Entry 0733: Blog: 1

Some two year ago now ( maybe longer ) I was tempted by a 
guy on Amibench to buy his A4000T. Cost me over £700 and
a whole Sunday travelling North to pick up the computer
On my return it didn`t work. The fan was not working to
the PPC and I feared the worse. I have tried on numerous
occasions to try and get the computer working. I seemed
to spend months on the forums asking what I could do. In
the end I decided that it was busted and I started to
reuse some of the kit.....

We move to today ( or yesterday ) Having determined that
there was a busted floppy I decided to buy a replacement
and have one last go. I also pondered over the jumper
settings, and have by my side here the bit of paper that
started this whole latest adventure off on its tumble.
I realised that to get the Cyberstorm MKII working on the 
4000T as an alternative to the PPC I needed to change 
jumpers 100 and 104. So I dragged the sad old A4000T to
the workbench and did just that.

Nothing... I mean nothing. And then when I was just about to
remove the card I noticed the ribbon connector was looking
dodgy to the floppy. It literally fell apart in my hand..
And then there was a click and the boot screen appeared on
the screen... I near collapsed. Shock. I quickly grabbed a
spare floppy and ribbon and managed to retain the boot screen.
It then died again. I messed around a bit with the processor
connector and then I got a purple screen... Then a green 
screen and eventually the actual boot screen. Then off again.
I played even more until it was stable.. I rushed up here
and copied the A4000T boot disk and paused with my heart
in my mouth... And amazingly the machine booted.. I was using
an old 1080 monitor. My heart was racing and I got very 
excited... I got to thinking whether the Cyberstorm PPC
had actaully burnt out, or was it the floppy...

Anyway I installed the CyberstormPPC and to my amazement
the card sprung to life along with the small fan that had
been dormant since day one... The machine booted. No 
hard drive... So I thought this was dead.... Then I fiddled
with the connector and it too came to life. It was as if the
A4000T was rising from a coma. I installed the PicassoIV
and Concierto and connected the PC monitor. The machine 
booted into the OS3.9 and I was greeted by the OS3.9 logo.
Next up I refitted the X-Surf and Hypercom card. Using
SysInfo the speed went off the chart...

' SHE WAS ALIVE ' And another Amiga returns from the dead.

Was I shocked ? Yup.. My goodness. Words could not explain
how I felt... This has been without doubt the best ever
Amiga weekend of my life. The computer is still running
as it has since I first got her working.. You have to
celebrate. My oh my... There is an Amiga god.

The pictures below don`t show the fans working, but trust
me they are.. And the spec below is now fully in place.

Keep the Faith


The A4000T Specification

Central Processing Unit: MC68060 49.9 MHz (rev 1)
1 WarpUP Processor(s): PPC 604e 200 MHz (rev 2.4), 66 MHz busclock
Floating Point Unit: 68060fpu 49.9 MHz
Memory Management Unit: 68060mmu running
Custom graphics chip: AGA Lisa 4203 (rev 0)
Custom animation chip: AGA PAL Alice 8374 2M (rev 3-4)
Other custom chip(s): Paula 8364 (rev 0), Ramsey (rev 15), Gary (rev 0)
Graphics system: Picasso96
Graphics board(s): Picasso IV [Paloma Concierto]
Soundcard(s): Concierto
Hardware Clock: clock + battmem found
Max. Chipmem available: 2048 K
Max. Fastmem available: 130048 K
ROM chip version: 45.20 (Kickstart 3.9)
Workbench version: 45.3 (Workbench 3.9)
SetPatch version: 44.38
Expansion board(s):
5001/6: individual Computers/VMC HyperCOM Z4 (@$00E90000 64k)
4626/23: individual Computers X-Surf (@$00EA0000 64k)
2167/24: Village Tronic Picasso IV (@$40000000 32M)
8512/100: Phase 5 Digital Products CyberStorm PPC/MK III SCSI
(@$00F01060 128k)
Cyberstorm PPC serial #: DCC0270

The camera can`t capture the tiny fans going
round, but believe me they are... whoo hoo !!!

Entry 0733: Blog: 2

I finally got the galleries updated for another session. This
one has been particularly long and hard, and the kit a little
more varied than normal. I managed to tick off three more 
machines that I have been struglleing to get, the Alice, 
Enterprise and the Atari 800. The only outstanding computer
from my original hit list not in the collection now is the
Acorn Atom. I will get one, but it'll be a while me thinks.
I am going to concentrate more now on Amiga related kit.

The range of computers this time around focused very much
on the birth of handhelds and laptops. The small portfolio
ranges brought out by Atari, Amstrad and Acorn are quite
interesting, though quite unusable in todays terms. The 
early laptop styles, particulary the luggables, show just
how the hardware needed to change to make this format
work. Very interesting that the IBM and the like had
plasma screen. I do like these as design ideas. I wasn`t
so pleased when the Compaq blew up... Funny now.

Anyway, there we have it. Another update complete and
already three more computer waiting here for next time.
Time to go ' Amiga ' again me thinks. I have been rewarded
this weekend with a working Amiga, and I should celebrate
that fact.

Enjoy browsing... After all thats what this is really 
all about.

Commodore C386SX-LT - Amstrad NC200 - Amstrad Laptop - Acorn PocketBook

Atari 800 - Atari Portfolio - Enterprise 64 - Alice

Sanyo MBC-550 - IBM PS/2 Luggable - Compaq III - OpalVision

COMPUTERS:

Acorn A3010 boxed
Acorn A3010 with modem
Acorn Pocket Book
Amstrad Alt386-SX Laptop
Amstrad NC200 Notebook
Amstrad Pen Pad PDA 600
Atari 600XL
2nd Atari 600XL
Atari 800
Atari Portfolio HPC-004
Commodore C386SX-LT Laptop
Compaq Portable III Luggable
2nd Compaq Portable III Luggable
Enterprise 64 boxed
IBM PS/1 with monitor, mouse and keyboard
IBM Luggable PS/2 P70
Matra and Hachett - Alice
Sanyo MBC550 plus hardbound binders and keyboard
Sega Mega CD II
Sega Mega Drive

AMIGA CARDS:
A2386SX Bridgeboard
OpalVision Graphics Card
Amiga 1050 Expansion for the A1000 boxed
Amiga PCMCIA Network card and kit.
PicassoIV Vers.1.2
2 x A4000 Daughterboards
Cyberstorm MKII
Phase 5 SCSI Module
Catweasel Z-11 MK 2
Oktagon 2008
A3640 Processor Card

AMIGA:
GT-916 Genitizer
Amiga Audio Digitiser
Amiga 601 RAM Expansion Guide
Kyrandia - Fables and Friends - Westwood
Psyngnosis Games Rare Boxed -
Anarchy - Psygnosis
Atomino - Psygnosis
Armour Geddon - Psygnosis
Cruise for a Corpse - Delphine
RoboCop 3 - The Hit Squad
Super Tetris - Spectrum HoloByte
Immortal - Electronic Arts
Amiga Forever - Cloanto CD Version 5.0
A4000 keyboard
A4000 Internal Floppy Drive
2 x A4000 PSUs
Amiga Workbench 1.3
Amiga Format Cover CDs 21,22,24
IDE Fix 1993
IDE Fix - 1993 1996 Elborate Bytes
SCSI Tools Version 2.2 - Phase 5
Village Tronic - Install PicassoIV

AMIGA MAGAZINES:
47 CU Amiga
9 Amiga Shopper
3 Amiga Power
35 Amiga Computing
62 Amiga Format
3 Your Computer
25 Amiga Active
2 Zero
6 The One
9 Amiga World
27 AUI
2 ST Amiga
1 ST Format

ACORN:
RisC OS User Guide
RisC Application Software 1 and 2
An Introduction to the RisC OS

AMSTRAD
Amstrad Machine Language - Joe Pritchard
Amstrad CPC 6128 Manual - User Instructions
CPM Plus
Amstrad Notebook Computer NC200 Manual

ATARI:
Mega Computer Manual
Atari TrakBall
Two button mouse

COMMODORE:
C128 Controller
An Introduction to your new Pet - 2001 Series
PractiCalc64 5.25" disk plus manual
C64 Games System Software Manual
Inventory 64 5.25" disk plus manual
Anagram Software for the C64
C64 Step by Step Programming - Phil Cornes
ScreenShot Graphics Pack
GEOS 128 v2 & BASIC 8 EPROM
GEOmakeBoot 5.25" disk plus manual - Creative Micro Designs

Commodore Games:
Rally Driver - Alternative
Turbo OutRun - Sega
Quattro Adventure - Codemasters
Arnie - Zeppelin
Yogi Bear - HiTec
River Rescu - Alternative
Super Hang On - Hit Squad
Ninja Scooter Simulator - Silverbird
SummerCamp - Kixx
Golden Egg Cup - Mastertronic
BMX 2 - Codemasters
Moontorc - Atlantis
SWAG - Micromania
Quattro Coin Ops - Codemasters
ProPowerBoat - Codemasters
Trio - Sparklers
Paperboy - Encore
StreetWarriors - Silverbird
Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge - GBH
Commodore Action Pack 2
Sanxion - Hewson
Atlantis Gamepacks 1 and 2

SEGA:
Megadrive Games:
SONIC 2 - Sega
Rocket Knight Adventures - Konami
Claifornia Games - Sega
Sonic the Hedgehog - Sega
Road Rash - Electronic Arts
Global Gladiators - Virgin
FIFA 97 - Electronic Arts
Batman Returns - Sega
Super Hang-On - Sega
Mega CD Games: Road Avenger - Sega
Jaguar XJ220 - Core
Terminator - Virgin
Genesis Games:
QuackShot - Sega
Alien 3 - Arena International
PGA Tour Golf - Electronic Arts

SINCLAIR
Programming your ZX Spectrum - Tim Hartnell
Spectrum +3 Manual
Spectrum +2 Manual
Sinclair ZXSpectrum BASIC Programming
ZXSpectrum+ User Guide
ZX81 Learning Lab
Programming Arcade Games on the Spectrum - Adrian Jones
River Raid - Activision
Tasword Two - Tasman Software
Make a Chip - Incognito
Data Genie - ACL AudioGenic
Finance Manager - OCP
Address Manager - OCP
Griffin Software Wordspell
Spectrum Machine Code Made Easy - Paul Holmes
Advanced Spectrum Machine Language - Melbourne House
Spectrum Machine Language for the Absolute Beginner
Spectrum Graphics and Sound - Steve Money

TANDY:
GT16 - Graphics Tablet

MAGAZINES GENERAL:

Retro Gamer Load 31
Retro Gamer Load 32
Retro Gamer Load 33
Retro Gamer Load 34
Imagine FX - Dec 2006
Imagine FX - Christmas 2006
Imagine FX - Feb 2007
3D World - Feb 2007
3D World - March 2007
Games TM The Legend of Nintendo
Micromart - 9 copies

COMIX:
Witchblade 98
Elektra 18,19,20,21,24,25

WINDOWS:
Adobe Type Manager
IBM DOS 3.2 User Guide and Quick Ref Guide

MODERN STUFF:
Guildwars - Nightfall - NC Soft
World of WarCraft - Blizzard
Belkin G+ Wireless Card
TP Link Wireless Card
Disgo 2GB memory stick
BTHomeHub

Entry 0733: Blog: 3

This is a first for Micro Mart... A free CD on the cover.
For just £1.99 you really can`t beat Micro Mart particularly
as it carries Amiga related articles..

There is a bit in this issue about how Vista has ' underwhelmed '
on the basis that most folk are gonna need to get a new computer
to really benefit from the full version. They point out that
having asked one retailer about Vista, they admitted that in one
particular store they had managed to sell just twenty copies of
Vista since its launch.

The Amiga section talks about ' Gaming Essentials ' and Super Stardust

' Team 17 managed a major coup when it managed to sign Bloodhouse's
AGA update to the smash hit Stardust on the A500. As well as
the graphically upgraded version for the A1200 and A4000, Team 17
commissioned a further set of upgrades in the sound and video
departments to create the CD32 version. '

I found this game so easy to both get into and to use. It
really did show in its day what was happening with interactive
movement of graphics in games. I just loved it. Consequently
I guess when I have posted this I will have to grab the
game from the vault... Excellent.

Entry 0733: Blog: 4

More on this game later, but my first thoughts are not
that good. Saying that I thought FFVII was crap to 
start with.. Heh heh :-)

The game teases you with bits of FFVII music FFX character
styles but without the same game intro's that sucked you
straight down the gaming tube. I think Square have been
playing too much World of Warcraft to be honest. I get
the notion of wondering through an environment and
killing stuff ( yawn ) but what I actually need is a 
good story and not pointless meandering around. Tomb
Raider ( version one ) still holds for me the greatest
environmental exploration prize for interesting scenery.
FFVII did get close at times, particularly with the
diverse locations. This game may get there eventually
but at the moment I have not warmed to the characters,
and there really isn`t a story yet. Saying that the
scenes where the new province owner talks to the
crowds was very very good.. He would have been a
better hero to be honest. You can`t personlise
the names either, and the levelling up and weapon
and skill acquisition looks so complicated, but then
it always is. 

I was lucky enough to get the last hard backed limited
edition guide from the shop. I generally get way into
the game before I even open the book. 

switch images

The game is rated 16+ which is a bit of a shame. No idea
why. No doubt it will pick up, but didn`t grab me straight
away. Saying that I have been somewhat distracted by the
A4000T this weekend. That's why I say more on this subject
later.

AND FINALLY... Lara is back. My goodness what a wonderful
weekend for anyone with a thurst for computers and gaming.

You really do need a fast connection for this one I guess.
Check out the compass at the bottom which is fixed to
your mouse movement.... The sexy chick in the middle is
Lara... But then I guess you would have known that.

http://www.tombraider.com/