KPeter Posted December 28, 2020 Share Posted December 28, 2020 4 minutes ago, DrVenkman said: No mystery. If you're using the U1MB, you *must* enable the PBI BIOS to enable disk mounting and drive emulation via the SIDE/SIDE2/SIDE3. Thanks, ... is it written somewhere ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KPeter Posted December 28, 2020 Share Posted December 28, 2020 Just now, KPeter said: 5 minutes ago, DrVenkman said: No mystery. If you're using the U1MB, you *must* enable the PBI BIOS to enable disk mounting and drive emulation via the SIDE/SIDE2/SIDE3. Thanks, ... is it written somewhere ? Additionally ... AUTOEXEC.BAT is correctly loaded from SIDE3's SD Card despite of what is the PBI BIOS setting ... So ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGB1718 Posted December 28, 2020 Share Posted December 28, 2020 1 hour ago, KPeter said: Additionally ... AUTOEXEC.BAT is correctly loaded from SIDE3's SD Card despite of what is the PBI BIOS setting ... So ??? Wrong, if PBI BIOS is disabled, AUTOEXEC.BAT must be on the boot disk i.e. D1: it cannot access the SD card for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted December 28, 2020 Share Posted December 28, 2020 19 minutes ago, TGB1718 said: Wrong, if PBI BIOS is disabled, AUTOEXEC.BAT must be on the boot disk i.e. D1: it cannot access the SD card for it. AUTOEXEC.BAT can be anywhere you like. Without the PBI BIOS, the SIDE3.SYS driver is loaded by CONFIG.SYS on the CAR: device (so, CONFIG.SYS cannot be on the SD card), but AUTOEXEC will be picked up just fine, even from a HDD partition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGB1718 Posted December 29, 2020 Share Posted December 29, 2020 13 hours ago, flashjazzcat said: but AUTOEXEC will be picked up just fine, even from a HDD partition. You learn something new every day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted December 29, 2020 Share Posted December 29, 2020 Small loader update (build 0.29): https://atari8.co.uk/firmware/side3/ Fixes bug in build 0.28's MAP file handling which I just noticed this evening. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fell Posted January 4, 2021 Share Posted January 4, 2021 (edited) Thanks Jon. I updated the U1MB with the Bios/PBI Bios to v3.11. i think my Side3 is now bricked ? I ran the s3loader.xex using SIO2PC but after one hour the screen was still at Erasing sectors, so I powered off/on and successfully installed v0.29 to SIDE3 using the SD card method, but after rebooting, SIDE3 loader freezes and does not response to any keys. I tried reloading v0.22 using SIO2PC but it still freezes at Erasing sectors AND it shows current version as 141.85 (pardon the horrible screens, Sophia 2 is in the mail ) Rebooting 800XL I can still press L to go to the Side3loaded but I get the same corrupted screen and must power-off/on. Question: Is there a way to un-brick the SIDE3? I do have a couple of USB blasters available. I'll attach some photos: Edited January 4, 2021 by Fell trying to fix screen shots - they look fine on my PC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted January 4, 2021 Share Posted January 4, 2021 5 hours ago, Fell said: I tried reloading v0.22 using SIO2PC but it still freezes at Erasing sectors AND it shows current version as 141.85 That's because you have some other cartridge ROM in the way (hence the nonsense 'current version' number). Try running the flasher from the on-board SDX with the 'X' command. 5 hours ago, Fell said: Question: Is there a way to un-brick the SIDE3? Yes: by successfully updating the loader. I assume the on-board SDX still works. USB Blaster is no use here, and nor is the Lattice Platform cable required for FPGA updates, since your issue is a series of failed flash ROM updates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
777ismyname Posted January 4, 2021 Share Posted January 4, 2021 On 12/26/2020 at 10:45 AM, 800_Rocks said: .... I'm studying the new tech for the 8bits such as FujiNet and SIDE3. I have my eye on SpartaDosX and a battery backed clock would be nice. I have zero solder skills. I am US-based (North Carolina). The SIDE3 looks very nice. I appreciate help with these questions: I see the SIDE3 available at the https://thebrewingacademy.com/ in the US and https://lotharek.pl/ in Poland. However, I do not see answers to my questions in the descriptions or list of capabilities on these sites (perhaps something that should be added). I note that their website says The Brewing Academy will be taking inventory in the month of January so orders may be delayed. 6) Other than the two sites listed above, are there other US sites where SIDE3 can be purchased? Thanks in Advance! Hello, fellow North Carolinian (I’m in WNC, sitting almost direct under Cattail Peak in the Black Mtn. range at the moment). Fwiw, I’ve bought from The Brewing Academy on many occasions and have had excellent service. I was on his site a couple of days ago and COVID had evidently invaded his house, so his shop is closed down for another ten or twelve days. If you are still looking for a FujiNet, Gavin over at Vintagecomputercenter.com had bunches in stock, is a valuable member of the Atari community, and a good person. Highly recommend his storefront! If you want a no solder needed RAM upgrade, another awesome AtariAge member, tfhh (Jurgen) sells just what you need - the SysCheck V2.2 (battery back up version and regular PBI version are available). This will bump your 800XL up to 576KB, has four OS slots - selectable by onboard DIP switches, and will test system components. It simply plugs onto the PBI and viola! Good to go. It comes preloaded with a high-speed SIO OS, so you can list stuff at up to 125kilobits. His site is linked below. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fell Posted January 7, 2021 Share Posted January 7, 2021 On 1/3/2021 at 11:21 PM, flashjazzcat said: That's because you have some other cartridge ROM in the way (hence the nonsense 'current version' number). Try running the flasher from the on-board SDX with the 'X' command. Yes: by successfully updating the loader. I assume the on-board SDX still works. USB Blaster is no use here, and nor is the Lattice Platform cable required for FPGA updates, since your issue is a series of failed flash ROM updates. Thanks Jon. I was able to updrade the SIDE3 using my stock 130XE and SIO2PC. It was a brand new SIDE3 and I hadn't loaded any ROMs. The loader was completely corrupted. I tried several times to upgrade it in my 800XL which has the U1MB installed but nothing worked. Using my stock 130XE, I was able to upgrade it on the first try! Regards, Fell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted January 7, 2021 Share Posted January 7, 2021 8 hours ago, Fell said: Using my stock 130XE, I was able to upgrade it on the first try! Did the 'completely corrupted' loader work on the 130XE before upgrading, out of interest? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGB1718 Posted January 7, 2021 Share Posted January 7, 2021 8 hours ago, Fell said: Thanks Jon. I was able to updrade the SIDE3 using my stock 130XE and SIO2PC. I had exactly the same issue when I tried upgrading SIDE3 some time ago, in my 130XE with U1M it just wouldn't upgrade, used my other "stock" 130XE and it worked first time. As a SIDE Note I've done upgrades since then using my U1M and it's worked fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted January 7, 2021 Share Posted January 7, 2021 I'm just trying to establish for sure whether the ROM on the cartridge was corrupted or whether it simply failed to work on one machine but worked with a different one. If you have eliminated this as a possibility, then OK: it was a bad ROM. Presumably the newly flashed cartridge now works on the previously problematic machine. This is very important if we are to understand and address stability issues, etc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fell Posted January 7, 2021 Share Posted January 7, 2021 (edited) 8 hours ago, flashjazzcat said: Did the 'completely corrupted' loader work on the 130XE before upgrading, out of interest? No, the corrupted SIDE3 loader did not work on the 130XE. To clarify, these were the steps: *The loader was working on the brand new SIDE3 in the 800XL with U1MB, but I did not play with it before attempting the upgrade. 1. The upgrade to 0.29 failed using SIO2PC 2. The upgrade seemed to complete successfully using the SD card on the loader. 3. After rebooting, the SIDE3 loaded was corrupted and 800XL frozen (required power off/on) 4. Upgrading again using SIO2PC was unsuccessful (tried a few times) 5. using a stock 130XE, successfully upgraded to 0.22 using SIO2PC, then upgraded to 0.29 using SD card (just to test both methods) So, I think original ROM on new SIDE3 was good to begin with. #2 above is what corrupted the ROM even though the messages showed that it had completed successfully (sorry, i did not get a picture of it). So, I would think it was a random case of corruption probably having to do with my 800XL. Both U1MB and SIDE3 are working fine on my 800XL Edited January 7, 2021 by Fell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted January 7, 2021 Share Posted January 7, 2021 Ah: that clarifies things, then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candle Posted January 7, 2021 Share Posted January 7, 2021 just a side note (uhm, no pun intended) if you need to go into recovery mode with side3 - press side3 button and keep it like this while powering atari up side3 won't appear as a cartridge, but you'll be able to boot from sio and preform update 3 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madness77 Posted February 1, 2021 Share Posted February 1, 2021 FYI: a new version of SpartaDosX was released today: http://sdx.atari8.info/index.php?show=en_download_beta 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinjinhawke Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 Atari 800XL SIDE3 Firmware 0.29 Ultimate 1MB: Version 3.11RC Just installed my Ultimate 1mb today. Flashed the two BIOS from the files on FJC site. I notice my firmware is 3.11RC and in FJC videos he has 3.12. Is that an unreleased version or did I miss a Firmware version somewhere? I also updated the SpartaDOS to the most recent release on both SIDE3 and U1MB PBS BIOS is enabled so hitting L launches the SIDE3 loader and not the internal loader ATR support on SIDE3 shows as Enabled (greyed out) which is correct I believe. Launching any ATR file results in Error 144. <-- Is this due to some setting I have wrong or possibly an installation error. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candle Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 for atr support on side3 you need to have complementary pbi bios installed on ultimate1mb by default it comes with pbi bios for side2 devices Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinjinhawke Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 11 minutes ago, candle said: for atr support on side3 you need to have complementary pbi bios installed on ultimate1mb by default it comes with pbi bios for side2 devices I did flash the two bios files from FJC site to the Ultimate. Is that what you are referring to? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candle Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 i hope so under u1mb bios: pbi enabled, hard disk enabled memory configuration of your likeings, and jump to loader in side3 loader (this one starts from what you wrote) try to boot an atr make sure you have disabled/unmounted any cartridges, and basic is also disabled - there are separate tabs that will tell you this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 (edited) I checked the SIDE3 PBI BIOS and nowhere does the SIO handler return Error 144 for hard disk transactions, so we can at least rule out transmission errors. What OS is being used here, out of interest? If the SIO mounting commands issued by the loader are not handled by the PBI BIOS for some reason, you'll just get errors returned from the OS SIO driver. Edited February 6, 2021 by flashjazzcat typo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinjinhawke Posted February 8, 2021 Share Posted February 8, 2021 On 2/6/2021 at 5:29 AM, flashjazzcat said: What OS is being used here, out of interest? If the SIO mounting commands issued by the loader are not handled by the PBI BIOS for some reason, you'll just get errors returned from the OS SIO driver. Apologies if I seem naive. It's only because it applies. When SpartaDOS loads it shows PBI BIOS v.0.03 (SDX is 4.49e 1-02-2021) Firmware is 3.11RC OS ROM: XL OS 1.3 on SIDE 3 ATR Support: Enabled and greyed out. SIDE3 is version 0.29 I noticed user remowilliams (on page 14) had the same issue. He mentions switching to a 2GB Kingston or 2GB Transcend SD card solved his problem (which is interesting since candle suggested 2gb card may be the worst option) so maybe I have a couple less than stellar SD cards. (Mine are a Panasonic and another brand I cannot make out that came with my SDRIVE) What is a recommended SD card manufacturer and size that I should acquire? I'll probably open up the case again to see if while I was doing cable management that I didn't loosen a connection in my amateur soldering job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted February 8, 2021 Share Posted February 8, 2021 5 hours ago, Sinjinhawke said: OS ROM: XL OS 1.3 OK - so the OS supports the PBI driver. In exactly what context are you seeing error 144? Is the loader reporting it? The OS? SpartaDOS X? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinjinhawke Posted February 8, 2021 Share Posted February 8, 2021 6 minutes ago, flashjazzcat said: OK - so the OS supports the PBI driver. In exactly what context are you seeing error 144? Is the loader reporting it? The OS? SpartaDOS X? In the SIDE3 I have two MicroSDs with SD Adapters that I would swap back and forth prior to installing the U1MB. One is FAT16 the other is FAT32. Before the U1MB I would power on using SIDE3 inserted to launch CAR and XEX files on those cards and power on with only the SDRIVE to launch ATR files on those same cards. After U1MB I am trying to use all three file types with just the SIDE3 Loader. CAR and EXE continue to work mostly as before, navigate to file and hit RETURN and it launches. New behaviour I am seeing is the button on the top of the cart is not interrupting the running program so to exit I am hitting RESET while holding HELP to get back to U1MB then hitting L to relaunch SIDE3 Loader (maybe this is a setting). Navigating to an ATR file in the SIDE3 Loader and hitting RETURN generates the error 144. Thanks for taking the time to look at this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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