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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: WeiXing3D on June 23, 2012, 05:16:05 PM

Title: Installing EasyADF PCMCIA with WB in HDD
Post by: WeiXing3D on June 23, 2012, 05:16:05 PM
Are there any especial instructions on how to install Easy EasyADF PCMCIA transfer when workbench is installed in a HDD?

In my specific case, I don't have the floppy (or floppies) with WB 3.1, but it's installed in HDD from where my A1200 boots up.
Title: Re: Installing EasyADF PCMCIA with WB in HDD
Post by: tribz on June 23, 2012, 05:27:34 PM
Just re-installed mine this afternoon. You wont need any workbench disks if WB is already installed on the HD. Just run the installs from the floppy and you should be fine.

Edit: dont forget to "mount cf0:"
Title: Re: Installing EasyADF PCMCIA with WB in HDD
Post by: WeiXing3D on June 23, 2012, 05:58:24 PM
Quote from: tribz;697677
Just re-installed mine this afternoon. You wont need any workbench disks if WB is already installed on the HD. Just run the installs from the floppy and you should be fine.

Edit: dont forget to "mount cf0:"


And how do I do that?
Title: Re: Installing EasyADF PCMCIA with WB in HDD
Post by: tribz on June 23, 2012, 05:59:41 PM
Open a shell and type it minus the quotes or add it to your S:Startup-Sequence
Title: Re: Installing EasyADF PCMCIA with WB in HDD
Post by: WeiXing3D on June 23, 2012, 08:33:06 PM
My bad, I'm sorry if misled in this post: The installation I'm trying to do is for a generic PCMCIA installer I recived w/my PCMCIA adapter. The floppy label readsL Workbench Boot, HD-Install and ADF Programs.
In any case I haven't been able to install the PCMCIA cf reader. I've tried booting up from the floppy but I'm prompted to insert disck in unit CF0:. I insert the reader witha 2GB empy card but it's not recognized. I also tried installing by opening the floppy after boot up. I run the installation and follow all prompts in the screen, but at the end of the installation I can't access the card adapter. All I got is a new drive icon PC0:??? which doesn't work. To make things worse, insertin the PCMCIA cf reader freezes my computer.

Can anyone help?
Title: Re: Installing EasyADF PCMCIA with WB in HDD
Post by: Cammy on June 23, 2012, 08:36:27 PM
You don't need to mount CF0: manually, if it's in SYS: Devs/DOSDrivers/ it will be mounted while the OS boots. When CF0: is in SYS: Devs/DOSDrivers/ and CompactFlash.device is in SYS: Devs and Fat95 is in SYS:L/ then CF and SD cards should show up on your desktop as soon as they're inserted. If they don't then it's possible the card is incompatible. If it shows up on the desktop as NDOS then you need to format it by clicking on the icon and selecting Format Disk from the Icon menu. Always Quick Format CF and SD cards!

http://aminet.net/package/disk/misc/cfd
http://aminet.net/package/disk/misc/fat95

It looks like you'll also need these installed, to prevent your Amiga from locking up when the PCMCIA card is inserted:

http://aminet.net/package/util/boot/CardPatch
http://aminet.net/package/util/boot/CardReset

You should look on those disks for the files I mentioned if you don't have a way to get them from Aminet yet. Remember to select the option "Show -> All Files" from the Window menu so you can see all the files which don't have icons. Drag and drop the three important files from the floppy disk to your hard drive if they haven't already been copied by the installer. Remember, they're: CompactFlash.device, Fat95, and CF0. If all of those files are already in the right places, then it's possible the CF card you're using isn't compatible with the reader. I don't know why they would still be doing it, but a few years ago AmigaKit were selling PCMCIA adapters with incompatible CF cards, so many people had to buy their own CF card to even test if it works. Have you tried another CF card in the adapter?

The only other thing I can think of which might be preventing it from working is the PCMCIA bug, which should be fixed by those two patches. If you try again and your Amiga locks up, simply re-insert the card and see if control is regained. If you can't get a CF card to show up on Workbench still and you need to install those patches you should use a PC-formatted floppy disk. Get a regular disk and cover the extra hole, NOT the copy-protect hole with the sliding tab, with a piece of tape. Cover both sides of the hole. Now insert it in the Amiga and select the PC0 icon that appears on the desktop, then select Format Disk from the Icon menu. If the PC0 icon doesn't appear on Workbench, use the Format program in the System drawer. Once you have formatted the disk as a 720kb DOS disk, you can use it in a PC to copy the files onto, then put them in your Amiga. I just hope you have an old enough PC to be able to read double-density floppy disks.
Title: Re: Installing EasyADF PCMCIA with WB in HDD
Post by: tribz on June 23, 2012, 08:41:03 PM
Some good info there cammy, thanks. The Amiga kit easyadf package that I've got doesn't mount the cf card automatically.
Title: Re: Installing EasyADF PCMCIA with WB in HDD
Post by: tribz on June 23, 2012, 08:46:17 PM
So it's not the amigakit easyadf / cf software then?
Title: Re: Installing EasyADF PCMCIA with WB in HDD
Post by: WeiXing3D on June 23, 2012, 08:56:42 PM
I'm using a Trascend CF card 2GB 133x. I read some other people are using the same card, that's why I bought one.
Title: Re: Installing EasyADF PCMCIA with WB in HDD
Post by: WeiXing3D on June 23, 2012, 08:58:23 PM
Since the "installation" says to be finished where should I see those file an what to do next; in order please.

I am practically new at this since last time I used an Amiga was back in 1991. So please help.


Quote from: Cammy;697690
You don't need to mount CF0: manually, if it's in SYS: Devs/DOSDrivers/ it will be mounted while the OS boots. When CF0: is in SYS: Devs/DOSDrivers/ and CompactFlash.device is in SYS: Devs and Fat95 is in SYS:L/ then CF and SD cards should show up on your desktop as soon as they're inserted. If they don't then it's possible the card is incompatible. If it shows up on the desktop as NDOS then you need to format it by clicking on the icon and selecting Format Disk from the Icon menu. Always Quick Format CF and SD cards!

http://aminet.net/package/disk/misc/cfd
http://aminet.net/package/disk/misc/fat95

It looks like you'll also need these installed, to prevent your Amiga from locking up when the PCMCIA card is inserted:

http://aminet.net/package/util/boot/CardPatch
http://aminet.net/package/util/boot/CardReset

You should look on those disks for the files I mentioned if you don't have a way to get them from Aminet yet. Remember to select the option "Show -> All Files" from the Window menu so you can see all the files which don't have icons. Drag and drop the three important files from the floppy disk to your hard drive if they haven't already been copied by the installer. Remember, they're: CompactFlash.device, Fat95, and CF0. If all of those files are already in the right places, then it's possible the CF card you're using isn't compatible with the reader. I don't know why they would still be doing it, but a few years ago AmigaKit were selling PCMCIA adapters with incompatible CF cards, so many people had to buy their own CF card to even test if it works. Have you tried another CF card in the adapter?

The only other thing I can think of which might be preventing it from working is the PCMCIA bug, which should be fixed by those two patches. If you try again and your Amiga locks up, simply re-insert the card and see if control is regained. If you can't get a CF card to show up on Workbench still and you need to install those patches you should use a PC-formatted floppy disk. Get a regular disk and cover the extra hole, NOT the copy-protect hole with the sliding tab, with a piece of tape. Cover both sides of the hole. Now insert it in the Amiga and select the PC0 icon that appears on the desktop, then select Format Disk from the Icon menu. If the PC0 icon doesn't appear on Workbench, use the Format program in the System drawer. Once you have formatted the disk as a 720kb DOS disk, you can use it in a PC to copy the files onto, then put them in your Amiga. I just hope you have an old enough PC to be able to read double-density floppy disks.
Title: Re: Installing EasyADF PCMCIA with WB in HDD
Post by: Cammy on June 23, 2012, 09:00:08 PM
Anyone can buy a cheap PCMCIA adapter and some CF cards from eBay or their local electronics store and use it on their Amiga, you just need those freely available files from Aminet to get it working. There is a CF compatibility thread on EAB if you'd like to be more sure about which card to buy first, it discusses compatibility with IDE and PCMCIA adapters: http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=28249

I'm sorry but I don't have a copy of the AmigaKit disks so I don't know exactly where on them the files are. You might have to simply browse through the drawers until you find them, it shouldn't take too long. They SHOULD simply be in the same locations they are supposed to be copied to on your HD; DF0: Devs/ DF0: Devs/DOSDrivers/ and DF0:L/ or they could all be inside some sort of "Install" drawer.
Title: Re: Installing EasyADF PCMCIA with WB in HDD
Post by: amigakit on June 23, 2012, 09:01:35 PM
@Cammy

Quote
AmigaKit were selling PCMCIA adapters with incompatible CF cards

That is not true.  We have always checked our bundled CF cards with the EasyADF CF adapter.

@tribz

To enable CF mounting from a hard disk, run the Install-ADAPCMCFL icon.  This will ensure it is mounted on startup with your hard disk's Workbench
Title: Re: Installing EasyADF PCMCIA with WB in HDD
Post by: WeiXing3D on June 23, 2012, 09:07:56 PM
I checked all those drawers and found the files you mentioned but still can't see the CF adapter. What to do next?
[
QUOTE=WeiXing3D;697695]Since the "installation" says to be finished where should I see those file an what to do next; in order please.

I am practically new at this since last time I used an Amiga was back in 1991. So please help.[/QUOTE]
Title: Re: Installing EasyADF PCMCIA with WB in HDD
Post by: WeiXing3D on June 23, 2012, 09:43:41 PM
We are back....the site was down.

Resuming....I found all the files Cammy mentioned above, but still I don't see a CF0: icon on my desktop. Besides, when I insert the cf card in the adapter, the computer freezes.

By the way, I bought the PCMCI adapter from another user who was using. I can only think that is my cf card which is not supported.

Any other ideas?
Title: Re: Installing EasyADF PCMCIA with WB in HDD
Post by: tribz on June 23, 2012, 09:45:47 PM
Quote from: amigakit;697698


@tribz

To enable CF mounting from a hard disk, run the Install-ADAPCMCFL icon.  This will ensure it is mounted on startup with your hard disk's Workbench


Done that, it's not a problem though as putting mount cf0 in my start up sorts it for me.

PS, Thanks for the super quick postage of the indi mkII that arrived this morning :-)
Title: Re: Installing EasyADF PCMCIA with WB in HDD
Post by: WeiXing3D on June 23, 2012, 10:28:29 PM
And where do I find that file? Please remember that I am not uisng the amigakit product/installation, but a cf adapter I bought from another user.

I did find all the files cammy asked me to check for, but I don't have a CF0: drive showing on my desktop,

Please any advice?

Quote from: tribz;697703
Done that, it's not a problem though as putting mount cf0 in my start up sorts it for
me.

PS, Thanks for the super quick postage of the indi mkII that arrived this morning :-)
Title: Re: Installing EasyADF PCMCIA with WB in HDD
Post by: PanterHZ on June 24, 2012, 08:25:34 PM
Quote from: WeiXing3D;697711
And where do I find that file? Please remember that I am not uisng the amigakit product/installation, but a cf adapter I bought from another user.

I did find all the files cammy asked me to check for, but I don't have a CF0: drive showing on my desktop,

Please any advice?

To edit the Startup-Sequence file, you can enter the following in a Shell:
Ed S:Startup-Sequence

Cammy gives some good information in this thread, but I can also add the following:

1. Certain memory expansion and accelerator cards conflicts with the pcmcia port if they contain more than 4MB RAM. So what kind of card is installed in your Amiga (if any)?

2. I have read somewhere that certain devices may not actually be activated when they are mounted, and that the reason for this is because the file system isn't loaded until the device is accessed somehow (this is done to avoid using any extra memory until it's necessary). I do also belive this is why certain mount files contain an "Activate = 1" line.

Anyway, there are two things to try if this is the problem, and that is to simply remove and insert the cf card adapter again, or to enter "DiskChange CF0:" in Shell.
Title: Re: Installing EasyADF PCMCIA with WB in HDD
Post by: WeiXing3D on June 25, 2012, 08:52:29 PM
To All, I guess the problem is the card and unfortunately it's the only one I have right now. It's a Transcend CF 2 GB 133x and the PCMCIA CF reader is the old one that is sold by Mechware with their PCMCIA card readers for the Amiga.

I found all the files cammy and others asked me to find. But still when I insert the cf card, the computer freezes.

I need to buy another card. Any suggestion which type and from where?
Title: Re: Installing EasyADF PCMCIA with WB in HDD
Post by: WeiXing3D on June 25, 2012, 09:32:21 PM
Quick update....the Transcend 2.0 GB 133x is listed as compatible in the link provided by cammy. That's the one I have.

So why it's not working for me?
Title: Re: Installing EasyADF PCMCIA with WB in HDD
Post by: WeiXing3D on June 25, 2012, 10:16:21 PM
I tried this, but the again when I insert the card the computer freezes.

Like I said before, all files are where they are supposed to be: CF0: is in SYS: Devs/DOSDrivers/ and CompactFlash.device is in SYS: Devs and Fat95 is in SYS:L/

Any other suggestions?

Quote from: PanterHZ;697811
To edit the Startup-Sequence file, you can enter the following in a Shell:
Ed S:Startup-Sequence

Cammy gives some good information in this thread, but I can also add the following:

1. Certain memory expansion and accelerator cards conflicts with the pcmcia port if they contain more than 4MB RAM. So what kind of card is installed in your Amiga (if any)?

2. I have read somewhere that certain devices may not actually be activated when they are mounted, and that the reason for this is because the file system isn't loaded until the device is accessed somehow (this is done to avoid using any extra memory until it's necessary). I do also belive this is why certain mount files contain an "Activate = 1" line.

Anyway, there are two things to try if this is the problem, and that is to simply remove and insert the cf card adapter again, or to enter "DiskChange CF0:" in Shell.