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Author Topic: ZuluSCSI RP2040 for direct image of Hard Drivce  (Read 562 times)

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Offline dingebreTopic starter

ZuluSCSI RP2040 for direct image of Hard Drivce
« on: January 08, 2023, 07:01:29 AM »
New to this forum, but not new to Amiga, electronics, or writing code. I am also one of those who loves to read the manual, so if there is a FAQ, blog, Youtube, anything that I have missed in my search, please feel free to tell me to "read the manual," but please include a link :D

My goal is to image the hard drive in my A3000 to preserve data and software and then transfer it to an SD card to use with a ZuluSCSI RP2040 SCSI to SD adapter and in WinUAE. Seems simple enough and I've found some information such as on the Amiga Forever FAQ about how to make the image once the hard drive is connected to a PC. What I can't find is some tried and true method to actually connect my A3000 drive to a PC. SCSI cards for PCs seem to have been discontinued and I don't have a system running any older Windows OS, e.g.: Windows XP (I've seen some cards, like some from Adaptec, which are available but not supported by Adaptec anymore and there is no promise it will work in Windows 10 or 11). SCSI to USB adapters are ridiculously priced, but if that is what I have to do, I'll do it.

However... there seems to be another option that I have in hand, but am wary about diving in lest I destroy my A3000 HD in the process. The new ZuluSCSI RP2040 will directly image a hard drive to the SD card, see here:

https://github.com/ZuluSCSI/ZuluSCSI-firmware#scsi-initiator-mode

It looks to be straightforward, however, I've used those words before and then disaster struck.

Has anyone tried this on an Amiga hard drive or any SCSI hard drive? Is there a more detailed explanation on how to do this?

Thank you.

David
David
 

Offline Tumbleweed

Re: ZuluSCSI RP2040 for direct image of Hard Drivce
« Reply #1 on: January 08, 2023, 07:44:26 PM »
Have a look at this:

https://www.amigaforever.com/ae/

you can either buy a null modem cable or build your own.

Weed
A3000T, Cybervision64, CSMKII 060; A3000D, PicassoII, Z3 Fastlane; A2000D, 040, PicassoII; A4000D, A1200, Blizzard 030 MKIV  (not working - next project)
 

Offline dingebreTopic starter

Re: ZuluSCSI RP2040 for direct image of Hard Drivce
« Reply #2 on: January 08, 2023, 10:47:41 PM »
Thank you Weed!

This was useful and did help clarify the process. My question now is more specific. Elsewhere in the FAQ under how to create HDF images of a hard drive, it says:

https://www.amigaforever.com/kb/15-113

  • Connect the disk to the PC (follow the device-specific instructions, switching off the PC if necessary)
  • Do NOT mount the Amiga disk assigning it a Windows drive letter or expect it to appear under the Computer folder, but rather make sure that the disk is listed in Disk Management (select Computer Management from the Windows Start menu, then expand the Storage folder on the left, and click on Disk Management)
  • Select Disk Toolbox from the Tools menu of Amiga Forever
  • In the Disk to Image tab, select the desired disk, then Create Image
  • Make a backup copy of the disk image file, and archive it in a safe place

My question and confusion then, in light of the link you indicated, is does the first step in the above quote just mean a connection between the physical Amiga and the PC via Serial or ethernet, or does it mean physically removing the hard drive from the Amiga and installing it in the PC? If the former, how amazingly simple! But step two seems to indicate I do have to physically install the Amiga drive in the PC, which then poses a much different problem.

I think I understand that I can see and transfer files between the PC and Amiga with some combination of Amiga Forever, Amiga Explorer, and WinUAE through a serial connection or ethernet. I was wanting to create an actual image of the hard drive to make sure all the software and associated files, registrations, etc. were preserved. But I'm probably still missing something simple.

Thanks again.

David
« Last Edit: January 08, 2023, 10:51:20 PM by dingebre »
David
 

Offline scuzzb494

Re: ZuluSCSI RP2040 for direct image of Hard Drivce
« Reply #3 on: January 09, 2023, 01:49:02 AM »
You probably need to do more research on mounting a SCSI drive in a conventional PC and getting the emulator to read it direct as your instructions suggest. I cannot see any way of connecting the Amiga drive to the PC without use of Ethernet or an AmiPC type cable. Maybe there is somethng. Just Google and see what comes up.

For me I have always used ZIP drives for transferring stuff. There really is no need to disk image. Just make sure I copy everything. I tend to LHA the contents in 100MB chunks using DOpus to make sure none of the files get lost in the translation. If I had that problem I would copy the drive to ZIP using a PARNET cable linked to my A1200. I would either then transfer by taking the ZIPS to the PC or use a PCMCIA ethernet cable linked to the PC using Miami and Samba. Once you have a PC copy of the contents you are free to do anything. I even burn an image to CD and read the contents on the emulator. I have many Amigas and all the drives have been copied using Parnet and or ZIP and then burnt to CD. All the computers CD images are in a folder and I can call them out at will.

PS This Amiga 1500 was backed up using 10 floppy disks. Took a while but I did it and now sits on the emulator.

https://www.scuzzscink.com/amiga/scuzzblog_march22/scuzzblogdmarch22_1801.htm

Good luck with that. You could also ask on a freindly forum is someone would copy it for you. There may be services that do that. Again just Google.


Offline dingebreTopic starter

Re: ZuluSCSI RP2040 for direct image of Hard Drivce
« Reply #4 on: January 09, 2023, 03:21:43 AM »
Thank you scuzzb94! You said something very interesting which jogged some dusty memories, "There is really no need to disk image." It's been so long since I've been deep into the Amiga OS and hardware and have been tainted by Windows insanely complex and overburdened operating systems. I had forgotten that Amiga software installations are (mostly) very straight forward, copy the program files, libraries, and devices, appropriate startup entries and it all should work fine.

I am developing a lot more hope in preserving my old software and data, at the same time looking forward to having some fun tinkering and learning/re-learning the amazing Amiga hardware and OS.

My understanding and way forward is becoming much clearer now, thank you.

In addition to your "diary" regarding backing up your 1500 (very informative, thanks), I also found this very helpful tutorial regarding Amiga Explorer.

https://www.everythingamiga.com/2017/05/amiga-explorer-pc-to-amiga-data-transfer-without-a-gotek-or-compact-flash.html

I think I will try Amiga Explorer first to get stuff moved over to the emulator and to an SD card for my ZuluSCSI.

David
David