exxos's Atari, Amiga & retro forum

I've socketed the CPU, retested the machine as ok, and installed TF536 with firmware tf536r2_main_top_ATARI-64MB_FULL_PHASE_7.jed or with from 30 sep 2020 or from 04 OCT 2020. I can boot one thing only, of all the games on my gotek, only AIRSUPPORT2 will boot. Seems that this loader is a simple sector slurper. At any rate, that nearly runs.

I started to suspect that perhaps I need a later TOS to get traction here? I can burn the roms, but wanted some feedback if possible. At present I'm playing with the machine with the original 68000 installed, hoping for guidance.

Best,

Jeff

What version of TOS are you running?

For the TF536 2.06 is the minimum, but this needs a ROM address decoder.

Games and 030 CPU speeder is not a good idea on the Atari ST

Many of PP's conversions to work from a hard disk will work, though not necessarily with the TF536 as it's not a TT or Falcon. I've found the compatibility mixed.

I think someone said those games load chunks of TOS104 to run in TOS206, so TOS104 stuff just won't run on a 030 CPU.. So on that basis, no games patched by PP will work on the TF536.

exxos wrote: 13 Feb 2021 18:20 I think someone said those games load chunks of TOS104 to run in TOS206, so TOS104 stuff just won't run on a 030 CPU.. So on that basis, no games patched by PP will work on the TF536.

It depends. Many of them actually do as he's fixed the stack frame issues for the 680x0 (where x > 0).

Many of the ones which run on the TT do run on the TF, but by no means all. Some of those which don't run on the TT run under TOS 2.06 on the TF.\

@Technoid6502 If your goal is to have games with 100% compatibility you need to be looking at a 68000 booster, not a 68030. The only reason Amigas seem to run 'OK' with games and a 68030 is because WHDLOAD software patches the games for support.

Steve wrote: 13 Feb 2021 19:22 @Technoid6502 If your goal is to have games with 100% compatibility you need to be looking at a 68000 booster, not a 68030. The only reason Amigas seem to run 'OK' with games and a 68030 is because WHDLOAD software patches the games for support.

Also, for a lot of the time the Amiga was around there was a variety of CPUs in use. Therefore, fewer games assumed a specific CPU and chipset and cut corners.

PP's loader does a similar thing to WHDLoad but it's far more rudimentary.

My goal is the fastest and most capable machine I can make for use with MiNT (a BSD derivative). Gaming is of no interest.
At present I have only a floppy drive to boot from and I read here that floppy I/O is broken with the TF536? If this is so it could explain some things, as well as the fact that I have TOS version 1.4 (Rainbow) installed in the machine. I intend to upgrade to 2.06 to get around that.

Best,

jeff

Technoid6502 wrote: 15 Feb 2021 18:17 I read here that floppy I/O is broken with the TF536?

There hasn't been much testing on Atari, but I think some people have problems and some don't. My original TF536 had floppy issues, but the second one built doesn't seem to..I am not sure why yet as my first one I can't get working at all now, and not had chance to look into it yet. But TBH if your fitting to a original machine your going to have a lot more problems getting the machine "up to spec" with all the mandatory fixes first.