CompactFlash Loader?

[MarkM]

I'm wondering if there's a way to invoke a command through AmigaDOS (before loading Workbench) to init a compactflash card?  I've looked through the commands and can't find anything.

Doesn't Workbench load some kind of compactflash.device driver?

-Mark

[skurk]

(Disclaimer: I haven't received my CF device yet) but I assume you can mount cf0: somewhere in the startup-sequence?

[AmiDude]

@MarkM

You need to install CompactFlash.Device and
Fat95.

[murple]

You need to install CompactFlash.Device and
Fat95.

I've been using those for a long time now and they're fantastic. Pretty easy to set up as well. This seems to be the best way to transfer files from PC to Amiga. My only complaint is I have to click the CF0: icon to mount the card, rather than having it recognized soon as its stuck in. That's a pretty trivial problem though.

[A4000_Mad]

My only complaint is I have to click the CF0: icon to mount the card, rather than having it recognized soon as its stuck in. That's a pretty trivial problem though.

That's odd! My CF0 is in Workbench:Devs/DOSDrivers and I get an icon for the Compact Flash card as soon as it is inserted.

[MarkM]

Hello AmiDude.

Finally, some success.

Since I bought the AmigaForever CD from Cloanto, there was Amiga OS 3.1 on the CD...all 6 disks in ADF format.  I was able to install a fresh OS 3.1 on my A1200!

Now, I'm trying to get the compactflash card to work.  Following your instructions, I downloaded and installed both fat95 and compactflash.device.

When I insert the CF into the Amiga, the icon pops up instantly and says

CF0:NDOS

I've tried to run CardPrep, and it tells me that the card is write protected.  I see no tab or physical switch on the card to un protect it.

On my Mac, I'm able to format it MS-DOS without asking any questions about write protection.

Any ideas?

-Mark

[AmiDude]

@MarkM wrote:

On my Mac, I'm able to format it MS-DOS without asking any questions about write protection.

Did you try to format it on your A1200? The Amiga
should do it without any problems. You don't need
the CardPrep program.

[murple]

Format it as a DOS partition, you dont need CardPrep or any other Amiga software to format it. Do it on a PC or Mac, or better yet, a camera if you have one that takes CF cards. Once you install the FAT filesystem driver from AmiNet, the Amiga should see it (once you mount the CF0: device).

[A4000_Mad]

In case it is of any use, here is the mounlist of my driver CF1 for a 64MB Compact Flash card under Amiga FFS :-)





/* compactflash.device $VER: 1.21 (19.10.2002) */
/* fat95 file system by Torsten Jager */

FileSystem    = l:FastFilesSystem
Device        = compactflash.device
Unit        = 0
Flags        = 0
LowCyl        = 2
HighCyl        = 235
Surfaces    = 8
BlocksPerTrack    = 68
BlockSize    = 512
Buffers        = 20
BufMemType    = 1
BootPri        = 0
Stacksize    = 4096
Priority    = 5
GlobVec        = -1
DosType        = 0x444F5303

[AmiDude]

@murple wrote:

Format it as a DOS partition, you dont need CardPrep or any other Amiga software to format it. Do it on a PC or Mac, or better yet, a camera if you have one that takes CF cards.

He DID formatted it on a Mac. The Amiga still doesn't recognize it.

@MarkM
Are you sure you installed Fat95 in the L: directory?
 

[murple]

A4000_Mad wrote:

My only complaint is I have to click the CF0: icon to mount the card, rather than having it recognized soon as its stuck in. That's a pretty trivial problem though.

That's odd! My CF0 is in Workbench:Devs/DOSDrivers and I get an icon for the Compact Flash card as soon as it is inserted.

Looks like my CF0 was in DEVS: not DEVS:DOSDrivers, so it wasn't getting automounted. I think the compactflash.device docs said to put it in DEVS: so I did. I moved it and it mounts now.

[MarkM]

Sorry it took me so long to reply guys.  We had storms for a couple of days and I didn't turn my Amiga on (yes, even with surge protection!)

I just checked, and yes fat95 is in the L: directory.

I just tried to move (booting into non-startup-sequence AmigaDos) compactflash.loader into the DOSDrivers directory, and now I don't even get the CF0:NDos at all.

Tried to use PrepCard in this state and it says this about the card:

I/O Device: 250ns
Format: N/A
Geometry: N/A
Battery: N/A
Product: CL ATA FLASH CARD LEXAR
TIDALWV
Version 4.1 V1.00

When I click on the "Prepare as DISK", I get the following message:

"Unable to prepare card: Card is write-protected"




Trying to format the card as it appears on the desktop as CF0:NDOS, I get a windows that says:

Format - CF0
Current Information: Device 'CF0'
                     979M capacity
New Volume Name: Empty
Put Trashcan (checked)


979MB?  This card is only an 8MB card.  Think this is foiling it?

Hitting the format gives me a "Couldn't format cylinder 0"


At this point I'm wondering if its the Lexar card itself?  I'm willing to go purchase a newer, bigger card to try and fix this.  Are there only certain types of cards that work?

PS - I did stick this card back into the ancient 1.0MP Kodak DC10 and formatted it (took two times before it would take the format..wierd).  Still CF0:NDOS, trying to format it with Workbench or PrepCard, no luck and it's still showing as 979MB

Thanks,
Mark

[MarkM]

I also wanted to state that I'm using Kickstart ROMS 3.0, if that matters, and Workbench 3.1.

I do intend eventually on KS 3.1 and WB 3.5 or higher, but don't have a 4-port IDE adaptor yet to load on WB 3.5.

[MarkM]

SUCCESS!!!

I have answered my own question.  That answer is:

STAY FAR FAR AWAY WITH LEXAR MEDIA COMPACT FLASH UNITS!

I just got back from Staples Office Supply, where I picked up a SanDisc 1Gb card.  It worked perfectly the first time.  I have already transferred a ton over to it!

Thanks to everyone for their help.  This is what I fondly remember of the Amiga community...a great willingness to jump in and help those in need.

Spread the word:  Lexar Media = BAD for Amiga!

[Anthomatic]

Just to add to that point about Lexar cards and the Amiga...

I bought a 16mb Lexar card off eBay and got the same results: write-protected and completely useless! Couldn't understand it until I bought a Kingston 256mb card. No problem with this one - worked straight out of the box!

No more Lexar cards for me (good job it was only cheap...)