QuickROM 36.08

Short:        Boosts Kickstart speed on 68040 or 68060
Author:       simon@studio.woden.com (Simon N Goodwin)
Uploader:     simon studio woden com (Simon N Goodwin)
Type:         util/sys
Version:      36.08
Replaces:     util/sys/QuickROM*
Architecture: m68k-amigaos

SUMMARY

This free utility makes operating system code a lot faster by
copying Kickstart - the built-in part of the Amiga's operating
system - into fast memory. It does this dynamically and can be
activated or deactivated at any time. It has been tested on CPU
accelerators made by Commodore, GVP, MacroSystem and Phase Five
and written with compatibility and reliability in mind.

First Aminet Release: 3rd May 1998.

Unsolicited comment from an early user:

  "Thanks for writing QuickROM.  I'm amazed at how much better my
  4000 with Cyberstorm Mach-II is working!  Disk access is much
  faster, as well as FTP downloads.  There's one site that I thought
  was just slow, but after installing QuickROM, the downloads fly.
  The only problem is that when I run QuickROM from the workbench
  instead of CLI, it gurus, while still speeding up the system.
  That doesn't really matter, though, because it works fine in
  my user startup."  - Dave Wright

Second Aminet Release: 21st May 1998.

  In response to this and other comments I've added a Workbench-
  friendly version (QuickROM_WB) which can be put into WBstartup
  or run at any time by clicking on the icon, and added installation
  instructions.  - Simon N Goodwin


REQUIREMENTS

Any Amiga with Fast Memory and a 68040 or 68060 processor: LC,
XC or MC version - as a MMU Memory Management Unit is required.
Up-to-date SetPatch with CPU libraries, Enforcer or equivalent.

Amiga include files to re-assemble the Workbench startup code.



BENEFITS

* Boosts speed of all Kickstart ROM routines by up to 30 times.

* Allocates RAM from the top of memory to minimise fragmentation.

* Allows de-allocation as well as allocation, freeing 516K memory.

* Full diagnostic Exec result codes for cases when it can't work.

* Avoids undocumented 68060.library hooks, for compatibility with
  all 68060 or 68040 systems with an MMU.
  
* Designed to suit 1 Mb Kickstarts as well as Commodore 512K ones.

* Works from CLI/Shell, Opus, AREXX, and now Workbench icons too.

* Freely distributable, with full assembly language source code.

  Please see QuickROM.text and QuickROM.asm for more details.