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So I just started working on this, which might then later get merged into the SMS Test Suite (not sure it can be easily done, we'll see...).

Ideally, after the RAM tests, there will be similar VRAM tests and, after that, there might even be CRAM tests, even if they'll likely be 'visual' tests as there's no way to read back from CRAM to see if the written values were written/retained correctly.

So this is just a small preview now, with just few simple tests. For each test, the whole 8 KB system RAM is written, and a little delay applied before reading back the values again so that if a memory chip isn't retaining the written values properly, tests should appear as failed. Note that pressing the console's PAUSE button will trigger the NMI, which will write the current value of the program counter register onto the stack, which is in RAM, so the test that is running at that moment will report a failure. This is expected and it doesn't mean RAM is faulty (so, in short, PAUSE should *not* be pressed when tests are running).

Please give feedback and suggest more memory tests, if they can be useful. I will set up a GitHub repository later.

EDIT: version 0.01 removed. See below for newer versions.

SMSmemtest1.png (11.42 KB)

SMS memtest all tests OK!

SMSmemtest2.png (11.46 KB)

SMS memtest one test FAILED

This looks neat! I guess if you had the 3d glasses adapter plugged in youd see each eye swap when it goes from all 0 to all 1.

Actually.. that in itself could be a handy test to add to the sms test suite.. 3d glasses functionality test. Left eye open, right closed. Then click a button and they swap.

wasup wrote

I guess if you had the 3d glasses adapter plugged in youd see each eye swap when it goes from all 0 to all 1.

I'm writing to $C000-$DFFF only, not to the mirrored addresses, so I'm not writing to $FFF8 and the 3D glasses shouldn't care.

I agree it could be interesting to add a 3D glasses test to the SMS Test Suite. I'll work on this later.

new version - this one run same series of tests on VRAM too, after the RAM tests are completed

VRAM tests are run with screen off - program will stop if a test fails, displaying which one did, or will run to the end of the tests confirming everything is working fine

SMSmemtest1.png (12.49 KB)

SMS memtest all RAM tests OK, press a button for VRAM tests

SMSmemtest2.png (10.23 KB)

SMS memtest all VIDEO RAM tests OK!

SMSmemtest3.png (9.91 KB)

SMS memtest VIDEO RAM test failure

SMSmemtest_v0.20.zip (3.85 KB)

SMS memtest ROM version 0.20

Note that the SF-7000 does some similar tests but it uses beeps to signal failure, because if RAM or VRAM are failing, there’s a decent chance your attempt to draw to the screen will fail.

mmm... is an SMS with completely broken/missing RAM able to boot and get to the point where execution is handed to the cart ROM? I think it needs to execute some code from RAM so probably there's no way to write any software that tests for that condition...

Also, if VRAM is totally broken/missing you're likely getting a solid color on screen. Not sure if it's worth to perform some quick VRAM test and give some beep code if that fails...

I realize they aren't exactly"SMS" but I believe both the Mark III and no-BIOS Game Gear models should be able to boot the ROM cartridge in a no-RAM, no-VRAM scenario

Ive just run this on a game gear in sms mode and it runs fine, which is expected.

One small change you could possibly do is have it wait for a button press before starting the tests, like it does for the vram tests.

I realized I forgot to upload version 0.30 (Feb 8th 2023) - now it performs tests on RAM/VRAM and SRAM (both banks when available) too.

GitHub repository is here.

I hope it can be useful!

SMSmemtest_030.png (21.38 KB)

SMS memtest testing SRAM

SMSmemtest_v0.30.zip (3.81 KB)

SMS memtest ROM version 0.30

Author	Message
sverx Joined: 05 Sep 2013 Posts: 3823 Location: Stockholm, Sweden	SMS memtest Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2020 2:36 pm Last edited by sverx on Fri Aug 14, 2020 1:14 pm; edited 1 time in total
	So I just started working on this, which might then later get merged into the SMS Test Suite (not sure it can be easily done, we'll see...). Ideally, after the RAM tests, there will be similar VRAM tests and, after that, there might even be CRAM tests, even if they'll likely be 'visual' tests as there's no way to read back from CRAM to see if the written values were written/retained correctly. So this is just a small preview now, with just few simple tests. For each test, the whole 8 KB system RAM is written, and a little delay applied before reading back the values again so that if a memory chip isn't retaining the written values properly, tests should appear as failed. Note that pressing the console's PAUSE button will trigger the NMI, which will write the current value of the program counter register onto the stack, which is in RAM, so the test that is running at that moment will report a failure. This is expected and it doesn't mean RAM is faulty (so, in short, PAUSE should not be pressed when tests are running). Please give feedback and suggest more memory tests, if they can be useful. I will set up a GitHub repository later. EDIT: version 0.01 removed. See below for newer versions. SMSmemtest1.png (11.42 KB) SMS memtest all tests OK! SMSmemtest2.png (11.46 KB) SMS memtest one test FAILED

wasup Joined: 05 Nov 2014 Posts: 435 Location: Auckland - NZ	Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2020 3:20 am
	This looks neat! I guess if you had the 3d glasses adapter plugged in youd see each eye swap when it goes from all 0 to all 1. Actually.. that in itself could be a handy test to add to the sms test suite.. 3d glasses functionality test. Left eye open, right closed. Then click a button and they swap.

sverx Joined: 05 Sep 2013 Posts: 3823 Location: Stockholm, Sweden	Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2020 9:10 am
	wasup wrote I guess if you had the 3d glasses adapter plugged in youd see each eye swap when it goes from all 0 to all 1. I'm writing to $C000-$DFFF only, not to the mirrored addresses, so I'm not writing to $FFF8 and the 3D glasses shouldn't care. I agree it could be interesting to add a 3D glasses test to the SMS Test Suite. I'll work on this later.

sverx Joined: 05 Sep 2013 Posts: 3823 Location: Stockholm, Sweden	Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2020 1:11 pm
	new version - this one run same series of tests on VRAM too, after the RAM tests are completed VRAM tests are run with screen off - program will stop if a test fails, displaying which one did, or will run to the end of the tests confirming everything is working fine SMSmemtest1.png (12.49 KB) SMS memtest all RAM tests OK, press a button for VRAM tests SMSmemtest2.png (10.23 KB) SMS memtest all VIDEO RAM tests OK! SMSmemtest3.png (9.91 KB) SMS memtest VIDEO RAM test failure SMSmemtest_v0.20.zip (3.85 KB) SMS memtest ROM version 0.20

Maxim Site Admin Joined: 19 Oct 1999 Posts: 14735 Location: London	Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2020 1:50 pm
	Note that the SF-7000 does some similar tests but it uses beeps to signal failure, because if RAM or VRAM are failing, there’s a decent chance your attempt to draw to the screen will fail.

sverx Joined: 05 Sep 2013 Posts: 3823 Location: Stockholm, Sweden	Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2020 3:57 pm
	mmm... is an SMS with completely broken/missing RAM able to boot and get to the point where execution is handed to the cart ROM? I think it needs to execute some code from RAM so probably there's no way to write any software that tests for that condition... Also, if VRAM is totally broken/missing you're likely getting a solid color on screen. Not sure if it's worth to perform some quick VRAM test and give some beep code if that fails...

bsittler Joined: 22 Apr 2018 Posts: 530	Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2020 3:52 am
bsittler Joined: 22 Apr 2018 Posts: 530	I realize they aren't exactly"SMS" but I believe both the Mark III and no-BIOS Game Gear models should be able to boot the ROM cartridge in a no-RAM, no-VRAM scenario

wasup Joined: 05 Nov 2014 Posts: 435 Location: Auckland - NZ	Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2020 5:54 am
	Ive just run this on a game gear in sms mode and it runs fine, which is expected. One small change you could possibly do is have it wait for a button press before starting the tests, like it does for the vram tests.

sverx Joined: 05 Sep 2013 Posts: 3823 Location: Stockholm, Sweden	Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2023 1:04 pm
	I realized I forgot to upload version 0.30 (Feb 8th 2023) - now it performs tests on RAM/VRAM and SRAM (both banks when available) too. GitHub repository is here. I hope it can be useful! SMSmemtest_030.png (21.38 KB) SMS memtest testing SRAM SMSmemtest_v0.30.zip (3.81 KB) SMS memtest ROM version 0.30

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