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Best Way to Test Dual RAM?

Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2023 7:19 pm
by Goemon

I’ve just installed a 2nd sdram to have dual ram in my system, what’s the best way to test that it’s working as expected?


Re: Best Way to Test Dual RAM?

Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2023 3:56 pm
by Armakuni

Load up the PS1 core if it's working it will state in the OSD menu under video/audio that the SPU is using the second SDram


Re: Best Way to Test Dual RAM?

Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2023 5:22 pm
by FPGA64
Armakuni wrote: Sat Sep 02, 2023 3:56 pm

Load up the PS1 core if it's working it will state in the OSD menu under video/audio that the SPU is using the second SDram

Make sure you have downloaded the dual Ram Version. Update all will not get it by default


Re: Best Way to Test Dual RAM?

Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2023 3:03 pm
by Armakuni
FPGA64 wrote: Sat Sep 02, 2023 5:22 pm
Armakuni wrote: Sat Sep 02, 2023 3:56 pm

Load up the PS1 core if it's working it will state in the OSD menu under video/audio that the SPU is using the second SDram

Make sure you have downloaded the dual Ram Version. Update all will not get it by default

It works on the Main release you don't need a specific dual build. The core auto detects dual SDram which is why I suggested it originally


Re: Best Way to Test Dual RAM?

Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2023 3:18 pm
by FPGA64
Armakuni wrote: Sun Sep 03, 2023 3:03 pm
FPGA64 wrote: Sat Sep 02, 2023 5:22 pm
Armakuni wrote: Sat Sep 02, 2023 3:56 pm

Load up the PS1 core if it's working it will state in the OSD menu under video/audio that the SPU is using the second SDram

Make sure you have downloaded the dual Ram Version. Update all will not get it by default

It works on the Main release you don't need a specific dual build. The core auto detects dual SDram which is why I suggested it originally

Not on my System The single ram build has it perma greyed out. I know I have dual ram working becasue the dual ram build has it as a toggle.

From the Mister Docs https://mister-devel.github.io/MkDocs_M ... or-the-spu

This option to use Dual SDRAM for the SPU is disabled by default in the releases of the core. To get a special release with Dual SDRAM support currently you can either open the Quartus Project File (.qpf) with the name "PSX_DualSDRAM.qpf" using Quartus 17.0.2 and compile the core, or you can get the latest Test Build from the MiSTer FPGA Discord in the #test-builds channel.


Re: Best Way to Test Dual RAM?

Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2023 3:53 pm
by Armakuni

On my system using the main core when i Insert the second SDram you can see it states SPU is using the second SDram but it is greyed out so you can't change it. If I switch back so does the information in the OSD back to single SDram greyed out

Try it, now if the core is taking advantage is another thing but it's an easy way to test if cores can see the dual SDram


Re: Best Way to Test Dual RAM?

Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2023 6:35 am
by FPGA64
Armakuni wrote: Sun Sep 03, 2023 3:53 pm

On my system using the main core when i Insert the second SDram you can see it states SPU is using the second SDram but it is greyed out so you can't change it. If I switch back so does the information in the OSD back to single SDram greyed out

Try it, now if the core is taking advantage is another thing but it's an easy way to test if cores can see the dual SDram

You are correct. How very strange. I didnt think there was an auto detect and have always just used the dual build which lets me toggle.


Re: Best Way to Test Dual RAM?

Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2023 6:47 am
by Armakuni
FPGA64 wrote: Mon Sep 04, 2023 6:35 am
Armakuni wrote: Sun Sep 03, 2023 3:53 pm

On my system using the main core when i Insert the second SDram you can see it states SPU is using the second SDram but it is greyed out so you can't change it. If I switch back so does the information in the OSD back to single SDram greyed out

Try it, now if the core is taking advantage is another thing but it's an easy way to test if cores can see the dual SDram

Yoy are correct. How very strange. I didnt think there was an auto detect and have always just used the dual build which lets me toggle.

Yeah it always stood out to me as a bit odd but nice to see you can replicate it


Re: Best Way to Test Dual RAM?

Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2023 7:28 am
by neogeo81
Armakuni wrote: Mon Sep 04, 2023 6:47 am
FPGA64 wrote: Mon Sep 04, 2023 6:35 am
Armakuni wrote: Sun Sep 03, 2023 3:53 pm

On my system using the main core when i Insert the second SDram you can see it states SPU is using the second SDram but it is greyed out so you can't change it. If I switch back so does the information in the OSD back to single SDram greyed out

Try it, now if the core is taking advantage is another thing but it's an easy way to test if cores can see the dual SDram

Yoy are correct. How very strange. I didnt think there was an auto detect and have always just used the dual build which lets me toggle.

Yeah it always stood out to me as a bit odd but nice to see you can replicate it

that is because you already used the dual core one time and set it that way and now it is set in the config file.

there is no auto detect. if you want to fully use the dual ram you need the dual ram core.


Re: Best Way to Test Dual RAM?

Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2023 3:59 pm
by Armakuni
neogeo81 wrote: Mon Sep 04, 2023 7:28 am
Armakuni wrote: Mon Sep 04, 2023 6:47 am
FPGA64 wrote: Mon Sep 04, 2023 6:35 am

Yoy are correct. How very strange. I didnt think there was an auto detect and have always just used the dual build which lets me toggle.

Yeah it always stood out to me as a bit odd but nice to see you can replicate it

that is because you already used the dual core one time and set it that way and now it is set in the config file.

there is no auto detect. if you want to fully use the dual ram you need the dual ram core.

It changes though if you go back to single SDram so whether its using it or not you can still see the core detects the second SDram


Re: Best Way to Test Dual RAM?

Posted: Tue Sep 05, 2023 8:38 am
by neogeo81
Armakuni wrote: Mon Sep 04, 2023 3:59 pm
neogeo81 wrote: Mon Sep 04, 2023 7:28 am
Armakuni wrote: Mon Sep 04, 2023 6:47 am

Yeah it always stood out to me as a bit odd but nice to see you can replicate it

that is because you already used the dual core one time and set it that way and now it is set in the config file.

there is no auto detect. if you want to fully use the dual ram you need the dual ram core.

It changes though if you go back to single SDram so whether its using it or not you can still see the core detects the second SDram

yes you see but if you use the single ram core rbf it will not use the dual ram as it is not programed to do it.


Re: Best Way to Test Dual RAM?

Posted: Tue Sep 05, 2023 9:05 am
by Armakuni
neogeo81 wrote: Tue Sep 05, 2023 8:38 am
Armakuni wrote: Mon Sep 04, 2023 3:59 pm
neogeo81 wrote: Mon Sep 04, 2023 7:28 am

that is because you already used the dual core one time and set it that way and now it is set in the config file.

there is no auto detect. if you want to fully use the dual ram you need the dual ram core.

It changes though if you go back to single SDram so whether its using it or not you can still see the core detects the second SDram

yes you see but if you use the single ram core rbf it will not use the dual ram as it is not programed to do it.

The op asked how does it know if the dual SDram.is working so fulfills that goal, the core shows it can see the second SDram irrelevant of if it can use it or not


Re: Best Way to Test Dual RAM?

Posted: Tue Sep 05, 2023 9:17 am
by neogeo81
Armakuni wrote: Tue Sep 05, 2023 9:05 am
neogeo81 wrote: Tue Sep 05, 2023 8:38 am
Armakuni wrote: Mon Sep 04, 2023 3:59 pm

It changes though if you go back to single SDram so whether its using it or not you can still see the core detects the second SDram

yes you see but if you use the single ram core rbf it will not use the dual ram as it is not programed to do it.

The op asked how does it know if the dual SDram.is working so fulfills that goal, the core shows it can see the second SDram irrelevant of if it can use it or not

that is correct. it shows a second RAM. If it can use it is then another story. Basically you can also start a dual RAM core on a single RAM mister but you will have slowdowns or crashes.


Re: Best Way to Test Dual RAM?

Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2023 8:38 pm
by Antoine.WG

I have a related question: Is there a dual RAM version of the MemTest core? Currently, the core only tests RAM in GPIO slot 0.