Embedded Files
NOTE: One of the very cool features of using a CF/IDE card adapter is that it makes loading software onto the retro PC "hard drive" very easy.
With the computer powered-off, remove the CF Card and attach it to a modern computer (with a CF card reader) and it should show up as a mounted drive. You can download software, games, etc.. and copy them directly to the CF Card.
Remember that whatever you copy to the CF Card must be readable by MS-DOS, so do not put disk images or compressed files directly on the CF Card, instead expand those or mount the images and copy the contents to the CF Card.
Enabling CF Card (IDE) Adapter based "drive" as "bootable"!
A fairly easy process to get around MS-DOS limitations.
So the problem I ran into was that I had an IDE hard drive that was already installed and I wanted to replace it with the CF Card/IDE adapter and make the card bootable. However, with limitations in MS-DOS, you can only have a single IDE device connected and select a partition on it to be active (bootable). If you attempt to select a different partition on a different device, you will receive the message that their is already an active partition selected.
If you attempt make the CF/IDE adapter the only device and attempt to boot from it, it will be unsuccessful, with a message at the point when MS-DOS would normally start "PRESS ANY KEY TO REBOOT", which basically means, no bootable devices found.
The work around is install the CF/IDE adapter per installation instructions and then prepare the card and then use a bootable DOS floppy to mark the CF/IDE primary partition as active.
Prepare a bootable DOS floppy by formatting a floppy disk with the following options:
FORMAT A: /sThen copy the following programs to your newly formatted DOS floppy:
CHKDSK.EXE
FORMAT.COM
FDISK.EXE
Power-off the computer and install the CF Card / IDE adapter per installation instructions. Ensure that it is set to Master IDE selection. Ensure your BIOS is able to detect the CF/IDE device and configures it appropriately, else MS-DOS will not see it.
Put the floppy disk into the drive and power-on the system. Allow it to boot from the floppy disk to a prompt.
Run the FDISK.EXE utility and ensure that CF-Card can be seen.
Delete any existing partitions on the CF/IDE device.
Minimally create at least one 2GB partition (maximum allowed size for DOS) as a primary partition. You can create additional extended DOS partitions to use up the remaining space on the CF card (based on available space).
Within FDISK utility, select the option to set an active partition. Choose the new primary DOS partition created in the previous step.
Exit the FDISK utility and format the new partition (which should be drive C:).
FORMAT C: /sEject the floppy disk and reboot the computer. It should successfully boot to a DOS prompt from the CF/IDE adapter.
At this point, you can re-attach your older hard drive and copy everything off the hard drive to the CF/IDE card partitions or start to install other software and continue to work or play games. When done, either remove the hard drive or leave it attached and button up your PC.
Page updated
Report abuse