Using the MIO to do data recovery.

[SpicyChronos]

With MetalGuy's MIO updates, etc. Is there any possibility of data recovery from a hard drive?

 

I still have the XEBEC 10 Meg HDD that was connected to the Supra/KP interface, and I would still like to attempt some recovery.

 

Thanks all.

[+bob1200xl]

I take it that you no longer have a Supra or KPI? Is the XEBEC dead? If the drive is still functional, you can simply sector copy it with any of the SCSI interfaces, can't you? I know I can scan CF cards with DiskWiz for VTOCs. You could do the same with your XEBEC image. If you do have your old malfunctioning Supra interface, you can just swap the Supra EPROM into a good board.

 

Kinda depends on where you're broken...

 

 

Bob

 

 

With MetalGuy's MIO updates, etc. Is there any possibility of data recovery from a hard drive?

 

I still have the XEBEC 10 Meg HDD that was connected to the Supra/KP interface, and I would still like to attempt some recovery.

 

Thanks all.

[MEtalGuy66]

Well, at this stage of the game, there are no utilities available for use with the MIO that are capable of analyzing a disk on that level. (That I know of.)

 

Youve also got the issue that the MIO reads & writes it's SCSI data inverted. I don't know if the SUPRA does this or not. But the Blackbox has a dipswitch that can control whether it operates in inverted, or normal mode, and also, the blackbox has a built in sector editor/copier capable of manipulating any disk on the raw sector level..

 

I'd suggest using a blackbox with the latest firmware version.

[SpicyChronos]

The drive still spins, and tries to seek, I think sector 0 is bad (that's what the KP/Supra interface uses to store partition tables)

 

I also think the head stopper is out of alignment, so it doesn't stop at the right spot for sector 0. (I've tried adjusting the stopper ever so slightly to get the drive to stop at the edge of the platter. Otherwise the stepper motor clicks as it's trying to get to sector 0 (edge of the platter)

 

I don't know of all the details of how the Supra interfaces, but if I could get a BB from somebody, to loan, exchange some hardware for, leave a deposit or something, I'd like to attempt to see if I can sector copy this drive.

 

 

Thanks all.

[RobPattonDotCom]

With MetalGuy's MIO updates, etc. Is there any possibility of data recovery from a hard drive?

 

I still have the XEBEC 10 Meg HDD that was connected to the Supra/KP interface, and I would still like to attempt some recovery.

 

Thanks all.

 

On the topic of the Supra HD interface, who would be the expert to talk to about making a custom ROM connect a non standard HD to the supra controller. I've got 2 of the Supra Controllers, but both of the hard drives are long since gone.

 

Or perhaps does someone have a list of possible drives that it supports by default?

[SpicyChronos]

I have a ATR image with MyDOS, that has all the formatting, tools, etc for the Supra / KP interface. I have it at home (I'm at work now) I'll add it as an attachment later tonight.

[+bob1200xl]

I don't know about old drives but the newer ones have embedded servo tracks to maintain alignment. There is no 'head stopper' other than the crash stop, which is just a soft place to land. Once the drive has reached 70% (or so) speed, it ventures out into the disk looking for servo/data signals. If it does not find signals after a reasonable distance, it pulls back to crash stop. It will just keep this up until you get tired of waiting. This is a very bad sign... It means you can't read data at all. Have you opened the drive? Looked at the condition of the heads/surfaces? Not a good idea without a clean room. How do you know where the heads are? Do you still have the Supra interface? You don't need partition tables to sector copy the drive, OK?

 

Bob

 

 

The drive still spins, and tries to seek, I think sector 0 is bad (that's what the KP/Supra interface uses to store partition tables)

 

I also think the head stopper is out of alignment, so it doesn't stop at the right spot for sector 0. (I've tried adjusting the stopper ever so slightly to get the drive to stop at the edge of the platter. Otherwise the stepper motor clicks as it's trying to get to sector 0 (edge of the platter)

 

I don't know of all the details of how the Supra interfaces, but if I could get a BB from somebody, to loan, exchange some hardware for, leave a deposit or something, I'd like to attempt to see if I can sector copy this drive.

 

 

Thanks all.

[MEtalGuy66]

I don't know about old drives but the newer ones have embedded servo tracks to maintain alignment. There is no 'head stopper' other than the crash stop, which is just a soft place to land. Once the drive has reached 70% (or so) speed, it ventures out into the disk looking for servo/data signals. If it does not find signals after a reasonable distance, it pulls back to crash stop. It will just keep this up until you get tired of waiting.

 

 

Yeah, They switched from "stepper motor" to "voice coil" technology in the late 80s..

[SpicyChronos]

Hey Bob1200XL,

 

yes, I've opened the drive, the platters and the head look good. I think somewhere in my image archive on here I have photos of the drive.

 

This beast is really, really old. 1985 old. The interface is SASI, not SCSI and it's a edge connector, not pins. That old. haha

 

Anyway, I still have the interface, the software to do a low level format, etc. I used spartados X for the DOS, it has three partitions, a bootable 720 Sector startup, and two 4.5 or 5 Meg partitions.

 

I know the drive responds to commands from the interface and software, I've tried to low level format it, and it tries to access, but stops and reports an error code ( I don't remember off hand ).

 

When I first started tinkering with it, when I applied power to the unit, it started its init, and then I heard it knocking / buzzing type sound coming from the stepper motor.

 

The lid of the drive is held on by clips, that came off with a flat head screwdriver, so I opened it up, and peeked inside while it was starting up, and saw the head hit some sort of stopper at the edge of the platters. It has an adjustment screw that I have tried to turn in small increments to stop it from hitting. I was able to get it to stop hitting, but I don't know if it needed to hit that stopper to tell the servo it was at home position, etc.

 

 

Here is the info I have on the drive.

 

 

I don't have my 8-bit setup at the moment, it's out in the garage, I plan on trying to work on it this weekend. But any help would be appreciated.

[+bob1200xl]

If you were running Init on the drive, how can you expect to read old data on it now? I have the old XEBEC drive that I got with my Supra. It has an integrated controller, no?

 

If you're willing to put some time in on this, (i.e. the data is important) we can just write our own low-level code to read the sectors off the drive using the Supra interface. Nothing fancy... I don't suppose you have an EPROM burner?

 

Bob

 

put the cover back on and stay out of the HDA!

 

Hey Bob1200XL,

 

yes, I've opened the drive, the platters and the head look good. I think somewhere in my image archive on here I have photos of the drive.

 

This beast is really, really old. 1985 old. The interface is SASI, not SCSI and it's a edge connector, not pins. That old. haha

 

Anyway, I still have the interface, the software to do a low level format, etc. I used spartados X for the DOS, it has three partitions, a bootable 720 Sector startup, and two 4.5 or 5 Meg partitions.

 

I know the drive responds to commands from the interface and software, I've tried to low level format it, and it tries to access, but stops and reports an error code ( I don't remember off hand ).

 

When I first started tinkering with it, when I applied power to the unit, it started its init, and then I heard it knocking / buzzing type sound coming from the stepper motor.

 

The lid of the drive is held on by clips, that came off with a flat head screwdriver, so I opened it up, and peeked inside while it was starting up, and saw the head hit some sort of stopper at the edge of the platters. It has an adjustment screw that I have tried to turn in small increments to stop it from hitting. I was able to get it to stop hitting, but I don't know if it needed to hit that stopper to tell the servo it was at home position, etc.

 

 

Here is the info I have on the drive.

 

 

I don't have my 8-bit setup at the moment, it's out in the garage, I plan on trying to work on it this weekend. But any help would be appreciated.

[SpicyChronos]

Hey Bob,

 

The Init never started, so nothing got erased. The software reported an error code.

 

I was at my last hope, and wanted to try anything at that point, to see if it talked to the drive, etc.

 

The cover is back on.

 

 

I do have a EPROM burner, it's a willem clone type.

 

Now some sad news. Last night though the Columbia, SC area we had some nasty thunderstorms (Thanks, Fay.), and well even though things were on UPSes, and surge protectors, lightning came through the cable modem and blew up the modem, the network switch, three compuiters, a 4-port KVM switch and two TV cable boxes. While I was at work.

 

So now I'm trying to pick up the pieces, and get things replaced. I'm going to hold off on any type of data recovery now.

 

Give me a week or two for things to settle, and I'll get back to this.

 

Anyonre have any old PCs (older celeron, athlon, pIII) they would like to get rid of? I'd like to get my file server up and running again. The drives are fine, but the controller cards (a PCI ata 133 and a RAID controller) popped.

[SpicyChronos]

An Update of sorts...

 

Got a new cable modem from the cable co. (Time Warner), They said that the splitters on the outside, and in the attic died.

 

A friend from work gave me a 4 port wired router and a 4 port kvm switch to get my setup working again.

 

The wife's computer lost her video card, and onboard LAN port. So a new MB is on it's way and the video card was sent out to be replaced by BFG Tech.

 

The File Server got a used MB from the same friend, which happened to have an onboard RAID controller, so no data loss to any of the drives.

 

And finally the third PC needs a MB, and Video card replaced. I'm waiting on the MB to come, and I have a AGP card for this MB coming. (This system is going to go into my new MAME cab)

 

I'm working overtime tonight, and tomorrow I plan on clearing off a place on my workbench to setup my 8-bit stuff to get ready to tinker.

 

 

I'll dig out my Willem EPROM programmer and my UV eraser.

[SpicyChronos]

I have a ATR image with MyDOS, that has all the formatting, tools, etc for the Supra / KP interface. I have it at home (I'm at work now) I'll add it as an attachment later tonight.

 

 

As promised, the ATR image of the utilities, and documentation for the Supra / K-Products Hard Drive interface.

Supra_HD_files_from_Bob_Klaas.zip

[Mathy]

Hello guys

 

I'm not sure if the MIO or other hardware interfaces allow you to access the SCSI bus directly, but the BlackBox does. Using Matthias Belitz' ASPI manager that you can find on my ASPI page. So recovering the data on a harddrive can be done on the Atari.

 

BUT:

 

- you'll have to write the software to do the reading and the writing yourself. But TurboBASIC will do, you don't need to use assembler.

- you'll have to know EXACTLY what you do.

 

So:

 

- It CAN be done.

- But it's NOT easy.

 

Greetings

 

Mathy