AmigaOS Classic 4.1 Update2 fails to install [SOLVED]

[danbeaver]

I have worked on this problem for over a month and with the following hardware (A4000T, CSPPC 128MB ram, +/-Spectrum RTG, Deneb, UW 18Gb HDD, Mediator 3000/4000T, Radeon 9200 256Mb ...) the floppy boots to the CD, the CD starts a multicolored reboot process that ends with purple, the green LED flashes and the cycle starts over again, and again ad nauseum: (purple screen, flashing green power LED, pause,.....). I can get it to install if I remove the Mediator (and FastATA MK-V), but with either those 2 items in the system, it goes into a constant reboot cycle. It is not a termination problem; it is not a "CSPPC boot menu option" problem it is not a "install cards in a certain order" problem, etc. After extensive trial-and-error, it is a "new OS V4.1 U2 PPC boot (soft) ROM that fails to install and/or initailize on my hardware problem." This as per my hours of searching the web is odd; others can use the same hardware with a normal install. To add fuel-to-the-flame of those critics of this thread, I have the same problem on my "new" [only taken out of the original box for this problem] old-stock A4000T using a different HDD, a different CSPPC, using a CF card to boot, and using different SCSI (both 50 & 68-pin) CD-ROM'S.

Any help would be useful, or I've wasted a large chunk of money on incompatible hardware and software.

P.S., OS 3.9 could care less what hardware I have; it just plain works.

[Christopher Follett]

You have to alter something in the CS F1 menu, I cant remember what it is off the top of my head.
Sure someone else will remember.

I had to alter something, I think it may have been the memory, set it slower, maybe to 70ns?
I think purple means error with OS4.1 kickstart. Again it was a while when I tried last.

Also check there is no Deneb flash module active for 3.9, this to can cause issues.

[danbeaver]

I've been through the CSPPC menu many times (maprom-off, 70ns-ram ONLY, all-auto, cdrom-no boot, etc.); I've upgraded the CSPPC ROM ,and downgraded the ROM, but in the end it is with the latest ROM. After all if it's not going to work, at least I have the latest ROM. The Deneb has nothing to do with it. I've left it out and put it in with the install jumper -- it doesn't matter. It is not a Deneb nor a CSPPC issue; remember, if I remove the Mediator and FastATA it works. I can easily do without the FastATA {yes, I've used the A4000T's IDE to boot with with an IDE HDD and CD-ROM}. I am unwilling to live without the Mediator. While I can have a bare-bones A4000T running OS 4.1 (+all upgrades through 4) without the Mediator, it is still useless to run an OS that will only allow Final Writer to run. EVERYTHING I used under 3.9 for home and work, crashes 4.1. If I could get 4.1 just running for the fact IT WAS MORE EXPENSIVE than Windows 7, then I could dual boot and have a very functional up-to-date Amiga. OS 4.1 has an excellent Partition Manager.

-Dan

[tonyw]

I'm not a Classic expert (any more), but does it work OK when you just boot the OS4.1 Update 1 Install CD? Is the problem peculiar to the Update 2 installation?

If it worked OK with Update 1 but not with Update 2, then I would suggest starting again with a fresh installation of Update 1 (on a clean partition), then adding Updates 2, 3, 4 to that.

[Christopher Follett]

I'm not a Classic expert (any more), but does it work OK when you just boot the OS4.1 Update 1 Install CD? Is the problem peculiar to the Update 2 installation?

If it worked OK with Update 1 but not with Update 2, then I would suggest starting again with a fresh installation of Update 1 (on a clean partition), then adding Updates 2, 3, 4 to that.

Isnt classic update 2 already.

[danbeaver]

I was sent an "AmigaOS 4.1 Update 2" CD-ROM (plus a cute plastic-taped floppy), 2 thin manuals and I've been through the material in the Documents directory on the disk after HDD install (No mediator & No FastATA). I have found a lot of stuff, but always come down to the fact that others can use their Mediator and FastATA hardware and I can't even get past booting with mine installed. In fact to use all my boards in Mediator, I had to "dog" down the very latest drivers off the web AND get (2 months of waiting for answers) from AmigaKit to use their EasyNet & their Ethernet 10/100 card under OS 3.9

-Dan

[alekc]

I had similar problem on A4000D. Make sure that there is everything ok with memory on motherboard. Since Mediator reverses some of address space it can result in some nasty errors like this if there is:

• 1. problem with memory like loose contacts
  2. bad winsize setting on the mediator (also check out other jumpers settings)

Hopes this will help. Either way let us know if problem persist.

[Christopher Follett]

I had similar problem on A4000D. Make sure that there is everything ok with memory on motherboard. Since Mediator reverses some of address space it can result in some nasty errors like this if there is:

• 1. problem with memory like loose contacts
  2. bad winsize setting on the mediator (also check out other jumpers settings)

Hopes this will help. Either way let us know if problem persist.

Aye Winsize can be a pain, .

[danbeaver]

I have used two different CSPPC boards (one with a 200MHz 604e and one with a 233MHz 604e, both with 68060 @ 50MHz) with 2 different sets of memory (70NS and 60NS); always set at 70NS, NoMap, etc.. I've tried all of the jumper settings including those not recommended by Elbox on the Mediator; I've tried an empty (no boards at all) on the Mediator.

-Dan

[alekc]

I have used two different CSPPC boards (one with a 200MHz 604e and one with a 233MHz 604e, bout with 68060 @ 50MHz) with 2 different sets of memory (70NS and 60NS); always set at 70NS, NoMap, etc.. I've tried all of the jumper settings including those not recommended by Elbox on the Mediator; I've tried an empty (no boards at all) on the Mediator.

-Dan

You haven't read my post carefully: I was referring to memory on motherboard not CSPPC board. Secondly have you tried to switch Mediator card and test the whole system with different one (not the bus board)? I had a bad luck and one card just got burned. Elbox exchanged it immediately without any problems as the warranty was still void. However theoretically there could be something wrong with the Mediator bus board itself. Another test I'd do is to switch bus boards from other system that you know is working fine. I still bet the problem is some loose contact somewhere...