Newbie (well oldbie that forget everything) help....

[8bitugy1]

I just acquired an Amiga 2000 and I want to do some upgrades, I have a few questions.  If folks could provide links to websites with answers (I've googled all this, with little luck)....that be great.  Or you can just answer...

1) The machine has a GVP SCSI Card in it.  I want to add a CDROM.  Can I do that internally?

2) It also has a GVP A3001 Series II card.  (very nice).  This has an IDE 40 Header on it.  Can I use this with a Compact Flash drive (with an adapter?). I am missing the IDE Rom, anywhere I can get that?  

3) What is the easiest way to transfer files from my PC to this device?

Any other; in general tips; for a returning fan?  (The machine also has a scandoubler, flicker fixer fitted and two current SCSI drives one of which is defective, the other is only 20 MB).

Thanks in advance.

[8bitugy1]

It does sound great.  The accelerator card has 8 Meg of Ram on it.  Plus the machine has 2 MB of Chipram.  I don't need to get on the internet or anything, is likely to be enough Ram for normal use (seems more than adequate for gaming).  The SCSI card has a spot for ram on it as well, if I fill it, will it conflict with the other ram or will I get to use it too?

That buddha card seems not to be available??  I couldn't find a way to add it to my cart.  It does seem like the easiest solution....  

Anyway, I had a basic Amiga 2000 long ago and this one is just so much cooler....  and I love doing the research....

Thank you both for the tips so far... The gentleman I bought it off of has asked me to transfer some files off it (if I can), so I guess the easiest way will be a CD-R...

[8bitugy1]

I'm not sure how to tell what space the RAM maps into...but I'll see if I can figure that out. It's definitely the RAM 8 card.

As for workbench It came with 2.04, but I already have an upgraded ROM for it, to 3.1.  (bought it by mistake a few years ago....),  I'll keep an eye open for a buddha, but I'm not gonna hold my breath, I may have to go the SCSI>>IDE>>CF Route.   (though I'm not a fan of the price of SCSI to IDE bridges on Ebay).

I found a SCSI CDRW on ebay that matches MakeCD's approved list, so I sprung for that....though I'm sure there is other software, this way I'll know it works.

It also came with a Magni Systems Video Graphics Encoder and a Frame Grabber....I probably won't use either of those, but I think they are neat

[8bitugy1]

It looks very interesting.  The only trick is I have to get the data off the current drives before I replace or wipe them.  But when I do the wipe...that looks great...thanks!!!

[8bitugy1]

Well, at this point is it worth getting a replacement SCSI?...what is the lifetime expectation for 80's vintage SCSI drives?  My thought was it would be better to get a CF drive...  Though those bridge boards that support IDE Hard Drives are expensive.  Plus I could then relocate the CF to a panel on the back of the machine to have easy access to it....?

[8bitugy1]

Okay, I've been doing some more reading and I think I get the following, just posting here to confirm:

If I get additional ram for the GVP SCSI Card it should work in the 16bit space because the 68030 processor is 32 bit and the ram on the accelerator card is in the 32 bit space?

In terms of pulling the data off, I should use the CD-RW (will 2.04 allow me to write to a cd?, if not and I upgrade to 3.x will that wipe the hard drive?) alternatively, I could add a network card and pull the data off that way... (again will that work with 2.04?, seems network stacks REQUIRE 3.x)?

Last, I could hook up a new SCSI device (Hard drive) as drive 3, pull the data off, then update the system and pull the data off a 3.x system to get the files to the  CD-RW?

Has that made sense?

Thanks again....

[8bitugy1]

Okay, so here is where I'm stuck.... (thanks for all the help thus far....).

I put in a CDR and got that working, backed up all the data I needed backed up.  Then I took out the old SCSI Hard Drive and put in the new one I acquired (2.1GB).  Partitioned it.  Formatted it.  Installed 3.1 on it.  No issues.  However when I went to install AsimCDFS, the CDR which worked on the old drive is no longer visible in the SCSI chain.  (At least not to the SCSI inquire tool that comes with AsimCDFS).  I checked what I thought were the obvious suspects.... they are not on the same SCSI ID and the new Hard Disk does not have the terminator jumper enabled.   So I'm stuck.  I didn't change any of the settings on the CDR.  Maybe there are drivers for the SCSI card? or some such?  

Any help would be appreciated....

[8bitugy1]

IDEFix couldn't find the device either.  I've set the card up wrong, missed a driver somewhere (though I thought it was automatic) or something....It's like the CDR is simply not on the scsi chain anymore....

[8bitugy1]

The drive I installed was this one: http://www.hgst.com/tech/techlib.nsf/techdocs/85256AB8006A31E587256A7D005AB09E/$file/dors_ps.pdf

Any SCSI expert know any reason it wouldn't play nice on the SCSI Bus?

[8bitugy1]

The CDR worked with the previous hard drive and it continues to do so....I just finished checking again...to be sure the drive hadn't become damaged.

The CDR and the 2.1 GB HD don't play together.  the CDR is SCSI ID 3, the HD is SCSI ID 0.  The BUS is terminated, the CDR is the last in the chain and it's terminate Jumper is set.  (which works with the other drive).  I'm not sure what Active or Passive means, but I'm guess it means without a terminator at the end of the cable? and just using the drives jumper to terminate?

[8bitugy1]

This is what I thought, but I've triple checked the terminator jumper on the HHD and then I tried it with the jumper on anyway in case, somehow, the manual for the drive was wrong.   But in either scenario it doesn't work.  

I'm very puzzled.  I think the last thing left is to go and get a terminator (no idea where I could source one locally, I'll probably have to go online).

In reference to the CD0 Icon.  Yes I've changed that as well.  No difference.

[8bitugy1]

I downloaded BetterWB and installed it.  I do like it.  It doesn't find the CDR either.

It's definitely a hardware issue at this point.  I've ordered the terminator, we will wait and see.  

For the next step in this project....I'm going to focus on getting the X-surf 100 I just got installed and going.  I'm hoping that's easier....though it doesn't seem to come with much in the way of instructions....anyone got a link to a good online guide for this?....

[8bitugy1]

I did change the text yes.

The only thing I can think with the hardware is the following (Just a theory).

The newer HD (2.1GB) requires an active terminator for anything to show up after it in the SCSI chain.  I suppose I could try to go to the CDR first with the cable and then to the HD and use its terminator setting, but that presents case logistics issues.  

I've tried a few different bus scanners and none of them pick up the CDR, which they all did BEFORE any software changes were made with the old HD.  

I'm still open to theories....and growing a little frustrated.

But I have the network card and rapid road to keep me busy on this project well I troubleshoot the CDR and the terminator issue....

[8bitugy1]

Oh... and on the GVP card it is an older version of the rom (but it worked before!!!) I am have a friend burn a new rom for me with the latest one though....

[8bitugy1]

Just for the sake of closing the loop on this.  I received the updated ROM and installed it on the SCSI card and voila! I have access to the CD-ROM.  

The previous ROM was version 3.07, updated to 4.15 (from Amiga Resource) and I'm good.

I'm still waiting for the active terminators to arrive by mail-order but since everything is working...I guess there is no reason to use one now.  Unless there is some other benefit I'm unaware of...

I would like to thank the good help I received from everyone here at Amiga.org.

Specs at time of purchase:
A2000 with 2.04 Rom
A2320 ScanDoubler
68030 50Hz, 2 MB Chip, 10MB Total.  Leaky Battery.
20MB SCSI DH0:, 800MB SCSI DH1:(with bad sectors galore)

Now:
A2000 with 3.1 Rom
A2320 ScanDoubler
68030 50 Hz, 2MB Chip, 10MB Total.  Coin Battery
2.1 GB SCSI Drive, updated GVP SCSI Rom to 4.15 (Latest)
Yamaha CD-R, Xsurf 100, RapidRoad USB, Both Floppy and Floppy Emulator installed

Time to have some fun.....