@DATABASE HowToCode7
@NODE MAIN "HowToCode: Kickstart"
@toc howtocode:howtocode/MAIN

           Important Kickstart Differences on Amiga
           ----------------------------------------

There are major differences between the early kickstart machines
(Kickstart 1.2) and current releases (Kickstart 3.0/3.1)

Important differences:

Size: Kickstart 1.2 was 256Kb. Kickstart 3.0 is 512Kb

Offsets: *EVERYTHING* changes. Do not make any assumptions about
any data in rom, for example reset locations, topaz.font data
position.

Libraries: Many disk-based libraries under 1.3 are now in ROM, along
with disk-validator and other things....

Workbench: Workbench is much improved. Use it.

OS Functions: *Many* new OS functions in all libraries. Now much
easier to use, and faster. Much faster than under 1.2/1.3

How to check kickstart:
----------------------

   move.l   4.w,a6
   move.l   LIB_VERSION(a6),d0

d0 now contains version number. Compare with the following (all
values in decimal)


V0 to V32       - Obsolete! No longer supported.

V33             - Kickstart 1.2

V34             - Kickstart 1.3 (1.2 with autoboot for HD)

V35             - Early beta-kickstart 1.4. Obsolete

V36             - Obsolete! Early V2.00-V2.03 supplied with Amiga 3000
                  Amiga 3000 owners should upgrade to at least V37

V37             - Kickstart 2.04. Final release version of Kickstart 2

(V38)           - Workbench 2.1 (exec.library should not show this
                  version. All true V38 libraries are disk based)

V39             - Kickstart 3.0

V40             - Kickstart 3.1 - Currently only in AmigaCD 32


Do NOT compare numbers directly, eg.

   cmp.w #39,d0
   beq   kickstart3

Always check for greater or equal... eg.

   cmp.w #39,d0
   bcc   kickstart3     (bcc = BHIS, branch higher or same, unsigned)

@endnode