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PicoMEM Project : Pi Pico on an ISA Board.

Well... I turned system on today. and EMS memory setting is gone again.

I think i saw a message "memory change : reset the ram config"

and now EMS was disabled again.
Hi,
Picomem does it when a change in the PC memory occurs : ROM address change, use of another PC microSD ...
 
Hi,
Picomem does it when a change in the PC memory occurs : ROM address change, use of another PC microSD ...

Ohh then I bet i know why then maybe.
I've had a problem for a long time now, two different video cards but same chipset..., where they are both 1mb cards.
But sometimes when system boots, it shows 256kb of memory.
When it does this, I gotta power cycle the system a few times, and it then shows 1mb.
I take it then because of this, the PicoMem will take this change into account and reset.

if thats the case maybe i should just pop off chips and take it down to 256kb and leave it at that.
 
Ohh then I bet i know why then maybe.
I've had a problem for a long time now, two different video cards but same chipset..., where they are both 1mb cards.
But sometimes when system boots, it shows 256kb of memory.
When it does this, I gotta power cycle the system a few times, and it then shows 1mb.
I take it then because of this, the PicoMem will take this change into account and reset.

if thats the case maybe i should just pop off chips and take it down to 256kb and leave it at that.
Maybe, there is definitively something changing. To avoid problem, the PicoMEM Reset its RAM config.
 
Maybe, there is definitively something changing. To avoid problem, the PicoMEM Reset its RAM config.
What I'll do is just remove the video card all together and use the onboard video and then see how things react.
 
Maybe, there is definitively something changing. To avoid problem, the PicoMEM Reset its RAM config.
Hi Freddy - After installing a DAC (and it's confirmed working) I cannot update the firmware. I plug the micro-USB into my PC and nothing appears - the red LED on the DAC lights up. I'm on the May FW but was trying to update to the July version. Otherwise, everything is working fine. Same PC and same cable worked before the DAC. My PicoGUS is able to connect on same cable and PC right now. Any clue or suggestion? thx
 
Hi Freddy - After installing a DAC (and it's confirmed working) I cannot update the firmware. I plug the micro-USB into my PC and nothing appears - the red LED on the DAC lights up. I'm on the May FW but was trying to update to the July version. Otherwise, everything is working fine. Same PC and same cable worked before the DAC. My PicoGUS is able to connect on same cable and PC right now. Any clue or suggestion? thx
I tried again a few hours later and it worked without issue. Board is updated and working as-expected. I'm not sure exactly what the deal was, since I've done this a bunch of times. Anyway.. what a world, where my 8MHz 8088 has a 32-bit dual-core 200-something megahertz SOC plugged into it. wild times
 

PM_W_Apr2_xx:​

    • Added support of multi page Images selection : Up to 32 Images, 2 pages.
    • Added the Floppy image SWAP under DOS : Press Left Ctrl+Shift+F1 to select another A: Floppy image.
  • This is working only in text mode.
    • Post Code values added in the BIOS Initialisation phase. (Visible only with the QwiiC external screen)
    • Changed the "PicoMEM Init" text : Display a . for every Init phase.
  • ! Corrected a display bug : the image selection windows did not clear completely.
You have mentioned here that pressing Left Ctrl+Shift+F1 will allow you to change the current floppy image in use for drive A:. I found I needed to use Left Crtl+Shift+F2 to change the image. I am wondering if there is a way to change the B: image as well?

Thank you for all your hard work! This card has brought everything I missing for my 5150 altogether in one board.
 
I tried again a few hours later and it worked without issue. Board is updated and working as-expected. I'm not sure exactly what the deal was, since I've done this a bunch of times. Anyway.. what a world, where my 8MHz 8088 has a 32-bit dual-core 200-something megahertz SOC plugged into it. wild times
Hi,
I had one time a PicoMEM update crashed, connect it via Arduino IDE resolved the problem.
 
You have mentioned here that pressing Left Ctrl+Shift+F1 will allow you to change the current floppy image in use for drive A:. I found I needed to use Left Crtl+Shift+F2 to change the image. I am wondering if there is a way to change the B: image as well?

Thank you for all your hard work! This card has brought everything I missing for my 5150 altogether in one board.
Hi,
Thinking about it but lot of other things to do.
(Work on PicoMEM LP and Tandy 1000 support currently)
 
Well... I turned system on today. and EMS memory setting is gone again.

I think i saw a message "memory change : reset the ram config"

and now EMS was disabled again.
I have an ibm 5150 256kb model with 256kb physical, and this seems to happen all the time. I have the rev1.11 with the monochrome firmware, no other changes to cards, just cycling the computer.

The other problem I encountered is that if you have 2 images pointing to the same image, it won’t boot. Not that It matters this one :)
 
I have an ibm 5150 256kb model with 256kb physical, and this seems to happen all the time. I have the rev1.11 with the monochrome firmware, no other changes to cards, just cycling the computer.

The other problem I encountered is that if you have 2 images pointing to the same image, it won’t boot. Not that It matters this one :)
Settings are stored in the MicroSD, on the file PICOMEM.CFG

If the PC Memory MAP does not match what is in the config file, for security, it reset the RAM configuration.
So, if you move the MicroSD to another PicoMEM or move the PicoMEM to another PC.
Or add/Remove a card.

Then, verify that the PICOMEM.CFG is written correctly (the BIOS display an error if it is not the case.
 
Settings are stored in the MicroSD, on the file PICOMEM.CFG

If the PC Memory MAP does not match what is in the config file, for security, it reset the RAM configuration.
So, if you move the MicroSD to another PicoMEM or move the PicoMEM to another PC.
Or add/Remove a card.

Then, verify that the PICOMEM.CFG is written correctly (the BIOS display an error if it is not the case.
I understand and I appreciate the answer, however, there have been no changes whatsoever (not even moving the sd card), literally just turn on the machine and.. oops.

It seems to be that power cycling the computer too quickly does erase this information. However I have had the issue that from morning to afternoon the data is lost.
 
I understand and I appreciate the answer, however, there have been no changes whatsoever (not even moving the sd card), literally just turn on the machine and.. oops.

It seems to be that power cycling the computer too quickly does erase this information. However I have had the issue that from morning to afternoon the data is lost.
Hi,

The Config file is updated to the MicroSD just before starting the Boot
The information can't be lost, it is a file on the MicroSD.

What you can do is do a photo / Screenshot of the RAM Page in the Setup.
Then, redo it when the picomem say there is a change, so that you will see what is the memory or ROM block that is detected differently.
There is surely something failing on the computer.

The PicoMEM BIOS enable the RAM emulation by step of 16KB.
If no RAM detected, it means the RAM emulation will not work there.
It is a security to avoid to enable RAM emulation that will fail.
 
Hello,

I am just wondering if there is a bug in the firmware, or is this possibly user error. Anytime I attempt to configure wifi.txt, the PicoMEM comes back as: Wifi: Can't open wifi.txt

I have attempted by just creating a black wifi.txt file on the root directory of the SD card, then attempting both settings:

Wiki:
MyWiFiAccessPoint MyPassword

and

Code:
MyWiFiAccessPoint
MyPassword

Both result in the same error as described above. I am running the 7-20-2024 firmware

EDIT: This appears to be a firmware bug. I reverted to May 28th, and not only is the Wifi module working fine, but EMS is now working as well.
 
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Why I’m reverting my 286 to pre-picomen state:
-The ems option in the PM bios is unchangable, it cannot be turned on even if the PM,PS settings are on
-The Adlib sound on most games is synth music but no digital sound effects, e.g. Xwing
-Plugging in an Xbox One joypad, or MS mouse does nothing, they do not show up in games, even though enabled in the bios and using TexElec’s supplied hub
-Floppy emu is so easily supported with a Flashfloppy Gotek without using a slot (on my system with MB floppy controller)
-Wi-Fi, as predicted, doesn’t escape the computer’s metal cage

So that leaves hd emulation, which was previously handled by an Xtide, which didn’t need disk mounting software on my win10 machine in order to add files.
 
Why I’m reverting my 286 to pre-picomen state:
-The ems option in the PM bios is unchangable, it cannot be turned on even if the PM,PS settings are on
-The Adlib sound on most games is synth music but no digital sound effects, e.g. Xwing
-Plugging in an Xbox One joypad, or MS mouse does nothing, they do not show up in games, even though enabled in the bios and using TexElec’s supplied hub
-Floppy emu is so easily supported with a Flashfloppy Gotek without using a slot (on my system with MB floppy controller)
-Wi-Fi, as predicted, doesn’t escape the computer’s metal cage

So that leaves hd emulation, which was previously handled by an Xtide, which didn’t need disk mounting software on my win10 machine in order to add files.
Hi,

EMS can't be added if segment D and E are not free: What is does the PicoMEM show as PC Memory MAP ?
EMS is also disabled in the FAST RAM Firmware verion.
Of course, adlib is only FM. the trick to use adlib as a digital output is almost not used in games, I never heard that XWing does it.
Joystick will not work if there is already a Joystick port on the machine, the existing one need to be disabled.
Mouse need to load the PMMOUSE driver, what driver do you use ?
With disk flashback, you can use/access the .img file realy easily: https://robsmithdev.co.uk/diskflashback

The PicoMEM software evolutions are not finished: USB Disk, mount the uSD completely as a network drive, Other sound cards.....
 
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Hello,

I am just wondering if there is a bug in the firmware, or is this possibly user error. Anytime I attempt to configure wifi.txt, the PicoMEM comes back as: Wifi: Can't open wifi.txt

I have attempted by just creating a black wifi.txt file on the root directory of the SD card, then attempting both settings:

Wiki:
MyWiFiAccessPoint MyPassword

and

Code:
MyWiFiAccessPoint
MyPassword

Both result in the same error as described above. I am running the 7-20-2024 firmware

EDIT: This appears to be a firmware bug. I reverted to May 28th, and not only is the Wifi module working fine, but EMS is now working as well.
Hi,

This is strange, there is no July 20 firmware, were you using the Fast RAM firmware version ?
Be carefull about the wifi.txt someone created a wifi.txt.txt file when using notepad.

I am using the PM_W_Jul16.uf2 file for all my boards test and there is no wifi / EMS problem.
 
EMS can't be added if segment D and E are not free: What is does the PicoMEM show as PC Memory MAP ?
EMS is also disabled in the FAST RAM Firmware verion.
Of course, adlib is only FM. the trick to use adlib as a digital output is almost not used in games, I never heard that XWing does it.
Joystick will not work if there is already a Joystick port on the machine, the existing one need to be disabled.
Mouse need to load the PMMOUSE driver, what driver do you use ?
With disk flashback, you can use/access the .img file realy easily: https://robsmithdev.co.uk/diskflashback

The PicoMEM software evolutions are not finished: USB Disk, mount the uSD completely as a network drive, Other sound cards.....
I was going on the GitHub’s list of tested machines before buying. It does work with an a2286 as stated, just without ems, so perhaps that compatibility list could be more specific. (Tested all possible Janus extension addresses, including off.)

There isn’t a joystick port on the machine. I just traced the trouble to the hyper-cheap recommended usb-on-the-go hub that came with the card. So the joypad did ultimately work, although midway through a game the fire button stopped answering. That could be unrelated to the Picomem.

I used a Microsoft optical mouse with pmmouse. The light in the mouse never came on. It works fine in other machines. It could be that cheap hub again?

I understand there is a new kind of Pico with usb-c, so I’m looking forward to trying picomem-2 once you adopt that.
 
Hi,

This is strange, there is no July 20 firmware, were you using the Fast RAM firmware version ?
Be carefull about the wifi.txt someone created a wifi.txt.txt file when using notepad.

I am using the PM_W_Jul16.uf2 file for all my boards test and there is no wifi / EMS problem.
Hi Freddy,

I was quoting the firmware version as it was displayed when the software defined card is initialized as an option ROM at boot; that date shows 7-20-2024. I was indeed using the July 16th firmware.

And ahhh!, that would do it. Stupid Windows.

Thank you.
 
I was going on the GitHub’s list of tested machines before buying. It does work with an a2286 as stated, just without ems, so perhaps that compatibility list could be more specific. (Tested all possible Janus extension addresses, including off.)

There isn’t a joystick port on the machine. I just traced the trouble to the hyper-cheap recommended usb-on-the-go hub that came with the card. So the joypad did ultimately work, although midway through a game the fire button stopped answering. That could be unrelated to the Picomem.

I used a Microsoft optical mouse with pmmouse. The light in the mouse never came on. It works fine in other machines. It could be that cheap hub again?

I understand there is a new kind of Pico with usb-c, so I’m looking forward to trying picomem-2 once you adopt that.
Hi,

I don't know well enaugh the A2286 to add details in the wiki. The RAM Space may be almost full due to the common RAM region between the PC and the Amiga, then, cause problem with the EMS.
Is it possible to show the RAM map ?
 
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