Why is the 1200's internal IDE so Flakey?

[marcfrick2112]

The problem with most complete working Amigas when sold is, the new owner decides that the unit isn't enough and needs to be tinkered with and modified.
Original HD setup was sufficiant to operate the unit (like it did for several years).
The external scsi header would have been the route to go when adding more HD space (like it had for years).

If it works, don't f*ck with it....

Now where's that screwdriver?

I really have to agree with this. I hate to say it, but if I had left my A4KT alone, or gotten (somehow) someone to help to troubleshoot/fix it, it might be working today...
I mean basically, if you tinker with something, make sure you have an option if it all goes wrong... Example, I take AWFUL risks with my very pretty, and very stable OS3.9 setup... any unknown patch, edit to the S-S ... no big whoop! *Cuz, I have a CD backup, with an special emergency boot floppy that enables CD0: and runs DirWork...! I have my disks RDB backed up.... PLUS, a bootable Zip disk (Hallelujah, for the DCE SCSI module!) with a 'not-really-minimal' WB setup... tho... my FULL OS3.9+hacks WB is  only 133 Megs! .... Hmm...

Sorry, I LOL @ 'modern' PC's ... yup... yers can render 20,000x faster than my Amiga, makes coffee, a little AnimGIF of Bill Gates says hello to you every morning by name (!), you can say, pretty much that the drab PC's rule the world.....
but, what if the worst happens on a Wintel box today.... I dunno, can you restore a WinXP or Win7 PC from just a single floppy??? Assuming that PC even HAS a floppy drive... *Ugh, actually had to buy a USB floppy for my crummy Compaq PC..* assuming, of course, you actually GOT a Win CD with yer PC... I haven't last 2 times I had to buy a PC...

Ohh! to the subject... Well, maybe I am just very LUCKY with my A1200 Power Tower... i have had IDE issues only twice in maybe 9 years or more... BOTH issues were due to dust, and corrosion on the IDE header and cable... In most cases, I would just re-seat the cable a few times.... no issues...
Truth is, I was using an 8.5GB hard drive even under OS 3.1, with NSDPatch, I had a few issues, until I learned of the limits of that hack....but was using even THAT kludge quite sucessfully under OS3.1, with 3.5, (yea, I have both) I had some troubles with installation, and CD-ROM handling.... but, never any issues under OS3.9...remember tho, can't use most disk optimizers, and if you think a HD partition got wiped, no hope left.... try doing a quick format, wait 3 secs. after disk act., then reboot...... really, has saved me Gigs of data....
The big disk handling in 3.1-3.9 IS a bit flaky...but, well, it's workable.... I have my most stable ever Amiga system now in my A1200 Power Tower, loaded with all the silly hacks and kludges that people tell me not to run... still totally stable...



It's not perfect..I hate to say this, but I did a catastrophic failure of the big disk handling of OS3.9... Once, I lost a 2GB SCSI drive... just went corrupt...I am totally broke, so I try to re-cycle any HDD's I can....maybe it was on it's last legs, so to speak...  I had read Joanne Dow's info about the big HD patch in OS3.5+ , but can't find much info now...



Um, I am sure the OP thought of this, but the boot partition IS in the first 2GB of the drive, and no bigger than 2GB, right?

[XDelusion]

That's just not right. The Amiga was built to be tinkered with, expanded, opened, upgraded, etc. It should be designed from the ground up with this in mind and should be ready to take a beating. I used to build up PC's for people all the time and that was the game I played with them, so why should the Amiga do anything less?


Anyhow, I ended up putting PFS on all partition via WinUAE (I feel so dirty) and now the f*cking thing boots up PERFECTLY each and every time using the 8Gb CF with IDE adapter.

I am going to tinker with the 20Gb 2.5 IDE drive tonight, then back to getting my Apollo SCSI controller working.

So far, so good!

One problem though...

It boots in 4 seconds flat, but the first time I opened my System partition, it drew all the icons instantly, but 1. That one took about 2 seconds then finally appeared. I then clicked on it "PREFS" and all those Icons opened but one, and during the few seconds it took to draw that last Icon, I could not do anything in that directory.

After that it was fine. Also after I rebooted this still happened, but did not take nearly as long to draw that last icon. Not a HUGE problem because it is still faster in the long run, and again it is at least working, but...

...what gives?

[bbond007]

That's just not right. The Amiga was built to be tinkered with, expanded, opened, upgraded, etc. It should be designed from the ground up with this in mind and should be ready to take a beating. I used to build up PC's for people all the time and that was the game I played with them, so why should the Amiga do anything less?


Anyhow, I ended up putting PFS on all partition via WinUAE (I feel so dirty) and now the f*cking thing boots up PERFECTLY each and every time using the 8Gb CF with IDE adapter.

I am going to tinker with the 20Gb 2.5 IDE drive tonight, then back to getting my Apollo SCSI controller working.

So far, so good!

One problem though...

It boots in 4 seconds flat, but the first time I opened my System partition, it drew all the icons instantly, but 1. That one took about 2 seconds then finally appeared. I then clicked on it "PREFS" and all those Icons opened but one, and during the few seconds it took to draw that last Icon, I could not do anything in that directory.

After that it was fine. Also after I rebooted this still happened, but did not take nearly as long to draw that last icon. Not a HUGE problem because it is still faster in the long run, and again it is at least working, but...

...what gives?

I would just say that your files are just arranged in a different order than before due to different filesystem. The one icon may seem to linger, but its really icons loading that are non visible.

I am pretty happy with my FastATA. You should probably get one if your icons linger too much...