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

[wbrejnia]

- AMiga Boot was Vanilla (only JANUS.library, in Expansion Folder), NO [DJmount, no PC DISK, no Fdisk on PC side)

I just ran DJMOUNT (new Message), never seen before.

[wbrejnia]

I HAVE NOT POWERED OFF YET. (Try to gather information on this setup)

--> I RAN PC-DISK (Amiga Side)
------> Then CTRL-ALT-DEL to reboot PC.



This time it does not boot from HARD DISK-ISA/IDE-Adapter, and it trying to boot from HARD FILE. (I just picked any Workbench, this was old tester for Hard file)

** MAYBE becuase I left Floppy inside DRIVE **  Trying PC-CTRL-ALT-DEL  reboot, without Floppy  (NO AMIGA REBOOT YET)

[wbrejnia]

I Took FLOPPY OUT.  Want's AUTOBOOT MORE.  

It might have been PC-disk Execution.

** I HAVE ENOUGH EVIDENCE  **

*** MARKING THIS WORKBENCH and FLOPPY combination (Safekeeping [[No Touch)]  ) ***

Rebooting AMIGA to see if this happens again (LO-Tech/Ranish BOoot from Seagate).  ** I HOPE SO***

[wbrejnia]

OH!! OH!!

Clicking on PC window to find out was longest wait ever.

CTRL-AMIGA-AMIGA (reboot)  DID NOT ACTIVATE Lo-tech-ISA-IDE reboot

Trying, Power OFF REBOOT!! (keeping fingers crosssed).

I did not change anything.

[wbrejnia]

NO.  POWER OFF, POWER ON, did not do the job to Boot from C: drive.

I KNOW SOMETHING I DID (just before the IDE BOOT worked)

There was a Aboot.ctrl file when I first powered on. (after installing Lo-tech and IDE drive)

I removed it, then I did a (reboot), not sure if (CTRL-ALT-DEL) or (CRTRL-AMIGA-AMIGA)

I think CONTROl-ALT-DEL

Maybe the Aboot.ctrl File somehow enabled AutoBooting on AMIGA (then removing it, forced reboot to PC IDE since no HARD FILE POINTER)

I am going to try an replicate.

[wbrejnia]

Here you go.

:banana: Working!!   :banana:

-> C: Drive (32 Mb Partition) Auto boot on Amiga 8086 Bridgeboard
-> MS Dos 6.2 (fdisk/adisk created)
-> Lo-Tech-ISA-IDE-CF Adapter
-> Secure Digital IDE-SDcard Adapter



I actually can't say exactly what is making this work.

I think it's a double trick technique.

1a) I leave the Aboot.CTRL file in SYS:PC/System  (EMPTY File, or 1 space)
1b) It has to be there, or else problems

2a)  For Lo-Tech and SD Adapter, it appears let PC boot once (it doesn't pick up Lo-Tech Adapter)
2b) CTRL-ALT-DEL PC and 2nd time it does. (not 100% but appears that way)

More testing to do....To Confirm things.

Once I have stable replication, I'll try a new WorkBench Build.
Also need to try DJmount and Format,  (I already disk FDISK Partition #2)

:cool:  :cool: Cool Eh!!   :cool:  :cool:

So much work/persistence, and everyone's help has paid off.

Time for a Dummy Chapter soon..... !!
Few more chapters to go.  Dummy Book not quite yet Finished.

[darkage]

Holly Cow!!  Our new resident Bridgeboard / Lo-Tech-ISA-IDE-CF expert!

[Raffaele]

Holly Cow!!  Our new resident Bridgeboard / Lo-Tech-ISA-IDE-CF expert!

That's the moment for a toast then! ^_^

Cheers! :cheers:

[wbrejnia]

Thanks Everyone.

I couldn't have done it without you all.   Seriously!

I've been using Liquid Chalk Marker on all my test disks.
This is the one that worked last night.  It the same one that worked when RLL Drive woke up.
LUCKY DISK!!

The Bridgeboard disk is my original.  Not readable at all.

I put together this Frame for my office that will proudly hang on my wall and a memory of this Challenge, overcome.

A memory of last few weeks of endurance, persistence and meeting some nice Helpful Folks on the Forum.



Journey is not quite over, but I see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Onward...

[wbrejnia]

NEXT STEPS

I can now relax a bit and take things slower.
I made 3 copies of working Workbench disk and stored one safely.

Good that I posted some photo's on Flicker, since my SD card from Camera just died from over use (taking in and out of camera/computer) 20 times a day for weeks.

I do have some good evidence.  I know how things work.

I posted the success with Lotech on Vintage computer Forum
http://www.vcfed.org/forum/showthread.php?17986-XTIDE-Universal-BIOS/page35

I am still not 100% sure if my theories are correct, but I think they are.

I actually know how I stumbled on this fix (last night).
My workbench PC folder is a mess.  The icons are on top of each other.
When I wanted to click on PC window, I click on PC-RESET icon instead.(I remember clearly doing that).  
So when I opened PC window, the XT booted twice before I opened it.
(IF I didn't do that I would never know it could work.  SUPER LUCKY)
That PC-Reset is like CTRL-ALT-DEL, but works better.

Now if I do PC-RESET after first opening PC-Window.
 ISA/IDE adapter works EVERY TIME.
 It appears to work like this:
---> Aboot.CTRL enabled autobooting
--->  and PC-RESET (initialized Adapter, since first boot doesn't).  
--------- > MAGIC Solution!!!  <---------------

Plan for next steps is:

- Rebuild a new Workbench from Scratch and make it work like I think it will work (Aboot.CTRL, PC-Reset)
- During testing last night, Janus woke up.  I think it was part of Aboot, or RESET. Not sure (will test to see if Adisk,Aread,Awrite works)
- Will test DJMOUNT and FORMAT of JH0:

- WHen I have a few working solutions, I will test with kickstart 3.1
- Depending if Bootable Amiga Drive (Janus works) build a AMIGA OS on hard drive (SD card)

- I may try to rebuild RLL Drive in 486, make it bootable, with the Tools Raffelle provided (by Firehose )
- Whatever the result, I'll probably sell the WD/RLL combo with proof 100% working SPINRITE, Norton tested.

Then on move to final assembly of Amiga 2000

- GOTEK (Retro Multi-Pack) will have multiple Floppies Nicely organized

-----------> NORMAL WORKBENCHES
--->  Workbench 1.2
--->  Workbench 1.3
--->  Possibly Workbench 3.1
---> etc... (open to suggestions)

--------->  Special Workbenches
----> Workbench with Working (HARD FILE BOOT, off DF0: [stripped workbench] )
----> Will try Classic Workbench  for fun http://classicwb.abime.net/
---> etc... (open to suggestions)

---------> Workbench with Bridgeboard PC AutoBoot
-------> Lotech ISA/IDE -->SD Adapter (C: D: Drive), Maybe Ranish booter
---> DOS 3.1 Vanilla
---> DOS 6.2 Vanilla
---> DOS Tools (Norton DD, Spinrite, RANISH!!! etc,etc)
---> DOS / Windows 1.0/2.0
---> etc... (open to suggestions)

-------->  AMIGA Tools Disks
---> Copy ADF (Xcopy, etc)
---> SysInfo
---> Amiga Explorer Client
---> etc... (open to suggestions)

-------->  AMIGA GAME Floppies
---> Copy all my 3.5" floppy games (about 50).  Maybe multiple USB sticks.


Plenty of work to do.  This will take weeks, since I need to get back to my fish tanks.

Will I sell this Amiga after all this work and journey.  Not sure.
But if I do, it will be a very nice package.    Fully documented and tested.
Won't be cheap sale with everything included.  
(Sale will be to buy that nice Fish Tank light I've always wanted)

At the end, I have a special POST that I will end this thread with.
YOUTUBE video of something really REALLY cool (that I did during testing).  SECRET Surprise.

[wbrejnia]

Even though I have a nice to do list above, I feel too worn down to tackle much more.  

I need to step away for a while, and enjoy the progress.  I know things can work (my HW/SW is fine)
 
I am worried I might find new problems and have to spend too much time figuring things out.

I will only do TWO more things before I tidy up the disaster I created in my office,
and take care of my fish tank, which are a mess/unstable. (after weeks of neglect)

With New Workbench disk - Clean Bridgeboard Install (WB1.2)

- Prove "if AutoBoot is needed" to start LoTech, or just PC restart
- Test if Bridgeboard / LoTech / AutoBoot works with Kickstart 3.1

When I started this Amiga rebuild, it was a 1-2 weekend plan, not 6 weeks.

The AMIGA/bridgeboard thing just grew and grew and took over my life.

I call it the AMIGA INVASION.

You can see my office Before(top) and Now (below).



I'll be back .. ... ...

Wally

[wbrejnia]

UPDATE on Follow-up Testing

- I put in Kickstart 3.1 ROM and my Last-Working WB1.2 disk with Lo-Tech ISA/IDE -> IDE/SD-Card Boot for Bridgeboard PC.  (WORKS Just the same)

- But when I tried a previous Workbench 1.3 without ABoot.init file (doesn't work, works only with B: Floppy)
- I quickly just created the ABoot.init file (manually) (doesn't work)

Summary:

There is something special about that WB disk I created to make the Lo-Tech Adapter to work (Init) and for BB PC to boot (C: Drive).

I'll find out what.

Stay tuned.... More to come....

[Raffaele]

Useful Hints:


Trick to boot with MakeAB with files upto 250MB (MakeAB limit is 32MB)... Just use CrossDOS to create them.

http://www.amiga.org/forums/archive/index.php/t-60625.html


Info about the only ROM Replacement made available by Commodore to Bridgeboard 2088 (and code of the kind of of ROM Chip that must be used into EEPROMS)

http://www.amiga-stuff.com/hardware/a2088.html


I found a document where I read 2.40 (or 3.40?) Bios version Bridgeboard A2088 had some issues in initializing  cards so Commodore released new Bios version 3.66.1 that corrected these bugs.

And here there is an interesting link:

http://www.cbmfreaks.com/?p=63



EAB-ABIME thread at page 31 where they talk about Bridgeboard emulated on WinUAE. They also discussed of various issues of DJMount on a real Bridgeboard 2088 XT.

http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=76395&page=31


I read also of a "notorious file" which contains all versions of ROMS of expansion cards of Amiga, including Bridgeboards:

File is called: expansion_boot_roms.zip



A word to other readers


Problems people on Amiga.org encountered with their XTIDE Board first versions 2 years ago. I wonder if they are still hanging around Amiga.org so they can read about your progress:

http://www.amiga.org/forums/archive/index.php/t-69387.html


How to Hack A2386 Boards to 486, and use SIMMS upto 16 MB of RAM.

http://www.amiga.org/forums/archive/index.php/t-34421.html


Using PC Ethernet card on Bridgeboard from Amiga side:

http://www.cbmfreaks.com/?p=63

[wbrejnia]

Raffaelle,

You are a regular SUPER GOOGLE engine MASTERMIND!!

Thanks.  This thread is becoming an Encyclopedia of knowlege.

[wbrejnia]

I was thinking of Selling this Amiga.

I am getting Emotionally Attached (after all this discovery and hard work), and can't imagine doing that.

I don't even think I will sell the RLL drive/WD controller, it's special.

Still thinking of doing the Donation to High School (if they want it).  
At least I can visit, and load up more Raffaelle information on the SD card LIBRARY BANK.

I can find another way of making money for my Fish Tank dreams.

After I copy all the floppies onto GOTEK, and some USB drives.

I can sell the floppies like this. (To make $$) : )
https://www.amazon.ca/PHT-Silicone-Blanked-Inches-coasters/dp/B00R87RPX8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488419604&sr=8-1&keywords=3.5%22+floppy+disk+labels

[wbrejnia]

Wondering what the Computer Box thing is that I found in my Dad's Garage.

I posted a picture on the Vintage Computer forum and someone replied.

Appears I have the NGEN computer  Graphics Modules, Hard Drive Modules, and Floppy module

(not quite the same, but very similar as shown in Link Below)
http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/2964/Convergent-Technologies-AWS-NGEN-Workstation/