OS3.9 on CD32/SX32Pro

[Zetec-S]

Hi

Just wondering if anybody has any advice on installing OS3.9 on a CD32. Planning to do it over the weekend, just don't want to run into any problems.

Main concern is about the CD-Rom drive. The fact that this is recognised by hardware rather than software, is making be worried about what to do when it asks you to create a back-up disk and also the part about 4 Way IDE interfaces.

Thanks

[Neo]

Done that once, but don't remember exactly how I did it.

One problem is that the CD32 builtin CD filesystem is so crappy that it can't read the files on the OS3.9 CD properly. I think I solved it by install CacheCDFS on the hard disk first and boot from that one before installing OS3.9.

For the other question, I'm not very much into Emergency disks.  8-)

[leirbag28]

 
 Well you can take the hardrive and place it in another Amiga with a CDROM drive and do it there...........then stick it in your CD32. Or copy the entire CD onto a partition and maybe call that partition CD0: or ASSIGN that name to it and install OS 3.9 to your boot partition. The CD32 CD ROM drive definitely can read it, although you may need IDE fix or another filesystem.

 One thing is for sure though.........I cannot get the CD Player software that come with OS3.9 to read audio CD's off of the CD32's drive. how annoying! maybe I am doing something wrong.

[StevenJGore]

One problem is that the CD32 builtin CD filesystem is so crappy that it can't read the files on the OS3.9 CD properly.

Yes it can! Your CD32 must have had a faulty drive mechanism.

I found that the best way to install OS3.9 on a CD32 with SX32 Pro and hard disk is:

1. Install Workbench 3.1 on the second partition of the hard disk, DH1 or whatever yours is called.
2. Boot into WB3.1 from DH1 using the Amiga Early Startup Menu.
3. Insert the OS3.9 CD and install to the first partition on the hard disk, DH0 or whatever your is called. Ignore warnings about creating an emergency disk first, just go ahead and install OS3.9 straight away.
4. When it asks you to reset after installation, boot into WB3.1 from DH1 again.
4. Install BB1 and BB2 with the OS3.9 CD in the drive. If you have BB1 and BB2 on another CD, just copy them onto the hard disk first, then put the OS3.9 CD in the drive before installation.
IMPORTANT! DO NOT INSTALL THE ROM UPDATE FROM BB2! IT BREAKS CD-ROM SUPPORT FOR THE CD32!
5. Reset and boot from DH0.
6. Enjoy OS3.9! :-)

You can now remove WB3.1 from DH1 if you want, or keep it on for compatibility reasons for titles that don't like OS3.9. Also, if you can always boot into WB3.1, you can fix OS3.9 from there and won't need to bother with emergency disks.

For some reason, OS3.9 will only allow the CD32's built-in CD drive to be used on the second boot. In other words, when you first switch on the CD32 and boot into OS3.9, the CD drive won't be available. You have to reset the CD32 and boot into OS3.9 for a second time, and then the CD drive will be available for use. It will also be available after every subsequent reset, until the power goes off. I've no idea why this happens, but it doesn't happen with WB3.1, and it doesn't happen with OS3.9 running under CD32 emulation in WinUAE.

I cannot get the CD Player software that come with OS3.9 to read audio CD's off of the CD32's drive. how annoying! maybe I am doing something wrong.

I never worked that one out either! :-) :-?

Steve.

[Zetec-S]

Cheers Steve

Where is the best place to get the BB updates from?

I have them on Amiga Active CD's I think.

However by the way you were writing I still need the 0S3.9 disk in the CD drive when installing them.

[StevenJGore]

However by the way you were writing I still need the 0S3.9 disk in the CD drive when installing them.

If you have BB1 and BB2 on another CD, just copy them onto the hard disk first, then put the OS3.9 CD in the drive before installation.

Steve.

(I've edited my post above to include this extra bit, just for future reference for anyone searching the forums.)

[th4t1guy]

When I installed OS3.9 on my cd32, I just had a floppy drive hooked up and used the Emergency-Boot disk.  Then I manually copied all the files in the OS3.5 folder on the cd to my blank Workbench partition(the install would skip that part, causing weirdness).  After that, it installed fine.

[StevenJGore]

I just had a floppy drive hooked up and used the Emergency-Boot disk.

I couldn't manage to create an emergency boot disk with my CD32/SX32Pro, even though I had a floppy drive attached, so I had to resort to the method posted above.

[th4t1guy]

I think you just have to delete the ROM update on the emergency disk, and it should work.  I would make an image of the boot disk, but I won't be able to until I go home in a few months.

[Zetec-S]

Can I just check. If I install the standard OS3.9 install is there any risk of me damaging the Roms in my CD32?

The last thing I want to do is damage it just after getting it.

[StevenJGore]

is there any risk of me damaging the Roms in my CD32?

No, the ROM update is in RAM only, and it doesn't affect the CD32's ROM chips. Besides, it's not technically possible for the CD32 to update its own ROM chips anyway, even if software wanted to!

Steve.

[Ilwrath]

Can I just check. If I install the standard OS3.9 install is there any risk of me damaging the Roms in my CD32?

No.  It's just a patch that is loaded in RAM.  If it borks your system, power it off for long enough to completely clear the ram (~30 seconds) and power it back up.  Back to normal.  Not that I've ever added a wrong ROM patch to a system....  No, not at all.  (innocently whistles)

[Zetec-S]

Hi

I had a go at installing OS3.9 at the weekend.

Not a total success instead ended up with OS3.5 installed.

One problem was that when I booted from the second partition on my harddrive it wouldn't recognise the CD-Rom drive. If I boot from the main drive it is fine. Any body got any ideas.

Second whenever I install OS3.9 over OS3.1 I never get all the icons. This happens to me under WinUAE and on by CD32.

Therefore at the moment I have OS3.5 installed but will update this to OS3.9 when I next get a chance. OS3.5 seemed to install fine, icons and everything.

[th4t1guy]

Here's what I did:

First get the emergency boot disk working.  I just ran the "create emergency disk" option in the install script, then deleted the Amiga OS ROM Update file that is on the floppy.  When you boot from the floppy disk, leave the CD-ROM in the drive, since it will need to access that.  One problem I remember using the Emergency Boot disk was with the resolution.  You will need to either have a monitor hooked up to your cd32, or find a way to change the default resolution, since a TV display does not support it.

Boot from the emergency disk and partition your harddisk.  Workbench doesn't need a whole lot of space, I kept mine around 200megs.  After that (i think this procedure differs depending on which release of OS3.9 you have), go into the Workbench3.5 directory on your OS3.9 cd and copy all the contents over to your workbench drive.  Next, install OS3.9 over this.  

The most annoying problem I had with OS3.9 on the CD32 was that I would get a "packet type unknown" error when doing a drag'n'drop with files.  The problem is with the default cd.device, yet there is a replacement on the Aminet somewhere that will fix this.