IDE Plus 2.0

[Rybags]

I did that (Reset). In fact tried the whole process several times.

 

My 1084S monitor a couple of hours ago crapped itself so I'm going to have to endure viewing the machine via capture-card for a while.

 

I'm using the tools as posted by Guitarman back in post #22 of this thread. Ran the flasher tool also to update the onboard SDX version, BIOS still at whatever the default is.

 

I'll start up again and see if I can have some more luck.

[drac030]

Make sure that your drive supports LBA. Run KMKDIAG and see if it displays anything that makes sense as "LBA capacity".

 

Also, the default BIOS (0.1) is too picky in detecting LBA, it follows the ATA-2 specifications and checks the "LBA supported" flag, which is obsolete in ATA-5. That was the reason why many CF cards didn't initially work.

[Rybags]

It's a real HDD (Toshiba MK2326FCH).

 

KMKDIAG is saying "LBA Not Supported". I guess if that is the case then I don't have many options with it.

 

I'll see if I can research that drive and see if it is non-LBA.

[drac030]

Make sure you're using the latest version, KMKDIAG 1.35. I have posted it here http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/179613-ide-plus-20-preorder-starts-today/page__view__findpost__p__2294292

 

I'll include the program into the IDE Plus firmware archive.

[Rybags]

LBA capacity: 0 MB

 

with KMKDIAG 1.35

 

Practically no useful information on the 'net about this particular drive. I might use my 2.5" adaptor and connect it to my other PC and see what the BIOS says about it.

 

In theory, a 2.5" adaptor could be rigged to interface a 3.5" drive to the IDE Plus, couldn't it?

 

 

That's pretty much what I've got. If I could get a header row to go in the female end, then shouldn't I be able to use a 3.5 inch drive which is externally powered?

[drac030]

LBA capacity: 0 MB

 

with KMKDIAG 1.35

 

Practically no useful information on the 'net about this particular drive. I might use my 2.5" adaptor and connect it to my other PC and see what the BIOS says about it.

 

I searched the net also and the drive is 340 MB. Which means that it is old, produced probably before 1996. In this case I'd guess that it really does not support LBA, and even the previous version of KMKDIAG you was trying was perfectly correct in saying that there is no LBA (it checked the ATA-2 flag I mentioned, and this drive is ATA-2 most probably). The new version also reports that the LBA size is 0, so...

 

In theory, a 2.5" adaptor could be rigged to interface a 3.5" drive to the IDE Plus, couldn't it?

 

Probably, but... I used such an adaptor in A8 and Falcon for a longer period of time and I must say that they may cause some reliability problems. When the adaptor gets old, it also becomes loose.

[Rybags]

I'm thinking Compact Flash might be the best solution, added advantage would be less strain on my power supply.

 

I've spotted a 2 Gig CF Memory card new for $25 and 2.5" IDE to CF adaptors are under $3 on eBay - are there any compatibility issues using CF devices ?

[sloopy]

i have a 48Mb CF card, and it will pass the KMKDIAG disk tests with flying colors, read/write, capacity all correct, but it doesnt support LBA, so it went back into my MyIDE cart...

 

sloopy.

[sloopy]

I'm thinking Compact Flash might be the best solution, added advantage would be less strain on my power supply.

 

I've spotted a 2 Gig CF Memory card new for $25 and 2.5" IDE to CF adaptors are under $3 on eBay - are there any compatibility issues using CF devices ?

 

Rybags,

 

you should be able to find a CF card cheaper then that... MechWare in the US sells 2GB CF's for $9USD each, so i would probly look around more... but he does ship worldwide (i just talked to him, shipping to you would be like $2 for two cards)

 

sloopy.

[Rybags]

Cheers. I also found a 4 Gig one around $25 and no doubt might find some cheaper again.

 

I'll probably just grab one from a brick/mortar place, easier to return if it doesn't work.

[spookt]

Cheers. I also found a 4 Gig one around $25 and no doubt might find some cheaper again.

 

I'll probably just grab one from a brick/mortar place, easier to return if it doesn't work.

 

I've tried a few CF cards on mine now and all have worked so far. Mind you all have been less than 1Gb. Currently set up with a Transcend 256Mb card I grabbed of eBay for about £5 GBP.

[mimo]

Try 7dayshop.com I just bought a 4 gb Kingston cf card for less than £8.

[sloopy]

Using MyDOS (4.50, included on the KMKJZ utils disk)

if you have a 4 (or any number greater then 1) partitions, and you want partitions 1, 2, 3 active, but boot off of 3... there is no way to access partition 1, as D1: will be partition 3, D2: will be partition 2, and D3: will be partition 3 again...

 

and if partition 9 is activated, it will be D9:

 

and then add to that, if you also activate partition 10, it wont access it at all?

 

maybe i am missing something here?

 

is there a way to set a specific partition to a specific drive?

 

sloopy.

[GoodByteXL]

Using MyDOS (4.50, included on the KMKJZ utils disk)

if you have a 4 (or any number greater then 1) partitions, and you want partitions 1, 2, 3 active, but boot off of 3... there is no way to access partition 1, as D1: will be partition 3, D2: will be partition 2, and D3: will be partition 3 again...

 

and if partition 9 is activated, it will be D9:

 

and then add to that, if you also activate partition 10, it wont access it at all?

 

maybe i am missing something here?

 

is there a way to set a specific partition to a specific drive?

 

sloopy.

 

How about using the map command in SDX? I am not aware of a comparable mapper with any other DOS.

Edited June 16, 2011 by GoodByteXL

[sloopy]

Using MyDOS (4.50, included on the KMKJZ utils disk)

if you have a 4 (or any number greater then 1) partitions, and you want partitions 1, 2, 3 active, but boot off of 3... there is no way to access partition 1, as D1: will be partition 3, D2: will be partition 2, and D3: will be partition 3 again...

 

and if partition 9 is activated, it will be D9:

 

and then add to that, if you also activate partition 10, it wont access it at all?

 

maybe i am missing something here?

 

is there a way to set a specific partition to a specific drive?

 

sloopy.

 

How about using the map command in SDX? I am not aware of a comparable mapper with any other DOS.

 

 

i am not overly familiar with the map command, but wouldnt be needed as SDX is loaded from the cart, so unless different config's for it are put on different partition, it wouldnt accomplish anything...

 

this would be more of an issue with disk based DOS's (SpartaDOS 3.x, realDOS, MyDOS)...

 

sloopy.

[drac030]

is there a way to set a specific partition to a specific drive?

 

Not yet. And things got complicated because people want to have 4096 partitions (or so, see the other thread). Therefore, as I originally planned to make 32 partitions, I must redesign the partition table and rethink some aspects of the implementation.

 

Apologies for the delays, once again.

[sloopy]

is there a way to set a specific partition to a specific drive?

 

Not yet. And things got complicated because people want to have 4096 partitions (or so, see the other thread). Therefore, as I originally planned to make 32 partitions, I must redesign the partition table and rethink some aspects of the implementation.

 

Apologies for the delays, once again.

 

as long as its on the 'to do' list, i am good...

 

if anything more then 8-16 partitions, i would get confuzzled. I planned on just using a bunch of different CF cards for various things anyway. The only thing that would change this to where I would want more partitions, as opposed to CF cards, is if the partitions could be named, and just have a 'partition manager' type app, where it would list D1:-D9:, and you could enter a partition name (already setup by something like fdisk), and it would be in that device ID, and this being on the IDE+ itself instead externally, so it could be done in 'program' would be the ultimate...

 

this would also make it nice for things like SteveS 4 ATR's, could put them on 4 partitions, and just set them as D1:,D2:,D3:,D4: and not have to remember if they are partitions 11, 12, 13, 14... or partitions 13, 14, 15, 16. etc...

 

 

sloopy.

[flashjazzcat]

Not yet. And things got complicated because people want to have 4096 partitions (or so, see the other thread). Therefore, as I originally planned to make 32 partitions, I must redesign the partition table and rethink some aspects of the implementation.

 

Apologies for the delays, once again.

Heh... this is what happens with user-led development. Personally, 32 partitions is enough. Do that, give SDX 24 bit sector addressing, and to hell with everything else.

[GoodByteXL]

Not yet. And things got complicated because people want to have 4096 partitions (or so, see the other thread). Therefore, as I originally planned to make 32 partitions, I must redesign the partition table and rethink some aspects of the implementation.

 

Apologies for the delays, once again.

Heh... this is what happens with user-led development. Personally, 32 partitions is enough. Do that, give SDX 24 bit sector addressing, and to hell with everything else.

I quote for a A8 value -> 255 !

Flexible sizes from 90KB to 32MB

[flashjazzcat]

The firmware can already access up to 8GB worth of sectors per partition...32 x 8GB (FMS permitting) is 256GB. 255 * 8 is 2TB. Clearly we need that flexibility to fill those 2TB drives one day...

 

Does the entire A8 software catalogue plus all the data that software produced come to 2TB, I wonder?

 

Here's an idea that will save everyone time and money: MUX everyone's Atari over the Internet to a central IDE Plus 2.0 (stored in a vault somewhere), and give them each an 8GB partition on a 2TB drive, pre-populated with the entire Atari software back-catalogue and with a choice of SDX 4.82 or MyDOS 128.33 (both supporting 24 bit sector addressing). Should keep everyone going indefinitely, and we only need one interface.

Edited June 16, 2011 by flashjazzcat

[svenski]

Drac, thanks for the continued support. Where were you guys in the mid eighties ?!

[drac030]

In school. Behind the iron courtain.

[+Guitarman]

After using the IDE Plus 2.0 for about a week or so, I'm ready to field a couple of questions.

 

1. Is there a website where the updates and downloads are being maintained in some sort of orderly fashion?

 

2. It wasn't clear when I first got it but after working with it, am I safe to assume that the partition # in fdisk2 (when active) also corresponds to the drive letter the partition will show up as when in a DOS, with the exception of the partition marked with the "R", being redirected to D1:?? And the side effect of this is, if I activate partition 4 and set it to redirect, in DOS I will get an identical directory read from D1: and D4:??

 

3. When flashing the BIOS, shouldn't the number at the top of the IDE+ menu change to reflect the BIOS version?? For instance, the last ARC'ed BIOS you posted showed flasher 0.7 when I ran the lba0.com, but my IDE+ menu still shows 0.4. See picture.

 

 

Now, a couple of comments on what I'd like to see.

 

1. I agree with the requests to be able to map the partitions to the drive letters you want showing up while using the device. Specifically creating a MyPicoDos partition and loading 2 or 3 file partitions with stuff and being able to map the Pico boot drive to 1 (which is already possible) and map the file drives to 2, 3 and 4 etc. This way you can configure dynamic sets of partition to use together while mapping them to descending drive letters.

 

2. I have mixed feelings about making it able to run ATR's, especially if it is at the cost of other possible options. Then it just becomes a glorified fast floppy drive. The point of a HDD is to be able to place all your file in one place without having to mount an ATR whenever you want a new program. If it doesn't mean loosing a better option for a HDD interface, then I'm all for it. Other than that, leave the ATR's to APE, SIO2PC and SDrive devices.

 

3. Friendly names for the partition?? Hell yes!!! This would make manipulating a fairly extensive partition table a breeze. You get over 5 or 6 partitions, it becomes a guessing game, let's see what's behind partition number 3!!

 

4. Documentation. It would be great to have a user manual for this thing and maybe some tutorials on the tricks to setting up different types of DOS's. The existing IDEa manual is a good reference but a little vague in some areas. For instance, in setting up my MyDOS partition, following the instructions in the IDEa manual, I couldn't get it to recognize and boot from the MyDOS disk image in my SDrive with the partition active that I wanted to set up . So I tricked it by turning off the IDE controller in the IDE+ menu, rebooted with the MyDOS utility disk in D1: and after getting to the DOS menu, did a START/RESET to get to the IDE+ menu and turned the IDE interface back on. Instead of exiting with ^B, I exited with ^X to save and exit without a reboot. This brought me back to the DOS menu with the partition now available to configure and format. It took a while to figure this out.

 

Needless to say, I am flying around the interface like a madman now and, once you get the hang of it, it's not that bad. I have pondered getting a HDD interface for a long time but wasn't overjoyed with MyIDE. This thing pretty much smokes most of what I have read about other IDE interfaces and is the perfect compliment to both my SDriveNuxx and SIO2PC-USB with APE. What else do you need?? (except the Ultimate1MB and VBXE2. LOL)

 

I may have more later, but these are my opinions and requests at this point.

 

Great job to all involved in the creation and the support of this interface!!!

[Rybags]

I bought 2 IDE HDDs from a local charity computer shop for 20 bucks. One does absolutely nothing, the other just clicks - so no joy there.

 

Looks like I'll have to wait till Monday to go back there and see about swapping for 2 others, in the meantime I've bought IDE to CF and SD adaptors from eBay.

 

So looking like no action here for a couple of days at least.

[drac030]

1. Is there a website where the updates and downloads are being maintained in some sort of orderly fashion?

 

Not yet, but I'll try to setup it by the weekend.

 

2. It wasn't clear when I first got it but after working with it, am I safe to assume that the partition # in fdisk2 (when active) also corresponds to the drive letter the partition will show up as when in a DOS, with the exception of the partition marked with the "R", being redirected to D1:?? And the side effect of this is, if I activate partition 4 and set it to redirect, in DOS I will get an identical directory read from D1: and D4:??

 

Yes. The drive "redirected" to D1: is also available as itself. Maybe it is a good idea to disable access, I'll do that.

 

3. When flashing the BIOS, shouldn't the number at the top of the IDE+ menu change to reflect the BIOS version?? For instance, the last ARC'ed BIOS you posted showed flasher 0.7 when I ran the lba0.com, but my IDE+ menu still shows 0.4. See picture.

 

The BIOS revision number is the one which is visible in the menu. The *.COM upgrade flasher only displays own version number, i.e. the revision number of the code that flashes the BIOS into the ROM.

 

Comments noted.

 

2. I have mixed feelings about making it able to run ATR's, especially if it is at the cost of other possible options.

 

I don't plan any "costs" here It certainly won't replace any functionality which is there now.

 

I realize that the lack of documentation is a problem. But I only can either write software or write documentation, and I don't have much free time to do that. So it is slow.