Author: LaTeX (netcache2-1.free.fr)
Date: 10-12-2003 03:39
Absolutly TRUE !
MSTE TOS 2.05 does not show any screen display during RAM test.
All ST, STE, MST and MSTE (TOS 2.05 at least) need a floppy to be insert into the drive A to "speed up" the boot sequence when no hard disk is available. That is for the system to seek for a new TOS (in cartridge port or floppy) or a bootable floppy. With no floppy inserted in, the system wait at least one minute for a floppy before deciding to load TOS from ROM. As a consequence the drive keep spinning for nothing.
Unbootable floppy inserted in will end the waiting time as soon the floppy is indentify as a bootable or non bootable floppy...
For MSTE (with hard disk so), in fact the system wait not only for a floppy but wait for a second hard disk to initialise itself from the ACSI hard disk port. So that you can switch on the MSTE and switch on the second hard drive next without causing any crash because the system is not entirely loaded and the second hard disk could be included to the disk map. Hit any key to avoid waiting time again. Careful, the following thing is true for me : if I hit any case before the whole initialisation of my internal hard drive (noise is different when initialisation is ended) the system skip my hard disk an boot form my floppy A. So wait until complete initialisation of your hard drive before avoiding the system waiting time for a second external hard disk.
Note that if you want to force the boot from a floppy (needed for several games on my MSTE) the legal way to do things is not to press a key in order to disturb internal hard disk initialization (even if that bad method works) but to hold alternate key pressed during the boot. The hard disk feature is supposed to be skipped. If the legal way does not work properly (some old demos and games) use the bad method, but don't ask me why the legal method did not work. Some games and demo drive you mad as well when refusing to boot. You have to deal with both the bad method, the legal method, the 16MHz with cache configuration, the 16MHz without cache configuration and the 8 MHz (no cache) configuration... It could drive you crazy some time to time...
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RE: Mega STE - TOS 2.05 and RAM TEST