Can AllegroCDFS be used on A4000T for DVD support?

[stopthegop]

I have a question regarding the Allegro CDFS software.  The registered version comes on disk with drivers for the 4-way IDE splitter for the A1200.  I want to use JUST the
Allegro CD File system, not the 4-way splitter drivers. Its for an A4000t and I want AllegroCDFS because it supports DVD format.  As far as I know, this is the only Amiga FS that does?  Anyway, the problem is that these two programs (allegro and the hardware driver) seem to be "married" to each other in that the serial number for Allegro is embedded in the code of the hardware driver.  

Trying to use just AllegroCDFS in the A4k by copying it to "L" and referring to it from CD2 (DVD actually):

DEVICE=Z3SCSI.device
UNIT=4
FILESYSTEM=WORKBENCH:L/ALLEGROCDFS

I get an error on "can't find the Hardware ID."  

So here's my question:  Is there any way to provide this "Hardware ID" that Allegro needs to function via a tooltype in its icon?  Or by some other
method?  The ID, btw, I think is printed on a sticker on the 4-way splitter.  I just don't know what tooltype, if any, I can use to unlock Allegro?   Anyone have any ideas?  Thanks

[Thomas]

Most DVDs can be read with any Amiga CD file system. I didn't see any difference between AllegroCDFS and CacheCDFS (as it comes with OS3.9). Both can read the same DVDs and both fail on the same DVDs. CacheCDFS is more stable, AllegroCDFS crashes every now and then.

I get an error on "can't find the Hardware ID."

AllegroCDFS needs Elbox hardware (FastATA/PowerFlyer) as dongle. You cannot use it stand alone. It is not restricted to Elbox hardware, you can use it with any IDE or SCSI controller, but you need one piece of Elbox hardware in your computer or it will not run at all.

Bye,
Thomas

[stopthegop]

Thanks. I have a Mediator.  Does that count?

[Thomas]

I don't think so. But the 4xEIDE'99 should count. According to the homepage it comes with a registered version of AllegroCDFS. As I understand this, AllegroCDFS should work with the 4xEIDE'99 interface. Perhaps you should ask Elbox what you have to do to make this work.

Bye,
Thomas

[CLS2086]

IDEFIX'97 works well too with DVD. I played some on my 1200PPC...

[stopthegop]

Really?  That would be great but registering IDEFix is harder than finding a virgin in Las Vegas.

[Thomas]

@stopthegop:

http://www.vesalia.de/e_idemax97.htm

Bye,
Thomas

[alexh]

Did anyone get to the bottom of this?

I've seen that someone else is having this "Hardware ID" problem with Allegro CDFS.

As Thomas has already said, it is supposed to work with the IDE splitter which probably cannot be a dongle.

Does a 4000T have an IDE interface? Could it be that it only works if you have an IDE interface?

Can anyone translate Czech?

http://pandora.idnes.cz/part/2005/7/2162

[stopthegop]

I was never able to make this work, at least not with the OEM version of the software that shipped with the 4-way splitter.  Which sucks.  I wish it was possible to buy the filesystem by itself.  I would even be willing to
pay for a second copy of it just so I could use it in my A4000!  

[pVC]

stopthegop:

Registration for IdeFix '97 was given free by Power Computing some years ago. I don't know if the page can be found anymore.. but I have serial code here saved on my HD. I guess I could paste it here or has the situation changed? I'd assume it's free, because it was publically available back then

[adolescent]

As mentioned, CacheCDFS comes with OS3.5 and OS3.9.  No reason to mess with IDEFix at all if you have this OS.

[Doobrey]

alexh wrote:
Does a 4000T have an IDE interface? Could it be that it only works if you have an IDE interface?

Yup, the A4000T  has both IDE and SCSI interfaces.

The 'OEM' Allegro will only work if finds one of Elbox's adapters on the IDE interface (IIRC, it rolls an ID code out of the PLD on the 4xEIDE), although I don't think it checks to see if the drive you want to use is connected to that interface.

[alexh]

I wonder what bytes you could change in the EXE to remove this check  :-D

[Thomas]

I wouldn't dare that. Remember what malicious code was found in other Elbox drivers and what could happen if you patch them.

On the other hand it's easily possible to patch expansion.library in order to fake the existance of Elbox hardware. I successfully ran AllegroCDFS on WinUAE this way.

But it's not worth. As I mentioned above, AllegroCDFS cannot read a single DVD more than CacheCDFS. You can as well use CacheCDFS which comes free with OS 3.5 and 3.9.

Bye,
Thomas

[Daniele]

allegroCDFS is included in the FastATA MK-III (A3000/A4000) selled by AmigaKit
give a look to the site.