Bug or faulty SDRAM module?

[SuperKeeks]

I have this 128 MB module which works well, except in one scenario:

In MiSTer.ini, if I use the option to boot the last core:

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bootcore=lastcore

but with no timeout at all (line commented out):

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;bootcore_timeout=10

the RAM module doesn't get detected by the system. The icon doesn't show up in the menus, nor memtest detects it.

However, if I add a timeout (or disable the bootcore option), even if it's the minimum:

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bootcore_timeout=1

It all works fine!

Could this be an issue with my RAM module, or maybe some kind of race condition bug in the MiSTer system. Can anyone try this out and check if their memory module is detected?

Thanks.

[DevilHunterWolf]

If you set the MiSTer to boot into a core faster than the default bootcore_timeout value, you're risking forcing it to boot before the system is finished loading. I ran into issues trying to autoboot the Neo Geo core without the 10 second delay. The games would load corrupted and a MiSTer error message box stating something about not enough RAM. The MiSTer Linux OS boots fast but still needs time to get every process started, something a standard OS like Windows would hide behind the logo when first starting up. Giving MiSTer that minimum time means that everything will be finished loading before the first core loads.

I'd say this is a case of you rushing the boot process and it couldn't get to detecting or applying settings to use the SDRAM. The no delay time probably would only maybe work with cores that don't use the SDRAM module. Even then, I'd still recommend giving it a few seconds.

[SuperKeeks]

That’s definitely what it seems to be happening, but I think it should be the OS’s responsibility to finish loading all required modules before automatically booting any core.

Either way, thanks for confirming the same thing happened to you!