**Need Setup HELP** with Classic Amiga 2000 HARD DISK (Bridgeboard)

[Pat the Cat]

Already told you - 2GB initial boot partition, 2GB partition size for other partitions.

File system (FFS) and OS is limited to that, until you get to 3.5/3.9.

You can hack the software resources needed on to OS for big partitions in theory, but probably isn't going to work reliably with 1.2/1.3, if at all.

Size of card/drive isn't an issue, the way it is setup is an issue. Rather like the ancient drive you are trying to get the data off.

ISA picture you just posted on left is full size IDE. Adaptor on right is Amiga/laptop sized IDE. They are compatible, but you will need adaptor cable, big to small. Also, adaptor on right probably has power pins, it need +5V and ground from somewhere. They are built in to A600/A1200 IDE connectors at one end.

I think SD cards rock compared to CF. For Amigas or whatever. Good choices, I think.

[darkage]

If you have any issues with the SD card,   CF card would be less fussy since they behaviour more like a true IDE device than SD.    See how you go.  

A little write up about CF cards as IDE replacements.

http://support.fccps.cz/download/adv/frr/cf.html

[Pat the Cat]

Oh come on. Max transfer rate on ANY 8 bit ISA card is 4MB a second, on a good day with the wind behind it. 1MB second or less is more typical. Worrying about advanced PIO-4+ IDE compatibility with this age of technology is optimistic, to say the least.

The XT will struggle to beat PIO-0 mode speed. This is why we found the idea of "giga byte solid state storage" very Sci-Fi and unfathomable back then, when the IBM PC XT technology was in use. Now you can buy SD cards in a newsagent kiosk sometimes.

[wbrejnia]

Already told you - 2GB initial boot partition, 2GB partition size for other partitions.
...
ISA picture you just posted on left is full size IDE. Adaptor on right is Amiga/laptop sized IDE.
...
I think SD cards rock compared to CF. For Amigas or whatever. Good choices, I think.

** FIRST, does this site get problems with something like COOKIES **
** I can log in, but can't post from my normal desk computer **

I tried at another computer and I'm posting right now.

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Pat, I try to pay attention to every one of your info points. I missed the one about Physical Disk Size. I understand now that only limits are the Partition sizes.

If get 2GB per partitions, that will embarrass the current 60MB.

Plus I wouldn't want to hack my OS, it could VOID THE WARRANTY on my A2000.

Darn about the LAPTOP IDE connector. The Picture is a bit deceiving.

I specifically paid attention to the connectors (to be male-to-male) so that I could just pop on a ribbon cable. In hindsight I wish I got a different Card, the CF cards look Full Size IDE (100%).

I assume these small IDE connectors are meant to plug into a board Female. I can build a female coupler, or I might be able to use my School Wire wrapping tool directly wrap on the male posts. Maybe not due to size. All a headache I didn't except (Thank for pointing this out).

I assume there are no ready small-Full cables, and this conversion project might cost more than a Standard-FullSize CF adapter. Plus the voltage wire (Messy and a Headache!!)
 I read that CF Cards have signals that are Subset of IDE (if I understand correctly),  the converters are minimal Electronics.  

China sells CD-Adapters dirt cheap, but who has time to wait 8+ weeks. That's how long I usually wait for purchases on Aliexpress.

Glad the ISA-IDE adapter is ok, it's much more pricey. (Will look thru my Inventory, maybe I do have IDE HDs, might be easier)

[wbrejnia]

I switched to Firefox from IE and I can post again

Anyway I looked at my spare drives, have at least 5 ATA or PATA labeled drives (various sizes).

I'm fine for a quick start with the ISA-IDE adapter.

[darkage]

China sells CD-Adapters dirt cheap, but who has time to wait 8+ weeks. That's how long I usually wait for purchases on Aliexpress.

If they ship via ePacket, it took me 6 days to get delivered in Australia.   ePacket is a economical delivery method thats uses EMS service infrastructure,  so its normally on the plane 1 to 2 days after purchase and doesnt really add any additional costs.

Old ePacket example for China to US  http://smilecitrus.info/?p=2676

[wbrejnia]

I ran NORTON TOOLS on the Amiga PC.  SysInfo and DISK-DOCTOR.

I Answered NO for all the options to Correct.


** THAT ScreenShot Bottom Right IS FROM the One Lucky good run of ADISK **
 
(Right now running ADISK gives no Partition, and offers to create first sector, and boot procedure, and partiontion table)
 



Should I run some HARD DISK SCANS to see  DATA?

Or let Norton do the Partition fixes.  (DANGEROUS, but might be needed for PARTITION 1 - DOS)

Norton has a REMOVE CHANGES made Option (but could this be permanent damage).

Whatever advice anyone wants to give.  You will not be held responsible.  The decision is mine.

[wbrejnia]

This is what I get when trying to boot from the IDE HDD on the ISA/IDE adapter:

Not too promising for me.  Thanks for showing this.

But if you boot from a DOS FLOPPY BOOT DISK, can you see the C: drive.  (Doesn't boot is one thing, but is the C: drive there)
Can you put Norton Disk Doctor or SYSINFO on the Floppy like I did, and see what shows up?

[wbrejnia]

Here are my thoughts (only thinking out loud for everyone's input).

1)  I will NOT make any changes to the Hard Disk at all (that could destroy things (ie partition info, data)

2a) I wait for the ISA-IDE card to arrive
2b) I remove the WD controller Card and MFM Drive
2c) I hook up the IDE Hardrive to the ISA-IDE card
2d) AND see what I can do.  Learn how the ADISK, FDISK, Norton behaves

That will help determine next possible steps with the MFM drive

-> What I want to mention is that right now (ADISK) doesn't pick up the partitions (anymore).   Only tried twice today.
-> It did only the one time. (Lucky I got that info on the two partitions)

-> I may try HARD rebooting the system a few times to see if I can get ADISK to pick up the PARTITIONS again.  

-> Based on what I learn from the ISA-IDE setup, I may be able to do more if ADISK picks up the PARTITIONS
-> Like RUN disk doctor for a READ ONLY VIEW (like photo's today)

When ADISK runs and it picks up the partitions, you get that two partition screen with info.

-> When ADISK doesn't pick up partitions, if offers to make one.
-> But as Pat mentioned, that is a NO-NO since Partition 1 is DOS, and letting ADISK make a AMIGA partition, would destroy the DOS parition.
-> If I get the ADISK to pick up partitions, I should exit and run FDISK (it might pick up the DOS Partition (#1) ), not sure what it would pick up for (#2) since not written for Amiga.

ADISK was written with Knowledge of AMIGA Partitions and DOS Partitions, so can identify both properly.  FDISK can't identify both.

-> And when the partitions are pick up, that drive could be in a Lucky State where disk doctor would see the Partition (#1), the DOS partition.

All theories (based on my near zero understanding)

As mentioned at the beginning, I must not be hasty and wait for the ISA-IDE adapter, and hope I learn more.

**** ONE more important fact, in case someone is thinking that the cables are flaky, thus the intermittent Partition pickup
**** My assumption yesterday was wrong.  Cleaning the contacts, and reseeding the HD jumper wasn't the actual Fix
*** Today when looking more closer (and comparing pictures, of recent and 2 years ago), I discover what the fix actually was (yesterday)
*** THE RIBBON CABLES were Marked with proper connection at the MFM drive (marked them two years ago)
*** I marked the ribbon cable near the 2nd connector, after the twist in the Ribbon cable for a 2nd Drive
*** That is where I have been hooking up the MFM Drive (for last 2 years)
*** Last night when I remove the drive for the Photo, I by luck connected to the FIRST Connector, before the TWIST
*** THat is what made the drive start working, and when the LED's started blinking, and When the ADISK picked up the Paritition

That cabling is Proper NOW. (What a big mistake done two years ago when labelling cables, but a thing of the past)

Time to move forward, carefully.

[Raffaele]

I wonder if DOS version of Ranish Partition Manager could be of some help, as it reads many kinds of Hard Disks values.

P.S.

@Admins. I am surfing these pages with Firefox on Android tablet and today is the first time it happens site loses my log status.

I mean I logged in, then site loses my logged in status every page I turn. For example when I am on page 14 when starting loading page 15 I must log in again... I made no any changes to cookies settings, so I wonder what's happening on. I repeat. First time I experienced this.

[leofoe]

The expert on Bridgeboards: BlindGerMan: http://www.a1k.org/forum/showthread.php?t=33435

[wbrejnia]

The expert on Bridgeboards: BlindGerMan: http://www.a1k.org/forum/showthread.php?t=33435

Thank you Leofoe.  This is very good information on Bridgeboard.
EXCELLENT INFORMATION. and a Good Contact if I need more.

All German, but Google Can translate, and so can my wife.

[wbrejnia]

HARD DRIVE (DATA RECOVERY) on (MDOS Partition) * OPTION *

Pat,

I've been thinking, and I believe this was one of your suggestions on next steps...

Sure it would be nice to fix those two Partitions (MS DOS) and (AMIGA DOS).

Even better to be able to Boot off either.

I'll learn more when the ISA-IDE adapter arrives (if that works).

However I'm thinking that I might want to start looking into some kind of DOS DATA recovery tool (Could be in Norton 6.0).

Since I can talk to the WD controller and it can read the RAW MFM disk, could I READ-Scan the drive byte-by-byte.  Possibly just see a list of Files that are there.

I'm going to read up on DOS file structure (boot sectors, etc), but Norton Tools and other-Tools should have more know how then I'll ever figure out my lifetime.

Maybe there is a tool where I can manually put in the Partition info, knowing the tracks and sectors, etc (without updating the Partition Info on the Drive)

If that's possible, then next step would be to transfer those bits/bytes on a 2nd Media (somehow is another question), and possibly reconstruct some files on the (486 Machine, or even my Personal Windows Machine).

I would focus on the FIRST DOS Partition, since that is what DOS tools understand.

I could be lucky and even be able to View my School work paper which I know for certain was written in ASCII test. (Hopefully on the DOS side.  I bet I used a DOS word-processor or text-editior,  not a Amiga one).  I know that paper didn't include any Fancy images (like today's MS Word abilities), since I glued in Paper Photos to complete the Project.

1) The main thought in my head is NOT to WRITE  "a Single BIT" to that hard drive.

2) Instead, READ every "bit/byte" that I can, before trying any Partition Fixes.

[wbrejnia]

DOS Based HARD DRIVE TOOLS

There is a ton of stuff out there for DOS Disk Tools.

This link has some interesting stuff.
http://www.bttr-software.de/freesoft/disk1.htm#repair

Must be careful since non-commercial stuff could be dangerous.

Best to see what Norton can do.

My limitation at this point is I only have limited space on the B: 5.25" Floppy (360K) and not all available.

Maybe that ISA/IDE adapter will allow me to have both the MFM-DRIVE (Conncted to WD-ST Contrller Card) and the IDE Drive(on ISA/IDE Card) on the Amiga PC at the same time.

 (That didn't work in the 486 due to Controller Card Conflict, but I may be able to get the 486 dual connected with the ISA/IDE adapter)
(But I would still need a Floppy Controller to boot on the 486)  
Would need to buy one of these $$$ CRAZY EH?? (Not tested!!) $$$ http://www.ebay.ca/itm/MicroSolutions-CompatiCard-I-PC-XT-8-bit-ISA-Floppy-Controller-VINTAGE-1987-/232222790211?hash=item36118e9243:g:xxcAAOSwbsBXjBbs

[[ I should just FORMAT THE MFM Drive, Proove it's good, and Sell the 8-BIT Western Digital Controller Card with the MFM Drive, and BUY A WHOLE NEW FISH TANK )  Hilarious.

At least the Amiga PC has a Floppy Drive.

[wbrejnia]

Some possible options for the Hard Drive Data Dump (Needed for the Recovery Tool Program).

Yup, might have to build my own Data Recovery Lab.    

Really hoping OPTION 1 works.

[wbrejnia]

I wonder if DOS version of Ranish Partition Manager could be of some help, as it reads many kinds of Hard Disks values.

Raffaele,

I downloaded, read up and tried the Ranish program.  Nice Lite program.

Help file is Super to describe DOS File system in detail (Everything I needed)

Nice feature to copy MBR when (picked up).

But this boot of the Amiga PC,  didn't pick up Partitions.

(So if Amiga ever boots up with Partition, I'll make a copy of the MBR.