ACA 1211 Crashes when using a CF card

Caution: Non registered users only see threads and messages in the currently selected language, which is determined by their browser. Please create an account and log in to see all content by default. This is a limitation of the forum software.


Also users that are not logged in can not create new threads. This is a, unfortunately needed, counter measure against spam. Please create an account and log in to start new threads.

Don't Panic. Please wash hands.
  • I tried the card with two different Amiga 1200 1D4 and 2B and two different PSU A500 4.5A.

    When I insert the PCMICA CF card the Amiga crashes.


    Is there something I can try before sending back for repair?

  • We "only" test with PCMCIA Ethernet cards here, and hot-plugging doesn't cause any trouble. Do you have any closer information on the CF card adapters and/or the drivers that are used to access them? The ACA1211 does introduce a new memory block near the PCMCIA space, but that's only "near", not "in" the PCMCIA space.


    Any special settings that you've made in the ACAtool? Kickstart version?

  • The error is that it couldn't get the avail memory.

    Looks like we need to contact the author of the PCMCIA CF card driver and have him do a debug session. Memory is definitely available and can be allocated through normal means of the OS.

  • Hi I have also this problem

    Have ACA1211 and PCMCIA CF 4GB from Amigastore. with floppy auto setup

    when insert card with cf in my amiga 1200 failure in guru meditation

    when power on amiga whith pcmcia inserted wont boot

    in acatools have the flag to "keep pcmcia" seems all ok

    also disable pio3 ide spped

    how solve the problem??


    Thanks in advance

  • We're working on this issue - the good news is that we can reproduce it, but we currently need to wait until our new PSUs are available. The computer at the developer's site has been acting up on several occasions with symptoms that are impossible to explain, and I'd like to rule out the PSU as a cause before we put more time into this.

  • Hi, the psu is not the problem I have tried 3 different with same problem

    With not a single PSU on the market complying with the original Commodore specs, I would not trust such a test even if you would test 20 PSUs. The age of the original models, combined with the ultra-low quality of the commercially-available units only leaves a single path of diagnosis_ Proper measurements.


    If you are using OS3.1.4, please use the latest ACAtool. OS3.1.4 has a bug where too much memory is added with the ACA1211, and the new ACAtool has a workaround for that.

  • With not a single PSU on the market complying with the original Commodore specs, I would not trust such a test even if you would test 20 PSUs. The age of the original models, combined with the ultra-low quality of the commercially-available units only leaves a single path of diagnosis_ Proper measurements.


    If you are using OS3.1.4, please use the latest ACAtool. OS3.1.4 has a bug where too much memory is added with the ACA1211, and the new ACAtool has a workaround for that.

    I use a oiginal 3.0 ckick and have original psu that working very well on all device, also have gotek with no problem

  • The "no problem" part is something I'd like to see in numbers: Please provide voltage and ripple measurements under load condition (i.e. Amiga switched on, measured at the floppy power connector).


    That said, the PCMCIA device does have issues under 3.1.4, and OS3.1.4 may be worse than Kick/WB3.1, as it uses the last part of Z2 mem for system things. Depending on the PCMCIA card and CF card, you may just be looking at a memory corruption due to the PCMCIA overlap. If this is the case, then the power supply can't help, of course.


    Please post a "showconfig" output after booting your WB3.1.4.

  • Today i tried my new aca 1211...its a good card provides plenty of ram but its true it doest like pcmcia cf cards...i can surf contents, install from it and hot swap fine but i noticed that i have to eject the cf if I want to load whoload games otherwise the Amiga 1200 crashes but overall its very good value for money.

  • I'm probably beating on a dead horse, but I've the same problem describe by other users here. 4GB CompactFlash, that work without issue on my Amiga 600 + Furia and with the same software, causes my A1200 to crash if inserted after boot. If left inserted before turning on the machine, it causes guru meditation as soon files are copied off it. Both Amiga use AmigaOS 3.2 (and kickstart 3.2). My A1200 has also now the 3.2.1 upgrade, which changes nothing at all. Attached is a picture of showconfig on the A1200. I use the same PSU with both amigas (it's a modern PSU well above Commodore specifications), but I also tried their original recapped PSU just in case. Same result.

  • Yes, that's a known issue with CF cards occupying memory space where they *should* only occupy IO space. I guess I should add a 4MB mode of operation to the ACA1211 to work around this.

  • Hi Jens,


    Sorry that i use this old thread.


    I have bought an Overdrive CD Rom drive. (on the PCMCIA on the A1200)

    When u use the ACA1211 then my Amiga freezes , but when i use the ACA1233n-55 the Amiga doesn't freezes and the Overdrive CDROM works ok.


    Best regards,


    Erik.