MyIDE (not ][) worthwhile?

[ryanr256]

I have an original, internal MyIDE board from 2002. Original packaging, never installed.

 

Would it be worthwhile to install it? I have a choice of 3 machines:

 

1. 800XL - Newell 256k, Ramrod XL

2. 1200XL - Newell 256k

3. 130XE - stock

 

I'm thinking I would like to boot from the hard drive, is the ROM still available? Would it even work in the 1200XL as a bootable device?

 

The more I think about it, I'm liking the idea of putting it in the 130XE.

 

Thoughts, ideas, advice?

 

Thanks,

 

-Bob

[Lord Thag]

Having had one, I'd say yes since you have it, but fair warning. It's pretty time consuming to set up. Once you do, it's fine. The more modern solutions are waaaaay easier to deal with.

[_The Doctor__]

you have to make sure compatible media is used as well, it will also waste half the storage space on almost all devices...

[Gunstar]

Drivers/firmware are still updated for it by both Atarimax/Mr. Atari and third parties...including stuff like continued SpartaDOS X support for it, etc.

Edited May 17, 2019 by Gunstar

[Kyle22]

Use the driver for SDX described here: https://atari8.co.uk/apt/myide/

Look at this link for the tool to make a custom SDX ROM. Put MYIDE.SYS into the CAR: file system, and make sure to include it in the default CAR:CONFIG.SYS.

http://sdx.atari8.info/index.php?show=download&file=sdx_files/SDXImageUser.zip

 

Edit: To be clear: AUTOEXEC.BAT will run from anywhere you want [after the driver is loaded by CAR:CONFIG.SYS], so you can still automate the boot process.

Edited May 17, 2019 by Kyle22

[+Roydea6]

And decide first if you want MyDos or SpartaDos X as the primary DOS. If you only want MyDos then look for one of the latest OS.ROMs from Mr. Atari and AtariMax website. Do not get any of the OS.ROMs for MyIDE 2. If you want SpartaDos X then the driver needs to be the MYIDEI.SYS the 'I' represent Internal MYIDE from 2002. When you get the OS.ROM it will have to be burned to an eprom to replace the original ROM.

 

MORE than 128 k memory is recommended, and a very stable PH2 signal is required.

[Kyle22]

Just to make it clear, the SDX way of doing it will run on ANY XL/XE withOUT a ROM change. That was my goal. I wanted an auto-booting system. It works well.

 

Originally, I came up with this idea because a friend has a "Mud Bog" event where 4x4 trucks attempt to power through a long pit of mud and see who is the fastest. I was planning on using green lasers aimed at CdS cells connected to the pot lines.

 

I got the driver done, [NOT REALLY, BUT GOOD ENOUGH 4 THIS PURPOSE!] * and wrote a simple timing program with a nice big GR.2 (big text) line so the time is easily visible.

 

Shorty then decided my project wasn't worth running the wires (cat5) from the booth on the hill down to the mud pit where the sensors would be.

 

That was my motivation for this.

 

* All credit goes to Jon for refining the thing!

[ryanr256]

Thanks for the advice. I will probably install it in the 130XE that I have sitting here. I don't have a way to burn ROMs but I can work on that. I am kinda partial to SpartaDOS though.

 

First I have to find a block of time to install it. Maybe my schedule will free up in the next couple of weeks.

 

Having said that, I'm still thinking of putting it in my 800XL. I can swap the stock Atari ROM in the RamRod with the IDE bootable ROM. Decisions, decisions.

 

-Bob

[Wrathchild]

With an internal MyIDE it is better to take advantage of replacing the OS ROM with MyBIOS.
Using a soft-OS, i.e. one that loads into RAM under the XL/XE OS, has less compatibility with titles, e.g. games that use 64K.