RamFAST SCSI: Difference between revisions

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Edited csa2 post from Mitchell Spector:
== Information about ROM versions ==
The original RamFAST, produced by CV-Technologies, used a Hitachi processor. When Sequential Systems bought the design and did their own manufacturing, they replaced it with a Zilog processor. The "3.01EZ" ROM firmware put the Zilog CPU (Z180) into Hitachi CPU mode (HD64180).  The 3.01EZ ROM works happily with the CV-Technology card with the Hitachi processor present.


The 3.01E and 3.01EZ ROMs both contain a bug involving the built-in tape backup software's RESTORE function.
The Rev C has two ROMs on it which are known by their position/screenprint U15 and U16.<BR>
You could create a backup with no problem, but it would not be able to restore/write it back. Revision "F" resolved that bug. The 3.01E/EZ ROM is otherwise completely safe to use with hard drives. It does not cause data corruption.
The Rev D has one ROM known as U9<BR>


The 3.01F ROM supersedes the 3.01EZ, it still contains code to make it work with the Zilog processor.
Source: comp.sys.apple2 post from Mitchell Spector:<BR>
<P>The original RamFAST, produced by CV-Technologies, used a Hitachi processor. When Sequential Systems bought the design and did their own manufacturing, they replaced it with a Zilog processor. The "3.01EZ" ROM firmware put the Zilog CPU (Z180) into Hitachi CPU mode (HD64180).  The 3.01EZ ROM works happily with the CV-Technology card with the Hitachi processor present.</P>


<P>The 3.01E and 3.01EZ ROMs both contain a bug involving the built-in tape backup software's RESTORE function.
You could create a backup with no problem, but it would not be able to restore/write it back. Revision "F" resolved that bug. The 3.01E/EZ ROM is otherwise completely safe to use with hard drives. It does not cause data corruption.</P>


Remaining bugs:
<P>The 3.01F ROM supersedes the 3.01EZ, it still contains code to make it work with the Zilog processor.</P>
* The SCSI Utils section has issues with devices >1GB in size:
  Device Size <blank> k
  Space Available <blank> k
  Volume size <blank> k
  To allocate a large partition size (ie the remainder) takes a long time at 1MB increments and could use a short cut.
* The 13th partition (bottom row) has issues with the partition name L -> B/A (depending on whether RamFAST ROM is active or not)
* 32MB partitions are allocated 65536 blocks whereas other non-RamFAST solutions use 65535 blocks which leads to warnings about mismatched volume sizes when copying and restoring volumes between devices/solutions.


=== Known Issues ===


Google drive from Wayne Stewart has the image for Rev C 3.00H. The Rev C has two ROMs on it, U15 and U16.<br>
* The SCSI Utils section has display issues with devices >1GB in size. A rewrite to use megabyte units would get around this.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B9r6vH-4NK4NZGQxMTdkNjEtNWMyMy00NzdkLTg2NjEtOGRlYzllMGU0NzA0?hl=en&resourcekey=0-22qfSNU4gh-8jUEa_5LObg
**  Device Size <blank> k
**  Space Available <blank> k
**  Volume size <blank> k
* To allocate a large partition size (ie the remainder) takes a long time at 1MB increments and could use a short cut.
* The 13th partition (bottom row) has issues with the partition name CVTech.ID0.L -> CVTech.ID0.B or CVTech.ID0.A (depending on whether the RamFAST CVTech ROM partition is active or not)
* 32MB partitions are allocated 65536 blocks whereas other non-RamFAST solutions use the ProDOS limit of 65535 blocks which leads to warnings about mismatched volume sizes when copying and restoring volumes between devices/solutions.
 
== Related Downloads ==
 
More information including a revised manual and firmware images can be found at the [https://mirrors.apple2.org.za/Apple%20II%20Documentation%20Project/Interface%20Cards/SCSI%20Controllers/Sequential%20Systems%20RamFAST%20SCSI/ Apple II Documentation Project]

Latest revision as of 10:57, 6 May 2023

Information about ROM versions

The Rev C has two ROMs on it which are known by their position/screenprint U15 and U16.
The Rev D has one ROM known as U9

Source: comp.sys.apple2 post from Mitchell Spector:

The original RamFAST, produced by CV-Technologies, used a Hitachi processor. When Sequential Systems bought the design and did their own manufacturing, they replaced it with a Zilog processor. The "3.01EZ" ROM firmware put the Zilog CPU (Z180) into Hitachi CPU mode (HD64180). The 3.01EZ ROM works happily with the CV-Technology card with the Hitachi processor present.

The 3.01E and 3.01EZ ROMs both contain a bug involving the built-in tape backup software's RESTORE function. You could create a backup with no problem, but it would not be able to restore/write it back. Revision "F" resolved that bug. The 3.01E/EZ ROM is otherwise completely safe to use with hard drives. It does not cause data corruption.

The 3.01F ROM supersedes the 3.01EZ, it still contains code to make it work with the Zilog processor.

Known Issues

  • The SCSI Utils section has display issues with devices >1GB in size. A rewrite to use megabyte units would get around this.
    • Device Size <blank> k
    • Space Available <blank> k
    • Volume size <blank> k
  • To allocate a large partition size (ie the remainder) takes a long time at 1MB increments and could use a short cut.
  • The 13th partition (bottom row) has issues with the partition name CVTech.ID0.L -> CVTech.ID0.B or CVTech.ID0.A (depending on whether the RamFAST CVTech ROM partition is active or not)
  • 32MB partitions are allocated 65536 blocks whereas other non-RamFAST solutions use the ProDOS limit of 65535 blocks which leads to warnings about mismatched volume sizes when copying and restoring volumes between devices/solutions.

Related Downloads

More information including a revised manual and firmware images can be found at the Apple II Documentation Project

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