SupraDrive autobooting

[sjprohaska]

I recently got a hold of a 20MB SCSI SupraDrive and interface.  I installed everything and it works fine, however I am unable to autoboot to the harddrive.  I can boot using the SupraBoot disc, but I cannot automatically boot to the drive when I power the computer (A500).  I have KS 1.3 on my system.  The SupraDrive manual states something about removing an autoboot rom from the drive but has no pictures of any kind and even refers to an additional manual which I don't have. I did remove the largest chip on the board with the same results.  Also, I have read another post that talks about jumpers and dip switches.  This SCSI controller contains neither.  Does anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks

[platon42]

I recently got a hold of a 20MB SCSI SupraDrive and interface.  I installed everything and it works fine, however I am unable to autoboot to the harddrive.  I can boot using the SupraBoot disc, but I cannot automatically boot to the drive when I power the computer (A500).  I have KS 1.3 on my system.  The SupraDrive manual states something about removing an autoboot rom from the drive but has no pictures of any kind and even refers to an additional manual which I don't have. I did remove the largest chip on the board with the same results.  Also, I have read another post that talks about jumpers and dip switches.  This SCSI controller contains neither.  Does anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks

20 years ago I had an A500 with Supradrive (XP?) and it had dip switches on the back side, and one was to enable/disable autoboot.

You have to make sure that at least one of the partitions is marked bootable (what was the WB 1.3 HDToolBox called again?) and that its boot priority is higher than the DF0: floppy.

[sjprohaska]

Thanks, but after closer inspection and re-reading the addendum, it appears my SupraDrive SCSI interface was made in early 1989.  Interfaces after 1989 have jumpers.  So I either have to add or remove an autoboot rom.  Out of 16 chips on the board, three are removable.  One is a large AMD chip and the two smaller ones read PAL16L8ANC.  I guess this model cannot autoboot.  It looks like it's all about floppy booting for me.

[tone007]

If you have a ROM labelled AMAB4 or earlier, those had problems with/refused to autoboot it seems.  I upgraded mine to AMAB6 and after that, autobooting worked fine.  AMAB5 also worked for autoboot.

[sjprohaska]

Thanks.  Per your advice, I did a search on Ebay and picked up a AMAB6 chip for $10.  Can't wait to install it.

[tone007]

Good luck, it was a great day when my previously lazy SupraDrive XP stood up and booted on its own.

[sjprohaska]

The chip came but it does not seem to work and it is half the size of the previous chip.  I have a regular SupraDrive, not a SupraDrive XP.  Is there a big difference?

[TjLaZer]

Is your Supra drive the Supra 4X4 for the A1000 or regular Supra Drive for the 500?

I believe it should work. What do you mean it is half the size?  Physically?  It should be a straight swap with the old chip in the socket.

http://amiga.resource.cx/exp/supra500

I do believe the old A1000 4X4 is NOT bootable at so it won't work on that unit.

http://amiga.resource.cx/exp/supra1000

[sjprohaska]

It's just a regular SupraDrive that works with both the Amiga 500 and 1000, according to the manual.  I'm using it with an A500 plugged into the side expansion port.  The old chip is an AMD chip and it is longer (more pins) than the replacement chip.  If I remove the AMD chips it does not detect the drive.  If I place the new chip in, the same thing happens.

[TjLaZer]

First off, NEVER install a chip that is not the same size.  You will risk frying stuff.  That AMD chip is probably the SCSI controller chip so that's not the boot rom.  You might not have one of there is no other chip the same size as the new one.

Does your PCB look like the one in the link I provided?

[sjprohaska]

It looks very similar, however there is no extra chip next to the scsi chip.  There looks to be solder leads that have a similar number of dots as pins on the new chip.  There is no other places on the board for
"insertible" chips.  I guess this board never had autoboot capabilities.  The manual and software that came with the card and drive seem to be newer.  I guess this is an older board.