musicanic Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 I just bought a Lotharek HxC floppy emulator for my 99/4a but I am having trouble getting it set up. I have followed the software instructions and added a .dsk file which I downloaded. This creates a "disk image.hfe" file on the SD card, but when I put it in the emulator it says it can't find "HXCSDFE.CFG". What am I doing wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 I'm glad I saw this message when I did, as I'm just about to walk out the door. Put the attached file on your SD card before you move an .HFE files over. This will get you by (for now). Later, gotta split..... Config File.zip 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Schmitzi Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 If you have formated the SD-card (FAT32), copy the CFG-file as the very >>FIRST<< file, to the root. (Did I mention "first" ?) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicanic Posted August 19, 2015 Author Share Posted August 19, 2015 Thanks Guys, I realised I didn't read the bit in the hardware manual about the config file Doh! I haven't worked this closely with disks before, just used them, so a steep learning curve. I may be back..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Schmitzi Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 yep. this is how my CFG looks: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicanic Posted August 21, 2015 Author Share Posted August 21, 2015 I'm back with another problem, or at least an extension of the original. My 99/4a has a PEB with 32k memory, disk controller (1240) and single disk drive (1250). I have then added the HxC to the external tab on the disk controller using a 34 way edge connector and a 34 way socket for the HxC. I have checked that connection No. 1 (red wire) goes to the right place at both ends (assuming that on my cased HxC it is the bottom pin nearest the jumper set). The ribbon cable is "twisted" as usual for an additional drive, so I have set the jumper on HxC to Drive B at ID2. I have not done anything about the "termination pack" on the TI drive and I don't have an "adapter board" as mentioned in the TI manuals. I did the SD again from scratch and used the CFG Schmitzi suggested. Then I went into the HxC Disk Browser, selected 5.25" 180k SSDD 300RPM FAT 12, did "Create Disk" and then Save/Export to the SD (I though it would be simpler to create an empty disk rather than try adding files which themselves might cause problems). So, the HxC recognises my SD and reports "T:000/040 S:0". When I used Disk Manager 2 module to list what is on the disk, the HxC access light goes on and the display shows "RB T:000/040 S:0" and the Disk Manager reports error 16. I am still obviously missing some fundamental step here, so any help is welcome. My goal at the moment is to be able to load up the Scott Adams adventure files which I downloaded from the ftp site, either by using the SH838-ADV.dsk, or the individual files, assuming that one or other method will work through the SD card approach (or are they just for using on an emulator on a PC?). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Schmitzi Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 Hi, 1. NO twisted floppy-cables at TI-Controller (!) 2. (ONLY if still not running, but normally it should when changed to NOT-twisted cable) -> THEN connect the HxC internally, viewing from the Controller, on the 1st connector, (with the 5.25-real-drive connected at the end of the cable, WITH resistors ON) here my expample, (here jumpered for DSK1, and configured for only ONE drive, as HxC can emulate 2 drives at the same time) and ONLY give him 5 Volts, as seen in the pic 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Schmitzi Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 3. Check that the CFG.file is on the SD as described before 4. copy any HFE-Files to the root or in a subfolder on the SD-Card 5. in Windows, before pulling the SD-card, say "EJECT" by RightKlick in the systray 6. Insert the SD-Card into the HcX, and check that one (of the following) Disks (.HFE) is inserted (you should see this T:0000 bla - I think you got it, a some people sometimes forget to finally press the middle button (=Enter) when inserting the file (Happens to me too when it was new for me Here are 2 running example HFE-Files (converted from V9T9-DSKs to HFE, with the HcX-tool) This niice copyprog here needs Extended Basic, should start automatically if DSK1: Copy-CAT-RSX-DSSD_img.hfe This here is Fred Kaal´s great DiskUtility-Tool from http://www.ti99-geek.nl/ You can start it with the Editor/Assembler-Option #5 -> DSK1.DU2K or DSK2.DU2K ... du2k_v20_dsk.hfe 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 The ribbon cable is "twisted" as usual for an additional drive, so I have set the jumper on HxC to Drive B at ID2. The only think I would add to Schmitzi's NO TWIST in the cable is... If you want the drive to be what you call "B", I'm assuming you mean DSK2. I believe the proper setting on the HxC would be: ID1A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicanic Posted August 23, 2015 Author Share Posted August 23, 2015 I am getting there, but... I followed the advice from Schmitzi and "Omega" (untwisted the ribbon cable and changed the jumper setting). I also copied Schmitzi's 2 .hfe files to the SD card. I can now select and access each .hfe and catalog them using Disk Manager 2. However, if I try to run CopCat I get XB errors such as "syntax error 160". The program is protected to I can't list it. If I Load and Run DU2K I get I/O error 02. If I try to look at either of these .hfe's on my PC with the HxC Disk Browser I get a red warning at the bottom with "Some errors found during the image mounting! DOS Disk ? Disk damaged?". I have tried downloading and saving the files a second time but it made no difference. I tried creating my own images, one for an empty disk and one with some files. In both cases I got "Disk not initialized". However, I have been able to copy a Basic program from the real floppy drive to one of Schmitzi's images on the HxC without any errors. I do find I have had to switch the console off and on once or twice to get successful results. I have also moved the PEB connectors and the HxC connectors to try and remedy any bad connections. Any more advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Schmitzi Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 OK. 1. Test some other HFEs: R_BAUER_dsk.hfe (should be unprotected) DM1000v61_dsk.hfe diagnostic_dsk.hfe ...and here some most common empty files for playing around: EMPTY-DSKs-HFEs.zip 2. Open your CFG-file and check that "Generic Shugart" is chosen, and that both options are OFF (Auto & DoubleStep) Re-Save the CFG to the SD-card 3. Disconnect ANY other drive (your floppydrive) from the controller, so that you can test the HxC alone. ONLY Jumper #1 is ON (=DSK1) 4. Maybe test your controller and your 32KB with the DIAG-Tools here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicanic Posted August 23, 2015 Author Share Posted August 23, 2015 Thanks for all these extras. I have decided to take everything apart and clean all connectors, and replace the ribbon to the HxC (it was a modified cable anyway). I am still getting strange and inconsistent results, so I am thinking there may be a hardware problem. The console has been in a cupboard for nearly 30 years, the PEB is "New Old Stock" from Ebay, as is the real disk drive, but the 32k and controller are second-hand. I have a speech synth in between console and PEB, so I will remove that too. I will get back when I have done this (a few days probably). Thanks again for your help. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Schmitzi Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 yes, thats good. And one thing, please check if you have the latest firmware installed on your HxC-drive. This is also a good source for errors. http://www.lotharek.pl/product.php?pid=13 (on the bottom, in the download-section) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Good idea removing the speech from the mix and cleaning everything, that never hurts. I'd put the original disk drive back in as well WITHOUT the 32K card and see if you get good results with the drive and BASIC programs, then try the 32K and XB or EA/5 programs. If you still get no errors, do like the other guys said and use the HxC by itself. Sometimes diagnosing a problem without test equipment fall back to trial & error. It's amazing how weird things can get with the TI. For example a friend of mine has an XB2.7s cartridge that had alway failed the self-test, even though everything worked on the cartridge. However, it only failed the test when a certain flex cable was being used. The assumption here is that the flex cable is going out of spec and the cartridge is relying heavily on the 32K card for the error checking. Why else would it fail using only one flex cable? (This could be used as a future failure warning test too! ) Lucky Mainbyte has << this project >> if anyone ever needs it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 Looks like MainByte is DOWN. The splash page has some kind of under construction block on it. . .hopefully Ron Reuter didn't lose interest/accidentally lose his domain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Schmitzi Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Hi, Is the Bloody drive rUnning fine now, or do you need soMe more helP ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aftyde Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 Hey Gents, Having a heck of a time figuring out how to make blank disks that the TI controller with this mod http://www.mainbyte.com/ti99/upgrade/upgrade.html likes when using the Lotharek. I can make disks that read, and I can write files to them, but can't init them. Get disk error 16's. Any ideas? Cheers, Arthur... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Schmitzi Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 Hi, here in the repository you find working, empty DSKs&HFEs for ALL needs: 003-TI99BlankDisks-002.zip In particular, just copy THIS .HFE-file here (taken from the repository) 001_360K_80T_DSSD_E.hfe and copy it to your SD-Card. If you mount it, then you should be able to format and anything it with the DiskManager (but it is already formatted) good luck schmitzi PS: Are 40track-files running good ? problem with 80T only ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Schmitzi Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 PS 2.0: Is your setting in the HXCSDFE.CFG in the meaning of: - Generic Shugart - AUTO = OFF - DoubleStep = OFF And some basic question: - HxC-Drive alone and jumpered as DSK1 correctly, for a first test ? (to avoid cable/terminator-issues) - is your 80-Track-Mod for 80 tracks on DSK1 ? - SD-Card formatted FAT32 ? - your HXCSDFE.CFG was the F*I*R*S*T (first, 1st, earliest) file copied to the freshly formatted SD-card ? - Jumper 1 on the HxC is set to ON ? - 12 volts (yellow) is NOT connected to your drive ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Schmitzi Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 . . ...and last, but not list (uaahhh here a configfile that should run (please unzip it) HXCSDFE.zip and Omega had a cool blog about the HxC-drive, but I cannot find it, maybe you have a look there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 I can make disks that read, and I can write files to them, but can't init them. Get disk error 16's. Cheers, Arthur... Use Ti99Dir to make a blank image (no name), convert it to HFE format, then whenever you need a new 'disk', copy it to the HxC with a different name. It'll act like a regular blank disk. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aftyde Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 Sadly, ti99dir won't make dssd 80 track disk images... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aftyde Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 I have used ti image tool to make disk images - same issue though, can read, write, delete files, and so on but can't init the image. Never had this issue with the Myarc controller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Schmitzi Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 what, if you use my posted HFE-file ? (to go around all other possible issues) can you read/write/format on that ? Can you post this selfmade image here ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritz442 Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 (edited) Sadly, ti99dir won't make dssd 80 track disk images... TI99Dir will make DSSD 80T images, you need ver 6.2a Edited November 8, 2015 by Fritz442 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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