Creating st-tt floppies from disk images on linux

[Megamania]

Hi everybody,

 

I have a Mega STE, a TT and a Falcon 030 which haven't been used for ages. I'd like to get them back to life again (as I did with my 8-bit a few weeks ago), but I need your help.

 

All the machines have a german tos. I understand german, but I'd very much prefer to have an english (or italian) version. I have TOS images (.img files) on my computer, but I have no idea (1) how to write them to working floppy disks and (2) if it possible at all (and how) to bypass the original rom tos at boot (did I have to insert the floppy and press "ALT" at boot? hmmm... memories).

 

I switched to linux a few years ago, so I'd prefer a solution which doesn't involve using windows (but I can use it if needed). Also, my floppy disk drive is USB. I've read that a "regular" floppy driver may be needed. Is that true?

I tried a simple "dd if=[tosfilename.img] of=/dev/sdb", but the floppy I got is unreadable both on linux and on the Atari.

 

As I said, a good start would be to be able to have an english-language TOS. After that, I'll try to convert games/applications from my collection to floppies.

 

Any help on this will be much appreciated!

[Christos]

1. To change the language of the falcon you need to select the appropriate in the NVRAM settings. An NVRAM utility is needed and can be found easily. TOS is in the ROM of the system. In that respect to do the same thing on the MegaSTE and the TT you will need to burn the IMG files into an EPROM. I have no more information on this. However if all you need to change is the desktop you can use a replacement one such as Teradesk.

2. All your machines have hard disk capability so in my view the best and most reliable option is to use an Atari utility such as JayMSA.

3. As the Atari and the PC share the same format, for applications you do not generally need to bother with disk images. For games things are a bit different but thanks to the work done mainly by D-Bug many games have been patched so that they can work from hard disk.

[Megamania]

1. To change the language of the falcon you need to select the appropriate in the NVRAM settings. An NVRAM utility is needed and can be found easily. TOS is in the ROM of the system. In that respect to do the same thing on the MegaSTE and the TT you will need to burn the IMG files into an EPROM. I have no more information on this. However if all you need to change is the desktop you can use a replacement one such as Teradesk.

If I understand correctly, the .img files are not floppy images, but ROM dupms. Thinking about it, it does make sense...

 

So it looks like there's no way to override the rom tos by loading a tos image, right?

 

And now that you mentioned the Falcon NVRAM settings, I remember messing up the computer by touching them a few years ago. The computer would boot up, but no screen. If I remember correctly, I had to create a recovery disk to blindly reset the NVRAM settings to default. So I'll touch it with care. :-)

 

2. All your machines have hard disk capability so in my view the best and most reliable option is to use an Atari utility such as JayMSA.

3. As the Atari and the PC share the same format, for applications you do not generally need to bother with disk images. For games things are a bit different but thanks to the work done mainly by D-Bug many games have been patched so that they can work from hard disk.

I downloaded Teradesk and it's running on the mega ste now! english is much easier to me!

 

On the other hand, what do you suggest using JayMSA for, in my case?

 

Thanks a lot,

gianfranco

[Christos]

On the other hand, what do you suggest using JayMSA for, in my case?

 

Errm, for getting ST or MSA disk images to real floppies

[Megamania]

Errm,

My doubt came by seeing that it's an Atari program. So am I supposed to copy disk images to the Atari hard disk and then use them from there?

 

And thanks for your patience... I've been out of this world for too long.

[Christos]

He he, yeah, I find it the best and most reliable solution to use an atari program. And if I'm right, I've heard that with linux you can compile the kernel in a way that it will read atari hd partitions. That makes file transfer extremely easy.

[ppera]

He he, yeah, I find it the best and most reliable solution to use an atari program. And if I'm right, I've heard that with linux you can compile the kernel in a way that it will read atari hd partitions. That makes file transfer extremely easy.

 

Img files are usually hard disk images. In Atari World ST and MSA is used. + Pasti, but it is only for emulators.

 

I made Linux version of program for accessing Atari hard disks (AHDI partition format) on PC :

 

http://www.ppest.org/pcsoft.htm

 

But you may write most of ST image files directly on floppies under Linux. See this:

 

http://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?t=11708

Edited January 13, 2008 by ppera

[Megamania]

Wow. Thanks for all the info.

 

I made Linux version of program for accessing Atari hard disks (AHDI partition format) on PC :

But are the MegaST, TT and Falcon hard disks IDE? I thought they were all ACSI/SCSI.

 

But you may write most of ST image files directly on floppies under Linux. See this:

 

http://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?t=11708

Does writing to floppy with these utilities work with USB floppy drives as well? Otherwise I'll have to look for a standard floppy driver...

 

EDIT: just found this regarding FDutils:

Note that these utilities do not work for USB floppy drives, because there is no direct access to the floppy controller.

So, if this is confirmed I really have to grab an old-style floppy disk driver...

Edited January 14, 2008 by Megamania

[ppera]

But are the MegaST, TT and Falcon hard disks IDE? I thought they were all ACSI/SCSI. ..

 

So, if this is confirmed I really have to grab an old-style floppy disk driver...

 

It is irrelevant what type hard disk is. Program works with SCSI (of course you need SCSI card in PC), IDE and USB (Flash) drives. Btw. Falcon has built-in IDE interface and most of them is sold with 60MB internal IDE drive.

 

Yes, old style drive you need. It is cheap - some 7 Euros here...

Although, under Linux may happen that you can write many floppy images via USB (Win XP has some stupid limitations and therefore 800K floppies are problematic via system driver).

[Megamania]

It is irrelevant what type hard disk is. Program works with SCSI (of course you need SCSI card in PC), IDE and USB (Flash) drives. Btw. Falcon has built-in IDE interface and most of them is sold with 60MB internal IDE drive.

I understand that the Falcon has an IDE hard disk, so I just have to grab the hd and connect it to my PC.

 

But even if I have a SCSI card on my computer (which I do), aren't the Mega ST and TT030 hard disks ACSI? Don't I need some adapter to connect them to the SCSI card?

[ppera]

It is irrelevant what type hard disk is. Program works with SCSI (of course you need SCSI card in PC), IDE and USB (Flash) drives. Btw. Falcon has built-in IDE interface and most of them is sold with 60MB internal IDE drive.

I understand that the Falcon has an IDE hard disk, so I just have to grab the hd and connect it to my PC.

 

But even if I have a SCSI card on my computer (which I do), aren't the Mega ST and TT030 hard disks ACSI? Don't I need some adapter to connect them to the SCSI card?

 

Old Atari hard disk kits were attachable directly on ACSI bus, but inside it was some MFM or RLL drive.

Later they used SCSI drives with adapters (ACSI-SCSI). Popular ICD, Link and many other manufactured ACSI-SCSI adapters. In Mega STE is built in ACSI-SCSI adapter.

Actually, there is no ACSI type hard disk. In case of very old kit, where some MFM, RLL drive is inside it is not possible to attach them to PC (except some old one, with such hard disk controller).

But practically all drives above 30MB are IDE or SCSI...

[Megamania]

Old Atari hard disk kits were attachable directly on ACSI bus, but inside it was some MFM or RLL drive.

Later they used SCSI drives with adapters (ACSI-SCSI). Popular ICD, Link and many other manufactured ACSI-SCSI adapters. In Mega STE is built in ACSI-SCSI adapter.

Actually, there is no ACSI type hard disk. In case of very old kit, where some MFM, RLL drive is inside it is not possible to attach them to PC (except some old one, with such hard disk controller).

But practically all drives above 30MB are IDE or SCSI...

I opened my MegaSte and found a maxtor 7120SR, 120MB 50pin SCSI Hard Drive. Now I guess I have to find a way to connect it to my SCSI Adaptec Card. I guess the best solution would be an external box, but I was also thinking I could draw the power from the Atari, so that I'd just need a proper scsi cable to connect it to my PC. Is that too risky/silly?

 

When I figure this out, next step will be opening the TT and the Falcon (which is in a weird box, by the way).

 

Thanks for your help so far, guys!

 

 

EDIT: I've been searching for a while, but haven't found a definitive answer: what are the physical sizes for hard disks supported by the MegaSte, TT and Falcon? I know there are size limits for partitions, but when looking for a hard disk, beyond what size should I avoid going?

Edited January 17, 2008 by Megamania