RE: upgraded to NetBSD1.4.1 and a lot more problems!

[Ben Bogart - FMPM/F1999 <bbogart%acs.ryerson.ca@localhost>]

On Wed, 5 Jan 2000, Michael L. Hitch wrote:

> Ben Bogart <bbogart%acs.ryerson.ca@localhost> writes: 
> > I downloaded netbsd1.4.1 and installed and the first strange thing i 
> > noticed is the console 
> > screen (grf3) when in it's default resolution (640x480 or something) The 
> > pixels shimmer.
> > Like the interlace feilds are not regestered properly. Disapears on this 
> > 800x600 and 1024x768
> 
>   I think the clock frequency has been changed slightly so that the display
> works on monitors which are more picky about the VGA scan rate.

Makes sense, just not too easy on the eyes!
 
> > modes. I'm getting a message in boot up -- no battery backed up clock (it 
> > did work before on netbsd1.3.2 prior to 2000. Now the real problems. Netbsd 
> > 1.4.1 find the extra 8MB of FAST RAM on my 
> 
>   The clock is the y2k bug that was found in the clock read routine - you will
> need to rebuild your kernel with the patch for that.

No problem, could be worse!

> > Microbotics 8UP card. This card was ignored by netbsd 1.3* When running X 
> > (via xdm) all works 
> > when logging in but as soon as any program is run from X the machine 
> > freezes, no cursor movement,
> > no panic just frozen. As I've had troubles with this mem card i decided to 
> > see if removing it would fix the problem. So i took out the card and tried 
> > again. This time the same exact thing happend but i was able to run a few 
> > programs first. ie I was able t
> > 
> > What can i do about this? Is there some kind of strange hardware problem 
> > with my system? 
> > Can i compile a kernel to fix it? Mem leak? 
> > IS the Microbotics 8UP ram card supposed to work at all with netbsd? I've 
> > had no problems with 
> > the board under AmigaOS.
> 
>   I'll guess that your bootblock (or loadbsd options) include the -n2 option.
> I don't think the A3000 and A4000 systems will work with Zorro II memory.
> I know that the Microbotics 8UP memory will not work on my A4000 (and neither
> does the GVP HardCard memory).  The memory appears to work quite well when
> statically mapped (for bounce-buffer support on Zorro II DMA devices), but
> does not work for page-faulting.  Try running without the -n2 option and see
> if it works any better.

I believe the bootblock does use the n2 option. It would not suprise me 
at all if it does not work, but i removed the card and i still got Kernel 
panics and X froze. I've left the system off overnight and I will try it 
again this afternoon, If it works with the 8UP card inside I will be 
happy but Im weary.

Thanks for your time.

> Michael
> ---
> Michael L. Hitch                        mhitch%montana.edu@localhost
> Computer Consultant,  Information Technology Center
> Montana State University, Bozeman, MT     USA
> 

Ben Bogart
NetBSD 1.4.0, GENERIC Kernel, Amiga 3000, 24MB Ram, 2.1GB HD, EGS Spectrum Card.

"CPU clock speed is nothing--system architecture is everything."
 - John Blommers, Hewlett-Packard