Falcon Questions... NOOB!!

[Methanoid]

I have one on the way... from Germany...

 

Some Qs:

 

Max HD size? ISTR STs had some 32Mb partition limit. Do I need some HD software or does it come with or is there some decent PD s.w?

 

Display? Can I play all games with one VGA monitor or will VGA only run a VGA mode and I need an ST monitor to run St games (with Backwards). I need it spelled out in English!!!!

 

Anyone prepared to offer some idiot guide by email to help me get it set up once it arrives? I'd love to get it hooked up to my PC VGA TFT screen if poss. I have an interface to use a PC keyboard for one....

[+Sauron]

If you're lucky enough to get the disks that came with the Falcon, I believe the utilities allow you to use up to 1GB partitions. If you're not happy with that, the HD Driver program that's available will allow you to use practically any HD in one big partition, but that software isn't free. As far as the VGA goes, you can only run programs that support VGA. Anything that is for RGB can only be run on a TV through RF or on an ST monitor, provided you have all of the appropriate adapters.

[twbrown]

Grats =)

 

I recently got a Mega STE frome Germany and works great..except everythings in German was hopeing could change language via disk but just learned I need to change my roms.. but other then that love the machine

[belboz]

Did you get the roms changed? If not let me know, I might be able to help you out.

 

Grats =)

 

I recently got a Mega STE frome Germany and works great..except everythings in German was hopeing could change language via disk but just learned I need to change my roms.. but other then that love the machine

[[ProToS]]

hi,

 

Max HD size? ISTR STs had some 32Mb partition limit. Do I need some HD software or does it come with or is there some decent PD s.w?

 

no limt for the hd size with hddriver ( see the link below )

 

install disk comes with AHDI and they don't allow to use 1 GB partition

 

try with CBHD to replace AHDI ( driver freeware, conf prg shareware but fully usable )

http://home.t-online.de/home/Steffen.Engel/CBHD502.TOS

 

english rsc and docs

http://www.cix.co.uk/~derryck/misc/cbhd502e.zip

 

or buy HDdriver ( the better driver )

http://www.seimet.de/hddriver_english.html

 

Display? Can I play all games with one VGA monitor or will VGA only run a VGA mode and I need an ST monitor to run St games (with Backwards).

 

some f030 games are rgb only but most off them are rgb and vga

and for finish yes you can run st games on a vga with backward

 

 

I need it spelled out in English!!!!  

 

tos4.0* is multilangual, use this tool for changing the NVRAM settings

 

http://www.seimet.de/files/atari/bootc132.zip

[Methanoid]

Thanks for the helpful answers.... I think they install disks (if they come) will be German so if there is anywhere I can DL them ??

[herr professor]

Can cbhd be used on IDE drives? THe documenation says no, but others sources seem to suggest doing so. I've tried using cecile, which works, but only with the floppy in the drive. I always get three bombs at boot if I try and boot without it...

 

 

I couldnt even get ahdi to work on the drive, it says it has a older version of ahdi on it which isn't true. Is that just a generic error message. Shpould I just remove all the partition info using fdsk on the pc and start over?

 

hddriver is intersting but the demo is useless and its not orderable online (:/)

 

]hi,

 

Max HD size? ISTR STs had some 32Mb partition limit. Do I need some HD software or does it come with or is there some decent PD s.w?

 

no limt for the hd size with hddriver ( see the link below )

 

install disk comes with AHDI and they don't allow to use 1 GB partition

 

try with CBHD to replace AHDI ( driver freeware, conf prg shareware but fully usable )

http://home.t-online.de/home/Steffen.Engel/CBHD502.TOS

 

[twbrown]

No I haven't gotten new rom chips yet...I tried a program to switch tos versions via software but all i got was bombs booted up the system again but slow going as i don't speak German. once i get roms looks like i have to redo harddrive as well.

[jens]

You can use Scsitools/Hushi as Driver for your HD. Unfortunately it is in German. But I explained the most important things in another thread here http://www.atariage.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=40070 just above the bottom of the page. Provides one gig partitions.

If you want bigger ones you have to use HdDriver either in combination with MagiC or an actual version of Mint.

[Methanoid]

OK I need HELP now. It arrived an hour ago and I have replaced KB with a English one.

 

I have only used an ST last about 10 years ago...so I am rusty as hell!

 

There is a HD fitted but it does not boot... might be knackered or no driver installed or blank.

 

Questions:

 

1) How can I find the TOS version?

 

2) Found I have 4Mb ram.. damn!! - DONE

 

3) Changed NVRam settings to English - DONE

 

4) Installed HD (170Mb) with CBHD and now machine bombs. How do I force machine not to load from HD so I can get AHDI on instead?

 

5) Using HD Floppies from PC no probs.

 

Any help mucho appreciated

 

UPDATEd: solved some probs myself

 

 

Meth

[jens]

To prevent the Falcon from booting the hd just press alt until the desktop arrives (it was alt, wasn't it - I normally don't have to use this... ).

Then take a floppy with say hushi/scsi-tools ( ), ahdi or even cbhd and start the hushi.app or the driver program of cbhd respectively.

Go to the third point of the 'extras' menue (I only have it in German, sorry I can't tell what it is exactly...), must be something with drives. After that you should see all drive icons (A, C, c, and whatever you have as partitions.

Now open C:AUTO and rename all things in it to xxxxxxxx.PRX. This will disable them. Now try to start again without suppressing the hard drive.

If this doesn't work try with another disk driver.

 

To find out the TOS version you can use the control panel. Or Sysinfo.

Or ask the person who had the Falcon before you.

 

Four megs of ram are ok. It's enough for using MagiC. And for surfing the web of course...