Mounting a CF unit on a 4000 via Tandem IDE card

[dvvrue95]

Hi there,

Im trying to mount a CF pcmcia unit connected as a master to the Tandem IDE I/F on a A4000 DT. I copied some Cf files
CFD/Devs,CFD/L etc from my A1200 which has a working Cf
card but not much joy. I also copied the A1200 file system - FAT95 across to the A4000 without any luck, I also tried using the existing A4000 CacheCDFS with the A1200 device file "copmpactflash.device" but got a DOS error message "control entry in mount list missing".

So I used IDEfix97 to find device on the A4000 and it comes up with "softSCSI_ATE9.device" which at least
means the unit has been deteced. Any ideas what the mount list should look like for this configuration?

many thanks, Ian
 

[A4000_Mad]

Hi dvvrue95,

I've recently added a CF card reader to my A4000 in the same way :-)

The IDE > CF adaptor on my Tandem card shows up as 'oktagon.device'. With my Oktagon SCSI card fitted as well, FindDevice of IDEfix97 found the CF card as Unit 100 (without my Oktagon SCSI card fitted it was seen as Unit 0).

Here is the mounlist of my CF0 driver from Workbench:Devs/DOSDrivers which can read 64MB, 1GB & 2GB fat formatted CF cards:-


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

FileSystem    = l:fat95
Device        = oktagon.device
Unit        = 100
Flags        = 0
LowCyl        = 0
HighCyl        = 0
Surfaces    = 1
BlocksPerTrack    = 1
BlockSize    = 512
Buffers        = 20
BufMemType    = 1
BootPri        = 0
Stacksize    = 4096
Priority    = 5
GlobVec        = -1
DosType        = 0x46415401



I also had to download 'TandemCD.dms' from HEREand put the file 'AT' into Workbench:Expansion for it to work. The 'AT' file is set to Manufacturer 2092 and Product 6, which is how the Tandem card is seen in the 'Expansion Board Diagnostic...' screen of the 'Amiga Early Startup Control'.



:pint:

[dvvrue95]

Hi A4000 MAD,

thks for the feedback, I am using a similar mountlist for my CF card and also have the "AT" file in my Expansion drawer.

Your reply resulted in me checking out a few more details and I think my problem is that I don't have a device exec. file called "SoftSCSI_ATE9.device" in my SYS:DEVS drawer, or for that matter anywhere on my machine, although IDEFIX97 identified that file using "Find device" when scanning for the CF card. So how does IDEFIX97 "know" about this file and that it associated with the CF card? I have used the "use" option in the "Find device " screen but that doesn't appear to do anything.

Question how or where can I obtain a copy of this  "SoftSCSI_ATE9.device" file from?

cheers, Ian

[motorollin]

dvvrue95 wrote:
Your reply resulted in me checking out a few more details and I think my problem is that I don't have a device exec. file called "SoftSCSI_ATE9.device" in my SYS:DEVS drawer, or for that matter anywhere on my machine, although IDEFIX97 identified that file using "Find device" when scanning for the CF card. So how does IDEFIX97 "know" about this file and that it associated with the CF card?

It's either in the ROM of the controller, or the file in Expansion loads it directly in to RAM. In any case, it doesn't matter - if FindDevice can see it, then the device is working.


You mentioned "cfd" files. Is this compactflash.device? If so, this is not correct. Compactflash.device is for Compact Flash cards in card readers in the PCMCIA port.

You might want to check out GiggleDisk. It will create a mountlist for your device.

--
moto

[A4000_Mad]

Just as few observations/notes/ramblings:-

1. It appears FindDevice sees the CF card itself and not the IDE > CF adaptor. So be sure to insert a CF card *before* you boot your A4000 and use FindDevice.

2. The CF0 driver that I am using is the same one used for CF cards on the PCMCIA slot of my A1200 Desktop. I have simply edited 'compactflash.device' to 'oktagon.device' and put the correct Unit number. I believe the CF0 driver that I am using will read a CF card of any capacity up to a 4GB limit prehaps (64MB, 1GB and 2GB are the only CF cards I have at the moment).

3. My CF cards are found by FindDevice as *both* 'oktagon.device' Unit 100 and  'SoftSCSI_ATE9.device' Unit 0. However, editing the CF0 driver to 'SoftSCSI_ATE9.device' Unit 0 does not give me a readable icon on screen for the cards. I have no idea if moto's giggledisk will create a SoftSCSI_ATE9 mountlist for you as I've never used it myself. Worth giving it a try though.

4. Unless FindDevice actually sees the CF card, there appears to be no point bothering with drivers to go in Workbench:Devs/DOSDrivers just yet.

5. The Tandem docs say that it is an Oktagon device.



Do you have 'oktagon.device' in the left window of FindDevice? If so, have you tried ticking the box 'Show all device types' and scanning for Oktagon devices?

[dvvrue95]

Hi Moto and A4000 Mad,

useful feedback - acknowledging both :-

1. MOTO

Ok so looks good since FindDevice recognizes the card.

Yes initially I tried copying over from my 1200 some cfd files which did not work, so I guessed something wrong .

I will check out GiggleDisk (see also below).

2. A4000 Mad

Have CF card inserted before bootup.

My CF0 driver is also the one I ported from my 1200 and I edited to "SoftSCSI_ATE9.device" Unit 0. When trying this option I cannot see any CF icon although if I try to mount CF0 ADOS indicates "device already mounted". If I use Directory Opus to read CF0 I get a directory error message.

I do have octagon.device in the left window, I'm pretty sure
I had show all devices ticked, but will recheck.

thanks again for responses, Ian

[dvvrue95]

A little update, but not much progress,

IDEFix97 "FindDevice" identifies CF card as :

SoftSCSI_ATE9.device
Unit 0
Toshiba
THNCF064MMA
Rev 3.10

Have repeated "show all devices" "FindDevice" but only shows up as above, not Octagon.device.

If I try reading CF0 directory from DirOpus I get a "directory not available" error message from DOpus and a "DOS error code 115 - bad number".

I have downloaded and unpacked giggledisk but am not sure what to do with it. I have a giggledisk/bin/giggledisk_AOS68K file which if I double click just results in my A400 rebboting??? Should I add this file to my C Dir and use giggledisk as a command??  http://www.amiga.org/uploads/smil402e47bc493f4.gif
http://www.amiga.org/uploads/smil402e47bc493f4.gif

Perhaps this is turning into a S/W forum item?

Ian

[motorollin]

Copy GiggleDisk_AOS68K to the C: directory. Might be easier to rename it to "giggledisk" too. Then use it as follows:

c:giggledisk SoftSCSI_ATE9.device 0 TO ram:

This should create a mountlist for the device in RAM:. Mount it to check it works, and if it does move it to devs:dosdrivers or sys:storage/dosdrivers.

--
moto

[dvvrue95]

Hi Moto,

copied giggledisk to C dir and tried yr syntax (3 times)and it results in  a guru meditation error
8000 0004 with different tasks e.g. 0715a170 with a soft reboot of machine!!

I'm running OS3.5 on an unexpanded A4000 (2M + 16M)

loosing hair, sleep etc Ian

[A4000_Mad]

Nice Giggledisk instructions moto 8-)

I removed my Oktagon SCSI card to avoid any Unit number conflicts with the Tandem card and tried it:-

1. giggledisk oktagon.device  0 TO Ram:  

This puts a driver called GGD0 in Ram: that mounts my CF card ok.


2. giggledisk SoftSCSI_ATE9.device 0 TO Ram:

This gives a report:-

Giggledisk: Unable to read block 15 (Size: 0x200)!

I also experienced some locking up of the A4000 when using SoftSCSI_ATE9.device :inquisitive:

[Michael_D]

Hi,

try http://aminet.net/disk/misc/oktapus.lha
The device for the Tandem will be "2nd.scsi.device" or
"3rd.scsi.device" if used on Oktagon, too. :-)

[dvvrue95]

Hi A4000 MAD,

another update,

reason my A4000 rebooted after running giggledisk SoftSCSI_ATE9.device 0 to ram: was 'cause I had forgotten that I had physically disconnected the Tandem IDE I/F last night!
(Operator problem!!)

So having reconnected things, I ran gigledisk again and I now have exactly the same result as you i.e.

 Unable to read block 15 (Size: 0x200)!

So giggledisk appears to work well done Moto.

What type of CF card have you got? I don't mean just the ID from FindDevice, my card is actually labelled as Viking Interworks CF 64mb.

thanks, Ian

[A4000_Mad]

I've misplaced my 64MB card at the moment, but my 1GB CF card is a SanDisk SDCFJ from Jessops and my 2GB card is a SanDisk Ultra II bought from Staples just a few days ago for £20.

I somehow think your problem is using SoftSCSI_ATE9.device. My Tandem card still shows up as an oktagon.device even with my Oktagon 2008 SCSI card completly removed from the A4000.

 

[dvvrue95]

Hi A4000 MAD,

thanks for that info about your CF cards, yes I guess you are correct it must be something to do with the SoftSCSI_ATE9.device driver, although it seems to be the only one found by FindDevice.

Have you any experience of these Oktapussy "updated" drivers??,  referred to by Micheal D at

http://aminet.net/disk/misc/oktapus.lha
I might give them a try.

(Thanks for the link Michael D)

Ian

[A4000_Mad]

Yes, I've just been busy downloading and having a look at oktapus.lha. After reading that it was "beta" and "Use at your own risk as you could lose your data" my bottle completely went :oops:

I have a 9GB HDD and an Iomega 2GB Jaz drive connected to my Oktagon 2008 SCSI card and don't wanna risk messing them up. But feel free to check it out yourself and report back :-D