New RISC OS 5.08 | Drobe.co.uk archives

New RISC OS 5.08

By Peter Naulls. Published: 5th Nov 2004, 15:50:24 | Permalink | Printable

Iyonix bug fixes [Updated] Printers 1.72 released

Castle today released a slight update to its RISC OS 5 for Iyonix machines, version 5.08.

This is a bug fix release, addressing issues seen by a few users. This includes integration of a version of DOSFS with long filename support, the ethernet driver (EtherK) improved to behave better over resets and fixes to the nVidia driver to avoid stalling on start up with some machines.

Update at 23:48 7/11/2004
Printers 1.72 has been released via the disc updates. This is the version of !Printers that was previously in beta.

Links

Iyonix ROM Updates

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Discussion

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It is so pleasing to see so many, regular, updates to RO5. One day I might justify buying a new machine...

harmsy on 6/11/04 11:51AM
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Why has it been reported as a 'bug fix' release when it includes a major new feature (long filenames for DOSFS)?

senduran on 6/11/04 3:35PM
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The DOSFS updates were reported earlier here:

[link]

The bug fix release (to address issues with EtherK and interrupt handling), also includes an official roll out of the updated DOSFS.

Chris.

diomus on 6/11/04 3:50PM
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hEgelia on 6/11/04 6:56PM
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excuses - I pushed the 'Show help' button in Netsurf...

It would be nice if, for example, DOSFS and certain other developments done by Castle could now be added to 26bit Select...

hEgelia on 6/11/04 7:02PM
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Perhaps it will appear in the new merged version of RO which is slated to make an appearance at some point next year.

sa110 on 6/11/04 9:12PM
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What does Printers 1.72 offer over Printers+ 1.91a, and when is it likely to work with Select 3i4?

Jades on 8/11/04 9:35PM
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I am a bit out of touch with printer updates. Do these recent Printers 1.72, the Printers+ 1.91a or the GimpPrint not too long ago enable RISC OS to use any brand or type of printer that Windows PC's have available?

Sawadee on 10/11/04 8:52AM
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No, that would be UniPrint, sawadee. However, GIMPprint does increase the number of printers that can be printed to, provided you have fairly beefy machine(s) to run it on. The description for 1.72 did hint that a few more printers would be supported, however I'm afraid I haven't downloaded it yet, as it involves getting the Iyonix out of its box :-<

arawnsley on 10/11/04 10:36AM
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arawnsley: and why would your iyonix be in a box ??

leeshep on 10/11/04 11:37AM
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Because he doesn't use it? (same reason mines going up in the loft) Cheers!

The Doctor on 10/11/04 3:25PM
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I guess the main problem for the Iyonix (in fact every new RISC OS machine) is the lack of software to really make good use of it, stuff like up-to-date video editing software.

JGZimmerle on 10/11/04 4:54PM
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leepshep:

I was in a similar situation until recently. I bought one as soon as they could be ordered. I tried using it and most of my critical software would not work like LanMan98. So I reverted back to my Risc PC. Now I am happily using the Iyonix and the Risc PC collects dust.

dansguardian on 10/11/04 6:28PM
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I'm slightly puzzled by these "I got an IYONIX but don't use it" comments, which, quite rightly, have been moderated down. If you don't want your machine, stick it on eBay. It'll easily fetch you over 800ukp in time for you to buy something that makes you happy, plus the IYONIX'll then go to some-one who appreciates it.

martin on 10/11/04 7:11PM
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martin: Andrew sells products that he promotes as competing with the Iyonix. Possibly that might encourage him in making these sort of comments. Certainly that was the impression I got from similar comments he made elsewhere.

dgs

dgs on 10/11/04 9:34PM
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At the moment I'm not sure what to do with my Iyonix (sell it or keep it). I won't get a huge amount for it if I sell it as it doesn't work properly (Boot up problem). Getting it fixed means either a 200mile round trip to Castle plus possibly paying them to fix it (I didn't buy it from them). Fixed or not, I still find it very cumbersome to use due to the amount of features missing in the OS and also the amount of software I use that doesn't work on it. I'd need to buy Aemulor Pro which still won't run /all/ of the old software and I'd also need to replace my scanner. This is all extra expense that I can't justify at the moment on a machine that I may well not be happy with afterwards, so for the moment it's going up in the loft out of the way (because I need the space) while I ponder the problem for a while.

fwibbler on 10/11/04 10:05PM
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Just to clarify, I have similar but different problems to fwibbler, which so far Castle have failed to solve. The machine has resulted in data loss on a number of occasions, I am sad to say, made worse by recent OS updates. This is not typical (AFAIK), because mine was an early machine, but prevents me having any confidence in its use. To DGS, I'd just like to say that 75% of R-Comp development takes place on RiscPC, so I have no agenda here. I paid real money for the Iyonix, and I would have liked it to replace the RiscPC. Case closed. On the bright side, I revitalised this thread ;-)

PS, I don't actually promote RISCubes as competing with the Iyonix - you'll notice I tend to avoid "should I buy a..." discussions. RISCubes go to one audiance, Iyonixes to others. Indeed, a number of Iyonix users own RISCubes/SpaceCube machines too. Indeed I find it rather depressing that people try and force two rather different concepts (one hybrid, one pure arm) into such "competition". All I can say is pick the one that is right for *you* as they are both just as valid products.

arawnsley on 10/11/04 10:44PM
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fwibbler: If your Iyonix has faults or needs fixes, then Castle will fix it free of charge, regardless of who you bought it from. If you're 200 miles from Castle, I would think you're still reasonably close to some dealers or groups or events where fixes could be carried out. A lot less than 200 miles, anyway!

Obviously if your Iyonix is faulty because of something you did to it or because it failed whilst out of warranty, that's different, but it still shouldn't be a huge challenge.

From what you say, it sounds like the problem may well be solved by some of the fixes/updates that are freely available, rather than anything more expensive.

Incidentally, when Castle have carried out free fixes in the past, it's been irrelevant whether the machine was still in warranty or not.

dgs

dgs on 11/11/04 12:02AM
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I too have an early Iyonix, and when I first had it I too found it unusable for most of the things I needed to do, and carried on using my old machine for a while. But Castle and others have done wonders with upgrades to hardware, software and applications, so that it now does everything I need, plus a lot that my old machine couldn't do. My old machine has now been in the cupboard for 18 months, and I do everything on the Iyonix which is stable and reliable. So it may be that all Andrew needs to do is to get his machine up to date with all the hardware and software fixes. Things have moved on a lot since the early days. And if you still have a problem, I'm sure Castle would be prepared to help, especially since you develop software.

mrtd on 11/11/04 9:06AM
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mrtd - kinda why I mentioned this. I'm sort of hoping that the "just put up with it" attitude of the past will now have changed to actually replacing the mobo with one that doesn't have barely supported chips on :-<

arawnsley on 11/11/04 10:03AM
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I don't see how on topic comments about how people don't use their iyonix could be rightly modded down...do we want to see a unified field of people who use their iyonixes or do the people who have problems not have as much right to say so? Personally I think if it's on topic, however inflammatory or negative it is it should be at lest left neutral. The best thing to do is reply to something you don't like.

john on 11/11/04 11:34AM
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In reply to dgs: I'm not having a dig at Castle by the way. They've always been quite helpful and reasonable to me. They will indeed perform any modifications free of charge providing I can get the machine to them (since I did not buy it from them (bought off Ebay) which is reasonable I think). Getting it to them is the problem. I don't have the time spare at the moment to make the trip. The only thing that annoys me slightly is that I've already made the trip once to have modifications done to the machine. The stability has improved but the boot problem remains. As i said in an earlier post, thats not the only thing that puts me off using it. Its more of a combination of things which together, put me off using it. Cheers!

fwibbler on 11/11/04 12:11PM
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fwibbler: The latest 5.08 update is supposed to address boot issues. Have you tried it?

dansguardian on 11/11/04 12:19PM
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Yes I am. Funnily enough when I switched the machine on today it had the usual problem booting. Fair enough. I switched the machine off after about 10mins use and made a cup of tea, drank it etc..

When I then switched the machine back on after a further 10mins, it booted fine! This is unusual, as I've tried this before and had no success, ever.

Will do some further tests during the day. Cheers!

fwibbler on 11/11/04 2:06PM
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fwibbler: is your iyonix feeling any better then? ;-)

i didn't realise the iyonix had stability and boot-up problems though :-(

leeshep on 11/11/04 10:21PM
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leeshep: "The Iyonix" does not have any boot-up problems. At least mine has not. I have heard reports of machines taking some time to "warm" up though - maybe network related. Mine always starts up immediately without any problems.

wuerthne on 11/11/04 10:56PM
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wuerthne: As I understand it, your Iyonix is a lot further away from Castle than fwibbler/TheDoctor (are those two the same person, btw?)

I don't think your Iyonix is unusual in its reliability, though.

Cheers!

dgs

dgs on 12/11/04 1:23AM
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No, the only problem I have with booting the Iyonix is when my ISPs DHCP server refuses to supply an IP address. Then booting can take a long time. Otherwise booting is rock solid.

mrtd on 12/11/04 8:48AM
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In reply to fwibbler: I don't have an Iyonixs (yet!), but a 4.02 RO and 11 3.7's networked etc. I have experienced modification and/or updates to the system and so on, finding that the computer wil sometimes behave like the "Weather Girl" - unpredictable - during the boot up sequence. Not a network problem, but I found by going systematically through the all the Directories in the !Boot and hiding any old !Boot folders, old back ups, old programme versions not being used, old modules etc etc. and making sure that they are well out of sight of being read when the computer Boots Up. I put these old unused and back up copies into Directories with names like these... "NoGo" "NoDelete" "Rubbish". Another trick to disarm old stuff kept in Directories like these that I sometimes do and may be worried that the computer picks it up and sees it.... is to take the ! away from the word !Boot so there is only Boot and/or away from any !Software so that it only shows Software (the word software may be the name of it) all that really changes is the Icon image of the Software. I don't really know if these ideas are really the best solutions to storing old stuff in the archives of the computer, maybe someone could add to this please. In New Zealand, I sure wish that I was "only" 200 miles from Castle, considering that I use to travel to my school (work) every day 126 miles (one way that is) 12 years ago when I lived in my home place, Australia. With a bit of positive thinking, maybe Castle (and RISC OS Ltd) may expand in the near future? I assume though that bug fixes and updates should deal with these issues?

Sawadee on 13/11/04 7:54AM
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Sorry to join the 'me-toos' but I too have an early Iyonix (though not a pre-production machine like some developers).

Mine's fine. There is a hardware mod for some machines with start-up/reset problems which (AIUI) Castle do free; mine's just never needed it.

My experience of Castle is 100% positive and I'm sure they would appreciate the chance to fix any troublesome machines. Mind you, I know it's a hassle sending them back.

TonyStill on 13/11/04 5:41PM
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I have an X100 which works very nciely and have always found Castle have a very proactive view on dealing with any problems and resovling problems. It compares very favourably with the 60 days and then you have to join our extended warranty or pay per call attitude I had from Apple.

markee174 on 13/11/04 9:47PM
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markee174 Re Castle Same true here from both Castle and their dealer XAT. They are far more pro-active and react in a more business-like manner than most of the other RISC OS companies I have dealt with in the last two years.

blahsnr on 14/11/04 09:43AM
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I bought my Iyonix at the end of December 2002, I think ordered it on Boxing Day! It arrived in January 2003 and I have used it ever since. I have applied Castle's updates more or less as when they were first available and I have had no problems of stability or reliability. The Iyonix is networked with a RPC and 2 Windows systems and only powered off on the rare occasions I have to open it up. It just works, it's at least as reliable as the RPC with Adjust. I have even modified the disc image quite a bit so I have do do some installs manually. So I find it strange to read hear and elsewhere about all the problems other people have. I read the about the problems with interest and think at least its not me! I can't say I've found Castle helpful, I haven't needed any assistance. I just wish it was easier to find things on their web site!

chriswhy on 14/11/04 1:11PM
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