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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: mindprober on June 14, 2017, 12:10:34 AM
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I know this subject has been discussed many times but I could not find any info specific to my question.
I learned much about what you can and cannot do with such an adapter so I will spare you those details.
I believe I have a simple incompatibility but want to be sure.
I am using the attached PCMCIA CF adapter (seems to be a popular choice, I see it everywhere) and would like to use a TRANSCEND 4GB CF card with it. This card works fine inside the A1200 but refuses to mount using the adapter.
I have two other CF cards that do work in the adapter. One is 128MB and the other is 2GB. Both were formatted FAT16 using a Windows PC. I have the latest cfd archive (1.32) and fat95 (3.18) installed.
When I first tried working the the adapter, I was trying to mount the CF as an AmigaOS FFS volume but did not find any discussion on this and came to the conclusion that it is not supported since HDToolbox does not see the adapter as a hard drive. I then learned that the fat95 method works fine and has the advantage of accessibility directly from a Windows/Mac computer. The disadvantage seems to be the storage capacity of the CF card. If I recall correctly, FAT16 supports a maximum of 2GB. But then I discovered two things: 1) my Windows box will still format the 4GB card as FAT16 and 2) fat95 claims to support FAT32 as well as FAT16. Even when I reformatted the card as FAT32, it still did not mount.
So, is this particular card just not compatible or is there something else I should check?
If not compatible, can someone list known compatible CF cards 4GB and larger that will work with this adapter & fat95? The primary storage in my A1200 needs to be backed up and this is the most efficient method I have right now without opening up the A1200 and removing the card. I do not want to be limited to the 2GB working card I have now though. It will require too many swaps.
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I've had ZERO luck in ever getting one to mount as well properly. If this gets figured out I will be very interested myself in the solution.
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Meaning *any* CF card or a 4GB Transcend like mine?
I've had ZERO luck in ever getting one to mount as well properly. If this gets figured out I will be very interested myself in the solution.
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I don't think you can use it as an Amiga file system. At least, that's not how mine works. I also had to use a driver (provided by Amigakit when I bought the setup) to make the Amiga recognize that there was a memory card in the slot. Once the driver is installed, the Amiga will detect a filesystem is present and mount it.
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Sorry if my post was not clear. I'm not trying to mount an Amiga FFS volume any longer. I just want it to work using the fat95 file system.
It works with two different CF cards but not this 4GB transcend one.
I wanted to be sure there isn't something else I need to check, and also curious if others have had success with 4GB cards or larger with fat95.
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Sorry if my post was not clear. I'm not trying to mount an Amiga FFS volume any longer. I just want it to work using the fat95 file system.
It works with two different CF cards but not this 4GB transcend one.
I wanted to be sure there isn't something else I need to check, and also curious if others have had success with 4GB cards or larger with fat95.
I use the driver that is located here: http://aminet.net/package/disk/misc/cfd
I'm using a 1GB IBM MicroDrive and it works great. It's even hot swappable.
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I use these ones with PCMCIA:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SanDisk-4GB-30mB-Ultra-compact-flash-CF-card-for-camera-/311894963693?hash=item489e6375ed:g:YhwAAOSwAO9ZP~Vd
I've got 4 of them and all work fine.
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Yeah, as I mentioned, I am using that. I could not get the two cards working without it. :)
I use the driver that is located here: http://aminet.net/package/disk/misc/cfd
I'm using a 1GB IBM MicroDrive and it works great. It's even hot swappable.
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Yeah, as I mentioned, I am using that. I could not get the two cards working without it. :)
I had a similar problem but I first partitioned my CF drive on my Windows PC using a USB to CF adapter, then it worked fine on my A1200. Prior to that, my A1200 wouldn't recognize it at all.
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I've been able to use all of the CF, SD, and M2 cards I've thrown at my 1200. I'm pretty certain the only thing I did before using them in the 1200 was to format them on a Windows machine.
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Mine works fine with SanDisk brand. I believe it even read a 32GB CF, IIRC. But, for sure, the 4GB cards worked without issue (also Sandisk).
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Thanks for the replies everyone. I will look into getting a SanDisk brand.
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Meaning *any* CF card or a 4GB Transcend like mine?
Any CF card on any adapter in my 1200 PCMCIA slot, using BetterWB with the latest fat95 as well.
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That's a bummer. I was at least able to get a couple of them working. I forget who makes the 128MB one but the 2GB is PNY brand. I got these used with other equipment so my next purchase will be a new SanDisk.
Any CF card on any adapter in my 1200 PCMCIA slot, using BetterWB with the latest fat95 as well.
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Have you tried formatting CF0: from the Amiga? That should overcome any oddities with the formatting process on the PC. If the Amiga can't even detect the card ("no disk in device CF0:") then it's probably an incompatibility with that particular (brand of) card.
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I did. It failed. :(
Have you tried formatting CF0: from the Amiga? That should overcome any oddities with the formatting process on the PC. If the Amiga can't even detect the card ("no disk in device CF0:") then it's probably an incompatibility with that particular (brand of) card.
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I've also had problems mounting CF cards in PCMCIA adapter. I actually have one 512M card which works (can't remember its brand now, it was some "never heard" brand), but other tries have failed. Those other cards have worked fine internally on A1200 when formatted to Amiga format.
But one day I made a test and made an image of my working 512M card, and then I wrote it back to one 4GB Kingston card. To my surprise it worked that way. The 4GB card showed up as 512M, of course, but did work anyway. I still haven't made any further tests, but I think that indicates that there probably is a way to make those other cards to work, but is it a size issue or formatting issue or what?