Replacing an A2000 SCSI hd with a new one

[TheMagicM]

I was never good at understanding how to get a SCSI HD working in an Amiga.  I always went IDE.   IE..bought a Dataflyer IDE for my A3k, A2k, A500 had an AdIDE.

Now that I have an A2000 with a Microbotics Hard Frame SCSI controller and a bad Quantum HD of unknown size, what should I replace it with?  

I also have a few 2091 controllers.  Between these 2 controllers, which would be best to use?

[TheMagicM]

ok, you guys are talking about this:
http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1264

I'm assuming.. if yes, ok.. its on my shopping list with AmigaKit along with a few other things for my 1200.

I also have a "PC Emulator" board.  Didnt take a good look at it, dont know if I have software for it, but its on my to-install list.  Really sucks that the 2620 board is a no-go.

[TheMagicM]

Saw you mention something about that in another thread.  How much testing have you done on it?  Removed memory, checked jumpers, etc.?  Assuming someone hasn't tried to overclock it those boards are usually pretty robust, I wouldn't write it off just yet!  

Oh, more details on my A2k, 1.3 roms, rev 6 motherboard.

Well, Thor said it was a pnp board, so I plugged it in, powered it on and no color cycling on the A2k.  If I remove it, A2k color cycles and works fine (other than bad HD).  I've disabled the memory on the A2620 with the jumper on the board also.

I'm going to try reseating the chips that are removeable (just pressing down on them) and then run some air over it.

Also, I have a few A2091's, I'm just wondering which is "faster", the Hardframe or the A2091.  If HardFrame, then I'll stick with it.

I'll just get the SCSI 2 MicroSD.   Would be nice to use an actual hard drive, but this will do.

Thanks for all the replies folks!

[TheMagicM]

Yes, link you provided is to SCSI2SD V5. Should be good on any SCSI-1 or SCSI-2 controller.

Not sure if you mean Commodore A2620, but if so, apparaently you can get ROM upgrades to V7 to use Kickstart 2 and above.

If I get it working, I'll definitely do that. Thanks!

[TheMagicM]

If the fault is the EPROM has gone bad - you will need to replace it anyway... Autoconfig runs code in expansion ROMs as part of startup-process.

True, but I dont know if the A2620 has actual EPROMS.   But if it does, then I'll order new ones that you listed.  It'll be great if that works.

[TheMagicM]

You probably already know about these people, but just in case you haven't heard of them (local to you);-

https://10bitworks.com/

Heard of them.. never been there before (too many hobbies, not enough time).   There's also a guy up in Round Rock (about, oh, 60-70 miles from me) that has a group that gets together and messes with Commodore stuff.  No BS'ing and drinking beer, reminiscing, but actual C= stuff, testing hardware, fixing hardware etc.  I'm going to go up there maybe this Sunday and bring my board.

Interesting you said that about the EEPROM on the A2620. I looked at the chips on the board..didnt want to peel off the sticker to see if it was an EEPROM, but if so, I can almost bet its probably shot.  I'd be as happy as a pig in shi* if thats what fixes it.

I also have an actual replacement SCSI hard drive that I can use in the meantime.   Now I need to dig up docs on how to use the Gotek USB floppy.  I completely forgot how to use it and I dont think I have docs.  :-/  Thats what I get for putting this stuff in my drawer and not messing with it.   Also have a A1200 that needs to be put together.

[TheMagicM]

Fixed the A2620...by replacing it with a A2630!!! LOL!   Have a spare Quantum Fireball HD that I'm using also with a A2091.

[TheMagicM]

Wow! An old drive made before 2001! I hope it holds up for a few more years for you! I thought my 68-pin SCSI drives were old technology!!!

Well..I dont think its holding out.  I'm able to create a DH0: partition, DH1 gets an error formatting.  Also, when I created the DH0 partition with HDToolBox (I think..in 1.3), named it Workbench, it created an icon for Workbench and DH0:DOS(with a weird character after it).   I think the hard drive is bad.

[TheMagicM]

Could perhaps try this, although it says 2.0 +

Have you tried the Low Level Format in HDToolbox first? If no go try this:

http://m68k.aminet.net/package/disk/misc/SCSIFormat

I saw the option of low-level format in httoolbox on the A2091 install disk.  I"m assuming that process will map out bad blocks automatically if I select it?  

I'm assuming the prog on aminet you listed does the same?  If yes, I'll give it a shot.   The smarter thing for me to do would be to buy the SCSI2SD which I'm going to end up doing.

I have KS 2.x roms I *think*, just not installed.

[TheMagicM]

Where did you buy the acard from?

Edit:  damn.. If I'm looking at the right board,  it's expensive.  Scsi2sd is $60.