Using a CF card as hard drive in A590HD+ on Amiga 500

[SectionZ]

Hey Guys, not sure if theres much interest in this here, but the old Commodore stuff seems to be quite popular ATM & these CF solutions are popping up for the IDE A600 / A1200 & even the C=64.

 

I spent a good few hours trawling though Amiga Board threads on this & even though the A590 has support for both IDE (problem is its 8bit only!) & SCSI, I couldn't find a reasonable solution.

 

Finally I stumbled upon this: http://a4000t.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65_79&products_id=184&zenid=b48887ed6b7707db00c63b62b63c71ed

 

Far simpler than I first imagined, it's just a SCSI (50pin) card reader.

I still need to update ROMS in A590 to detect larger drive size but at least it's detected the Flash card & with the PCMCIA CF adapter I can even have 2 CF cards.

 

Scope of this for me personally is just to have my favourite Amiga games running from HD using WHDload on a silent Amiga 500 so I think it will do the Job nicely.

 

Will update once I have it setup properly or run into any problems.

 

Sean

[Roxbury]

Cool. I am going through a similar process. I have just installed a CF card in my A1200, and am very happy except there are a number of games which don't work well on the 1200. I have an A500 + A590. The 20MB drive still works! Anyway, I have a few spare 4GB 80 pin SCSI drives. I have ordered a couple of adapters and some blank ROM chips so I can do an upgrade.

 

If you like once I get the chips I could program you a set for $5 plus postage if you are interested. I have only just ordered them, so it will be a couple of weeks at least.

[SectionZ]

Hi mate, I think I can program the V6.6 ROMS for the A590 I need but I may also need ROM? upgrade for the A500 to get WHDload to work properly?

 

It's been years since I first installed WHDload over to the A1200 so I'm a bit rusty, I sold the 1200 but kept a backup of the install so I could use it in my A500, as soon as the A1200 left, the back up HDD died: Worked the day before :rolleyes

Edited April 12, 2012 by SectionZ
oops

[Roxbury]

Ahh yes you will probably need extra RAM for WHDLOAD to work. Luckily My A590 is fully populated with 2MB RAM.

 

If you decide you need any extra ROM Chips for programming later let me know as I ordered 10.

[SectionZ]

I do have 2MB fast RAM in the A590 & 1MB chip in the A500, but last time I used WHDload I think I needed to update the A500 too.

 

Like I said it's been awhile, I'll send you a PM once I'm clear with what I need.

 

Thanks, Sean

[Roxbury]

I do have 2MB fast RAM in the A590 & 1MB chip in the A500, but last time I used WHDload I think I needed to update the A500 too.

 

Hmm well if that is the case, I am in the same boat!

[lilcuda]

If you need SCSI drives I think I have half a dozen 9gb to 15gb drives doing nothing.

[lien_Zed]

now that is a very cool bit of hardware, i wish i had one of those scsi CF card hard drive's back in 1992 when i first got my amiga 500.now, where is my Delorean?

[mamejay]

Ahh yes you will probably need extra RAM for WHDLOAD to work. Luckily My A590 is fully populated with 2MB RAM.

 

If you decide you need any extra ROM Chips for programming later let me know as I ordered 10.

 

i would be in for some ROM chips. That would be awesome!

[SectionZ]

now that is a very cool bit of hardware, i wish i had one of those scsi CF card hard drive's back in 1992 when i first got my amiga 500.now, where is my Delorean?

 

You first got your A500 in 1992, bit late wasn't it. What did you uprgade from then? B+W TV Pong game :lol

[Roxbury]

I recently received the 27C64Q chips. I tried to burn the V7.0 roms with my Wellon VP-280. I have not had any success. I have eliminated all problems other than the possibility the programmer doesn't like those chips. The Wellon website seems to be down, so I can't check for any info. I have found some references on forums where people have said their VP-280s have trouble with anything less than 128s.

 

Does anybody have any ideas?

[lien_Zed]

You first got your A500 in 1992, bit late wasn't it. What did you uprgade from then? B+W TV Pong game :lol

 

i was 17 at the time and got my first job and payed for it my self:)

[SectionZ]

I recently received the 27C64Q chips. I tried to burn the V7.0 roms with my Wellon VP-280. I have not had any success. I have eliminated all problems other than the possibility the programmer doesn't like those chips. The Wellon website seems to be down, so I can't check for any info. I have found some references on forums where people have said their VP-280s have trouble with anything less than 128s.

 

Does anybody have any ideas?

 

 

I burned the V7.0 ok, Got the 2GB CF card setup as HDD ok now. Used HN482764 & MSL2764 on an old Universal programmmer & Tester.

 

You should be able to use 128's if you burn to both halves? I couldn't test this cause I don't have any 128's that will blank/program.

 

If you can't get them to program I can send you and Mamejay a set.

 

What are you getting with the earlier ROMS? it should still pick up HDD but only the first 1GB will be properly recognised.

 

To check the V7.0 are working properly I made the 3rd partition in the 2nd GB. first pic is with V4.4 second is with V7.0

Edited April 28, 2012 by SectionZ

[Roxbury]

If you can't get them to program I can send you and Mamejay a set.

 

What are you getting with the earlier ROMS? it should still pick up HDD but only the first 1GB will be properly recognised.

 

I think I might need to get you to send me a set! I tried again today, and I did get one of the chips to burn (U12), but U13 refused.

 

If you like I could send you some 27c64 chips, including some for Mamejays set if he wants them.

 

I haven't tried a a bigger SCSI drive yet with current roms (v4.6), I am waiting on an adapter that I need.

[SectionZ]

I think I might need to get you to send me a set! I tried again today, and I did get one of the chips to burn (U12), but U13 refused.

 

If you like I could send you some 27c64 chips, including some for Mamejays set if he wants them.

 

I haven't tried a a bigger SCSI drive yet with current roms (v4.6), I am waiting on an adapter that I need.

 

No probs mate, I programmed 2 extra sets yesterday. PM me your Address & i'll send them out this week.

[SectionZ]

I did have a few issues setting up the card reader, I couldn't get it to boot from the CF or pick it up properly in the CF slot using LUN.

 

Solution I used was to set the Jumpers so it was scsi.device 6 & use the CF in the PCMCIA, then it worked ok & boots from CF. A590 dips are 1 on. 2,3,4 off. Only problem with that is the PCMCIA slot sticks out & it doesn't fit it the case nicely, though I could get the cover on with a slight mod to the case :D (one of the screw housings is in the way)

 

I wanted to see how far I could get with Kickstart 1.3, well I got this far, but for WHDload probably need to go higher (it requires at least Kickstart 2.0). Pity I couldn't find any 27c400's or I could of had a go at programming some kicks...

 

Thats about it really, a 2GB card in an A500 with kick 1.3 Autobooting from CF & Silent :)

 

Just a matter of installing the Software now, couple of options here, easiest might be to mount the CF in UAE and install, or could maybe have a PC partition & use crossdos to transfer stuff...

 

Cheers,

Sean

[Roxbury]

Thanks to SectionZ I received the v7.0 ROMS and they work fine.

 

Unfortunately I am having trouble getting the 4GB SCSI drives I have recognised using the A590 setup disk.

 

I have tried different SCSI device numbers using jumpers, but doing some research online I might need to use a terminator? The drives I have mention they do not offer any internal termination, so maybe that is the problem??

 

This is doing my head in for now, if anybody has had success upgrading to a SCSI drive inside an A590 let me know!

[Roxbury]

Doing some more research, I think my 80pin to 50 pin SCSI converter isn't terminated, and I have found plenty of info stating that termination is an issue with what I am doing. Getting a terminated converter will set me back at least $20. Also there is no guarantee that it will fix my problem, I have no way of testing the SCSI drives, although they do power up and spin up in the A590.

 

Maybe I should save and get a CF Card reader myself for the A590? So much better not having a nosiy fan & drive.

[SectionZ]

I have a 1.2GB 50 pin that works but its noisy, thats probably the main reason I looked into a CF solution. Older Mac's are probably the best place to find 50pin scsi drives & cables. Also using an external SCSI case might work as they have there own Termination, but that gets a bit untidy.

 

The card reader with CF is working ok but as I said earlier I can only get it set up properly using the PCMCIA adapter so far. I am limited by having only kick 1.3 ATM. I will be ordering a 3.1 ROM this week, should be able to try WHDload in a few weeks, it's probably going to struggle with an A500 3MB RAM though

 

I did find the seller to be very good, no problems incase you do decide to go that way.

[Roxbury]

I have been doing a bit of searching about RAM upgrades for A500. I don't think you can upgrade any more than the extra 512k via the trapdoor, and the only way to have more memory is via the side port, which would mean using something other than an A590 that has more RAM.

 

One thing I did find is that the A501 memory expansion is not accessed as true fast RAM, and in actual fact operates as "slow" RAM. There is a mod you can do to make the A501 accessed as true chip ram, which means it will can handle more graphic memory etc etc. This might be enough to squeeze just a little extra performance out of the A500 to handle WHDLOAD better? I assume that you may have a similar motivation to me - I have a 1200 with an extra 4mb fast RAM, and it handles WHDLOAD fine, however there are some games that don't work with the 1200, therefore you need to play them on an A500. Maybe for these games which only require a stock 512k normally, you could get away with the total 3mb of ram between the A500 + A590. The conversion of trapdoor ram to CHIP might make a difference as well.

 

Here is a link to some doco http://www.textfiles.com/computers/a500_1mb

 

There are different ways to do it depending on the MB revision, and there are also options to to populate an extra 512K on board of some models as well. Might be worth a try?

[SectionZ]

Already done that mod, thats why its 1MB chip 2MB fast, there are another couple of MODS I want to try aswell 14Mhz mod on both the CPU & A590. Other RAM expansions are available & even an angus that can handle 2MB chip but it gets expensive. Pity the PCMCIA cant be used as RAM? like the 1200 can but I guess thats not possible through the SCSI controller.

 

Thing is 3MB ends up as about 2.4MB once WB has loaded & a bit more would be nice, but hopefully its enough for most of the games the A500 can handle.

[Roxbury]

Luckily one of my 3 A500s (2 of which work) was revision 6A, so I did the A501 memory mod today, very easy to do. While I was at it I removed the battery from it, lucky as it just appeared to start leaking.

[SectionZ]

Yeah I think it makes a difference, I did that mod on one of my 6A's a few years back, I have another that is untouched as yet... I had a play around with the 14Mhz CPU mod but I havn't been able to get it to work so far.....

 

Parts needed are:

 

16Mhz 68000 (removed one from Arcade parts board)

74F74 (parts boards are handy)

Switch & hookup wire

 

The best info I have been able to find is here it's in french but at least has some pics.

 

Not looked into the SCSI mod yet. Most info available is for A2091 but it should work on A590.

 

These mods had a few problems (mainly with floppy drives) but it might be interesting to see how they would go with a CF card.

 

EDIT: I just rebooted it a few times & the 14Mhz CPU Mod is working :) ..Seems quite a bit faster.

 

added a pic, I used wrapping wire for the initial tests probably best to use something thicker for to the switch.

Edited May 18, 2012 by SectionZ

[SectionZ]

Still waiting for the ROM to arrive so I can test out WHDload, more on that & the mods later...

 

Meanwhile I setup the A500 and put most of my original games on display, here's a few pics. The SCART TV is about 1.5M away on another desk.

 

One game I always thought was underrated & would be a great candidate for a remake is Infestation, it has a great atmoshere & the sounds are just awesome, be nice to see the graphics updated though. Skip the first minute or so of the intro below.

 

Infestation intro scene

[Roxbury]

Nice one! I am interested to see how you go with WHDLOAD. I reckon I will buy one of the card readers when I have some spare cash.