas wrote: 28 Oct 2021 12:58 You can use your IDE drives over a USB/IDE Adapter/Controller ...

a option for your slim drives?

Yes, it is an option.

But it would be then:

Slim to ATA adapter + ATA to USB adapter + dual USB bracket (one USB port for the internal optical drive and the other for external peripherals).

It looks quite complicated for just an internal multidrive...

Played a bit with my PAK68/3 to realise it will take more time than expected to make it work...

I had a black screen with J5 jumper (PAK enabled) closed,so I removed J5 to boot with the MC68HC000 fitted on the PAK but the result was the same.

I then swapped the low-consumption CPU for the usual MC68000 only to be greeted with a black screen too.

I then tampered with other jumpers and my Mega ST managed to boot until the memory test and froze.

I shut the Mega St down, tried again with the same settings but it was a no go as the black screen came back.

I tried again 5 minutes later and the machine booted and then froze again.

The only setting letting me to boot intermittently is with the J9 jumper (CPUCLK) completely removed (???) and the MC68HC000 fitted. The Mega even once got to the Desktop.

I will have to check and test my PAK in my Atari STE, as it is stable, but I have to fit the Winslow socket on the PU_STE buffer board before.

Pak 68/3 boards can be tricky. I had a lot of fun fitting one into my STacy.

There are several forum members who have Pak boards installed in
various machines, so if you have specific questions, ask away. I'm
sure someone will jump in and help.

Good luck. :)

When use the PAK 3.06 Rom there must be a TOS 1.04 on the Mainboard. I not know does it work with TOS 1.6x on the STE?

I have a PAK68/3 and I have run it in a MegaST. But only in 40MHz.

frank.lukas wrote: 30 Oct 2021 18:55 When use the PAK 3.06 Rom there must be a TOS 1.04 on the Mainboard. I not know does it work with TOS 1.6x on the STE?

I will have to discover that... :)

HigashiJun wrote: 30 Oct 2021 22:57

frank.lukas wrote: 30 Oct 2021 18:55 When use the PAK 3.06 Rom there must be a TOS 1.04 on the Mainboard. I not know does it work with TOS 1.6x on the STE?

I will have to discover that... :)

Never tried it without them but my Pak 68/3 equipped STacy does have the TOS v1.4 ROMs on the motherboard...

Had some time today to work on my PAK68/3.

I checked all the GALs and two of them were not programmed, so I have programmed them all just in case.

I have also changed the old 32Mhz oscillator to a new one.

Some improvements, but it still needs some extra work...


The PAK boots with J5 jumper removed (and there is no need to remove J9 jumper) and I can move the mouse cursor, but if I press the left mouse button or place the cursor on the upper menu, my Mega ST freezes.

I will now have to change the line drivers to "F" types and see the result.

You probably already have these but just in case:






One of the big things the manual stresses is enough grounding for the bus. It
recommends more than one. I have 3 on mine.

HTH's.

HigashiJun wrote: 05 Nov 2021 09:18 The PAK boots with J5 jumper removed (and there is no need to remove J9 jumper) and I can move the mouse cursor, but if I press the left mouse button or place the cursor on the upper menu, my Mega ST freezes.

Blitter access?

BW