Getting Amiga PCMCIA CF card readers quickly

[AmigaBruno]

It seems that I need to buy a new PCMCIA CF card reader for my Amiga A1200 which arrived back from being repaired a few weeks ago, because my old PCMCIA CF card reader isn't working.

I'd like to get this new PCMCIA CF reader ASAP, instead of waiting about 5 days. I could get one from Amazon Prime so long as I know it's compatible. Unfortunately, the sellers on Amazon don't seem to reply to any messages.

What do I need to look out for to ensure that the PCMCIA CF card reader is compatible with my Amiga A1200? Does it just have to be or to read "Type I" or is there something else? All I can find in the descriptions on Amazon that may help me is "Type I", not "16 bit" and no mention of Amiga.

As for CF cards to use with this formatted as FAT32, I hear there are serious compatibility or reliability problems. I already have one which was working in the past. I've formatted it as FAT32, but I remember reading something about FAT16, as if it had been formatted as FAT16 before I recently reformatted it. Should I just reformat it as FAT16, then try transferring some files off it onto my Amiga again?

[AmigaBruno]

OK thanks! I've just ordered a type T I from Amazon with a familiar looking label on it. It should arrive later today (Saturday), then I hope to try it out on Sunday. As for the CF card I used to use for the transfers, that's another matter. How would I know which CF cards are compatible for using to transfer files from a Mac to my Amiga A1200? I used Linux last time.

[AmigaBruno]

Usually Sandisk and Kingston CF cards will work.

I've got a SanDisk card 4Gb 30Mb/s CF card I was using before my Amiga A1200 got damaged. I hope to find it works later today. I may have to try formatting it to FAT16 instead of FAT32, though.

[AmigaBruno]

Better to quick format it on Amiga. It will format it correctly.

This CF card is for transferring files downloaded from the Internet on a MacBook over to my Amiga. AFAIK this requires a FAT format, because it's supported by both macOS and Amiga Workbench. I don't know how I can format the CF card as FAT32 or FAT16 under Workbench 3.0. Can you tell me, or did you think I was going to use this card in the format FFS, SFS, or PFS to install Workbench onto?

[AmigaBruno]

You just put card in, go to format, then select CF0:, then quick format. It will format it as FAT.

I've now got a new old PCMCIA CF card reader for my A1200. I inserted the FAT32 CF card which I formatted on my MacBook and booted up my Amiga from the SFS CF card which I installed by myself. Unfortunately, the FAT32 card wasn't detected. Next, I booted up from the PFS CF card which I bought from an eBay seller. This time the FAT32 card was detected under Dopus and it also appeared as a floppy drive icon on my Workbench screen. I was then able to transfer various files from there onto my Amiga. This means my problem is now solved!

I wish I could also detect the FAT32 card when booting up from mx SFS CF card, but I think that's a subject for a new thread.