CD install on A2000

[Bigbronc]

I am tring to get this SCSI cd to work on my A2000, what drivers need to be installed in the startup sequence

[Tron2k2]

First off, what SCSI card do you have?  Is it an A2091 from Commodore, or a GVP or another brand?  Each card came with its own specific software, which handled CDs with varying levels of efficiency.  

The best solution, IMHO, is Asimware's AsimCDFS.  It works with any Workbench of 2.x or greater, is easy to install and painless to use.  Once it's installed, discs just show up as icons on your Workbench as they should.  I might still have a copy around, I could look.  Meanwhile, you could scrounge eBay for one.  Also, there are several CD filesystems on Aminet which could be made to work, your mileage may vary here.  How can this machine get online?  Does it have an ethernet board?  Online makes it easier nowadays.  As opposed to back then, when I had buddies with whatever I needed, just had to sneakernet it over on floppy :-)

[save2600]

AsimCDFS may make a big mess out of your system (as has on several of mine throughout the years) so before trying that, what OS are you running?

If you have OS3.x (not sure about 2.x anymore), there is a CD icon in Devs/Storage. Move that out of Storage and place into Devs/DOSDrivers. Depending on your SCSI card, you may have to go into tooltypes (edit the CD0: icon) and change it from scsi.device (the default) to gvpscsi.device or whatever your SCSI card is. And  whatever your CD drive's number is set to, must be reflected in tooltypes again under the unit=x switch. Lastly, I've noticed also that it may be necessary to change the icons name to reflect the CD drive unit number. Doesn't always seem to be the case, but if you're having trouble getting it to work, might try that as a last resort. If your drive is set to #3 for instance, rename the CD0: icon to CD3...

BTW: the greatest utility on that AsimCDFS program is the SCSI search program. lol If you don't know what your SCSI card is called, that'll tell you and also relay the unit number of the drive as well...

Good luck!

[Tension]

A2090 needs a driver in the Expansion drawer of SYS: so does the A2091 with autoboot disabled.
IDEfix can be used i think, if you change the device to scsi.device or whatever.

Cant really remember it`s been so long.

Also, with a 2091, your amiga wont boot without a CD in the drive.  Annoying as hell.  Never found a way round it.

[Bigbronc]

Thanks for the replys, first of all I am new to this hobby, I could never afford an Amiga 2000 toaster setup when they were the cutting edge of technoligy, I sold A500;s in the PX in Hanau Germany. I found some cheap A2000;s on Ebay and took up the hobby I could not afford back then. I am still a commodore Amiga Nut. That said, I am a nut with very little resourses to get information inside of these Amigas. I have tried Null modems, Amiga Explorer, and now the cd. It is a nice challange andreminds me of when I was into Amiga;s back in the day. I came back to the United States and found nothing on the shelves for the Amiga, so I went to windows, but still I longed for my old friend the amiga. I am confused about workbench and differant versions. I did a about WB pull down and it say's I have Kickstart 37,175 and Workbench 38.36. The SCSI card is a GVP A2000 series ii Rev 4, it also has a auto boot rom V.3.07 ECD9 Even256 if that helps. I looked in the devs folder and did not see the icon for the cd. Also any body want to hold an Amiga conferance here in America ? Lets resurect the old girl to her former greatness, just a plug for my passion.

[Fingers]

People will want to shoot me for saying this, but here goes:

Buddha Card + IDEFix will make your life soooooo much easier here! Yes, & it is fairly cheap too!

Not only will it let you use a cheap IDE CD/DVD-ROM drive (with NO fuss), but it recognizes ZIP drives too (with native drivers, boot from 3.1 Install floppy & there it is...awesome for backups!).

PZ.

[save2600]

@BigBronc: yeah, you have Kickstart and Workbench 2. Nice middle ground back in the day, but pretty much useless today - IMO. Since you're wanting to play around with your Miggy, I'd suggest procuring a Kickstart 3.1 ROM (16-bit) and a Workbench 3.1 disk set. It'll make your life that much easier, plus the interface is excellent and compatibility is high. I highly doubt you would need a 3rd party program to get that CD working with OS3.1. Your SCSI controller is indeed gvpscsi.device then. After you get the 3.1 disks, make a backup of each (if you only back one up, make a duplicate of the 'Install' disk), insert Install, highlight HDToolBox and in its Tooltypes, change the device from scsi.device to gvpscsi.device and then save. Now you'll be able to format a HD and add your SCSI CD drive AFTER you've done the same with the CD0 icon.

If you're content with running 2.x on your system and you want to add that CD drive, you *will* need a program such as AsimCDFS installed.

[doctorq]

@Bigbronc

OS2.0 and a CD drive will do just fine; OS3.1 won't make your life that much easier as the Commodore CD filesystem supplied with OS3.1 isn't that good anyway, and you will need to do some manual editing anyway.

I take it you have OS2.0 fully installed on the harddrive, so get IDEfix97.lha from http://www.aminet.net as well as Installer-43_3.lha and lha.run and get all files to your Amiga by your prefered method (nullmodem, CrossDOS, whatever).

The IDEfix installation will take care of adding the needed files to your system (CacheCDFS (the file system for IDEfix), creating the Mountlist for the CD drive with correct device drive and number, and adding a line to your User-Startup if you choose to automount the CD drive during boot).

Your only real problem is when it comes to transfering the said files to your Amiga, after that you are all good to go.

[Matt_H]

@ Bigbronc

You've got OS2.1. It's a little more flexible than straight 2.0, as it uses the same mount system as OS3.x (DOSDrivers). I used AsimCDFS for years on a 2.1 system and it worked beautifully.

2.1 also means you've got CrossDOS, which will let you read (low-density 720KB) PC floppies.

[rkauer]

One more vote for Idefix97.

 It's automatic installation will ease your experience. Pending on what SCSI controller you have installed, you will be able to boot without a CD inside the CD unit (don't count about it if using a A2091. A2090 will no recognize a CD drive at all).

 Remember to change the terminators on the SCSI chain to reflect the new setup! Most CD units have a permanent passive termination hooked in. Some have a jumper on the back to disable it. All of those are passive terminators, of course. In the life of me I never saw any unit with active termination.

[Darrin]

People will want to shoot me for saying this, but here goes:

Buddha Card + IDEFix will make your life soooooo much easier here! Yes, & it is fairly cheap too!

Not only will it let you use a cheap IDE CD/DVD-ROM drive (with NO fuss), but it recognizes ZIP drives too (with native drivers, boot from 3.1 Install floppy & there it is...awesome for backups!).

PZ.

I'm with you all the way here.  As someone who has used a Buddha in an A2000 and A3000 then I say grab one and let the included software take care of all of your troubles.

[motrucker]

Since you already have the SCSI card, the IDE route makes no sense at all. ASIMware CDFS is an excellent system to use. I am a bit surprised to hear anyone has had serious issues with it - I've used it for years (as have most of our old user group members) with out any problems. This is not a free system, but can be found cheap. It is very easy to install too. Just make sure to get the latest version out, V3.10.
Good luck with your A2000.

[smerf]

I am tring to get this SCSI cd to work on my A2000, what drivers need to be installed in the startup sequence

Hi,

@Bigbronx

Been a long time since I looked at scsi, but here goes:

1. Put CD0 from Storage into DEVS
2. Click on CD0 in DEVS and then right click ICON INFO on window toolbar.
3. It should be set for SCSI.DEVICE

Some other hints,

Does the 2091 have its terminators installed, if it does you should be set for an internal installation of your scsi drive. If not then you need an external scsi source set for address 6. Do not use 7 because address 7 relates to the scsi board (2091) itself.

Run HDToolbox, does it see your scsi drive? If so what address number is it seeing it at?
Set CD0 for this address.

I am trying to remember all the things about scsi that I can.

Is your CDROM a SCSI or an IDE, look at the pins in the back there should be 50.
If your unit is a SCSI your hard drive should be a SCSI, usually set for address 0. Your CDROM should be set for 1-6, set for 6 if you have terminators on 2091 card, if no terminators, then you will need an external SCSI device set for 6, which makes your CDROM address set for 1 to 5.

Sorry if I can't remember it all, it has been at least 10 years since I broke out my A3000 and played with SCSI devices. My A3000 does have a SCSI 2091 installed in it, but it is installed as SCSI Device 2 since the A3000 has a SCSI board on the motherboard.

Oh if using GVP rename SCSI.device to GVP.device.
If using Supra scsi board, you need the Supra install disk.
If using a Apple Mac scsi board, don't worry about the smoke, Apples always do that.
If using a PC scsi board, you are pretty brave.

Hey if you need further info, look up Dave Haynies web page, he has a lot of helpful hints on everything Amiga. Goes into detail on SCSI.

Why listen to me when Dave is a professional?

BECAUSE I WROTE THIS DARN THING!!!

Thanks
smerf