... I am having problems with the initial configuration. I have a Transend 512MB 40pin C/F card which I got from Steve. I have repeated the process many times and have searched through forums but still no luck.

This is a long post but I think it should provide all the info needed without keep going back and forth. I hope someone can help.... please!

In my previous post a couple of weeks ago I said I am purchasing just the cartridge with Trascend card and not a SIO2PC cable, so at the moment I have no way of booting or using utilities from real Atari drives. All I have is the MyIDE cartridge and 512MB card. Here is where I am...

I followed Paranoid's MyIDE Quickstart & Setup Guide exactly as follows:

(1) For the step:


sometimes the drive is correctly detected, sometimes not. When it is correct it shows:
C: 00993 H:16 Sec63

(2) I do the following step (I also did try skipping it as it is not in Steve's guide):


(3) I then did this:


Then I exit and save. The Atari then either shows 'I/O ERROR. REBOOT' or gets stuck with 0001<CBN>.

(4) I now remove the Transend card and plug it directly into my motherboards IDE socket on my XP PC, and boot up.

I then follow Paranoids instructions using MakeATR to create a 16MB image for MyDOS 4.53, and write the DOS files in the Atari++ emulator. I successfully test the image by booting the emulator with this new image in D1.

(5) From DOS I type:
myidetool.exe --list
MyIDE Tool V0.12
(c) 2006 by Matthias Reichl <hias@horus.com>

\\.\PhysicalDrive0: 30401/255/63 C/H/S, 238472MB
\\.\PhysicalDrive1: 14946/255/63 C/H/S, 117239MB
\\.\PhysicalDrive2: 496/32/63 C/H/S, 488MB

(6) I then write the MyDOS image I created to the 1st partition as follows:

myidetool.exe \\.\PhysicalDrive2 -p 1 -w Atari.atr

(7) I then list the partition information:

myidetool.exe \\.\PhysicalDrive2 -l

MyIDE partition table:
993 cylinders 16 heads 63 sectors (1008 sectors per cyl)
Image space: first cylinder: 256 cylinders per slot: 2 total slots: 368
partitions: 1 option byte: 00000000 drive bits: 00000001
part active drv start end dns sectors
1 yes D1: 1 67 DD 65535
2 no D0: 0 0 SD 0
3 no D0: 0 0 SD 0
4 no D0: 0 0 SD 0
5 no D0: 0 0 SD 0
6 no D0: 0 0 SD 0
7 no D0: 0 0 SD 0
8 no D0: 0 0 SD 0

(8) I have also read the image back from the card as follows:
myidetool.exe \\.\PhysicalDrive2 -p 1 -b atback.atr
.....and then sucessfully mount and boot it from Atari++. The directory listing shows the 2 DOS files so this tells me the card is ok.

(9) Now I put put the Transend back in the Atari Cartridge, and switch on. It does not boot to DOS, but goes to the Flashload menu (13/08/08) which says 'Drive is Ready'.

(10) If I press START and 0 (on my 65XE) it goes to a screen saying 'S0001 <CBN>.

(11) If I repeat and this time go to PICODOS I sometimes get a disk error and rarely could see the 2 DOS files.

(12) If I go back to FDISK I sometimes see the partition correctly, although sometimes I have to select Init/Reload. It then sometimes show correct info but sometimes it shows corrupted info.

I am sure I have followed steps correctly because I can read the image from the Transend to the PC and boot it up in the emulator. Maybe I have a faulty cartridge. Sometimes the blue light stays on. Behaviour is not consistent. Sometimes I see partition info, then reboot the Atari and don't.

Any help would be much appreciated. (please remember I do not have a SIO2PC cable).

Thanks

Here is some addtional info...

(1) With the MyIDE plugged in if I hold OPTION down while booting up the Atari it does not go to BASIC (it goes to SELF test).

(2) With the MyIDE plugged in if I don't hold OPTION it goes to the MyIDE Flashlaod menu.

(3) If I boot without cartridge holding option down I go to BASIC.

(4) If I boot without cartridge not holding option down I go to SELF TEST.

I think that step (1) is incorrect - it should go to BASIC.

I have also tried various combinations with the Master/Slave switch on the Transend, but to no avail.

I also just tried the cartridge on my spare Atari 130XE and get the same behaviour.

Use Fdisk option and turn off image loading. Save and exit.

I had a look at the FDISK menu. Where do I do this? Is it select 'Image' and then set HiByte to 0?

Please excuse my ignorance.

If once I have created a partition and saved it, if I then reboot and go back to FDISK shouldn't I see the partition previously created? Sometimes I do but mostly I don't.

Hi newat,

The procedure is correct. You did it all to perfection, do not change
the setting with fdisk.

The booting with option too. This is how the cartridge behaves
and makes it possible to boot a disk and flash the cartridge content.
This is a security bypass. Option bypasses the cartridge and does not
enabe the internal atari-basic-rom.

Your 130xe has the same problems with booting from MyIDE?
You have the new transparant/blue led with gold contacts?
If both yes: check your powersupply / switch to a 1.5 amp Atari-psu.
Most likely the psu you have now has a bad 5 volt DC. (due to old caps)
Other issue could be dirty cartridge connector (unlikely on both machines, but you never know!)

Cheers,
Sijmen.

about booting:
do NOT hold start while selecting 0,1 or 2,
this sends you to the image-loading routine.
since you have no ATR-images copied to your card it are empty slots!
just boot, get the menu and select 0 1 or 2.
no cartridge, basic or assembly.
the partition D1 will be booted.
you should get "i/o-error reboot" if data is read badly.

You can select S density to double the image-space on your card if needed.
Disks larger than 1007 sectors will be cut-off.

from the manual:
Image.
This is to set image-mode, a nice mode to store diskettes as images on your IDE-device. Images can be (multi-disk) game-diskettes or work-in-progress disks. The image-mode is activated when there are non-zero values in the main screen at Image/Siz:. You need to decide how many space you want to devote to images and thus leave for partitions.

Note: Due to the MyIDE-standard image-space is not available on all devices. You must have more then a multiplication of 256 cylinders to make image-mode active. Image-space uses all the space above this cylinder.

Press I to enter.
Press ENTER (zero value) to de-activate image-mode.
Enter Cyl. HiByte #. Input-field is 1 digit. Multiplicator, 1 = cyl 256.
Enter S/M Density. Input-field is 1 key. M = 1040 sector disks, S = 720.
FDISK will return to the main screen. Image/Siz will be changed.

Mr Atari,

Many thanks for the response. I have tried all kinds of things and have FDISKed the card several times.

Before I answer some of your qestions can I just ask this.... Is it ok to start completely from scratch with the card by simply going to FDISK and selecting 'Init' and then 'Auto'?

Q ."Your 130xe has the same problems with booting from MyIDE?"
A. Yes the same problems happen with the 130XE and I used its own power supply too.

Q, You have the new transparant/blue led with gold contacts?
A. Yes I got it through the post from Steve yesterday. Sometimes the blue leds stay alight, sometimes they do not. I live in England and have PAL Ataris which I guess is ok?

Q. If both yes: check your powersupply / switch to a 1.5 amp Atari-psu.
A1. My 65XE Power Supply says Input:240V-50Hz 0.11A. Output: PIN 4-1-6 +5V - 1.5A (type DV-515UK).
A2. My 130XE supply says Input 240V-50Hz 24W. Output: 5V-7.5A (CO 61763-34).
Are these ok - one says 1.5A? What would I need to buy?

Q. Other issue could be dirty cartridge connector (unlikely on both machines, but you never know!)
A. If it is, how could I clean these.


As I said, I did write a DOS image to Partition 1 of the Transend and when I read it back from the card to the PC the backed-up image will boot an emulator.

What I find strange is the behaviour is very inconsistent with the cartridge is very inconsistent, so maybe as you say it is to do with power.

Many thanks

Hi Newat,

You are the first who reads back a saved partition to check consistancy.
That is a good idea, now you know sure the transcend is ok.

UK machines are fine for MyIDE. Only secam units don't work.
There will be a simple reason for the troubles you have......

To start from scratch again and again is no problem.
FDISK only rewrites sector #0 with the new partition information.
The data saved to sectors will be present.
If you want a clean format, format it on the PC, then FDISK on the atari.
But that won't make any difference, because unlinked sectors won't be read.

Sometimes MyDOS does not like a real atari settings when run from emu.
If this is the case, you need to boot mydos from a real disk.
-first disable myide on the menu with shift+control+D
-then press 0, booting from real drive.
-in dos, press shift+control+R (reset ide)
-press 1 to see dir of D1 on MyIDE
-write DOS files using H option.

Could you redo the init and just save a SD 720 disk with mydos only?
I have attached a good working ATR.
When booting from the card you should get "I/O-error, reboot!" during
bad read of data. Can you check this?

When the LED stays on, there was a bad read and the atari has a lock up.
The Trancend can be powered externally, correct?
Please try this.
Any PC-psu will do fine (for powering the atari with clean 5 volt too).
Perhaps you have a external PSU for a IDE-to-USB? That will work fine too.

I'll be away two days.
Cheers,
Sijmen.

Oh,yes, connector is cleaned with contactspray, toothbrush and rinced
with isopropyl("rubbing")-alcohol and toothbrush. But a short rub with
some fine grinded sandpaper will do fine too. Don't for get the blow away
the dust afterwards.

Hello Mr Atari,
Please find below the outcome of my tests.

Q.
"Sometimes MyDOS does not like a real atari settings when run from emu.
If this is the case, you need to boot mydos from a real disk.
-first disable myide on the menu with shift+control+D
-then press 0, booting from real drive.
-in dos, press shift+control+R (reset ide)
-press 1 to see dir of D1 on MyIDE
-write DOS files using H option."

A. Unfortunately I do NOT have a MyDOS 5.25" floppy, so cannot boot from the real Atari. Is it possible to order this from your shop if I cover the cost of the disk and postage?

Q. Could you redo the init and just save a SD 720 disk with mydos only?
I have attached a good working ATR.
When booting from the card you should get "I/O-error, reboot!" during
bad read of data. Can you check this?"

A. Thanks for the image. Firstly I re-inited the disk (out of interest when I went into FDISK and selected 'Init' and then 'Auto' it could not determine the card structure. I turned the Atari on and off a few times until FDISK could determine the cards structure). After saving the settings the Atari rebooted with the "I/O-error, reboot" message.

I then plugged the Transend into my PC motherboard and used MYIDEOTOOL to copy your SD 720 MYDOS image to the card. I then put the card back into the MyIDE cartridge and when I select to go to BASIC it does get the "I/O-error, reboot" message. I ALSO tried to go to PICODOS and when I look at drive 1 by repeatedly pressing '1 sometimes I can see the 2 DOS files, sometimes I get a drive error message, and sometimes it says 'Empty Directory'.


Q. The Trancend can be powered externally, correct? Please try this.
Any PC-psu will do fine (for powering the atari with clean 5 volt too).
Perhaps you have a external PSU for a IDE-to-USB? That will work fine too.

A. I am a bit confused about the power supplies and what and where I am supposed to connect them to. Unfortuantely I know nothing about electrical/electronics. I have got a power connector with the Transend which I use to connect to the power supply inside my PC when plug the Transend into my motherbaord.. I also have PSU that is for a USB to IDE cable I have. It says 'Output 12V--2.5A 5V--2.5A. I tried to plug this into the Transend and when I switch it on, the Atari comes on as well (even though the Atari is switched off). Is this normal? I still get 'IO Errors' when I do this.

When you say any PC-psu will do fine - do you mean to plug into the Atari? If so how can I conenct it to the round power connector at the back of the Atari. Please excuse my limited knowledge of this! I am a bit confused!

Thanks again in advance for your assistance.

load APE make image slots empty,
floppy off,
cartridges out,
turn real Atari on. (ready).
turn real floppy #1 on.
In ape select image toolbox, launch prosystem.
in prosystem select atr functions, select write atr images to real disks. under the select images to write box load slot 1 with mydos image mr atari posted (freshly downloaded, re-download if needed but it has to be untouched) and click start. This should create a real bootable mr-atari mydos disk.
exit pro-system when done.
turn off atari wait a 11 to 15 seconds, some XE's require that much time to forget everything.
turn on holding option down and you should have my dos booted from real atari disk.

Thanks. Don't I need a SIO2PC cable for that? I only have the MyIDE Cartridge with Transend.

I would highly recommend it they are about 24-25 usd.
That being said, make sure you leave your Atari off long enough for it to forget between operations.
I did not need seperate power for my Atari with transcend.
I would do everything about the same, but not holding start ever.
using the atari to do the fdisking from the myIDE flash image. Then moving transcend to the pc for atr/ partitions transfers only. I never use the pc for fdisk operations. Just the tools to move files atrs and disks.
I hope that helps as I use to flick the power too quickly and had jumbled data all the time when I first started in the Atari Hard Disk world.
Try making the first partion single density with the mr atari mydos atr as the boot image in that first partition.

I will try this.


I am doing the same - doing FDISKing on Atari. Then using PC to copy ATRs to the transend using the myidetool. I think that Mr Atari thinks there may be a power supply problem so he asked me to power the transend separately. I tried this and it did not help as I still cannot boot to DOS on the Atari. When he gets back I will see what he suggests.


I created a single density partition with the Mr Atari mydos as the boot image in the first partition, but still got same problem.
Thanks for the advice.

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omg I just saw your using myide tool from long ago v.12, go here it is a one stop shop for many needs much more up to date v.30.
http://www.horus.com/~hias/atari/
what your looking for is near the bottom.
I use 256 mode for most needs use 512 for mr atari movies etc.
and you have to enjoy these as well
http://www.jeffersonsauctioneering.com/atari/myide.php
I sometimes have to remember the transcend is considered a solid state IDE hard drive.