MyIDE 4.6 Beta

[+Larry]

If you have a MyIDE and haven't been to the AtariMax forum recently, you might want to check out the thread on Mr-Atari's new 4.6 Beta OS. It is certainly not finished, but I've been using it for a month or so, and this is the third 4.6 Beta (by my count). It has new features, and is quite a bit faster than the older MyIDE OS versions. This is the first version that breaks the 20 KB/S "barrier" with MyDos (16K write and 27K read on my systems). I have no idea about its compatibility or performance with Sparta/other Dos versions.

 

Also, there is a thread from Steve on correcting stability issues in the MyIDE + Flash cart, if you have been having trouble. I've never had much trouble except for general PBI & MyIDE timing issues that are corrected by the Puff stability mods. So I really haven't had the need to apply this "fix" although I probably will one of these days.

 

http://www.atarimax.com/flashcart/forum/viewforum.php?f=7

 

-Larry

[flashjazzcat]

The latest MyIDE BIOS is certainly intended as an SDX compatible solution. No idea what prompted that. In any case, it seems to be having a postive influence on the OS design.

[Roydea6]

I am having file delete problems with the latest 4.6 os. and MyDos. I tried deleting a file from D1: not a partition and I get error #169 prefaced by several three digit numbers.

[+Larry]

Hi Roy-

 

I haven't had any issues that show up in the file system, but I use a very simple configuration of two regular Dos partitions (D1: and D5:). 169 is a "directory full error." Not sure what you are saying in your second sentence -- D1: is an SIO drive? Or D1: is a image/game partition? Presume you ran VTOCFIX, if this is a regular Dos partition? Attached is a little program "HOWBIG" for MyDos -- tells you the size/and more importantly the number of files being used on any MyDos (logical) drive. (Note: it doesn't calculate the size of sub-directories contained within a directory -- just regular file sectors being used are counted.)

 

I have had trouble with Shift + Cntl + D (Disable the MyIDE drive), and had trouble with the first Beta FDISK. That's pretty much it.

 

How do you like his menu's? I think those are really nice -- adds a very professional touch. (Although KMK and Flashjazzcat are still the "gold standards," IMO.)

 

-Larry

 

I am having file delete problems with the latest 4.6 os. and MyDos. I tried deleting a file from D1: not a partition and I get error #169 prefaced by several three digit numbers.

HOW BIG.zip

[+Larry]

Small update-

 

I didn't realize that the system default is for the Verify Flag to be set. I tried the Beta with the verify OFF (MyDos menu V.) and now get 25K writes and 27K reads. Ran RWCRC twice with zero errors, but probably still safer with Verify ON. Still, quite impressive with MyDos IMO.

-Larry

[Marius]

Sijmen did a wonderful job on this 4.6 version of his OS.

 

It is now supporting PBI devices. It's compatible with BlackBox. Now I can copy between BlackBox partitions and MyIDE partitions. That is really a big step forward.

 

The built-in menu is also a handy add on.

 

The only thing missing (for me) is the Attract mode. You might think: why on earth would someone want the Attract mode? Well simple... I'm planning to run my BBS again, and that is up 24h/7 and the waitscreen is not changing. When I'm around my Screen is on, to look what is happening on the BBS. With no Attract mode I'm afraid these characters will definately burn in.

 

On my Black/White television this already happened with the MultiPlexer Master program.

 

greetz

M.

[flashjazzcat]

The PBI code - actually written by Atari themselves nearly thirty years ago - shouldn't have been removed in the first place. Its absence broke many things - not just parallel devices

 

Removal of the Attract mode is also highly annoying.

Edited May 24, 2011 by flashjazzcat

[+Larry]

Why "highly annoying?"

 

If you are using a LCD TV/Monitor, burn-in is certainly not an issue. If you are using a CRT monitor and are inclined to leave it turned on for long periods, then it could create burn-in. My recollection is that very few computer/game systems have had an "attract mode." Perhaps there are other uses for that code?

 

I didn't realize that I could use the BB with the MyIDE at the same time -- I need to try that.

 

Anyway, as a MyDos user, I find 4.6 is a vast improvement, and thus far am quite thrilled with it.

 

-Larry

 

 

The PBI code - actually written by Atari themselves nearly thirty years ago - shouldn't have been removed in the first place. Its absence broke many things - not just parallel devices

 

Removal of the Attract mode is also highly annoying.

[flashjazzcat]

If you are using a CRT monitor and are inclined to leave it turned on for long periods, then it could create burn-in.

I do.

[kurtm]

Why "highly annoying?"

 

If you are using a LCD TV/Monitor, burn-in is certainly not an issue. If you are using a CRT monitor and are inclined to leave it turned on for long periods, then it could create burn-in. My recollection is that very few computer/game systems have had an "attract mode." Perhaps there are other uses for that code?

 

I beg to differ. I've had a couple LCDs that had the same display for months (just text with an OS that didn't blank the screen), and you can still see the ghosts of that text.

 

--Kurt

[flashjazzcat]

The older LCDs are especially susceptible to burn-in. But this raises the issue: "things are there for a reason". If you're going to take on the job of rewriting or heavily modifying the Atari's OS, you need to be highly clued up on the technicalities involved. IIRC, PENTV was merrily ripped out of the original MyIDE OS because it was considered "PBI code". Of course, as soon as you use any apps which quite legitimately call PENTV for purposes unconnected with PBI drivers, you have a compatibility issue. The reason for this is that it never occured to the author that PENTV was a documented entry point. Hotkeys attached to the "unused" scan codes cause more problems, and if you get around them with a custom keyboard interrupt (such as the SDX type ahead buffer), you lose the extra functionality to which the hotkeys provided access.

Edited May 24, 2011 by flashjazzcat

[+Larry]

What is the technical mechanism of LCD "burn-in?"

 

The worst that that I've read about is that pixels can get "stuck" but that removing the power from the offenders for a period of time reverses even that.

 

-Larry

 

 

The older LCDs are especially susceptible to burn-in. But this raises the issue: "things are there for a reason". If you're going to take on the job of rewriting or heavily modifying the Atari's OS, you need to be highly clued up on the technicalities involved. IIRC, PENTV was merrily ripped out of the original MyIDE OS because it was considered "PBI code". Of course, as soon as you use any apps which quite legitimately call PENTV for purposes unconnected with PBI drivers, you have a compatibility issue. The reason for this is that it never occured to the author that PENTV was a documented entry point. Hotkeys attached to the "unused" scan codes cause more problems, and if you get around them with a custom keyboard interrupt (such as the SDX type ahead buffer), you lose the extra functionality to which the hotkeys provided access.

[flashjazzcat]

What is the technical mechanism of LCD "burn-in?"

I have no idea, so I just looked here:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screen_burn-in

[fibrewire]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screen_burn-in

Simply amazing - straight from Wikipedia

 

Elimination - It is possible and easy to eliminate (fix) screen burn. You can use a fixing software. They display random colours on every pixel to fix the burn-in. In severe cases they may cannot fix the problem.

[flashjazzcat]

It's sometimes possible to rectify a "stuck" or "dead" pixel using special software, supposedly. I know of a handful of apocryphal cases where it worked. The software continuously cycles the pixel, hour after hour. Burn-in is a slightly different proposition to a couple of stuck pixels, though.

Edited May 24, 2011 by flashjazzcat

[Marius]

If you are using a CRT monitor and are inclined to leave it turned on for long periods, then it could create burn-in.

 

Hi Larry!

 

yes that was what I described. Using a BBS means 24h/7 days atari = switched on.

 

When I'm around (and that is a lot of time) the BBS Screen (it is a television) is switched on.

 

With the current MyIDE OS I don't have Attract mode and I don't like that.

 

Another thing: I love my Atari acting as original as possible. The Attract mode is part of the 'game' ... when I'm browsing AtariAge my other Atari is on, and I know it will go in Attract mode. I like that. It's a habit!

[+bf2k+]

I've had Windows apps burn (or whatever) my Dell Laptop screen when left on for 'days'. The windows screen saver "starfield" always fixed it.

 

But I too use a CRT on my Atari though generally I don't leave it turned on all the time.

[+Larry]

Hi Marius-

 

Just tried the setup of MyIDE+flash as D1: and moved my Black Box D1: (partition) to be D4: and it works perfectly. (As you state) that is a really great "plus" for 4.6! This "train" has come a long way from 3.1 where I got on.

 

I've always used an APE image for backups, but this provides the possibility of faster backups -- right to a dedicated flash card.

 

Really nice!

 

-Larry

 

Sijmen did a wonderful job on this 4.6 version of his OS.

 

It is now supporting PBI devices. It's compatible with BlackBox. Now I can copy between BlackBox partitions and MyIDE partitions. That is really a big step forward.

 

The built-in menu is also a handy add on.

 

The only thing missing (for me) is the Attract mode. You might think: why on earth would someone want the Attract mode? Well simple... I'm planning to run my BBS again, and that is up 24h/7 and the waitscreen is not changing. When I'm around my Screen is on, to look what is happening on the BBS. With no Attract mode I'm afraid these characters will definately burn in.

 

On my Black/White television this already happened with the MultiPlexer Master program.

 

greetz

M.

[flashjazzcat]

Does the MyIDE 4.6 BIOS not support dual flash card adapters (i.e. master and slave)?

[Marius]

Does the MyIDE 4.6 BIOS not support dual flash card adapters (i.e. master and slave)?

 

I have no idea but I think Larry means that he is glad that he can backup his BlackBox partitions now fast and secure on MyIDE (not the other way)

 

Creating backups from your MyIDE CF card is easy on PC.

 

By the way when you have a CF card as harddisk on your blackbox it is also very easy to backup that on PC.

 

Greetz

M>

[flashjazzcat]

I have no idea but I think Larry means that he is glad that he can backup his BlackBox partitions now fast and secure on MyIDE (not the other way)

 

Creating backups from your MyIDE CF card is easy on PC.

 

By the way when you have a CF card as harddisk on your blackbox it is also very easy to backup that on PC.

Right - I understand what is meant by this now. I tried using the IDEa and the SDX driver together with limited success to accomplish the same thing. If the BlackBox works with the 4.6 BIOS, then that's definitely a useful thing for backups.

 

I hope we'll see utilities similar to MyIDETool for some of the other IDE interfaces on the market, although my personal preference is to backup from master to slave cards on the Atari. However, the only set-up with which I've managed to do this reliably is the SDX driver. I don't think many people are using two-card set-ups (this much is blindingly apparent, in fact), but it took a lot of work to get it working correctly.

[+Larry]

Yes, that's what I meant. I don't think that the MyIDE supports master/slave. The only A8 interface/adapter that does support M-S (IIRC) is the KMK-JZ. Perhaps your SDX driver supports it? I don't know if the current KMK firmware version (1.11?) supports M-S. An older version did support it, and I had tested that version and set up the M-S. At that time I used a notebook drive (master) and CF card (slave). I probably ought to check 1.11 out with a "slave" added. Lots of ways to "skin a cat," as the saying goes.

 

Presume you are referring to Hias MyIDE Tool for copying a CF card. Neat piece of software, but (here we go) -- I don't care for the command line interface. I actually have a really nice PC sector copier, HDClone that I've used sometimes to "clone" cards, and it is menu-driven. There is a free version, BTW, but I don't know if the free utility will copy flash cards.

 

There is also another issue -- difficult to plug in Transcend (female) modules. Cards are easy, but I've not found a straight-forward way to do the modules other than SIO/APE until now.

 

-Larry

 

Does the MyIDE 4.6 BIOS not support dual flash card adapters (i.e. master and slave)?

 

I have no idea but I think Larry means that he is glad that he can backup his BlackBox partitions now fast and secure on MyIDE (not the other way)

 

Creating backups from your MyIDE CF card is easy on PC.

 

By the way when you have a CF card as harddisk on your blackbox it is also very easy to backup that on PC.

 

Greetz

M>

[flashjazzcat]

Yes, that's what I meant. I don't think that the MyIDE supports master/slave. The only A8 interface/adapter that does support M-S (IIRC) is the KMK-JZ. Perhaps your SDX driver supports it?

Yes, the SDX driver supports master/slave, and as I was saying above, I spent a lot of time getting it to work (mainly because of the subtleties involved in enabling/disabling 8-bit PIO mode on either drive in order to cater for copy operations between partitions of different densities on different physical disks).

 

I don't know if the current KMK firmware version (1.11?) supports M-S. An older version did support it, and I had tested that version and set up the M-S. At that time I used a notebook drive (master) and CF card (slave). I probably ought to check 1.11 out with a "slave" added. Lots of ways to "skin a cat," as the saying goes.

I had slightly more success with the older KMK firmware with regard to dual drive operation, although I could not ultimately get the arrangement to work reliably with any firmware revision. I did explain this to KMK at the time, and IIRC he said that the facility hadn't been exhaustively tested, and given the age of the driver and the small number of people wanting to use two drives, it evidently didn't warrant investigation at this stage.

 

Presume you are referring to Hias MyIDE Tool for copying a CF card. Neat piece of software, but (here we go) -- I don't care for the command line interface. I actually have a really nice PC sector copier, HDClone that I've used sometimes to "clone" cards, and it is menu-driven. There is a free version, BTW, but I don't know if the free utility will copy flash cards.

Yes, I'm referring to Hias' application. MyIDE Drive Manager provides a Windows UI for MyIDETool, and you can find it over at the AtariMax forums. It's in constant development to keep up with the changes which have been made to both the CHS and LBA MyIDE partition table formats.

 

There is also another issue -- difficult to plug in Transcend (female) modules. Cards are easy, but I've not found a straight-forward way to do the modules other than SIO/APE until now.

Yes, I can see how this would be an inconvenience.

Edited May 25, 2011 by flashjazzcat

[mr-atari]

Hi Guys,

 

Just found this tread... :-)

Adding attract-mode to the BIOS? That can be done. Relative simple request.

 

master/stave is a thing i'm working on behind the scenes for my own usage.

I bought a 2 CF-card adapter (to IDE) 2 weeks ago from china.

Still waiting for it to arrive, than I can do some testing.

One app I have programmed: clone CF-master to CF-slave.

Not sure how to implement this in the BIOS. How do you see this?

If a drive is not on master, look for it on the slave?

 

Anyhow, drop me a pm is you have ideas, the new BIOS is user-build

and I can't create it all by myself.

 

Later,

Sijmen.

[flashjazzcat]

master/stave is a thing i'm working on behind the scenes for my own usage.

I bought a 2 CF-card adapter (to IDE) 2 weeks ago from china.

Still waiting for it to arrive, than I can do some testing.

One app I have programmed: clone CF-master to CF-slave.

Not sure how to implement this in the BIOS. How do you see this?

If a drive is not on master, look for it on the slave?

 

Anyhow, drop me a pm is you have ideas, the new BIOS is user-build

and I can't create it all by myself.

You'll need to store the master/slave select bit (or some representation thereof) in the partiton table in RAM. Then simply direct all relevant drive requests to the appropriate disk. No need to look on the master drive first: you should scan for partition tables on the slave disk, then the master (duplicate drive entries therefore giving precedence to those on the master device), and populate the partition table in RAM accordingly. If drive n's partition entry was derived from the slave partition table, it is marked as such and all SIO requests for that drive go to the slave.

 

I'll PM this across.

 

In addition: take care when enabling/disabling CFA mode. Needless to say, you must make the master/slave active first, before issuing the Set Features command. This had me foxed for a while...

Edited May 25, 2011 by flashjazzcat