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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: techhusky on December 15, 2025, 04:13:43 PM

Title: Going crazy - Trying to use two Chinon FB-354 floppy drives in A2000
Post by: techhusky on December 15, 2025, 04:13:43 PM
I just (finally) added a Gotek to my main A2000 setup. Now I'm trying to move the Chinon FB-354 that was DF0 in that system to my spare A2000 as DF1, with an identical FB-354 as DF0.  I am having no luck to get these drives to work together.  I've tried multiple jumper configurations, switching the cable positions, open/closing J301 on the motherboard.  I'm not able to locate documentation for the FB-354.

Does anyone have a similar setup that works?  My main system has the Gotek as DF0 and a Matsushita as DF1.  The Matsushita has a different jumper config than the Chinon, so I can't use that as a reference.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

-Jeremy
Title: Re: Going crazy - Trying to use two Chinon FB-354 floppy drives in A2000
Post by: Boing-ball on December 15, 2025, 05:29:18 PM
I take it you have the required twisted Floppy cable?
Title: Re: Going crazy - Trying to use two Chinon FB-354 floppy drives in A2000
Post by: techhusky on December 15, 2025, 06:06:02 PM
I have a twisted floppy cable.  Two actually.  The original that came with the system and a longer one that I picked up from amigakit. I tried both.  Both drives independently work as DF0 on the end cable connector (with the twist) with this jumper configuration (shorted across 5 & 6) as long as there is no drive on the middle (no twist) connector.

         
                     1 2 3
                     o o o
{floppy connector}   o ---
                     4 5 6


Documentation I've found is mixed.  Some indicates the pin layout is horizontal, some vertical.   I've tried shorting across 4 & 5 and also vertical 2 & 5 to try to set the drive as DS1.  Multiple other permutations as well.
Title: Re: Going crazy - Trying to use two Chinon FB-354 floppy drives in A2000
Post by: PlatformerZ on December 16, 2025, 01:08:16 PM
You're Welcome. https://forum.amiga.org/index.php?topic=23835.0
Title: Re: Going crazy - Trying to use two Chinon FB-354 floppy drives in A2000
Post by: techhusky on December 16, 2025, 02:43:50 PM
Thank you for the follow-up.  I did find that post, but links were dead and I was still stuck.  Driven by a coffee and OCD, I finally figured out the problem (late) last night. There was a bent pin on the corner of the DF0 drive. The pin was hiding under the cable connector.  Crazy that DF0 worked when I disconnected DF1.  Here's what I ended up with for two FB-354's:

J301 on A2000 MB:  Jumper set

FB-354 on DF0 is at end floppy connector with the twist. Jumper config:


                     1 2 3
                     o o o
{floppy connector}   o ---
                     4 5 6


FB-354 on DF1 is on the middle floppy connector with with no twist at the connector. Jumper config:


                     1 2 3
                     o o o
{floppy connector}   --- o
                     4 5 6


Lesson:  Check every single thing and check it again.  Thanks again for the replies.  Oddly, I tried this configuration with the Gotek on DF0 and could not get it to work.  The Gotek is happy in my main A2K, so that is a problem for another day.

-Jeremy