SpartaDOS X Memory Usage

[Mrarkus]

I'm on a roll, two questions in one week

 

Trying out all the graphics programs from my previous thread, and I wanted to get some of them working under SDX. I wanted to understand how much RAM is SDX using, etc. I have the Ultimate 1MB upgrade, and an 800XL. Can someone explain to me, in layman's terms, how the memory is used? Trying to wrap my head around using some of these Graphics programs under SDX... I know that since I have 1Mb RAM expansion, the SDX software uses USE BANKED, which means that it off-loads majority of the code outside of the main 64K RAM, but how much is still left, and which banks, etc? 

 

Hope this makes any sense, I'm no programmer other than BASIC so just trying to read up and ask questions...

[+Stephen]

I don't have a definitive answer to this question.  One thing I can suggest however, is that for certain programs that don't work under SDX, launch them by prefacing with "X".  Meaning, if the program is called PROG.COM, launch it via (without quotes) "X PROG.COM".  This turns off the SDX cart before launching.

[flashjazzcat]

SpartaDOS X will use one 16K bank for all the drivers when using 'BANKED', although small portions of driver code which must reside outside of the banking window will still reside at the bottom of main memory. Under certain circumstances, the four '130XE' banks are left free, so that legacy application which use the extra 64K will still work (see the SDX manual for details). The other banks may be used by the RAMdisk driver, or by specific extensions which may each grab an extra 16K bank of their own (again, these are described in the manual).

 

Really, a 1MB system running SDX in banked memory still has sixty three 16K banks free unless you're running a RAMdisk or a lot of extensions which require more banks.

 

[_The Doctor__]

to add to the info..

X /C filename.ext    can be useful as well, forcing cart off and memory to be cleared before a loading in.

 

banked vs os is a section you might want to read in the sdx manual...etc.

[Mrarkus]

2 hours ago, _The Doctor__ said:

to add to the info..

X /C filename.ext    can be useful as well, forcing cart off and memory to be cleared before a loading in.

 

banked vs os is a section you might want to read in the sdx manual...etc.

 

4 hours ago, flashjazzcat said:

SpartaDOS X will use one 16K bank for all the drivers when using 'BANKED', although small portions of driver code which must reside outside of the banking window will still reside at the bottom of main memory. Under certain circumstances, the four '130XE' banks are left free, so that legacy application which use the extra 64K will still work (see the SDX manual for details). The other banks may be used by the RAMdisk driver, or by specific extensions which may each grab an extra 16K bank of their own (again, these are described in the manual).

 

Really, a 1MB system running SDX in banked memory still has sixty three 16K banks free unless you're running a RAMdisk or a lot of extensions which require more banks.

 

 

Yes, definitely required reading SDX manual is  Trying out a long list of programs new to me (all the graphics programs!), it's hard to initially tell whether it's a PAL/NTSC issue, memory conflict or something else.  Good learning though!

[_The Doctor__]

cool, have look here for newer,latest SpartaDos X flavors

http://sdx.atari8.info/index.php?show=en_docs

earlier,older SpartaDos X Flavors

http://www.atarimania.com/documents/SpartaDOS-X-Reference-Manual.pdf

https://www.strotmann.de/~cas/Infothek/SpartaDosX/Addspdx.pdf

searchable indexed online version that is slowly losing links but works in a pinch

http://www.celebritybase.net/atari8/SpartaDOSXManual/

Edited July 8, 2019 by _The Doctor__

[TheMontezuma]

On 7/7/2019 at 8:55 PM, flashjazzcat said:

SpartaDOS X will use one 16K bank for all the drivers when using 'BANKED', although small portions of driver code which must reside outside of the banking window will still reside at the bottom of main memory. Under certain circumstances, the four '130XE' banks are left free, so that legacy application which use the extra 64K will still work (see the SDX manual for details). The other banks may be used by the RAMdisk driver, or by specific extensions which may each grab an extra 16K bank of their own (again, these are described in the manual).

 

Really, a 1MB system running SDX in banked memory still has sixty three 16K banks free unless you're running a RAMdisk or a lot of extensions which require more banks.

 

Hi,

I'm trying to understand why are there only 4 free banks available in my 1088XEL. In U1MB I enabled 1MB RAM, SDX, PBI and HDD.

I don't have CONFIG.SYS on my HDD, so I expect defaults.

 

I'm not running RAMdisk (or at least not intentionally).

 

How can I tell who has stolen 63-4=59 banks?

 

 

[EDIT]

 

SDX manual has the answer:

"If there is no custom CONFIG.SYS in the boot sequence, the standard setup from the
CAR: device will install one ramdisk as drive O: and build the directory structure on it."

 

Edited October 11, 2023 by TheMontezuma