Buffered IDE Interface and IdeFix

[lauri.lotvonen]

Hi, having some probs with Cd-rom and IdeFix:

Currently I have a 8 gb Compact Flash HD installed on the 44 pin header of Buffered ide interface and a slim cd drive connected to the 40 pin header.
Cd-roms power comes from the floppy drive power pins. Hd is working nice now, boots to OS 3.9 with no problems. But when I run idefix FindDevice/install, and it comes to finding the cd-rom, it only finds 5 unknown SCSI devices - or I think they are SCSI.
First one is under tandemat_pcmcia.device, unit 0, No SCSI enquire.
The second ones are : under tandem_pcmcia.device, unit 0-3, all with no SCSI enquire.

Allready tried 3 different Cd-drives with no change at all, but idefix recognizes my USB cd-rom nicely? If anyone experienced problems like mine, please come forward. Thanks again

/Lauri

Here is the Buffered IDE Interface mentioned:
http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=42&products_id=532

[mfilos]

Where have you connected the 40pin CD-ROM? Into Primary or Secondary channel?
In primary it will fail since the 44pin and 40pin header share with each other.

Only way for it to work are either:
1. using HD in Primary as Master, and CD-ROM as Primary Slave (slave is the only one used anyway in slim JAE-->40pin adapters unless you got a rare adapter that has jumpers on it). That ofc required an 3way IDE cable (with proper adapters for 44-->40 and vice versa)
2. using it in Secondary channel (master or slave doesn't matter I think). That way you'll have HD SCSI ID = 0, and CD-ROM SCSI ID= 3 (if set to slave by default).

In 1st case you don't need IDEfix since OS3.9 works just fine in Primary channel without it (for secondary channel i think IDEfix is still needed but might be wrong)

[Thomas]

for secondary channel i think IDEfix is still needed but might be wrong

It's not wrong. You need IDEfix for the second channel. But if you only use a CD drive, you don't need to run the IDEfix program. It's sufficient to use atapi.device to access it.

[lauri.lotvonen]

If I connect the hd to primary 44 pin header, and the cd-rom to primary 40 header, it wont boot from hd, just goes to the "insert disk screen". And the activity light on the IDE->CF adapter keeps on all the time?

[lauri.lotvonen]

And I even tried fresh os 3.1 istall and idefix, the same problem there.
So it should not be a software issue.

/Lauri

[scuzzb494]

And I even tried fresh os 3.1 istall and idefix, the same problem there.
So it should not be a software issue.

/Lauri

OK back to basics... The machine will work with no CD Drive.. Runs fine like that.

What are you calling Primary 44 and 40 from the left most being the connection to the Amiga 1200 motherboard.

When you scan you say you are not seeing an atapi.device  That means the CD is not being recognised by the interface.

Was there any software with the interface ?

What connector did you get with the CD for power and what size power supply have you for the Amiga is it the older style lightweight brick. Is the power light for the CD coming on and is the drawer opening.

Have you checked the ribbon is the correct way round. Has the CD been run on an Amiga before ?

What do you see with both mouse buttons down with the early boor screen. Is the floppy working ... ?

Its a kinda diagnostic process before you start checking the software. I don`t think the machine knows the CD is there... The ribbon could be a prob... Thats why its not booting on primary. Its just ignoring the CD on the secondary.

Are there jumper settings on the CD Rom ? ... ( not sure that matters )

IDE is normally an atapi.device.

What is on the disk you got ? .. Is there a readme file.

scuzz
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com

[mfilos]

If I connect the hd to primary 44 pin header, and the cd-rom to primary 40 header, it wont boot from hd, just goes to the "insert disk screen". And the activity light on the IDE->CF adapter keeps on all the time?

Apparently you haven't read what I wrote at all mate...
Since you're using the 1st of the option I said...

1. using HD in Primary as Master, and CD-ROM as Primary Slave (slave is the only one used anyway in slim JAE-->40pin adapters unless you got a rare adapter that has jumpers on it). That ofc required an 3way IDE cable (with proper adapters for 44-->40 and vice versa)

That means that you just CAN'T use BOTH the 44pin Primary header and the 40pin Primary header since they're both the same thing! If you want to use only the Primary channel (44 OR 40 - not both) you need to use a 3way cable (3 female IDE connectors) setting HD as Master and CDROM as Slave. I repeat... You CAN'T use both 44pin and 40pin header for primary channel. Only the 44pin OR 40pin from Primary channel AND the 40pin from the Secondary channel

If you use the second method... (HD on 44pin or 40pin Primary header and CDROM on 40pin Secondary header) then you either need the IDEfix97 installed or the atapi.device as Thomas said

[Retrofan]

I've got the same configuration as yours (you told me you haven't nothing connected to the IDE Primary Channel, 40 pin-the second from left to right, red line down-), as you know, and it works for me. The only problem I found with the Idefix (which I've got installed in 4 different places in the HD I bought) is that it only worked with the "Install software" icon, (which only appears in mine in one of the Installed Idefix programs), instead of the Find device or others.
Do you have you got the original program, registered, and have you tried the Install Software Icon?
(Perhaps it's a simple question, but that's what made mine work)

[smerf]

Hi,

@/Lauri

Seeing that you are running a CF drive, there does seem to be a problem with a CF drive running with a CD, in one of these forums there is a fix but I can't for the life of me remember which one. I would try the hardware forums first.  Anyhow I had the same problem with my Amiga 4000, it ran fine with the Hard drive and CD rom, but when I hooked up the CF drive it ran fine by itself, but failed to run with a CD rom. Any how it is a common problem that has a fix, but I can't find it for right now.

So

Check the forums, or maybe someone will remember the fix.

smerf

[lauri.lotvonen]

Apparently you haven't read what I wrote at all mate...
Since you're using the 1st of the option I said...

That means that you just CAN'T use BOTH the 44pin Primary header and the 40pin Primary header since they're both the same thing! If you want to use only the Primary channel (44 OR 40 - not both) you need to use a 3way cable (3 female IDE connectors) setting HD as Master and CDROM as Slave. I repeat... You CAN'T use both 44pin and 40pin header for primary channel. Only the 44pin OR 40pin from Primary channel AND the 40pin from the Secondary channel

If you use the second method... (HD on 44pin or 40pin Primary header and CDROM on 40pin Secondary header) then you either need the IDEfix97 installed or the atapi.device as Thomas said

Yes I read what you said. That primary&primary connection was just a test, I really tried everything, and that was one of those tries. No need to be rude, dear .
I'll try to look for the Compact Flash HD fix mentioned.

Thanks again for the reply's everyone.

/Lauri

[mfilos]

LOL @ rude

Anyway, cheers and hope that you'll fix it and have a great time

[lauri.lotvonen]

LOL @ rude

Anyway, cheers and hope that you'll fix it and have a great time

Really off topic, but is that "no need to be rude,dear" from some tv-series, or did I just make it up? Found the fix and trying to install it. Let's see how this goes...

[lauri.lotvonen]

Shouldn't the cd-rom show up in early startup menu even if idefix is not installed? I tried connecting the cd-rom directly to the motherboards 44 pin header with an adapter 2.5" to 3.5" (No hd connected) and it did not show up there...

/Lauri

[mfilos]

CDROM never show's up in the Early Startup Menu mate. Best way to see if it works, is testing it with an OS3.9 Emergency disk

Don't worry if you connected everything just fine, just do what you do, run IDEfix and you'll be set

[Thomas]

You CAN'T use both 44pin and 40pin header for primary channel.

You can. It's right that the 44pin and the first 40pin header share the first channel. But the adapter is designed so that you should be able to connect the master to the 44pin and the slave to the 40pin connector. The only thing you may not do is to connect master/slave to each header (i.e. three or four devices on the primary channel).