KPeter

Yes, this works what I expected. Thank you, Peter

Tried, does not work. Thank you Peter

I have been trying (without success) to load CONFIG.SYS from D1: APT drive in Altirra, even though I have set the parameters correctly in the BIOS, It works without issue on real hardware, U1MB+SIDE3, so looks like some sort of issue/setting is there in Altirra. No matter I define D1: as a Boot drive or not a Boot drive. What is the solution? I am using Altirra 4.10 . Thank you, Peter

You are right. I already tried it. The response was: "SIDE Driver is already loaded" (or similar message). I got same message when I ran MYIDE2.sys before IDEDIAG. Probably it will be possible (what you advise), if I replace in CAR:CONFIG.SYS the DEVICE SIDE command with a MERGE FILE command, calling a FILE.CFG on boot drive (SIO2XX). (By the way. I can see a very confusing thing, related to DEVICE SIDE as the last command after all drivers specified in the CAR:CONFIG.SYS. It is making impossible to fully utilize features of CONFIG.SYS and *.CFG files in SPARTA.DOS folder, if that files are on the APT boot partition of CF cards, not on external SIO2XX drives. This "issue" is present not only on SIDE2, but on SIDE3 and MyIDE-II cartridges. Finally, it is not the smart way to rewrite CAR:CONFIG.SYS how it is mentioned in documentation. My imagination is something like a special SIDE.SYS, MyIDE.SYS driver, running on CAR: drive prior to any CONFIG.SYS and *.CFG files defined on APT Partition or SIDE2XX drives). Peter

OK, I flashed to SIDE2 the SpartaDOS X 4.49c 13-07-2019 with SIDE Driver v3.6 (c)2019 FJC / Plugged In One of 8GB SanDisk CF card, after that the Kingston 1GB card. The result is on the picture. I started ATARI with with Switch OFF/ON, the SanDisk card was in the SIDE2 slot. The boot stopped after "SIDE Driver v.3.6 ... for more than half minute, after that the 2.0.1: No media came up ... Peter

Hmm, the issue is, for first two MyIDE SDXs I could find only the SDX 4.49c. additionally, I do not know, how to update that MyIDE bin files. What I tried with the Imager software from SDX Projects page, it was not working - went to the SELFTEST window. Of course I can go back for 4.49c on SIDE2. I suspect something differences between SIDE Driver on SIDE2 and MYIDE2 Driver on MyIDE-II cartridge. Peter

Excellent, now FDISK is working. Peter

Just for information I made some tests using MyIDE-II cartridge and SIDE2 (tested both my SIDE2) with IDEDIAG v1.1 software. Here are the results: 1. IDEDIAG v.1.1 by FJC 2. ATARI at stabilized temperature state, at least 30 minutes ON ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SpartaDOS 4.49c 26-12-2019 / MyIDE2 Driver v.3.6 (c)2019 FJC (M65,ACT,BXL,BXE,INT,PLT,ASM,SYN,ATB) Rev Size S/N ATA Reset: ACKed in ======================================================= HDX13.04 (7647 MB) DAZ07111714 540ms SanDisk Ultra 50MB/s HDX13.04 (7647 MB) NAZ07111714 560ms SanDisk Ultra 50MB/s HDX13.04 (15279 MB) MAZ04141711 520ms SanDisk Ultra 50MB/s ra03.00f (31 MB) ICFA100004274 440ms GBDriver PQI CO.LTD Ver7.04 (3811 MB) 5B74130E0 340ms Kingston Technology 20071116 (967 MB) CF 1GB 2003 380ms Kingston Technology ======================================================= ATA Reset: ACKed in: in avarage +/-10-15% Slight Temperature dependency seen on MyIDE ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SpartaDOS 4.49c 22-03-2020 / MyIDE2 Driver v.4.0 (c)2020 FJC Rev Size S/N ATA Reset: ACKed in ======================================================= HDX13.04 (7647 MB) DAZ07111714 540ms SanDisk Ultra 50MB/s HDX13.04 (7647 MB) NAZ07111714 560ms SanDisk Ultra 50MB/s HDX13.04 (15279 MB) MAZ04141711 520ms SanDisk Ultra 50MB/s ra03.00f (31 MB) ICFA100004274 440ms GBDriver PQI CO.LTD Ver7.04 (3811 MB) 5B74130E0 340ms Kingston Technology 20071116 (967 MB) CF 1GB 2003 380ms Kingston Technology ======================================================= ATA Reset: ACKed in: in avarage +/-10-15% Slight Temperature dependency seen on MyIDE-II ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ SpartaDOS 4.49e 6-06-2021 / SIDE Driver v.4.03 (c)2020 FJC Rev Size S/N ATA Reset: ACKed in ================================================================= Rev 1.5 (7580 MB) 0799A1AF 60ms FC-1307 SD to CF Adapter V1.5 SanDisk 95MB/s HC I ================================================================= HDX13.04* (7647 MB)* DAZ07111714* 60ms-5100ms SanDisk Ultra 50MB/s HDX13.04* (7647 MB)* NAZ07111714* 140ms-5100ms SanDisk Ultra 50MB/s HDX13.04* (15279 MB)* MAZ04141711* 140ms-5100ms SanDisk Ultra 50MB/s ra03.00f (31 MB) ICFA100004274 20-100ms GBDriver PQI CO.LTD Ver7.04 (3811 MB) 5B74130E0 20-60ms Kingston Technology 20071116 (967 MB) CF 1GB 2003 20-120ms Kingston Technology ================================================================= *) ATA Reset & Disk1 PIO: Timeout 5100ms ($00 or $6F) --> "Not responsive Devices" or/and No information (0 all) but "Test passed" / "Not accessable partitions" / FDISK is failing on all *) not failing on others. IDEDIAG looks unstable (a few time: ATA command failed to complete!) with SIDE2 Instablity of IDEDIAG is present using any CF card. Hot-Swap is not really working on SIDE2, but no issue found with MyIDE-II Peter

Hi, I flashed your nice software into MyIDE-2. I found, the FDISK is not working, probably, because the OVL files (FDISK0,1,2) are not flagged "hidden". I tried to set that flags using Imager from SDX, but the product is not working, despite I could flash it into the MyIDE-II. I am just inquiring about some updates on the Image. The other thing is, activating BXE is not working with Rapidus ON. Thank you, Peter

Peri, Maybe I answered, maybe not. I do not need that much space, of course. I just asked the forum who experienced the issue, what I found with my CF cards and what can be the reason? I actually found ebiguy's software what is working in MyIDE-II cartridge and no issue with partitioning of named CF cards. What I wanted too ask, who can explain the functional differences, between SIDE2 and MyIDE-II. In my opinion it is a R/W timing, what could be different between two products. Is it right? The used ATARIs are different ... behaving equally with cartridges. Peter

Hi, I just would like to show result of my investigation about the unsuccessful partitioning my 8-16GB SanDisk CF card with SIDE2. I went over my folders to find the tools/software, how I could partition CF cards before. I used my MyIDE-II cartridge (!) I found one of the ROM Image, what allowed to do make APT partitioning. I formatted al my suspicious CF cards on PC for FAT32 and copied SDXm2ram.rom into this partition. And see the steps on attached pictures, from Image1 to Image16. Of course, when I tried to use that cards with SIDE2 cartridge I was not able to access to the partitions, but going back to MyIDE-II and running SDX 4.49c with MyIDE driver, everything works correctly, no glitches, no errors. I am now wondering, what is the explanation for it? Peter p.s.: I t works on both NTSC and PAL ATARIs with MyIDE cartridge. The question, what happens between ATARI ... and CF card, what is not allowing partitioning on SIDE2, but on MyIDE it is working? MyIDE-FDISK.zip

Ok, Jon, I am not able to help you with your problems. ... Have a good day (evening). Peter

Jon, with all respects to your professionalism I would like to ask you to concentrate on the issue, not on your feelings against me. The people are not interested to read rhetorical exchanges between us. Please, cool down. First of all I was not saying "of professional experience will allow you to get to the bottom of the problem without my help". Do not misinterpret my worlds. If you think so, I never contact you, never turn to the AtariAge forum for help. I just said, some people suggesting, it is the ATARI issue, before I went to modify and after this process, I went over to see signal integrity, clean HW on my two ATARIs. The field, where someone is an expert are YOU and all of them, who created these very helpful things for ATARI. I do not want to interfere in your job, software, products, for that reason I am asking for explanations, no matter I am able to do thinks or do not. So, the other thing is the fact, almost all your documents on your website on their bottom include "contact me" words (link). So, you directly suggest to communicate with you that way. You can avoid it, if you remove this misleading part of your documentations and this story ends for forever. So, accepting this fact I do not think you can complain about my or others inquiries directly sent to you. What is related to the SanDisk issue if everything seemingly looks good around the ATARI's HW and around your great software in SIDE2, what else can left if not a timing issue, maybe in the HW of SIDE2 or the CF card's HW. What I just want to find, the possible reason, experiences of others ... I would like to read here just about the things, related to the question, set aside overreacted personal issues between us. Thank yo for your understanding Best regards, Peter

"I don't believe the issue is the CF carts at all, so I wouldn't throw any of them away." Of course, if not for SIDE2 I am able to use them for MyIDE-II. I believe there is another issue at play, be it the cartridge or the computer. My PAL ATARI800XL+128kB RAM I bought before 1990 in East-Central European Country. The NTSC ATARI800XL stock I bought from Argentina around 2017-18. By their PCBs, there are significant differences and in used ICs also (Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan ...) The keyboards are completely different. On NTSC I have more robust keyboard, on PAL very simple foil based one. On NTSC all IC in sockets, on PAL all ICs was soldered to the PCB. For NTSC, where I installed U1MB I am using PS from Lotharek, for PAL, medical grade switching PS. So, both are very good quality sources. How I mentioned I used signal analyzer to verify quality of signals on the board and applied all advised modifications. So, both should be OK. I have from Lotharek two SIDE2 cartridges, probably from same production series. I used both ATARIs and both cartridges to test partitioning exchanging cartridges between them, turning on/off U1MB, turning on/off Rapidus. No differences between results. ... assuming significant differences between ATARIs but maybe SIDE2 cartridges from same production series, you are maybe right, some issue can be with cartridges, if the tests producing same errors. no matter, where I plug in the cartridges. The only way to rule the parts of the equation out are to test each on a known good machine and in a known good cartridge. Yes, I fully agree with this method, frequently used in my job in past also. By the fact, I worked like electronic design and HW engineer I practiced always strict methods for prototyping our products, so I have some modest experience with tests and measurements on industrial level. I retired after 25 years from the same business. So, I am not an amateur on the field of electronics (especially PWM motion controls, PLDs ... digital electronics).

Yes, on the very beginnings, when I started to deal with U1MB and Rapidus, I changed that IC immediately and made modifications, advised by the guys from Lotharek and others who reported and solved issues. So, everything is up to date.