Gvp a500 hd+8

[k4lmp]

Does anyone know anything about this?  I have one with a SCSI CF reader.  With the install disk, I can get it to see the drive, prep and format it.  It has the autoboot ROM version 4.15, but, if I boot, the A500 won't see it.  Also, if I try to install WB 2.05, It doesn't see the drive either.  I am thinking it is the fact that gvpscsi.device isn't loaded.  But, with the autoboot ROM installed, should I still need it.  I would think that it would have to have gvpscsi.device.  Anybody have any experience with this expansion.  The A500 sees the 8 meg of ram fine, but no scsi devices unless I run the install disk and run, I forget exactly what it is called, maybe devicebind or something of the sort.  Thanks in advance.

[k4lmp]

Well, I got WB 2.1 Install to recognize my drive, got the CF card partitioned into 3 partitions.  Now the problem is that when they are partitioned, and the system does a reboot with the Install disk, they don't show up to be formatted.  I think they are not mounted, but am unsure how to mount them.  They show up if I boot from the regular WB 2.1 disk, so I copied the mountlist from that disk to the devs folder on the WB Install 2.1 disk, but no go.  I don't know how to edit the mountlist file to mount the drives, if that is even the problem.  Thanks.

[k4lmp]

I've messed around some more, with no results.  If I boot with the WB disk, good formatted drives, if I boot with the install disk, I can go into HDTools, and see the HD, everything is fine, but, they do not show up on the desktop, nor can the install program see them.  somebody must have some experience with these devices, it is probably something simple, but, I can't think of it.  thanks.

[Matt_H]

Are you using GVP's install disk (FaaastPrep)? Or the WB2.1 install disk?

GVP SCSI should autoboot and not require any additional drivers. Is the autoboot jumper on the HD+8 set correctly?

[k4lmp]

I used the Fastprep, originally, and also I have used the HDTools.  Both do fine, I can create partitions, and with the WB disk format them.  The trouble is, when I boot from the WB 2.1 install disk, HDTools will see the drive, it just doesn't show up on the desktop, and the install program doesn't see it.  I had to put all the drivers on the WB install disk to get it to even see the drive.  I have the switch on top set to 'Autoboot'.  The other position is 'Games', which I assumes is to boot from floppy.  Should the WB installer see the scsi controller without the driver?  Maybe something is wrong with the autoboot rom.  It is labeled  as the 4.15 version, which is  supposed to be the last one.  I have an eprom burner, and could burn another copy.  Do you think it is worth a try?

[Matt_H]

The Amiga should see the drive without software drivers in SYS:Expansion, or wherever. The autoboot ROM should load the driver into memory automatically as one of the very first steps of the boot process.

I'm guessing either you have a bad 4.15 ROM (not likely, but handy that you can easily burn another), or that the Games/Autoboot switch isn't actually connected inside, so it's defaulting to no autoboot.

What version of FaaastPrep are you using?

[k4lmp]

Well, I tried the disk that came with it, and the version on the Amiga Hardware Database, so it probably is the latest.  I think maybe the autoboot rom is bad or was never good.  I just got this the other day, and the guy I bought it from said he could never make it work.  I think I'll burn another eprom with the 4.15 autoboot on it and try that.  I'll let you know what happens. The switch is connected to the jumper, and does make a difference on how it acts.  I'll let you know more when I do some more checking.  Thanks.

[k4lmp]

Matt, I figured it out.  I don't know if the autoboot rom was not plugged in right, or what, but it started working.  The funny thing is, I had it out once before, and plugged it back in, and it was doing the same thing as before I removed it.  I know the notch was at the right end, as that was the first thing I checked.  When I got it, one of the 'reserved' jumpers was on the wrong pins, I corrected that.  One thing, I used a little extra foot pounds plugging it in the last time, so maybe there was a pin or two not making contact.  I made a copy of the rom that was in it, and I am running my copy now, so I have a spare, and the file if I need to burn another one.  I now have WB 2.1 loaded on a CF HD in my A500.  Thanks so much for your help.  I really appreciate it.

[Matt_H]

Cool, glad you're up and running!

[azhoward]

Since this thread was started coincidentally, I thought I would ask a question about this particular device. I was going through some storage and found this GVP device among other Amiga stuff. Unfortunately I could not find the external power supply. Does any one know if the external power only supplies the hard drive and the rest is supplied by the expansion edge? This would allow an easy by pass of the external power supply. Or does anyone know the pin out of the external power connector? Otherwise, lazy me will have to take it all a part and trace everything back from the drive connector. :-)

[k4lmp]

I think the recommendation is not to power it from the A500.  The power supply pinouts can be found here http://www.amiga-hardware.com/showhardware.cgi?HARDID=1194  From what I see, if you have an old PC power supply, you could modify it to work, you would only need a 5 pin din connector, which are very common.

[motrucker]

I used to use a Bigfoot PSU to power both the A500 and the GVP sidecar. Worked great. I would imagine other (pc type) PSUs could be used too.
I haven't had an A500 in years though....

[azhoward]

Hey, thanks. I went to the hardware database, but I guess I didn't look hard enough for the pinouts. I have a small AT type power supply that I can use. Now if I can find among all my stuff a proper, round connector, I'm in business.