Move KAOS to High, add patched TOS 2.06 details, remove KAOS from Low

2026-09-17 17:00:25 +00:00 · 2026-09-12 12:11:36 +02:00
parent 67ae177de3
commit 84c7c8a5a5
3 changed files with 4 additions and 4 deletions
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 title: "Mega ST 4 High: The Workstation"
 section: "retro"
 tags: "retro"
-description: "The high-end Mega ST 4 workstation with MonSTerBoard, ET4000, NetUSBee, Eiffel interface and a modern STPSU, running Geneva."
+description: "The high-end Mega ST 4 workstation with MonSTerBoard, ET4000, NetUSBee, Eiffel interface, a modern STPSU and patched TOS 2.06, running Geneva."
 layout: base.njk
 parent: "/retro/"
 ---
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ parent: "/retro/"
 </ul>

 <h2>MonSTerBoard</h2>
-<p>The <a href="/retro/monsterboard/">MonSTerBoard</a> is plugged onto the 68000 socket, with jumpers set so TOS 2.06 is used from its flash. It provides up to 8 MB of AltRAM (TT-compatible range, activated via <code>m_altram.prg</code>), an IDE interface for CF/IDE storage, and a flash ROM holding multiple TOS images. I boot from a 1 GB CompactFlash card over IDE, which is noticeably faster than an ACSI drive.</p>
+<p>The <a href="/retro/monsterboard/">MonSTerBoard</a> is plugged onto the 68000 socket, with jumpers set so TOS 2.06 is used from its flash. The TOS 2.06 is patched to skip the memory check, which noticeably speeds up the boot process. KAOS TOS is also installed on the flash, though currently I always run Geneva under TOS 2.06. No TOS switcher is wired up yet, so the machine is fixed to TOS 2.06 for now. The MonSTerBoard provides up to 8 MB of AltRAM (TT-compatible range, activated via <code>m_altram.prg</code>), an IDE interface for CF/IDE storage, and a flash ROM holding multiple TOS images. I boot from a 1 GB CompactFlash card over IDE, which is noticeably faster than an ACSI drive.</p>

 <h2>Peripherals in Use</h2>
 <ul>
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ parent: "/retro/"
 <h2>Hardware Configuration</h2>
 <ul>
 <li><strong>CPU</strong>, 68000 with socket, plus the <a href="/retro/storm-cloudy/">Cloudy/Storm ST combo</a> via the MegaBus adapter.</li>
-<li><strong>TOS/Flash</strong>, Cloudy as the TOS switcher/flash solution with EmuTOS and PP's improved iTOS 1.04, plus KAOS TOS installed as well (though rarely used).</li>
+<li><strong>TOS/Flash</strong>, Cloudy as the TOS switcher/flash solution with EmuTOS and PP's improved iTOS 1.04.</li>
 <li><strong>RAM</strong>, 4 MB onboard ST-RAM plus 8 MB AltRAM via the Storm ST.</li>
 <li><strong>Mass storage</strong>, a <a href="/retro/gotek/">Gotek floppy emulator</a> in a 3D-printed case and an <a href="/retro/ultrasatan/">UltraSatan</a> ACSI-SD emulator.</li>
 <li><strong>Peripherals</strong>, a <a href="/retro/sidecartridge/">SidecarTridge Multi-device</a> on the ROM port, a <a href="/retro/atari-networking-bbs/">Wi-Fi modem</a> for dialing into BBSs, an original Atari keyboard with a <a href="/retro/mouster/">mouSTer</a> and USB mouse, and an <a href="/retro/atari-vga/">MCSWITCH</a> adapter for VGA output.</li>
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ parent: "/retro/"
 <h2>KAOS TOS</h2>
 <p>KAOS TOS is a comprehensive software patch for the Atari ST's TOS, developed from 1990 to fix bugs and boost performance. It's not a standalone operating system but a patch for the original Atari TOS, mainly based on TOS 1.02 and TOS 1.04. The developers corrected over 80 known programming errors in the original system. KAOS 1.2 was published in the c't magazine, while the later KAOS 1.4.2 was sold commercially.</p>
 <p>It ran noticeably faster, and although critics claimed this was only from disabling visual effects, re-enabling them disproved that. Since the Atari ST keeps its operating system in ROM, KAOS was often burned onto EPROM chips and physically installed in the machine. Most cleanly written applications ran without problems, with special helper patches for the few incompatible ones. Atari never officially licensed the project but tolerated it on the market. It was shaped by Andreas Kromke and Normen Kowalewski, among others, and became well known in the Atari community through coverage in the ST-Magazin.</p>
-<p>KAOS TOS is also installed on my <a href="/retro/mega-st-low/">"Low"</a> machine, though I rarely use it. Theoretically it's there and available if needed.</p>
+<p>KAOS TOS is also installed on my <a href="/retro/mega-st-high/">"High"</a> machine, though I currently always run Geneva under TOS 2.06. No TOS switcher is wired up yet, so it's fixed to TOS 2.06 for now.</p>

 <h2>Adding multitasking: Geneva and MiNT</h2>
 <p>Plain Atari TOS is a single-tasking system: only one main program runs at a time. Two well-known add-ons change that.</p>