Gotek floppy emulator

[curtis]

Okay, so I picked up one of these to play with.

Tried flashing the thing last night and couldn't get the software to recognizethe drive.

Yes, I had the connectors connected correctly:  TX->RX, RX->TX, power, and ground.

Had the Boot0 connected to 3.3V to enable programming.

Nada.

Tried without the Boot0 to 3.3V and the display would light up, but not recognized by the programmer/connecting USB cable thingy. (Thingy is a technical term for the uninitiated!)

Tried shorting the reset pins and still nothing.

I have soldered headers so I could connect the cabling easier and connect the Boot0 to 3.3V pins, but I inspected the solder job and it does not appear to be crossing over to any other pads.

I'm using a USB3 port and it recognizes the USB cable adapter and installs the COM: port.

I downloaded the latest driver software for the USB interface.

I'm using Win 7 Pro.


Any suggestions would be helpful.

Thanks,

Curtis

[amiman99]

I had the same problem as you few days ago, it just would not connect.
finally the software was able to recognize the Gotec and let me reflash it.
I am not sure exactly how I got to work, but you can try few things.
I used WinXP.

Make sure your USB "thingy" has drivers installed.

1. My USB-TTL converter has 3.3v, TX, RX, GND, 5V pins, and it was recognized as COM5.
2. Verify in the Device Manager what COM PORT it is.
3. Connect the BOOT-3V with jumper
4. Connect USB-TX to Gotec-RX, USB-RX to Gotec-TX
5. Connect USB-5v and USB-GND to the Gotec-Power Connector.
6. Start the Flash software, select correct COM port.
7. Get another JUMPER and attach it to the RESET pins on Gotek.
8. click NEXT on Flash SW and then REMOVE the RESET Jumper.
9. Try to do STEP 7-8 with JUMPER  on S0 or S1.

In my case some how it worked.

One more thing, if you are able to reflash it, you may have another problem, not all USB sticks work. Out of 4 USB sticks onlyt one works, LEXAR. Some say HP and Kingston work too.

[curtis]

I had the same problem as you few days ago, it just would not connect.
finally the software was able to recognize the Gotec and let me reflash it.
I am not sure exactly how I got to work, but you can try few things.
I used WinXP.

Make sure your USB "thingy" has drivers installed.

1. My USB-TTL converter has 3.3v, TX, RX, GND, 5V pins, and it was recognized as COM5.

Did that.

2. Verify in the Device Manager what COM PORT it is.

Yep.

3. Connect the BOOT-3V with jumper

Got it.

4. Connect USB-TX to Gotec-RX, USB-RX to Gotec-TX

Ditto.

5. Connect USB-5v and USB-GND to the Gotec-Power Connector.

Did that.

6. Start the Flash software, select correct COM port.

Yep.  It starts up and sees the port.

7. Get another JUMPER and attach it to the RESET pins on Gotek.

!  Didn't try that!  Will give that a whirl when I get home.  Had been using a small screwdriver to short the leads momentarily.

8. click NEXT on Flash SW and then REMOVE the RESET Jumper.

See response to 7.

9. Try to do STEP 7-8 with JUMPER  on S0 or S1.

Kicked around trying that, but didn't.  Will give it a shot this evening.


In my case some how it worked.

One more thing, if you are able to reflash it, you may have another problem, not all USB sticks work. Out of 4 USB sticks onlyt one works, LEXAR. Some say HP and Kingston work too.

I'll remember that.  First step is obviously to get the danged emulator to work!

Thanks for the pointers.

Curtis

[amiman99]

Try to power up the Gotec with the RESET jumper on (keep the BOOT-3.3v on) and then remove RESET jumper when you trying to detect it with the flashing software.

[VingtTrois]

Connect first your GOTEK on your PC (WinXPPro is better) and launch the PC flash program after.
If you need to make a reboot of your GOTEK floppy drive, you'll have a different message.

[curtis]

Well, I tried connecting the adapter cable with the reset jumper set and then starting the program.

Same results.

The error I'm getting is unrecognized device.  I'm also getting no response for device error.

I'm in the process of loading a laptop with XP Pro and will try that when I get that finished.

[curtis]

Forgot to mention, I'm not getting any sign of life from this bugger.

The power LED is not lit.

Ditto the 3 digit display.

At least not while the Boot0-3.3 jumper is in place.

If I pull the 3.3 jumper, the 3 digit display works, but still nothing on the green power LED.

[amiman99]

Forgot to mention, I'm not getting any sign of life from this bugger.

The power LED is not lit.

Ditto the 3 digit display.

At least not while the Boot0-3.3 jumper is in place.

If I pull the 3.3 jumper, the 3 digit display works, but still nothing on the green power LED.

When the BOOT-3.3V jumper is on, then the display if OFF, that is normal.
The GREEN LED is for DISK access, RED LED inside the case, I have no idea.
So, in normal PC operation, the LED display should show "000".
When you first flash to Amiga firmware the LED display with show "---" w/o the USB stick, but when the USB stick is recognized then it will change to "000".

Don't give up, I had same problems.

[gertsy]

Weird. I followed the instructions explicitly and step by step and it worked fine. On Win 8 Pro.
You're not connecting the power on the floppy separately, only using the TTL power output, yes?

Near the end of this thread page are my additional instructions of what I did and sequence.  My USB was com3 too. Hope this helps. http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?t=64691&page=3

[DutchinUSA]

Curtis, I just programmed mine this week and had the same problems as you are describing ... till I resoldered the headers I had soldered on

[curtis]

@amiman99 - Okay, I feel better about the display not being on when the 3.3v jumper is connected.  Thought that might be the case, but still nice to have it confirmed.

@gertsy - No, just using the power and ground pins from the USB adapter.  Tried using a external floppy connector and got no where FAST!

@DutchinUSA - Guess I'll get out my magnifier and double check the solder job on the headers!  Really hate getting old...

Got XP Pro loaded up on an old laptop last night, but it was bed time so will try again tonight.

Hope everybody who is tracking this are learning from my woes!  At least then I'll feel somewhat gratified that I helped others along.

BTW, forgot to mention, my main computer is WIN 7 Pro.

[gertsy]

.......
@DutchinUSA - Guess I'll get out my magnifier and double check the solder job on the headers!  Really hate getting old....

I wear my glasses plus a pair of reading glasses doubled up when I solder.... Sad.

[danbeaver]

Following the instructions on Win 7 pro I programmed 4 with difficulty on only one that required a couple of resets. I've been soldering since I was a cub scout, so the headers were no biggie.  Maybe the drive you bought is defective?  They are only 20 bucks.

[curtis]

Most of the time I take my glasses off, but for the really tiny stuff, I bought a illuminated magnifier on an articulated arm and I get right down there with it!

You're right it's really sad!  

This getting old thing is definitely NOT for wimps!

I wear my glasses plus a pair of reading glasses doubled up when I
solder.... Sad.

[curtis]

It may be bad.  Will know this evening when I get the larger sledge hammer!  

Following the instructions on Win 7 pro I programmed 4 with difficulty on only one that required a couple of resets. I've been soldering since I was a cub scout, so the headers were no biggie.  Maybe the drive you bought is defective?  They are only 20 bucks.