Re: ROM 1 better than ROM 3?

[thoang@orion.oac.uci.edu (Trangdaithi Hoang)]

In article <25NOV199411544406@vax2.concordia.ca>,
Mitchell Spector <spector@vax2.concordia.ca> wrote:

>	Compatibility? What recent programs are not ROM 3 compatible?
>Virtually all post-1990 software released has been made to work on
>either ROM version, older programs which are not compatible (games, demos)
>have been patched. I can only think of a handful of software titles which
>still won't run from my ROM 3. What sort of incompatibilities does DOCVu
>2.0 have?

DOCVu 2.0 works fine on a ROM 3 as long as you don't move the mouse.
Moving the mouse messes up the screen.  I've been told by a Digital
Exodus member that DOCVu 2.0 doesn't access the mouse and that it
might be caused by the differences in how the ROM 1 and ROM 3 shadow 
memory.  There's also at least one new program in the works that has
a similar graphics problem.  It also has a mouse problem with DOCVu
2.0 loaded.  The ROM 1 has no problems running these programs.

>As for the 8mb RAM problem, System 6.0.1 fixes that bug so it's possible 
>to create a RamDisk with that amount of memory. Even so, how many people 
>need/want that amount of memory in a IIgs system? Especially when
>adding the 6th, 7th or 8th Meg on a ROM 3 will force you to turn off DMA.
>Speaking of which, the ROM 01 is only DMA compatible to 4megs RAM... ;-)

Some people, like myself, are stuck with an 8 MB ram card that they
would like to take full advantage of.  This can't be done on a ROM 3
without loading System 6.0.1 with the /RAM5 bug fix.  This is not
possible for me right now because I'm running off of 3.5" floppy.
As for DMA, both the ROM 1 and ROM 3 can address up to 8 MB of
expansion memory with the first 4 MB being DMA compatible.  With a
Ramfast Rev. D you have separate options for enabling/disabling the
first 4 MB of expansion memory and the last 4 MB of expansion memory.
So, no, you're not forced to turn off DMA with more than 4 MB of
expansion memory.

>	Back on software incompatibilities, I've actually found software
>which runs on my ROM 3 but not the ROM 01. Try loading "Teenage Queen"
>on a ROM 01, takes quite a number of boots before it'll load up without
>crashing. Runs perfectly on my ROM 3... :) 

There must be something wrong with your disk or ROM 1.  I tried it on
the ROM 1 I have sitting here and it booted and ran fine five out of
five tries.