Is there any Hope?

[JaXanim]

I've been running my A1200T with a Z4 bus/Picasso4/Prelude/PowerFlyer/Catweasle/SilverSurfer/Apollo1260/64Mb/CD-Rom/Zip/a new Samsung20Gb HD/OS3.9/etc/etc for months without a hitch. Then I decided to fit a Mediator and it's all gone pear-shaped.

I fitted the Mediator and managed to get a Voodoo5 running without a hitch (though I had to take the Picasso out of the loop. It doesn't like Voodoo drivers in the Monitors drawer. So, I put it back and decided to figure out a dual boot system to run one or other card.

It wouldn't boot. I thought it was the PowerFlyer, but I've used another one with same result.

Anyway, now neither PowerFlyer sees the Samsung drive. If I swap it for an old (very old) IBM250Mb, it boots into OS3.0 no problem. If I swap it for my old Fujitsu 4.3Gb, that boots too. But if I put the Samsung back in as Channel 1 Master, all I get is the purple 'insert floppy' anim.

Does this suggest my 20Gb Samsung Spin Point has spun it's last? Is there any hope at all?

Cheers,

JaX

[x56h34]

Post #666. :-)

Why don't you try it on your native IDE port?

[Holley]

Any joy putting it in as a slave, booting off another disk?

Sometimes they do just go for no reason (had two PCs under 3 years old do that this week!)

[JaXanim]

@x56h34

What would that prove?

Post #667, phew!

JaX

[X-ray]

@ Jax: (slightly off topic) if you decide to go entirely Voodoo 5 I'll give you an excellent price for that PIV. Just a thought.

Hope you get your drive working, can't suggest anything because I've never had an A1200 tower.

[JaXanim]

@Holley

I'll try that, but I fear the worst.

Seems my messing around with the Mediator catalysed the end of the Samsung. Everything was great before the Mediator malarky.

Anyone got an opinion on Samsung Spin Points? This is less than 6 months old.

Cheers,

JaX

[JaXanim]

@Xray

I'll bear that in mind, tho I didn't think the Voodoo5 graphics were as crisp as the Picasso4. The images hada shadow on the right hand side of all the verticals. Elbox reckoned the Voodoo5 should be much better and suggested the video lead could be low quality. Anyone?

Anyone got an opinion on Picasso4 vs Voodoo5 graphics quality?

Cheers,

JaX

[Holley]

Both should show exactly the same at normal colour depth & resolution, but the Voodoo should refresh faster making for better video playback.

I have had quite a few older (4.5Gb) Samsung harddisks that just keep working nicely.  I don't have any experience with newer ones but in general the newer/faster/larger harddisks are less reliable unless you pay out for a high quality mechanism.  Maxtor 20Gb and up seem to be the best of the new budget stuff.

[JaXanim]

@Holley

Yes, the Voodoo refreshed much faster than the PIV. It was just the 'shadow' that worries me.

If the Samsung's kaput, I'll look out for a Maxtor, many thanks.

JaX

[Holley]

Wierd getting shadows, they're right that it's often caused by a faulty cable/connector (provided it's the same monitor used as the PIV this means checking the Voodoo's socket for weak connections).

Might be worth checking that the Voodoo isn't near any sources of interference too (ie. PSU or something), it won't detract from the performance to move it to another slot.

[B00tDisk]

JaXanim wrote:
@Holley

Yes, the Voodoo refreshed much faster than the PIV. It was just the 'shadow' that worries me.

If the Samsung's kaput, I'll look out for a Maxtor, many thanks.

JaX

If the Samsung is only six months old, RMA that sucker!  They owe you a new drive!