Amiga 600HD: Question about HDD

[CodeHunter]

Hi All,

1) I need to know if I can attach an EXTERNAL HDD unit to my Amiga 600HD. If so, I need the procedure and the kind/model that is compatible with Amiga 600HD please.

2) What are Workbench 2.05 / 2.1 limitations as far as the HDD capacity is concerned? In other words, with my stock Amiga 600HD, what is the biggest HDD size that can use with it so the OS can “see” the entire HDD’s capacity?

3) I would also like to know the procedure of wiping my entire Amiga 600HDD, and reinstalling everything. I bought my Amiga 600HD system from eBAY the other day, and it ships with Workbench 37.31 (2.05 floppy disks) and Kickstart 37.350 revisions.

I am not planning to upgrade it (yet!) so I was kindly wanted to ask you if would you let me know what are the processes to wipe out the entire HDD and reinstall Workbench.

I have managed to obtain a copy of (original) Workbench v2.1 v38.36 (believe that is the latest) and was wondering if I could install this instead of my stock 2.5 version that came with the system.

I really appreciate your time and concern. Thanks in advance.

[patrik]

1. Just get larger a 2.5" harddrive, it is not worth using an external 3.5" harddrive nowadays.

2. 4GB is the maximum, but you should make sure you have kickstart 37.350 and not 37.300 before you change harddrive as the latter usually is kinda quirky with many harddrives. Also, the maximum partition-size is 2GB.

3. Boot with the Install2.1  disk, repartition the harddrive with the HDToolBox partitioning-utility (found in the HDTools-drawer on the Install2.1 disk), reboot with the Install2.1 disk again, format the partitions that should pop up as uninitialized on the Workbench and then start the OS install from the "Install 2.1" drawer on the Install2.1 disk.


/Patrik

[Effy]

For external storage you can get a squirrel pcmcia card that allows you to use scsi devices in an external case like CDroms and harddrives of which you can use 7 in a row  :lol:

[CodeHunter]

"1. Just get larger a 2.5" harddrive, it is not worth using an external 3.5" harddrive nowadays."[/i]

Why not? The external hard disc enclosures are really inexpensive. I can use internal hdds (to be used in those enclosures and used as EXTERNAL) for less money than a real EXTERNAL HDD.  

If it is possible, can I use the PCMCIA port? Please elaborate a bit more.

Thanks again.

[Effy]

There are good looking solutions and there are less good lucking ones. The best looking is to use the squirrel pcmcia scsi controller as I already discribed. 2nd hand 4 Gb scsi drives are not expensive these days. Another way but less good looking is to get an 2,5" to 2x3,5" adaptercable OR an IDE controller so that you get 2 grown up 3,5" IDE ports. Then you can use up to four IDE devices but it´s obvious that you can not use them all inside the A600. Personally I have had no experience with the A600, only with the A1200 but in that case I had the 2nd 3,5" harddisc outside the desktop. As I said, not so good looking but at least it worked !!  :lol:

[glitch]

Hi,

     Or you could put a nice 3.5" IDE drive in place of the floppy and use an external drive if necessary.

-G

[Chain]

I thing seconhand 2.5 inch ~4.3GB drive is cheap now and its better and nicer solution guys!

[patrik]

@CodeHunter:

Once upon a time 2.5" harddrives big enough to suit the average storage needs had a _very_ bad cost/storage ratio, but that is not the case anymore.

To say it in another way: What I meant was that by mounting a higher capacity internal 2.5" harddrive (around ~4GB perhaps) will:
1. Keep your A600 compact, nice and tidy without stuff hanging out from it.
2. Most likely cover your storage needs.
3. Such a harddrive is cheap nowadays.


/Patrik