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A500 and Questions

Recently I bought a used A500 with 1.3 ROM, WB1.3, 1MB RAM. Now the system has some changes: processor 68010, ECS, ROM 2.04 and WB1.3 (it works with the 2.04 ROM, but the software-clock has problems).

I need to know:

a) Is it possible to use WB2.1 without a HD?

b) Is there a magazine related to Amiga computers in order to subscribe to it? I need addresses or e-mails of Amiga magazines in order to subscribe to one (or more) depending on what they have to offer. I need a sample issue of each of them. Some Amiga users say, that most magazines are not published anymore.

c) Some amiga users say that a SCSI HD can not autoboot. Is this true?

Thank you, F.Chalkiadakis
Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale

Michael Webb says:

a) Yes, absolutely. You could even run WB3.1 on that system. You should be warned, however, that many modern applications won't be too happy with 1mb RAM and no HD. The OS itself, however, will run quite fine under those circumstances. Just be ready to swap disks frequently.

b) There are/have been a number of Amiga magazines, and the only one I know of that no longer exists is AmigaWorld. Today, probably your best bet for general Amiga coverage would be Amiga Computing (UK/International) and/or Amazing Computing/Amiga (USA). Here is all the information I have regarding contacting them:

Amiga Computing
SUBSCRIPTION: 0151-357 2961
ADDRESS (England): IDG Media, Media House, Adlington Park, Macclesfield SK10 4NP
Telephone: 01625 878888 Fax: 01625 850652
ADDRESS (USA): AMC SUbs Dept, 460 Hillside Avenue, Hillside, New Jersey 07205
Editorial EMail: edit@acomp.demon.co.uk

Amazing Computing/Amiga
PHONE: 1-508-678-4200, 1-800-345-3360
FAX: 1-508-675-6002
WWW: http://www.pimpub.com
ADDRESS: PiM Publications Inc., P.O. Box 2140, Fall River, MA 02722-2140

As far as obtaining a sample issue goes...well, I suppose you could check newsstands, or the magazine section of a local bookstore. Or you might just find somebody advertising out on the internet to sell a whole bunch of old Amiga magazines for cheap, if they no longer have any use for them.

c) Not at all. The vast majority of SCSI HD's can autoboot, and the only exceptions, in general, are those made for pre-AmigaDOS 1.3 Amigas, since the 1.3 ROM was the first to support booting from something other than a floppy disk. So yes, a SCSI HD will autoboot, as long as your Amiga has AmigaDOS 1.3 or higher.

Michael Webb
Publisher and Editor-in-Chief

Greg Noggle says:

a) Yes,although you will be switching disks a lot, and be careful what you put on what disk.

b) Amiga computing, Amazing Amiga

c) Some people don't know what they're talkng about. Yes, a SCSI HD can be used as a autoboot drive. Use HD-Tools and check the autoboot option. the only limitation I can see here would be the controller.

Greg Noggle
Telecommunications Editor and Hardware Guru


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