RamFAST SCSI: Difference between revisions

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(Reformatted everything and clarified downloads.)
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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.
Source: comp.sys.apple2 post from Mitchell Spector:<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.
<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>


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


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


Remaining bugs:
=== Known Issues ===
* The SCSI Utils section has issues with devices >1GB in size:
 
  Device Size <blank> k
* The SCSI Utils section has display issues with devices >1GB in size. A rewrite to use megabyte units would get around this.
  Space Available <blank> k
**  Device Size <blank> k
  Volume size <blank> k
**  Space Available <blank> k
  To allocate a large partition size (ie the remainder) takes a long time at 1MB increments and could use a short cut.   
**  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)
* 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.
* 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.




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>
=== Firmware Downloads ===
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B9r6vH-4NK4NZGQxMTdkNjEtNWMyMy00NzdkLTg2NjEtOGRlYzllMGU0NzA0?hl=en&resourcekey=0-22qfSNU4gh-8jUEa_5LObg
 
[https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B9r6vH-4NK4NZGQxMTdkNjEtNWMyMy00NzdkLTg2NjEtOGRlYzllMGU0NzA0?hl=en&resourcekey=0-22qfSNU4gh-8jUEa_5LObg Wayne Stewart's Google Drive] is hosting the firmware images.
* The Rev C has two ROMs on it
** U15 latest version is 3.00H
** U16 latest version is 2.01
* The Rev D has one ROM
** U9 latest version is 3.01F

Revision as of 21:40, 4 May 2023

Information about ROM versions

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 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.


Firmware Downloads

Wayne Stewart's Google Drive is hosting the firmware images.

  • The Rev C has two ROMs on it
    • U15 latest version is 3.00H
    • U16 latest version is 2.01
  • The Rev D has one ROM
    • U9 latest version is 3.01F
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