a604n and CF/SD HDD issues

[k33n]

Hi,

I've recently upgraded my A600 with the a604n 1mb chipmem card and a Delock CF/SD > IDE device, and both things works pretty good - seprately.

All the memory from the a604n is detected according to workbench and my amiga is able to boot an installed workbench OS on the delock device - just not both at the same time.

If i connect both devices at the same time, the only thing that works is the a604n memory expansion - the IDE Delock device acts as if it isn't inserted.

(Same result no matter if i use SD or CF in the IDE device)

I figured it was the Delock device for some reason, as it had given me a bit of a challenge in the past, so i ordered a CF > IDE device from eBay.

The eBay order arrived today, and proceeded to act the same way as the Delock IDE device.

I tried googlin' my way out of this, but with no good outcome at all.

Do anyone have an idea on this?

Additional info:
4gb AGFA CF card
2gb generic SD card
3.1 kickstart ROM
Workbench 20, 21 and 31 tried
No expansions used on the a604n

[Thomas]

If you connect both, are you sure that they don't touch each other and create a short circuit of some sort?

[k33n]

I'm not entirely sure about what you mean by that, so i took this picture to hopefully answer your question:

http://i.imgur.com/ycdV8pU.jpg

Picture shows exactly how the devices are hooked up on boot.

[amiga1260]

Which PSU are you using? If its 2.5A at 5V is very low. Use a beefier PSU.

[k33n]

All the PSU's i have (x3) reads:

OUTPUT:
5V - 3.0A
12V - 300mA
-12v - 100mA

Is that insufficient?

[amiga1260]

If you already test it with the three PSU's, then try it in a friend's Amiga 600.

Did you already replaced the IDE cables? Some IDE cables can't work very well in Amiga.

[k33n]

I'm sorry that i forgot to mention, but i have 2 Amiga 600's - both act the same way with the memory and IDE device.

Also, i ordered 3 extra IDE cables that didn't improve the situation either.

Worth noting, and mentioned in my first post, is that both devices works perfectly fine, if they're the only one connected by itself.

[k33n]

Could all of this be related to a defective Kickstart ROM in any way at all?

I'm asking because the KS ROM is the only thing i don't have 2 of, besides the a604n.

[paul1981]

Could all of this be related to a defective Kickstart ROM in any way at all?

I'm asking because the KS ROM is the only thing i don't have 2 of, besides the a604n.

If you have your old KS2.0 chip and if it's 37.300 or 37.350 then yes it wouldn't hurt to try it.
So what happens when you power off at the brick, power back on again with your Workbench 2/3 disk in? Do you get the same results? I'm just wondering if it could be something in your Startup-sequence, like some module or something (what OS are you using BTW?). Or, another possibility is the filesystem stored in the RDB. What filesystem are you using for your CF hard drive?
Also, it could be that KS3.1 doesn't like your CF card/filesystem. Recently on my A600 I had prepared a CF hardrive with PFS AIO which worked fine under KS2.0....but would not boot at all under KS3.1. So I used a real had drive instead with PFS AIO and it booted fine under KS2.0 and KS3.1. I was only using the CF as a test and use real HDD's in all my Amiga's... but it's a matter of personal preference. As you know, some CF cards don't even work properly or at all on the internal IDE of A600/1200. I was using a Transcend 133x 4GB.
There's a tiny master/slave jumper on the CF adapter...maybe it's upset about that? Try a different position.

[k33n]

If you have your old KS2.0 chip and if it's 37.300 or 37.350 then yes it wouldn't hurt to try it.

The 2.x kickstart ROM's i have are both 37.299, so i didn't really bother trying.
I'll definitely try getting a 37.3**.

So what happens when you power off at the brick, power back on again with your Workbench 2/3 disk in? Do you get the same results?

If i boot from the Workbench disks (Tried both 2.x and 3.x) it doesn't show the IDE device but counts all the memory just fine.

I'm just wondering if it could be something in your Startup-sequence, like some module or something (what OS are you using BTW?).

With this setup, i've tried running regular WB 3.1 from an SD(2Gb) card and CF card(4Gb), and a 3.1 CWB installed on a CF card(4Gb).

All 3 booted fine in both UAE and on the Amiga 600 without the memory expansion installed.

Or, another possibility is the filesystem stored in the RDB. What filesystem are you using for your CF hard drive?

Everything done so far has been running on the default filesystem that the amiga chooses when doing a format/partitioning.
(FastFileSystem, if i recall correctly?)

I've thought about filesystems causing issues too - but not much, as all my installs boot just fine without the memory installed.


Thanks for all the suggestions and ideas! Well appreciated!

[paul1981]

Very weird indeed. Do you have a real 2.5" hard disk you can try?
How long have you had the A604? Don't know how it could be the problem but we can't rule the A604 out just yet.
Some people have had strange things happen when the chip ram expansion contacts are dirty on the motherboard...so make sure it's nice and clean, I'd use WD-40 to clean the contacts.
You do have the MaxTransfer set correctly yes? (0x1fe00)

When you say that the drive isn't recognised do you mean that it doesn't show up at all in HDToolbox? (use the Workbench 2 or 3 version).

If we can't get you up and running then yes I'd try a new rom as a last resort, but I doubt there's anything wrong with it. I think the rom does a checksum test at startup, but I'm not sure...some one else may know the answer to that.

[k33n]

I have no 2.5" HDD's at hand to try and i've had the a604n for little over a week now.
The Device itself is very neat and clean to look at.

The Maxtransfer is always set to 0x1fe00, but leaves no desirable result either.

The IDE devices doesn't show in HDToolBox (2 and 3) when the memory expansion is inserted.

Heres a couple of pictures i just snapped from the boot menu, if that could help anything:

ClicketyClick

Sounds like i need to try some more ROM-hunting.

What would be the best ROM for my case?
Another 3.1?

[paul1981]

I have no 2.5" HDD's at hand to try and i've had the a604n for little over a week now.
The Device itself is very neat and clean to look at.

The Maxtransfer is always set to 0x1fe00, but leaves no desirable result either.

The IDE devices doesn't show in HDToolBox (2 and 3) when the memory expansion is inserted.

Heres a couple of pictures i just snapped from the boot menu, if that could help anything:

ClicketyClick

Sounds like i need to try some more ROM-hunting.

What would be the best ROM for my case?
Another 3.1?

Regarding the contacts I mean the contacts on the motherboard (both sides).

Are you prepping the CF drive on the Amiga or with UAE?

The screen shot shows DF0: and CC0:
What does the table look like when the CF drive is recognised?

Don't bother with the rom yet as it's unlikely the rom at fault. But yes, 3.1 is what people use. I have 2.0 in mine though as I like to keep things original wherever possible. I can still softkick 3.1 when needed though.