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Author Topic: **Need Setup HELP** with Classic Amiga 2000 HARD DISK (Bridgeboard)  (Read 86538 times)

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Offline Pat the Cat

Re: **Need Setup HELP** with Classic Amiga 2000 HARD DISK (Bridgeboard)
« Reply #29 on: January 19, 2017, 11:00:12 PM »
OK. You might never be able to boot off the PC disk to get the PC hard disk to get going, but you should be able to get access to the data. Very good chance of it.

One complication with the older drives - because they have multiple data cables, it is ever easier for just one end to be the wrong way around and the connections get scrambled.

You really want to power off and read a manual for the PC hard drive controller if you can. Make sure the cables are all connected correct way around, these older ones are tricky sometimes.

The reason you can usually do it from the Amiga side if you can suss out the controller is - you can usually get the PC going enough from floppy to mount the drive to DOS at least. That's one starting place.

This is not a SCSI or IDE drive, but if the drive spins at least, good chance you can pull the data from it, however it was setup to read to..

How good you can get Janus going to mount the PC hard drive from the Amiga is just a question of getting the right components, after that, should access OK. Sounds like it. One attempt if the circuitry on the drive has died is to try to find an identical circuit board, that can be swap out replaced on most types. Spinning drive healthy or savable mostly..

One very handy thing to know about working with old PCs. Digital Research DOS. It's very handy if you need a boot disk that will get you to a DOS prompt on a real PC. Works usually on emulators too, but you want about 5.31, not much later if any. DOS is DOS nearly 100% on these early PCs. You don't have to touch microsoft products to do it, but that's another way.
« Last Edit: January 19, 2017, 11:17:06 PM by Pat the Cat »
"To recurse is human. To iterate, divine."

A1200, Vanilla, Surf Squirrel, SD Card, KS 3.0/3.z, PCMCIA dev
A500, Vanilla, A570, Rev 5, KS 1.2/1.3 Testbench system
Rasp Pi, UAE4ARM, 3D laser scanner, experimental, hoping for AmigaOS4Arm, based on Watterott Fabscan Pi
 

Offline wbrejniaTopic starter

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Re: **Need Setup HELP** with Classic Amiga 2000 HARD DISK (Bridgeboard)
« Reply #30 on: January 19, 2017, 11:13:46 PM »
Quote from: Pat the Cat;820121
OK. You might never be able to boot off the PC disk to get the PC hard disk to get going, but you should be able to get access to the data. Very good chance of it.
How good you can get Janus going to mount the PC hard drive from the Amiga is just a question of getting the right components, after that, should access OK. Sounds like it. One attempt if the circuitry on the drive has died is to try to find an identical circuit board, that can be swap out replaced on most types. Spinning drive healthy or savable mostly..

 First.  IF any HW is broken, I give up (not worth it).  But I don't think so, other than age, it might be ok since my own.
 
 Hmmn.  I'm examining the Boot Sequence.  
 
 "DJmount" is missing.  I assume this is part of Janus.
 
 Where can I get the DJmount package?
 

Offline Matt_H

Re: **Need Setup HELP** with Classic Amiga 2000 HARD DISK (Bridgeboard)
« Reply #31 on: January 19, 2017, 11:14:03 PM »
That's the key - the command "DJMount". There is an Amiga partition on the PC hard drive. That command mounts it as the Amiga device JH0:. The subsequent commands reassign the system paths to the hard drive.

The command "rbk pc/pcdisk" may also be important for getting the PC side to boot, but I'm not certain. I'm wondering if it might be the driver for the hard disk controller.

So, the question is whether the command DJMount is self-contained (i.e., could you just boot from another Janus disk and run that command) or whether it calls a config file elsewhere on the disk (a JH0: entry in the file devs:mounlist or something else).

A Bridgeboard or Janus manual would answer these questions. I'm sure there are (English) PDF versions kicking around somewhere online.

Since you have Amiga Explorer, try to make an ADF image of the disk for safekeeping. It might be able to bypass the error (if the error isn't too severe) and give you a clean copy.

You're making progress! I think we'll get this.
 

Offline Oldsmobile_Mike

Re: **Need Setup HELP** with Classic Amiga 2000 HARD DISK (Bridgeboard)
« Reply #32 on: January 19, 2017, 11:15:28 PM »
Quote from: wbrejnia;820120
Here is the Original Workbench Disk that I used to Boot this Amiga With.

(snip)

So you're able to read the startup-sequence of the floppy disk but you can't boot from it because it gives an error, correct?

Sounds like the disk might not be too far gone, then.  Try doing a "set echo on" or have it print a line after each command runs.  That should allow you to easily trace which command or sector on the disk has gone bad.  You could try replacing just the file or files on the faulty disk, but my recommendation would be to create a new boot disk - copy over everything from your existing disk (that works) and replace just the commands that fail.  Voila, you should have new boot disk!  :)
Amiga 500: 2MB Chip|16MB Fast|30MHz 68030+68882|3.9|Indivision ECS|GVP A500HD+|Mechware card reader + 8GB CF|Cocolino|SCSI DVD-RAM
Amiga 2000: 2MB Chip|136MB Fast|50MHz 68060|3.9|Indivision ECS + GVP Spectrum|Mechware card reader + 8GB CF|AD516|X-Surf 100|RapidRoad|Cocolino|SCSI CD-RW
 Amiga videos and other misc. stuff at https://www.youtube.com/CompTechMike/videos
 

Offline Matt_H

Re: **Need Setup HELP** with Classic Amiga 2000 HARD DISK (Bridgeboard)
« Reply #33 on: January 19, 2017, 11:28:41 PM »
@ Oldsmobile_Mike

Well said!

@ wbrejnia

All signs so far point to this being a software issue rather than a hardware one. DJMount is part of the Janus package - it should be on that disk in the C: directory. As long as the file containing the drive geometry is intact (although we have yet to figure out exactly what that is) you should be able to get the system working with the tools that you have. As Mike said, you'll need to create a new boot floppy, probably mixing and matching files from a few different disks. Get a few blank disks ready :)
 

Offline Pat the Cat

Re: **Need Setup HELP** with Classic Amiga 2000 HARD DISK (Bridgeboard)
« Reply #34 on: January 19, 2017, 11:34:53 PM »
Using DJMount or other Mount with a drive of this era has one issue - you cannot automount. You must have a mountlist entry. Values to write one (they're are few lines of text) are usually written on the drive where you can read them. It is typical for this kind of hard drive not to automount.

ide or scSI drive on mount, this is old school.

Also, janus has it's own library, I assume that is present in some form where the Amiga can get it. From the original boot floppy. Or a working copy anyway, working to the point where you can get most of it into a working booting floppy. That's the AmigaBootdisk in the download, so if you combine the two somehow, that should get you some bits going at least. Copying old onto new would be best, libs, devs, c, l, any other directories. You might not need the actual startup sequence from the old one.

Old one maybe has mountlist in L to use to mount PC hard disk? Sidecar obviously where Janus lives.
« Last Edit: January 20, 2017, 12:00:17 AM by Pat the Cat »
"To recurse is human. To iterate, divine."

A1200, Vanilla, Surf Squirrel, SD Card, KS 3.0/3.z, PCMCIA dev
A500, Vanilla, A570, Rev 5, KS 1.2/1.3 Testbench system
Rasp Pi, UAE4ARM, 3D laser scanner, experimental, hoping for AmigaOS4Arm, based on Watterott Fabscan Pi
 

Offline wbrejniaTopic starter

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Re: **Need Setup HELP** with Classic Amiga 2000 HARD DISK (Bridgeboard)
« Reply #35 on: January 19, 2017, 11:51:52 PM »
Thanks "Pat" and "Matt" for helping and providing inspiration.

My Name is Actually "Wally", and I'm not going to give up.

My next mission is DJmount. Startup-Sequece has it, but disk does not.

My mind is starting to hurt, and I need a break. Will be back soon.

Break Time :)

Tried these two Floppies. Still work. Wish the Workbench did too....

This is my all time favorite, Coin Op Clone of "Missile Command"


And of Course this one too.....



BOTH HAVE GREAT SOUND. Even my 15 year old was impressed and tried it.

Back soon....Stay Tuned...(Hope you are having fun tagging along).
 
 THIS (HARD DRIVE PEEK MISSION Game Isn't over Yet)
 
« Last Edit: January 19, 2017, 11:58:52 PM by wbrejnia »
 

Offline Oldsmobile_Mike

Re: **Need Setup HELP** with Classic Amiga 2000 HARD DISK (Bridgeboard)
« Reply #36 on: January 19, 2017, 11:59:35 PM »
Quote from: wbrejnia;820128
My next mission is DJmount. Startup-Sequece has it, but disk does not.

Then this may be the file that's corrupt on your boot floppy.

Create your new floppy using the process we described earlier, then try obtaining a new copy of DJMount from the Janus software download disks on Amiga Hardware Database (using the link I provided previously).
Amiga 500: 2MB Chip|16MB Fast|30MHz 68030+68882|3.9|Indivision ECS|GVP A500HD+|Mechware card reader + 8GB CF|Cocolino|SCSI DVD-RAM
Amiga 2000: 2MB Chip|136MB Fast|50MHz 68060|3.9|Indivision ECS + GVP Spectrum|Mechware card reader + 8GB CF|AD516|X-Surf 100|RapidRoad|Cocolino|SCSI CD-RW
 Amiga videos and other misc. stuff at https://www.youtube.com/CompTechMike/videos
 

Offline Pat the Cat

Re: **Need Setup HELP** with Classic Amiga 2000 HARD DISK (Bridgeboard)
« Reply #37 on: January 20, 2017, 12:05:52 AM »
(Facepalm) sorry I thought you had Bridgeboard software download already? If not;-

http://www.cbmfreaks.com/?p=63

You can find lumps of Janus on Aminet too, IIRC.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=aminet+janus&t=canonical&ia=web

It can be dangerous to DL too much, it got lots of software. You want version compatible with your BB hardware.
« Last Edit: January 20, 2017, 12:09:39 AM by Pat the Cat »
"To recurse is human. To iterate, divine."

A1200, Vanilla, Surf Squirrel, SD Card, KS 3.0/3.z, PCMCIA dev
A500, Vanilla, A570, Rev 5, KS 1.2/1.3 Testbench system
Rasp Pi, UAE4ARM, 3D laser scanner, experimental, hoping for AmigaOS4Arm, based on Watterott Fabscan Pi
 

Offline Matt_H

Re: **Need Setup HELP** with Classic Amiga 2000 HARD DISK (Bridgeboard)
« Reply #38 on: January 20, 2017, 12:06:33 AM »
@ Wally

I was looking at documentation for the A2386 and the A1060, other Bridgeboards that also use the Janus software. According to those docs, DJMount appears to be self contained. It's apparently able to detect the partition layout on hard disks connected to the PC side and automatically mount Amiga partitions. This is good news. In case that floppy disk can't be salvaged, you should still be able to mount the hard drive from another Janus disk.

I'm surprised that DJMount isn't on that disk. It should be in the C: directory. Can you check again? Another possibility is that your system originally booted with that disk in DF0: and another disk in DF2:. Can you post a picture of the very beginning of the startup-sequence? I'm wondering if there are some commands in there that would indicate a dual-floppy boot setup.

One thing to keep in mind, however, is that ultimate success depends on the hard drive itself still being functional. I don't think we've definitively confirmed that yet. But progress is being made!
 

Offline Oldsmobile_Mike

Re: **Need Setup HELP** with Classic Amiga 2000 HARD DISK (Bridgeboard)
« Reply #39 on: January 20, 2017, 12:14:39 AM »
Quote from: Matt_H;820131
Another possibility is that your system originally booted with that disk in DF0: and another disk in DF2:.

That is an excellent point!

Do you remember back when you used to use this system, did you have to have a disk in both drives in order for it to boot?  Odd system, in any case.  Basically a bare-bones Amiga (not even the 1MB Agnus), but with a whole bunch of expansions added on the Bridgeboard/PC side.  What did you use it for, back in the day?  Mostly PC software, I would assume.  :lol:
Amiga 500: 2MB Chip|16MB Fast|30MHz 68030+68882|3.9|Indivision ECS|GVP A500HD+|Mechware card reader + 8GB CF|Cocolino|SCSI DVD-RAM
Amiga 2000: 2MB Chip|136MB Fast|50MHz 68060|3.9|Indivision ECS + GVP Spectrum|Mechware card reader + 8GB CF|AD516|X-Surf 100|RapidRoad|Cocolino|SCSI CD-RW
 Amiga videos and other misc. stuff at https://www.youtube.com/CompTechMike/videos
 

Offline wbrejniaTopic starter

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Re: **Need Setup HELP** with Classic Amiga 2000 HARD DISK (Bridgeboard)
« Reply #40 on: January 20, 2017, 12:18:38 AM »
I'll be back (to read all your great info).

Have an appoint to fix my wife car [tire]. (Higher Priority than my Toys)

I'll leave you guys with this. It's two Photo's of me, set in my Man Cave Office, On Top of my Box of Disks....( Background is Fish tank in my Office Wall, one of two Tanks).

Yup. Me and my Commodore PET, and Me and my Commodore 64.



I'm not as young as back then, but my spirit and enthusiasm for TOYS and playing is.
 

Offline Pat the Cat

Re: **Need Setup HELP** with Classic Amiga 2000 HARD DISK (Bridgeboard)
« Reply #41 on: January 20, 2017, 12:26:47 AM »
OK, but another way if DJ mount isn't working is to start with a DOSbooting disk from the DL and put a DOS driver and mount command for the PC to fire up from floppy and access it.

That would confirm at least if the drive is good, bad or indifferent maybe.

One odd thing you can get with setting up bridgeboards is disk-validator virus. That might have been what took out the Amiga floppy working properly in the first place. Bridgeboard is from the era when that could be a problem. You ind of know you get it when you delete the file using hardware (ripper hardware like Action Replay)  and it keeps reappearing when you eject from the ripper. DV lives in L, you don't even need it really. The tricky bit can be making sure it doesn't keep coming back on you or crashing the system when you delete it.

The thing with Janus was, you could have drives setup anywhere mapped out anywhere. Very flexible in terms of what drives could be JH0 etc. hardware was very varied, so were names. That should be in L on the original boot floppy for the BB.

Also, DJMount might be autoconfig friendly all right, the issue is, that age of hard drive almost certainly isn't. Not all SCSI gear was either, sometimes you had to have a manual entry, typing MOUNT XYZ: from l/mountlist.pc or similar, where the second was a path to a little txt file.
« Last Edit: January 20, 2017, 12:31:44 AM by Pat the Cat »
"To recurse is human. To iterate, divine."

A1200, Vanilla, Surf Squirrel, SD Card, KS 3.0/3.z, PCMCIA dev
A500, Vanilla, A570, Rev 5, KS 1.2/1.3 Testbench system
Rasp Pi, UAE4ARM, 3D laser scanner, experimental, hoping for AmigaOS4Arm, based on Watterott Fabscan Pi
 

Offline wbrejniaTopic starter

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Re: **Need Setup HELP** with Classic Amiga 2000 HARD DISK (Bridgeboard)
« Reply #42 on: January 20, 2017, 03:05:08 AM »
Quote from: Oldsmobile_Mike;820133
That is an excellent point!

Do you remember back when you used to use this system, did you have to have a disk in both drives in order for it to boot? Odd system, in any case. Basically a bare-bones Amiga (not even the 1MB Agnus), but with a whole bunch of expansions added on the Bridgeboard/PC side. What did you use it for, back in the day? Mostly PC software, I would assume. :lol:

I can't remember exactly how I used it.  That is the biggest mystery.
 I know I played games a lot but that was probably from Floppies.
 I think I used it for School on the PC Side, for Enginering (DOS programs).
 
 We'll figure it out.
 
 I'm working on putting together the AmigaExplorer PC to be able to get Downloads.  
 
 BUT FIRST WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THE HARD DRIVE is properly hooked up with the ribbon cables (I think it's right).  But the Controller side ribbon cable can go either way as show below.  
 
 So there are 4 Possible ways.  I think one of the specs you sent show the proper ribbon connections.
 
 See below:
 
 
 The Hard Drive side fits only one way.
 
 
 
 I'll check around for DJmount.
 What is the command for doing a "Dir" but see is page by page.  My unix skills would say "dir | more" but that doesn't work.
 

Offline wbrejniaTopic starter

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Re: **Need Setup HELP** with Classic Amiga 2000 HARD DISK (Bridgeboard)
« Reply #43 on: January 20, 2017, 04:30:17 AM »
Both you guys know a lot.

I am digesting this and possibly thinking is more complicated than is it.

After checking Cabling (which I think is correct), I am going to go thru all my disks as See which has "DJmount"  or download it and run it (to see what happens)
 
 I'm also going to read up on AmigaDos Command and what editors I can use. (Hey it's been a while).  I'll catch up quickly.
 

Offline wbrejniaTopic starter

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Re: **Need Setup HELP** with Classic Amiga 2000 HARD DISK (Bridgeboard)
« Reply #44 from previous page: January 20, 2017, 04:51:42 AM »
Quote from: Pat the Cat;820135
OK, but another way if DJ mount isn't working is to start with a DOSbooting disk from the DL and put a DOS driver and mount command for the PC to fire up from floppy and access it.

Sound like I have a couple options:

1) AMIGA SIDE (DJmount and hopefully have access to JH0: )
2) DOS Side (Boot DOS from Floppy, but Need Driver for Controller and have access to C: Drive).  I looked for DOS Drivers few years ago, but no luck.  Will try again.

I have a 3rd option to suggest (LAST RESORT)

I have a 286 Fully loaded PC (with Hard Drive, CD) All on a similar ribbon Cable (IDE I think). I tried this before with no success but hooked up the Hard Drive (replace the CD drive) on that 286 Machine. I gave up, but still have that 286 Windows PC. I think it didn't work since this is NOT a IDE drive.