Boot-CFD-FAT95

Download

Boot-CFD-FAT95 is a floppy boot disk image provided in ADF format.

Use the ADF image directly in a Gotek floppy disk emulator.

Or write the image to floppy disk:

  • Get the ADF on to an Amiga and use tsgui to write it to floppy disk.

  • On a Windows/Linux/Mac machine - use Greaseweazle to write it to floppy disk.

Summary

This floppy boot disk has appropriate drivers and tools included so it can be used to:

  • Test that your Compact Flash card is working in the PCMCIA slot on your Amiga A600 or A1200.

  • Make a backup image of your Kickstart ROM.

  • View and dump memory space using mon.

  • Check hardware and system resources.

The follow drivers and software have been included:

BOOT-CFD-FAT95 also supports tsgui, even though it is not included. If you put tsgui on the CF storage card, you can launch it to write ADF and DMS files to floppy disk. Download tsgui from:

https://aminet.net/package/disk/misc/tsgui

Usage

Boot

Use the ADF image in a Gotek floppy disk emulator. Or write it to floppy disk.

When the disk boots, it will detect what Kickstart is running based on the version of exec.library and will create additional assigns to LIBS: for any extra libraries required for Kickstart 3.1, 3.X or 3.1.4.

CFD133 and FAT95 drivers are loaded and then Workbench will be launched.

Working CF Card

When a CF card is inserted, and if there are no conflicts with Fast memory, the CF card disk icon will appear on Workbench, indicating that the card is detected; the CFD133 and FAT95 drivers are working; and that the CF card is in the correct format (FAT16 or FAT32).

If the CF0 drive will have the name of the FAT16/FAT32 volume. If there is no name then it will use the random generated ID of it.

Compatible CF Card

If the CF is compatible but is not formatted as FAT16 or FAT32, then the device will appear in Workbench as CF0:NDOS or CF0:Unitialized

Incompatible CF Card

If the CF card does not appear on Workbench then it is not hardware compatible.

You should try a different CF card as some CF cards are just not hardware compatible.

PrepCard

You can use PrepCard to check whether the CF card has been detected in hardware and to see its Product ID.

(Below is an example from emulation)

Note: PrepCard is only used to see the CF card Product ID. It is NOT used to format ('Prepare' in PrepCard) the CF card. Formatting the CF card should be done on a Windows machine, or one that is capable of formatting FAT16/FAT32.

Hardware and System Resources

You can use the various system tools to check hardware and system resources:

transrom

transrom is provided so that you can make a backup of your Kickstart rom on to the CF card for transfer to another system.:

  • Open an AmigaShell window:

    • Right mouse click to bring up the menu

    • Choose Workbench->Execute Command...

    • Type in 'newshell' and press the Ok button

  • Use the following command to backup the Kickstart rom to the CF (CF0:) card:

transrom >CF0:kickstart.rom

Name the 'kickstart.rom' file to your requirements.

mon

mon is a machine language monitor/debugger

See guide and docs for further details:

http://aminet.net/package/dev/moni/mon165

An example of it use is to dump the boot image of an Archos OverDrive HD.

AExplorer

AExplorer is the Amiga client side of the Amiga Explorer solution from Cloanto.

Run AExplorer so that you can connect to your Amiga over a Serial Null Modem (7-wire) cable to your PC running Amiga Explorer.


tsgui

BOOT-CFD-FAT95 also supports tsgui, even though it is not included. If you put tsgui on the CF storage card, you can launch it to write ADF and DMS files to floppy disk. Download tsgui from:

https://aminet.net/package/disk/misc/tsgui

Put your ADF and DMS files on to the CF storage card to and you and point tsgui to it.

It is recommended to select the Format while writing and Verify options before writing the ADF (or DMS) file to floppy disk (File -> Disk) in DF0 (or DF1, if you have an external drive).

Known Issues

8MB Fast Ram

Kickstart 3.1 and 3.X will disable the PCMCIA slot if it detects 8MB of Fast ram in Zorro-II address space.

There is a 'cardres' patch that can be applied to Kickstart 3.1 to remove this 'feature':

http://eab.abime.net/showpost.php?p=1172678&postcount=226

Some 8MB Fast memory expansion cards have a switch or jumper to be 'PCMCIA Compatible' by only enabling 4MB of Fast ram.

For testing CF compatibility it is recommended you set your memory expansion card to 4MB mode, or completely remove the memory expansion card.

Tested On

The following setups have been tested:

  • A1200 rev 2B + Kickstart 3.0

  • 2MB Chip + 4MB Fast

  • 2MB Chip + 8MB Fast


  • A1200 + Kickstart 3.1 - TBC


  • A1200 rev 2B + Kickstart 3.X

    • 2MB Chip + 4MB Fast

    • 2MB Chip + 8MB Fast - PCMCIA slot will be disabled.


  • A1200 rev 2B + Kickstart 3.1.4

    • 2MB Chip + 4MB Fast

    • 2MB Chip + 8MB Fast - CF card should only be inserted after Workbench has loaded.


  • A600 rev 2B + Kickstart 2.05 (37.300)

    • 1MB Chip - TBC

    • 2MB Chip + 4MB Fast

    • 2MB Chip + 8MB Fast - TBC


  • A600 rev 2B + Kickstart 3.1.4 (46.143)

    • 1MB Chip - TBC

    • 2MB Chip + 4MB Fast

    • 2MB Chip + 8MB Fast - TBC