**Need Setup HELP** with Classic Amiga 2000 HARD DISK (Bridgeboard)

[wbrejnia]

Sounds a good plan to me. It's been 20 years, waiting a few more days isn't going to make that much difference.

Pat, actually it's 35 years. Still no ISA/IDE in mail.

I know you recommended the ISA/IDE Adapter, and you ordered one too.
Do you actually have your working in a A2000 with bridgeboard (with a Flash card, IDE drive or both)?

I actually am thinking of a plan B.  Since the Gotek is virtual writeable floppy, I could just image blank Floppies into the Gotek (Correct?) and if I get AWRITE working, copy across from the Amiga PC to the AmigaOS, the copy to the Gotek Floppy which USB (I guess then I have to extract the Data from the ADF file on my Windows Workstation).

[wbrejnia]

Gotek is a exact floppy emulator can write back to the disk just like a normal floppy, do surface scans,  run copying tools  yeah XCopy!!!

Quick question on the Gotek, since it came with no manual just that USB stick and an ADF file.  Maybe the manual is in the ADF (no idea yet).

I also dug around and found this recommended softward for managing Gotek images on PC.
http://www.ipcas.com/products/usb-floppy-emulator-fdd-to-udd.html

When I read that page, it say the Gotek for PC's support the FAT12 format a few 3.5", 5.25" format sizes.  
None of the specs say the 880K amiga file size.  

Does it just not mention the 880K since most people buy for PC, or was it customized for Amiga, and won't work on a PC.
I assume the person who sold it to me on Amazon did something like this  https://cortexamigafloppydrive.wordpress.com/
So this Gotek won't work on a PC without reversing the Transformation to Amiga.

I am learning as much as possible to understand an not damage anything.

[wbrejnia]

286 bridgeboard here if you need to upgrade

http://www.amibay.com/showthread.php?89538-Amiga-Parts-amp-Pieces-for-sale

As if I need to spend more on this Clunker.  Fun Clunker but more Clunky on the PC side.
I could use a replacement keyboard but sold.

BTW. I took your advice and contacted Spinrite Sales email.  They replied that they handed over my email to Support.  I asked if I could get a copy of V1.0, since that version was Old DOS, and designed to fix RLL/MFM drives.  
Waiting for a 2nd reply.

[wbrejnia]

The GRC sales email is monitored by Steves assistant.   Normally get faster replies if DM (direct message) via Twitter.   see how you go.   He still have a old school NNTP server which you can access.  Some people still monitor it.

Funny, even though I'm an I person, I've never gotten into twitter at all, so don't much about it.  I assume DM is like PM on this forum.
Thanks, I'll look into that option.  But I don't want to bother Steve.  Let's see what support comes back with.   I told them I'd even buy a copy of V1.0 if it works on my setup.  Why not pay, if I can restore that RLL drive, we all know it's worth a few pennies.

[wbrejnia]

SIMPLE idea to get as many files off "Image Dump" as possible. (UNDELETE)

I was thinking about a past experience when that Ransomware got all my Storage Sever Photo's.
  I got everything back from my backups, but was only missing stuff that I CUT-AND-PASTED off my SD cards for the vacation.

I used some simple UNDELETE program (ton's available) and I ran the program on all my semi-empty SD cards.  I got many photo's back that I thought I didn't have anymore.  
It filled the short gap that wasn't on my backup system.  Not everything since the SD cards had some new photos written to them, but enough.

So once I have the image copy, running an simple UNDELTE program will give me a peek at what on the Image.

There must be some Amiga Program that was writen to do the same.  I read that Amiga file structure was designed well, to handle file corruption and undelete quite well.

** THE REASON for this Quick Peek effort is What if the Amiga Partition only has workbench and replaceable programs, plus a few files, and DOS just has DOS boot **
** We are talking a 32MB disk for two OS's (how much can there really be on there??)
** Why waste all this time on razor sharp DOUBLE-OS Filesystem recovery. If nothing much there, go for LL format the hard drive, re-partition, and re-install                          **

[wbrejnia]

Found an interesting SW repository (WinWorld).

Has every imaginable program from the Stone age.
Doesn't look like a piracy site at first glance.  Even has a message describing the Policy on Copyright material.
I always test on my Play PC to make sure it's nothing is virus loaded.

Found a section with DOS did recovery, etc program, that should fit on my floppy for the Amiga PC.

https://winworldpc.com/library/search?q=norton

Plus there are many DOS application, retro stuff that I can load on my Turtle 8088 PC once I have a working hard drive.  Assuming it freeware/abandonware and no longer copyright.

EVEN a VERSION of WINDOWS 1.0 that was made to run on an 8088, 320KB Ram, 720KB Disk Drive,  on DOS 3.x !!!
 Got to try that on the Amiga Bridgeboard.

https://winworldpc.com/product/windows-10/101

[wbrejnia]

Unexpected Surprise is going to make weekend Fun.

I was watching Tracking and it still shows en-route.

But a trip to the mailbox found this....



I actually thought I would setup the Gotek to try the Split Data Dumps, since my expectation it would arrive sometime next week.

This is way better!!!  (Keeping Fingers crossed it works).

I'll admit, I'm a bit scared and worried.  Things haven't gone well lately with my luck.  Last luck was the ribbon cable fix, and the Project Paper find.

I will be taking my time, and triple checking things every step of the way.

Really glad I bought the assembled and tested version, not the kit.

THIS IS A BIG HOPE!!  And possibly a Game Changer!

[wbrejnia]

PREPARING THE IDE Drive for ISA/IDE Adapter

So I pick out my Smallest IDE drive (60B) Segate DiamondMax 9.
http://knowledge.seagate.com/articles/en_US/FAQ/181371en?language=en_US

Quickly learned a few things.

- DOS 6.2 doesn't recognize this drive since was formatted NTFS for WinXP
- Notice the 60GB drive is only showing 32GB raw (Fix with the Capacity Limiting Jumper change, [back to 60 GB) )

Now to prepare the drive for the Amiga PC I did some reading on DOS 6.2.
The FAT filesystem will be limited to 2GB per Partition, 4 Partions Max, for 8GB if only using  DOS 6.2

But my plan is to go with the 4th Partition to be Amiga OS, so can use muc more than 2GB (ie the rest of the DISK)

To prepare for the image insert (DOS/AMIGA), I thought it would be ideal to have the drive CLEAN (no data).  

So I found "Disk Wipe" utility to fill drive with "ZEROS".
http://www.diskwipe.org/
DiskWipe also allowed me to make the Final Conversion from FAT32, to FAT so that my WinXP pc would recognize it properly.

Summary of the steps done below:


I found it fascinating.  Kind of a trip back in time to see old Filesystems (FAT12) that were designed back then, not compatible with future filesystems (FAT32,NTFS,etc) developed afterwards.

NEXT STEPS it Partition things up (2GB,2GB,AMIGA), install DOS and pop the drive on the ISA/ADAPTER, and into the Amiga Bridgeboard ISA Slot.

[wbrejnia]

Quick update (HD All Ready, next ISA/IDE Adapter)

1) Maxtor HardDisk partitioned and formatted
2) (C: 2GB) Partition [ DOS 6.2 installed ] (* Active *)
3) (D: 2GB) Partition [ Amiga PC Bridgeboard Utilies copy ]

A) The Drive Booted nicely to DOS6.2 on PLAY PC
c) Drive D: Partition Visible with files.
B) Put back the CAPACITY LIMIT (jumper) on the Hard Drive to bring down to 32GB (in case problems with 8088 Bridbgeboard PC - BIOS)

Time to crack open the ISA/IDE Adapter box and learn install steps.

I found a brand new IDE Ribbon Cable in one of my old motherboard boxes.

NEXT STEPS:

- Remove the ISA-8bit-WD-Controller / RLL Hard Drive from Amiga
- Install the ISA-IDE-Adapter and the Seagate Maxtor IDE HardDrive.

Yup.  I am bit scared on next steps..

[wbrejnia]

ISA/IDE ADAPTER - (IDE HD) NOT WORKING!!

First Time I inserted the ISA/IDE Adapater with IDE Drive, LAUNCH PC, an Message "Cannot Make SIDECAR Signals" came up.  I also noted the 5.25" floppy drive LED didn't come on as usual.

So I switched the jumpers (J1/J2) on the ISA/IDE Adapter from [C800h] to [D800h] and the next PC boot everything went fine.   Booted from 5.25" DOS Floppy.

But no C: Drive.

FDISK says "No Fixed Disk".

ADISK say's "Fixed Disk Read/Write Error"

Too bad.  But I'm not giving up yet.  It could be HARD drive Jumpers (MASTER/SLAVE).  (Capacity Limit Jumper).

Possibly Ribbon cable, since I never tested this one. (I had to change the original cable since it was one of the 80 wire kind, and the was a blocked pin on it).

Darn, could have used some first-time-works luck.

[wbrejnia]

hhhmmmmm.

Even that cable I used, is a 80 pin not 40 (But it doesn't have a pin block like the others).

I just read up that the 80 pin cables have grounding pairs (for higher speed) and are not true IDE cables.  Hope I didn't fry the ISA/IDE card.  Probably not.

I don't have a proper 40 Pin IDE cable, but I think that 486 should have one.

[wbrejnia]

ISA/IDE Adapater Still not working!

I found a proper 40 Pin IDE cable used for CD ROM (tested that it works with IDE drive on PLAY-PC)

But still no disk's recognized on AMIGA-PC.

TIME TO TRY ISA/IDE Adapater in 486 (if it works then may mean not compatible with AMIGA-PC)  (if it doesn't who knows.  Hard drive jumper?  Not a good adapter (but tested by seller).

Must try 486 and see what happens.

[wbrejnia]

No luck, I tried everything..  (ISA/IDE Adapter doesn't work in AmigaPC or 486) (With ATA/IDE Drive and a True IDE DRIVE)

Doesn't work in 486.  What I mean is BIOS doesn't pick up the Hard drive.

Then I pulled out the True ISA Hard Drive out of 486 and put into AmigaPC with ISA/IDE controller card.  (NOTHING).

Wish I could prove the ISA/IDE Adapter works somewhere (what if it's bad).

I don't know what to do next.    But I will contact seller of ISA/IDE adapter, or the LO-tech Developer.

If nothing works, than back to PLAN A-  Slow Chunk Dump onto Floppies and LL-Format RLL-Hard Drive.

[wbrejnia]

Could this be the reason (why it doesn't work the 8088 Amiga PC)

The BIOS version on the ISA/IDE Adapater.

https://www.lo-tech.co.uk/wiki/Lo-tech_8-bit_IDE_AdapterROM BIOS & BIOS Flashing

• The board is powered by the XT-IDE Universal BIOS and features a 32KB in-system re-programmable flash chip.
  
• Pre-configured BIOS files based on XTIDE Universal BIOS R567. Note that this BIOS has been modified for the 8-bit IDE Adapter by disabling the 8-bit media set function (AH9h_Enable8bitModeForDevice8bitAta).
  
• The flash chip is programmed with the Lo-tech XT-CF flash utility
  
• Select the appropriate ROM image:
• IDE_XT.BIN for Intel 8088 and 8086 CPUs
  
• IDE_XTP.BIN for NEC V20, V30, and Intel 80286 CPUs

[wbrejnia]

[DIAGNOSTIC IDEA]

The only Ideal I have is one of the PC Norton Tools I tried shows the DOS OS system details and I believe interrupts.

If I put in the Western Digital Controller (which I know works on the AmigaPC) and see if the Tool picks it up.

Then I put in the ISA/IDE adapter and see if it is picked up.

No hard-drive needed for this comparison.

[wbrejnia]

Why don't you try making a new floppy disk installing FREEDOS on it? It is fully MS-DOS compatible but it sports real multitasking (not cooperative like MS-DOS), better text based command shell, supports 32bit design, and lots of advanced features including reading disks with advanced geometry.

[EDIT]

Question: I wonder inspecting Tools like Snoopdos from Amiga side what say about Bridgeboard card?

Also I will try moving files from an Amiga formatted disk in Amiga side to a PC formatted disk on PC floppy reader and vice-versa in order to check if they copy and move smooth from an environment to another (68000<->8088) or they arrive in someway corrupted in size and contents...
It could be a good test to check if Bridgeboard is fully functioning in trasferring data...
This is important to check indirectly if Jdisk a.k.a. JanusDisk command parameters starting from Amiga side pass directly to PCSide...
I know it is really empirical but it worths a try...

Are you saying YOU will try and do a Awrite/Aread?

Or I should?
I tried  before and it didn't work from PC Floppy to Amiga Floppy.  Or Amiga Floppy to PC Floppy. (I will try again)
SHOULD THAT WORK?