@bernd_afa
I ran the memtester program on both of my 512MB ram modules in both of the memory slots. I let it run for 10 hours each time and the memory tests out OK. I think that the requirement that the keyboard be plugged into one specific connector is so that UBoot can easily find it. There is probably some minimal USB code in UBoot that looks for the keyboard in one location. There are no PS/2 connectors on the SAM Flex.
ACube has posted a Linux install CD on their WEB site for SAM Flex users to install and confirm that this graphics corruption is an OS 4.1 problem. We are waiting for Barret to get his Linux installed so he can confirm that Linux works with no graphics corruption. I suggest that everyone be patient, help Barret get his Linux up and running and see what results he gets.

_________________
X1000 with 2GB memory & OS4.1FE

@Xenic

I should have the Flex up and running dual boot within a couple days or so. I must have chosen the wrong filesystem (FFS with long filename support) for my OS4 boot partition so Parthenope can't see it. I gather I need to make a small SFS partition at the beginning of the HD with the Kickstart directory and Parthenope only on it and go from there.

I have it running standalone Linux right now but I don't know the command to start KDE or whatever GUI it runs. It's a little different than my Ubuntu machine

Debian/Sam Flex installation directions are spotty too for the inexperienced. Will post more in the next day or so. I will say the Flex with OS4 is a nice combo though!

-Jeff

@Xenic

The cause for the graphics corruption has not been identified yet and may not be related to AmigaOS 4.1, it may be a configuration issue. Time will tell.

_________________

@Xenic

>I ran the memtester program on both of my 512MB ram modules in both of the >memory slots. I let it run for 10 hours each time and the memory tests out OK

ok, then the 1 gb ram datatransfer from and to ram seem ok.

But the issue that data during transfer to ram or from ram get corrupt are still possible for GFX Card.

When you look with a system monitor on what adress your gfx card is, you can give this address the memchecker.but add 20 bemagebyte to it, not that your screen is overwritten.I hope the OS4 memory protect forbid not to write to unalloc gfx addresses.

my guess is also that the voltage on GFX card maybe get too low, because the connect in the Sam layout are too weak to give enough power to GFX Card.power supply voltege get spikes and when there are more things that need power on sam connectet, then spicers get so much that it cause visible mailfunctions.

On my classic amiga i get also some times stripes and bad pixels.i have then measure voltage and there are only 4,3 Volts on a Z3 card.i must then remove the power connecter and clean the pins, then it work better.

but of course your sam and powersupply is new, clean the pins is not necessary.
I only want say, that problems you get look like low voltage problems maybe from layout, not enough capacitors to make a spike free powersupply voltage to a component or semething else.

but if you have you can try out another power supply, voltage can differ from 0,01 -0.05 so you can maybe notice problem get better or not.

Last edited by bernd_afa on 16-Jun-2009 at 08:40 AM.
Last edited by bernd_afa on 16-Jun-2009 at 08:28 AM.

@bernd_afa
Then please explain why the Flex (apparently) works fine using Linux. Does Linux demand less power from the graphics card?

_________________
Author of the PortablE programming language.
It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue...

@all

Actually since removing the SATA connector from the DVDR drive seems to solve the graphic issues for me with 4.1, I guess I don't really need to continue with the Linux install.

@Xenic

Quote:

With 1GB installed on my SAM Flex I get small black dots at random spots throughout the display. Some dots will appear in text areas, others in graphic areas. If I click WorkBench or window icons; small black dots appear in the area surrounding the icon image. Clicking an icon on and off can produce black dots at slightly different locations around the icon.

Just as a data point: I received an AmigaKit pre-built Flex, 1 GB, 9250 video, 1280x1024, no compositing. The small black dots immediately were there.

As suggested earlier in this thread, I added +RB to the tooltypes in Radeon Monitor icon.
The black dots have not been seen since.

Tom

@ChrisH
Quote:

Then please explain why the Flex (apparently) works fine using Linux.

I haven't heard of anyone who has the SAM Flex graphics corruption get Linux installed for testing purposes. From what I've seen on the AmigaWorld & Amigans forums, several are trying to install Linux and some have so far failed. Nobody that I know of has reported that graphics corruption appears with OS4.1 but disappears when running Linux. Have you seen a report like that? Check the post by Hyperionmp as well.

_________________
X1000 with 2GB memory & OS4.1FE

@tbreeden
Quote:

As suggested earlier in this thread, I added +RB to the tooltypes in Radeon Monitor icon.

I tried that once but it had no effect. I'm using 1024x768 resolution but will try your suggestion again to see if it has any effect.

_________________
X1000 with 2GB memory & OS4.1FE

@bernd_afa
Quote:

ok, then the 1 gb ram datatransfer from and to ram seem ok.

No. I tested the 512MB modules seperately to determine if one of them was bad. I need to go to work soon, but I'll run memtester with both modules installed (1GB) overnight tonight. After reading the post by Hyperionmp, I'm inclined to agree that some of your suggested causes may be correct. It doesn't seem logical to me that removing the Optical drive SATA connector would cure a problem caused by software. I'm no expert though.

Last edited by Xenic on 16-Jun-2009 at 05:09 PM.

_________________
X1000 with 2GB memory & OS4.1FE

@Barret
Quote:

ok, then the 1 gb ram datatransfer from and to ram seem ok.

So you are willing to keep potentially defective hardware. You will be satisfied with opening your computer to remove a memory module and reconnect the SATA cable if your system partition fails and you need to boot from the OS4.x CD?? That's an inconvenience I'd rather not endure. I'm still trying to get someone to D/L the Linux disk for me so I can test. Unfortunately, I was never able to get Linux working on my µA1 and am unsure if I can do any better on a SAM.

_________________
X1000 with 2GB memory & OS4.1FE

@Xenic

>It doesn't seem logical to me that removing the Optical drive SATA connector would >cure a problem caused by software. I'm no expert though.

i think too, black dots are no software problem, i see some screenshots.

when 1 GB ram module are in is better, lets see what happen.also when you some more USB devices /SATA connect on, serial or par cable make a worst case situiton.

but my guess is more the gfx card transfer or GFX Card RAM get too much spikes on power voltage, that make problem because you get many black dots but no crashes ?

when the RAM make lots problems, then also other area than screen are affectet and so your Sam should crash immidiatly

best is when you make ramtest on gfx card too

Last edited by bernd_afa on 16-Jun-2009 at 07:29 PM.
Last edited by bernd_afa on 16-Jun-2009 at 07:27 PM.

@Hyperionmp

Quote:

The cause for the graphics corruption has not been identified yet and may not be related to AmigaOS 4.1, it may be a configuration issue. Time will tell.

If not is related to AmigaOS4.1 and since on Linux all works correctly with all kernels i've tried and with no glitches and good performance for a 533mhz mother board (like mine), what do you think can be the cause?

_________________
http://www.amigasoft.net

@Xenic Quote:

haven't heard of anyone who has the SAM Flex graphics corruption get Linux installed for testing purposes.

ACube have reported that Linux runs fine on the Flex. Hence my "apparently".

Quote:

It doesn't seem logical to me that removing the Optical drive SATA connector would cure a problem caused by software.

Perfectly possible, just not as likely as a hardware fault (which ACube says it is not).

@bernd_afa Quote:

but my guess is more the gfx card transfer or GFX Card RAM get too much spikes on power voltage, that make problem because you get many black dots but no crashes ?

I ask again, please explain how Linux would stop such a power problem. Unless you are saying that ACube are lying about it working fine on Linux?

Last edited by ChrisH on 16-Jun-2009 at 10:55 PM.

_________________
Author of the PortablE programming language.
It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue...

@all

a user reported us the following to avoid the problem with dots in the window background:

Quote:

remove the following unused modules from the kicklayout file: sii0680ide.device.kmod sii3112ide.device.kmod sii3512ide.device.kmod and use a keyboard connected directly to the upper rear USB slot with the mouse in lower USB slot.

Please report if it's reproducible on other setups as well.

About installing Linux, there are 3 guides at the following link which show how to install Debian (netinstall) CruxPPC and Ubuntu:

http://elwoodb.free.fr/articles/Sam440/

BTW there is a new CruxPPC 2.5 available for Sam (and other PPC boards) since a few days from here:

http://www.cruxppc.org/Main/Download

Last: I need a betatester for a new ppc440ep_serial.device which support the 4-wire serial port on Sam Flex. Send me a PM for further details.

_________________
Massimiliano Tretene, ACube Systems, Soft3

@m3x

Added link to your post to an irc channel.
I'll try to get it a couple of places.

#6

_________________
This posting, in its entirety, represents solely the perspective of the author.
*Secrecy has served us so well*

@ChrisH
Quote:

I ask again, please explain how Linux would stop such a power problem. Unless you are saying that ACube are lying about it working fine on Linux?

I saw their post where they published a link to Linux for testing purposes but haven't seen a statement from them to the effect that they saw the graphics corruption on their SAM when they booted with OS 4.1 and that it disappeared when they booted Linux. They may be using a different power supply, different Optical drive etc. and just don't see any graphics corruption with OS 4.1 or Linux. Unless they specify how they tested I don't think we can draw any conclusions about how it relates to our problems.
I'm off to try some other suggested changes to see if they have any effect.

_________________
X1000 with 2GB memory & OS4.1FE

@m3x
I removed those files from Kicklayout 2 weeks ago and have my keyboard connected exactly as you mentioned. Our graphics corruption isn't confined to window backgrounds. It can occur around icons on the WorkBench screen, around icons in WorkBench windows, in text areas and even in the menus when they drop down. They are little black dots or at low resolutions; big black dots.
If they are near an icon you can make them disappear by clicking the icon to get the alternate image displayed but they usually return in slightly different positions when the icon is unactivated. The dots also occur on screens other than WorkBench but not as frequently.

_________________
X1000 with 2GB memory & OS4.1FE

@Barret
Actually, on my system I can connect the Optical drive to the SATA connector directly across the graphics card from the hard-disk SATA connection and get no graphics corruption with 1GB memory installed. It's connector J22 in the manual. If I plug the Optical SATA cable into either of the frontmost SATA connectors (J21 & J23) I get small black dots with 1GB memory. If you use the J22 connector you can access CDs but you can't boot from them. The only time we'll need to move the connector back to J23 is to install a new OS release on CD. That seems to be a rather rare occurance so I too may "wait and see" for a while. If enough new SAM Flex users have this problem something is bound to be determined about the cause.

_________________
X1000 with 2GB memory & OS4.1FE

@m3x

Quote:

and use a keyboard connected directly to the upper rear USB slot with the mouse in lower USB slot.

The reverse works dot free for me, Keyboard in lower USB Slot, using a USB to PS/2 adaptor and wireless mouse unit connected directly to Upper USB Slot.No keyboard under Uboot though.

_________________
Sam460ex : Radeon Rx550 Single slot Video Card : SIL3112 SATA card