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SIO2IDE Questions


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I've just fitted an SIO2IDE interface to my 65XE. I have a couple of questions, though, since at the moment FDISK.COM isn't recognizing the 2.5" HD. Does the drive need to be prepped/partitioned in any particular way before being fitted? i.e. FAT partitions of any special size? The connections are all good, the drive's getting power, but it isn't working so far.

 

And on the subject of power, the online guide advises against fitting the +5v and ground for the drive to the power socket. I assume the best place is to the legs of the on/off switch, but which legs? I've got it wired up at the moment with +5v to the "innermost" L-shaped leg, and the ground to the outermost (top) leg. The drive is still receiving power before the Atari is turned on, though.

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1. HDD for Sio2ide should be formatted in fat32 mode. There should be also at least 2 files in main directory - try with those :

 

http://www.mmj.pl/~lotharek/stuff/sio2ide/

 

 

Also, consider using s2ijukebox and FixAtr from http://trub.atari8.info/index.php?ref=ide

 

2. Connect 5V from Your 2,5 HDD directly to sio2ide. If Your HDD is not to hungry for AMPs it will be enough..

 

 

Or better change HDD to C-FLASH card in duet with ide adapter.

Edited by lotharek
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Which version of Sio2IDE are you using.

 

I'm very happy with 3.3a

 

I wrote some very cool tools for it. But since almost no one is using 3.2 and 3.3 I did not release those tools.

 

If anyone is interested. Let me know.

 

Marius

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Thanks for the quick replies. :) I've wired up the HD direct to the SIO2IDE +5v and the drive is spinning up fine when the power comes on. I'd previously formatted it as a Primary FAT32 partition, and placed the recommended config files on it. I've gone over the SIO solder joints again, checked that all jumper settings are correct, and it still won't detect the drive. It should boot from the MyDOS ATR file but it just times out.

 

I'm using version 4.4a.

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Thanks for the quick replies. :) I've wired up the HD direct to the SIO2IDE +5v and the drive is spinning up fine when the power comes on. I'd previously formatted it as a Primary FAT32 partition, and placed the recommended config files on it. I've gone over the SIO solder joints again, checked that all jumper settings are correct, and it still won't detect the drive. It should boot from the MyDOS ATR file but it just times out.

 

I'm using version 4.4a.

 

Have you tried pressing the reset key after a few seconds? The SIO2IDE takes longer to initialize than the computer so it will timeout initially and you have to press reset after it is done to boot off the device. I believe there is a way to wire it in so that the computer will wait for it to initialize but I don't know the details.

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Have you tried pressing the reset key after a few seconds? The SIO2IDE takes longer to initialize than the computer so it will timeout initially and you have to press reset after it is done to boot off the device. I believe there is a way to wire it in so that the computer will wait for it to initialize but I don't know the details.

I just tried that, still nothing. I don't know if this is significant, but after booting, the red power LED comes on, the yellow SIO LED starts flashing, and the IDE LED is permanently ON.

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Sio2IDE 4.4a is able to config the drive over USB. Is your interface also able doing that?

 

Are you sure your config file is valid?

 

What happens when you start the FDISK program from a regular disk or sio2pc, and then try to config things. Still no luck then?

 

greetz

M.

 

p.s. I know Sio2IDE 4.4a is slower with the initialisation compared to 3.3a. Perhaps you are going to fast? I'd say: boot up the harddisk. After that put power on the interface.

p.s.2 are you sure that the dipswitches are right set. So USB is disabled. And the init-jumper is switched off?

Edited by Marius1976
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I can't get the USB interface to work, then again I can't get the drive recognized by the PC using an external USB caddy either. It works fine when connected to the PC's IDE channel, though. I checked the voltage across the drive: near enough 5v. It's purring away but nothing's happening. USB jumper is set to OFF, the other two are ON. SIO led is flashing constantly.

 

As for FDISK, I tried loading that via SIO2SD, using both MyDOS and SDX. Program loads, but times out when trying to interrogate the HDD.

Edited by flashjazzcat
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There are too many problems in your story.

 

You really should try the sio2ide with other drives or compact flash things to be sure the problem is in the interface.

 

The fact that this drive is also not configurable through USB is a clue....

 

Try another drive.

 

Marius

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You really should try the sio2ide with other drives or compact flash things to be sure the problem is in the interface.

 

The fact that this drive is also not configurable through USB is a clue....

 

Try another drive.

I tend to agree. The fact the drive no longer works in a USB caddy suggests it's been damaged somehow. It still works as an internal drive on the PC (with an adaptor), but not via USB. I don't have another 2.5" drive, so the project's on hold until I get one. :(

 

Actually, if anyone has a small, low power 2.5" IDE drive spare, I might be interested.

Edited by flashjazzcat
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OK: got a CF card and adapter at yet further expense... :) I think a photo's in order here because it still doesn't work:

 

post-21964-1242410871_thumb.jpg

 

Jumpers are all ON except the USB jumper, which is OFF. I've triple checked the wiring to the SIO port. The CF card is new, FAT formatted, and contains SIO config file and MyDOS image as downloaded from the suggested links. I note that the CF adapter doesn't appear to be getting any power (however, in an SIO2IDE video demonstrating this same setup, there's no separate power supply being fed to the adapter). None of the adapter's LEDs are lit, suggesting to me that there's something wrong here.

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Please, make short movie showing all three leds` acting when ATARI is switched ON

SIO2IDE_Boot.wmv

SIO LED starts flashing towards the end of the clip.

Sio2ide doesn't recognise Your CF CARD - blinking led indicates it.

If everything is ok only power LED lights on.

I tested sio2ide with all CF card made by Kigston (128MB-1GB)

 

1) Connect Adapter and CF Card do PC

2) Boot PC from CD with Win98SE Installer (and from menu choose Run Computer with CD/DVD drivers)

3) Run Fdisk and create on CF Card 1 Primary Partition in FAT32 (sometimes creating and formatting partitions in Windows XP doesn't work correctly)

4) Put on CF card only 2 files: You Can find it on -> http://marcinprusisz.pl/atari/sio2ide/ and try again!

5) Connect adapter and CF Card to sio2ide. Remove 2 jumper HD1_ZW and MODE_ZW and RUN Atari.

Wait a moment if everything is ok only power LED ligths on.

6) Put RESET+Option .. and in 4-5 seconds You will see Mydos menu.

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Thanks for the quick reply.

 

I've followed your instructions, having first:

 

- Hooked up the CF adapter card to the SIO2IDE's power supply. This gives me three LEDs always ON on the adapter (straight away I'm wondering why the activity light is always on...)

- totally re-wired the connection from the Atari's SIO port to the SIO_IO header.

 

Everything has now been checked and triple-checked. The CF card is correctly set up, wiring is 100% correct, jumpers are set properly. All 3 LEDs on the CF adapter are permanently lit, as are all 3 LEDs on the SIO2IDE (until the SIO LED starts flashing, that is).

 

Spent yet another morning on this and got nowhere. The thing is behaving exactly as it did when I first installed it. No amount of tinkering is helping; I've even gone out and bought different storage media for it. Need more suggestions or I'll have to conclude it just doesn't work.

Edited by flashjazzcat
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Thanks for the quick reply.

 

I've followed your instructions, having first:

 

- Hooked up the CF adapter card to the SIO2IDE's power supply. This gives me three LEDs always ON on the adapter (straight away I'm wondering why the activity light is always on...)

- totally re-wired the connection from the Atari's SIO port to the SIO_IO header.

 

Everything has now been checked and triple-checked. The CF card is correctly set up, wiring is 100% correct, jumpers are set properly. All 3 LEDs on the CF adapter are permanently lit, as are all 3 LEDs on the SIO2IDE (until the SIO LED starts flashing, that is).

 

Spent yet another morning on this and got nowhere. The thing is behaving exactly as it did when I first installed it. No amount of tinkering is helping; I've even gone out and bought different storage media for it. Need more suggestions or I'll have to conclude it just doesn't work.

 

Buy CF-Card made by Kingston and give me 2 days - I will make another sio2ide and I will send You short movie. I have used this interface at home with my CF Card and all worked OK!

Can You put on forum your interface photos (jumpers settings, sio connector, jumpers and power supply on cf adapter).

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Buy CF-Card made by Kingston and give me 2 days - I will make another sio2ide and I will send You short movie. I have used this interface at home with my CF Card and all worked OK!

Can You put on forum your interface photos (jumpers settings, sio connector, jumpers and power supply on cf adapter).

That's great - I'll document my settings, etc, later on. However, I honestly don't think it's the card, and I can't afford to go out and buy another one. There was nothing saying that the card had to be manufactured by Kingston. I'm quite sure another SIO2IDE will work fine. If I can borrow another CF card somewhere I will try it, but I'm not throwing even more money at the problem.

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Buy CF-Card made by Kingston and give me 2 days - I will make another sio2ide and I will send You short movie. I have used this interface at home with my CF Card and all worked OK!

Can You put on forum your interface photos (jumpers settings, sio connector, jumpers and power supply on cf adapter).

That's great - I'll document my settings, etc, later on. However, I honestly don't think it's the card, and I can't afford to go out and buy another one. There was nothing saying that the card had to be manufactured by Kingston. I'm quite sure another SIO2IDE will work fine. If I can borrow another CF card somewhere I will try it, but I'm not throwing even more money at the problem.

 

First - put on forum your interface photos!

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Buy CF-Card made by Kingston and give me 2 days - I will make another sio2ide and I will send You short movie. I have used this interface at home with my CF Card and all worked OK!

Can You put on forum your interface photos (jumpers settings, sio connector, jumpers and power supply on cf adapter).

That's great - I'll document my settings, etc, later on. However, I honestly don't think it's the card, and I can't afford to go out and buy another one. There was nothing saying that the card had to be manufactured by Kingston. I'm quite sure another SIO2IDE will work fine. If I can borrow another CF card somewhere I will try it, but I'm not throwing even more money at the problem.

 

First - put on forum your interface photos!

 

On a picture above you can see that ide-cf adapter isn't connected with power supply.

Please connect (2 wires) +5V, and GND to IDE-CF Adapter (You will find 2 goldpins on sio2ide pcb above the atmel on the right) first pin on the left is GND, second have +5V.

 

power supply connector for ide-cf adapter is the same as in fdd power supply.

 

look at:

 

http://lagwar.com/home/wp-content/uploads/..._power_conn.jpg

 

RED wires is +5V

BLACK wires GND

 

Then check again sio2ide.

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Power supply was already hooked up to CF adapter as described. Here are some photos:

 

post-21964-1242494367_thumb.jpg

 

post-21964-1242494380_thumb.jpg

 

post-21964-1242494979_thumb.jpg

 

post-21964-1242494990_thumb.jpg

 

Since I've rewired the SIO_IO connector, it isn't obvious that the wires go to the correct pins on the SIO port. However, they do.

 

I hope these are clear enough. I've tried several combinations of jumper settings, to no avail.

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We may be getting somewhere here. It appears that this particular CF adapter should go the other way up. :ponder: When flipped, behaviour is more sensible (although the device still won't boot). Events are as follows at startup:

 

SIO2IDE's Power LED comes on, as does the CF adapter's power and card detect LEDs.

 

SIO2IDE's IDE LED flickers briefly (presumably as it interrogates the CF device).

 

Thereafter the device still times out. I'm trying to format the CF card in different ways to see if it will get picked up.

 

Success!!! :D Working perfectly now. The (Peak) CF card works well with SIO2IDE. Our main problem was that this CF adaptor goes in the other way up. That, and having a faulty IDE drive to contend with earlier in the week.

 

Thanks Pigula for all your help. It goes to show that it's usually the simple things which get overlooked when troubleshooting stuff like this. The little Atari is great now: boots up from internal SDX with a 256MB RAMdisk and a 16MB hard drive... fabulous stuff. :)

 

...And now it's not recognizing the card again. This is seemingly random. Reformatting it again. There must be a sweet spot to be found somewhere... it was working perfectly till I powered off.

Edited by flashjazzcat
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