Re: TWGS questions

[supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer)]

brian.hammack@rook.wa.com (Brian Hammack) wrote:

>Hey all...  I just acquired a TransWarp GS card and for the most part
>it works nicely, but I keep getting these lockups.  Yes, I RTFFAQ to
>see what I could come up with on my own.  Then I discovered something:

Nathan's FAQ is rather old and has non-current info about the
TWGS as recent discussions have shown.
 
>I downloaded a bunch of TWGS doodads off apple.cabi.net thinking maybe
>something out there could help me.  (Used PT31, since Spectrum locks up
>shortly after launch.)  Tried to unshrink the files, and all the
>standard texts unpacked but the computer locked when it came to CDevs.
>GSHK unpacks the data, creates the filename, and dies without ever
>writing anything more to it (icon info on the forked files it tries
>to create as having nothing in them, half a K on disk).

If PT31 and other 8-bit software works fine but 16 bit software
like Spectrum or GSHK locks up, then the CPU is failing.
Older 65C816 CPUs were notorious for selectively failing in
16-bit mode when they started to go downhill.  In fact, if you
overclocked the old CPU, they began to fail at precisely those
16-bit instructions.  That's why the need to replace the GALs
with "slowdown" GALs that trapped the 16-bit instruction that
caused the problems and allowed them extra time to work with
a "slowdown."

A new 65C816 (14Mhz version) not only is capable of going
faster, but because of the redesign, it no longer fails faster
at those old icky 16-bit instructions.  Thus, the replacement
GALs are no longer needed.  Also, a new CPU will fix your
problem.
 
>This leads me to believe that I can't write a resource fork.  :-/

Well, GSHK is a 16-bit program, so a failing 65C816 will
first show up in GSHK and other GS/OS programs BEFORE
8-bit programs like PT3.1.
 
>Vital data:  It's a ROM 1.5w 8S.  7MHz and 8 megs cache according to
>TWGS Reporter (yeah, had to put the CPU in, unpack, put the TWGS in,
>fire up...).  I have the TWGS2B GAL and the RamFast doesn't balk.
>The CPU is indeed a WDC so I'm fine according to the Accel.FAQ; the
>daughter board is a Revision A (c) 1989.  The crystal is 28.00 MHz.

The old "bad" "slow" 65C816 chips were also from WDC.

If they have "-14" printed on it, then you are ok.  Unless
your CPU is failing (but again, the new chips fail 8-bit
instructions and 16-bit ones at the same time when they
become faulty or are overclocked).
 
>Anyone know why I'm having these problems?  Would a newer (1.8) ROM
>help?  Where might I find one short of Germany?

v1.5 ROMs are FINE.  You can go the full 15 or 16Mhz
with your current ROMs.

Just replace the CPU.