Cosmosex v3 & MegaSte problem

[Marsupilami]

Hello folks !

 

I've tested my Cosmosex with my STf, STE, MegaST and it works fine (with the provided ACSI external cable).

But i also have 2 MSTE (no HDD inside, TOS 206FR, Floppy, 4mb RAM - see picture). And with these both i cant boot on my CE. I mean it's not detected at all.

 

I also have an Ultrasatan perfectly working on ACSI with all my ST, MST, STE, STF and MSTE (on this picture Sysinfo is loaded from the ultrasatan).

 

I already tried :

- to change the IDs but same problem.

- to update the Pi, the Firmware.

 

Jookie remotely logged on to it last week but didn't find anything wrong.

 

So i need to understand if it's a bug or if there is a problem with my Ce or with my 2 MSTE.

 

If you have a Cosmosex and an MSTE could you try to boot ont it and tell me if it's ok or not ?

 

Thanks

[tuf]

I've used mine with my MSTE - I do have internal SCSI drives tho.  Could it be a termination thing?

[Marsupilami]

58 minutes ago, tuf said:

I've used mine with my MSTE - I do have internal SCSI drives tho.  Could it be a termination thing?

You mean yours is working externally on the ACSI port ?

In that case well...Maybe.

I don't have any internal drives. So no hard disk controller. I have the 8 jumpers installed ont both MB on J402 but that's all.

So the ultrasatan could behave differently than the Cosmosex ?

According to this https://atari.8bitchip.info/MegaSTEACSI.html it should work.

 

Edited August 6, 2020 by Marsupilami

[tuf]

Let me confirm - I use the CosmosEx to backup and load files on to my STs via ASCI.  The MegaSTe I'm talking about is set up in a music studio with an internal SCSI2SD.  I'll have someone boot it up and confirm the CosmosEx driver is installed just to be sure.

[tuf]

So I can verify at least one of my MegaSTe's was set up via the CosmosEx.  

 

One question - do you know how the CosmosEx is configured internally?  It can be set for either SCSI or ASCI...

[Marsupilami]

Ok thanks.

It's set for ACSI internally. 

If i understand your screenshot :

- You're booting with the HDDriver for your internal SCSI2SD but when the Cosmosex disk drivers tries to load you have a "device not found error".

So more or less same problem. The difference is that at least the Cosmosex disk drivers tries to load.

So it's just a bit better. I don't have the driver loading at all on my side.

 

[tuf]

23 minutes ago, Marsupilami said:

Ok thanks.

It's set for ACSI internally. 

If i understand your screenshot :

- You're booting with the HDDriver for your internal SCSI2SD but when the Cosmosex disk drivers tries to load you have a "device not found error".

So more or less same problem. The difference is that at least the Cosmosex disk drivers tries to load.

So it's just a bit better. I don't have the driver loading at all on my side.

 

Almost - that MSTE no longer has the CosmosEx hooked up.  Once I set it up I removed the CosmosEx and installed it in the studio, where it does it's thing using the built in SCSI.

 

So, it just shows that the MSTE worked and allowed me to copy a bunch of stuff over a CosmosEx network drive to the internal SCSI.  If you're not seeing the driver try to load then thats 100% of your problem.  Even if you dont have the CosmosEx plugged in (like in my picture) you'll still see the driver look for it and ask you to hit Q to abort.

[Marsupilami]

Ok thanks for the update.

So on a MSTE the CE works as external ACSI but only when you have an internal scsi. Interesting.

 

[tuf]

Could be a weird termination thing.  Check here, first paragraph:

 

https://atari.8bitchip.info/MegaSTEACSI.html

 

If your Mega came without an internal SCSI board you definitely need to be aware of how the termination is set.  I don't think it matters that your Ultrasatan works - it might happen to work without termination set....SCSI was always weird about that.  In any case, it cant hurt to see how yours looks in there.

 

 

[+DarkLord]

I thought, but am not sure, that the internal board had to be present?

 

If not, some things have to be rewired/reworked?

 

 

 

[pixelmischief]

On 8/6/2020 at 7:33 PM, tuf said:

...at least one of my MegaSTe's...

...because I have several, because I have everything you want, because look at my awesome mixing panels, because...

 

Sorry.  I love you.  I hate you.  ?

[Marsupilami]

Hello,

After 3 more hours of research i finally found the solution !
The problem does not come from the CosmosEX but from the design of the ACSI cable!
On a MSTE, this cable produces several short circuits if it touches the "serial 2" port.
Luckily neither the MSTE nor the ultrasatan burned ?

 

The most expensive workaround in the world: a piece of electrical tape  ?

It worked on the STx because there is nothing above the external DMA port.

And it worked with my ultrasatan because the cable didn't have the same DMA plug shape!

 

I hope it will be useful, this cable can be dangerous for our MSTE, TT30 and ACSI peripherals. But fortunatelly the fix is easy ?

Edited August 17, 2020 by Marsupilami

[Marsupilami]

I can't edit my last post but on the TT the risk is lower since the rear design is different.

[tuf]

That's interesting, my cable doesn't look anything like that one - it's got a standard DB-whatever connector for the ASCI port on it.

[Marsupilami]

This is the cable sold by Lotharek and other resellers. There is a warning on the Lotharek product page. But as this cable was supplied with the CosmosEx, I was not aware of the problem.

There is also this item on Thingiverse that may be useful (thanks to Radovan for the information) : https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3864726

 

Edited August 18, 2020 by Marsupilami
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