A600 mobo, possible to use?

[Jiffy]

circlip wrote:
I have a laptop HDD, it's actually 6Gb, is this too big for an A600?

Yes and no. Amiga OS 1.0-3.1 has a maximum drivesize of 4 GB and a maximum partitionsize of 2 GB with their built in filesystems. Larger partitions sometimes appear to work, but when the partitions starts to fill up, chances are files will get corrupted.

This means that in your case you can use a maximum of 4 GB of your harddrive (2x 2 GB) or you can use a different filesystem which support larger harddrives and partitions or you can use Amiga OS 3.5/3.9, which natively support larger drives and partitions. Amiga OS3.5/3.9 needs at least an 68020 with some fastram, and turboboards for the A600 are rather hard to find.

[circlip]

Jiffy wrote:
....or you can use a different filesystem which support larger harddrives and partitions....

Can this be done without extra RAM, or an accelerator, etc? I definately don't want to be losing data, like sticking tape over the hole of a standard 3.5" floppy!

When I have it all set up, I'll need to find a guide to do all these things, cuz basically this is all new to me. I come from DOS/Windows/Linux world.

EDIT: The mobo has a 2.05 ROM, will this let me use a 6Gb HDD, or do I need newer system plus accelerator, etc, etc?

[Jiffy]

circlip wrote:
EDIT: The mobo has a 2.05 ROM, will this let me use a 6Gb HDD, or do I need newer system plus accelerator, etc, etc?

As mentioned, Amiga OS 1.0-3.1 does not support partitions larger than 2 GB and harddrives larger than 4 GB. You can use your 6 GB harddrive, but only up to 4 GB, consisting of two 2 GB partitions. The remaining 2 GB can not be used reliably. Beware: you can often create larger partitions with Amiga OS 1.0-3.1, but this will not work reliably!

If you want to use the remaining space on your harddrive, you should use a different filesystem (check out Aminet for this) or go to OS 3.5/3.9. When using OS 3.5/3.9 you need a newer kickstart, extra fastram, a turboboard and a cd-rom drive (the drive is only needed during installation).

My advice: use the the 6 GB drive. You'll most likely never fill it up anyway, even if you only use two 2 GB partitions...

 

[circlip]

Thanks Jiffy. So as you are saying, using two 2Gb patitions to make 4Gb's won't result in any data loss over time? Is this correct?

Thanks,

Circlip.

[mbueler]

You either need kickrom v2.05 rev 37.300(not 37.299), v2.05 rev 37.350 or v3.1 rev 40.63 for the harddrive to work.

if you need help drop by anytime.
(same place you got your A500 Power supply)

[fillosauru]

Friendly advice... Buy a CF/IDE adapter. That's what I use for my A1200. I have 3 CF cards for it, 1,2,4 Gb.
Better than a HDD.

[salax54]

Yup :- http://www.amigahistory.co.uk/suzanne.html
 
Another A600 recasing was done by a member of my user group, It's the best 600 I've used :- http://lincsamiga.org.uk/wordpress/index.php/members-amigas/macmigas-ultra600-project/
 
Gaz

I know this thread is kinda old, but a newer A600 laptop exists. I know so cause i built it :-) http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm242/salax54/TOTAL9.jpg
 
You can see the whole building-process here: http://www.amigahellas.gr/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=2376&viewmode=flat&order=ASC&type=&mode=0&start=0
although it's all in Greek, but pictures are more than a thousand words...

[Philophus]

Ermm...os3.0/3.1 does NOT have a 4gb drive limit.

[Chieftain]

I have a 7.2GB HD in my A1200 and have absolutely no problems whatsoever. If memory serves me right, the limit is 9 or 10GB (It's been 15-16 years since last I gave the drive size limit a thought, so bear with me if I'm wrong).

[Philophus]

The limit resides in scsi.device...replace that and you can comfortably use any size HD in your amiga.