From: barrett@cs.umass.edu
Subject: REVIEW: Kwickstart II ROM switcher for Amiga 1000
Followup-To: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Summary: Yes, the moderator writes reviews too.  How about you?
Keywords: A1000, ROM, hardware, commercial
Reply-To: barrett@cs.umass.edu
Organization: The Amiga Online Review Column - ed. Daniel Barrett
Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1992 16:07:39 GMT


PRODUCT NAME

	Kwickstart II


BRIEF DESCRIPTION

	Kwickstart II is a Kickstart ROM board for the Amiga 1000, which
normally uses a disk-based Kickstart.  The board can hold 2 different
Kickstart ROMs, and the user may switch between them by warm-booting the
Amiga.  This is one method for upgrading an A1000 to run Kickstart 2.0.


AUTHOR/COMPANY INFORMATION

	Name:		DKB Software
	Address:	50240 W. Pontiac Tr.
			Wixom, MI  48393

	Telephone:	(313) 960-8750
	FAX:		(313) 960-8752


LIST PRICE

	I don't know the list price, but I paid about $55 (US) at a
local store.  I've seen it for $41 by mailorder.


SPECIAL HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

	An Amiga 1000.


COPY PROTECTION

	None.


MACHINE USED FOR TESTING

	Amiga 1000 with 512K CHIP RAM, 2MB FAST RAM (Starboard II
expansion), and C.Ltd. old style (not Kronos) SCSI controller.

	The Kwickstart II was installed with 1.3 and 2.0 ROMs.

REVIEW

	The Kwickstart II is a board that turns an Amiga 1000 into a
ROM-based machine.  It can be used to run OS version 2.0 on the A1000, which
is why I bought it.  It can hold 2 different ROM versions at the same time
and switch between them very easily.

	The board is installed inside the A1000.  The process involves
removing the cover, the daughterboard, the PAL chip, the internal disk
drive, and the 68000 chip.  If you are not comfortable with this level of
work, you should have a trained service technician install the board.

	I had the installation done by my dealer.  The service person said
this was the first Kwickstart II he had installed.  He said the job was not
difficult and the Kwickstart looked like a very professional piece of
hardware.  The total cost for the board, 1.3 ROM, 2.0 ROM, and installation
was about $180 (US).  The cost could have been reduced if I had bought the
board and ROMs by mailorder, but I like to support my dealer.

	The user can switch between Kickstart versions simply by doing a
warm boot (Control-Amiga-Amiga).  If these keys are held down for 5 seconds
or more, the Kwickstart board switches to the alternate ROM.  Holding the
keys for less than 5 seconds will reboot but not switch ROMs.

	The Kwickstart II has an alternative mode of operation that lets you
switch between ROM and disk-based Kickstarts, instead of switching between 2
ROMs.  To turn on this mode, you must flip a jumper on the board itself,
which involves opening up the Amiga.  I have not tested this.

	After the installation, the Kwickstart II worked 100% correctly.  It
had no problems with my expansion devices.  Installing Workbench 2.04 on my
C.Ltd. hard drive (SCSIDOS 3.0) was a lot of work, since the controller does
not autoboot nor support Commodore's RDB (Rigid Disk Block) standard, so
HDToolBox can't be used.  However, it was no harder than under 1.3, and the
driver works fine under 2.04.


DOCUMENTATION

	Kwickstart II comes with a 12-page manual containing instructions on
how to install and use the board.  I looked only at the "use" instructions,
and they were clear.


LIKES AND DISLIKES

	I love having 2.0 on this machine!  What an improvement.  The
upgrade was worth the money, in my opinion.

	My only dislike is that you must make a choice between having 2
Kickstart ROMs or allowing disk-based Kickstarts.  I would like both options
to be active simultaneously.


COMPARISON TO OTHER SIMILAR PRODUCTS

	I understand that Kickstart 2.0 can be loaded into an A1000 entirely
through software, using various freely distributable programs.  This
requires a copy of Kickstart in a file; and unless you own a set of
Kickstart ROMs or are a Commodore developer, it may be illegal to use this
method.


BUGS

	None found.


SUPPORT

	No experience.


WARRANTY

	1 year, for the original purchaser only, covering manufacturing
defects.


CONCLUSIONS

	The Kwickstart II works as advertised.  If you want your A1000 to
run Amiga OS version 2.0 (or higher, I suppose), I recommend the Kwickstart
II without any hesitation.


COPYRIGHT NOTICE

	Copyright 1992 Daniel J. Barrett.  All rights reserved.
	This review may be freely distributed provided it is distributed
	unmodified and in its entirety.  It may not be published in any
	commercial publication without the written permission of the author.
---

   Daniel Barrett, Moderator, comp.sys.amiga.reviews
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