I need help installing a SCSI device

[Gunstar]

I have a ZIP drive now connected to the SCSI port of my Falcon (I just got a SCSI 1 to SCSI 2 adapter), I ran HDX (Atari Advanced Hard Disk Utility) and the computer recognized the Zip drive, I formatted it and partitioned it. My problem is when I install drive icons on the desktop, and double click, it just says drives do not exist. So, what do I do from here to be able to use my Zip?

 

I also re-ran HDX and opened the Zero function, and it show the 4 HD partitions and the 4 Zip partitions.

 

EDIT: I have continued to trouble shoot the problem, and I think I know why AHDI is not recognizing the SCSI zip drive; at boot -up; the Falcon checks for SCSI unit 0 (which it shows as "not responding" because there is no SCSI unit 0), and the ZIP drive can only be unit 5 or 6. So how can I get the Falcon boot sequence to change to look for SCSI unit 5 or to look for more than just unit 0?

Edited April 21, 2013 by Gunstar

[ParanoidLittleMan]

TOS tries to boot in order from SCSI target 0 to upper ones - you can not chage it, and it would not help.

What version of AHDI driver you use ?

[Gunstar]

TOS tries to boot in order from SCSI target 0 to upper ones - you can not chage it, and it would not help.

What version of AHDI driver you use ?

 

Well, it starts and stops with SCSI 0 right now, in order shouldn't be a problem if it tries them all. I had this same zip drive hooked up through an Supra HDD I used to have for my ST, and it worked fine hooked to the SCSI port on that, Unit 0 and 5. I would imagine it should work the same through the Falcon's built-in SCSI adapter.

 

AHDI driver 6.04 and Atari Advanced Hard Disk Utility 5.02.

Edited April 21, 2013 by Gunstar

[Zogging Hell]

Try and look at the HD Driver demo and see whether the autoboot program included with that picks it up. I think the last version of AHDI was 6.06. Other than that see if ICD Hard drive utilities (which must be floating around on the net) somewhere works.

[atarian1]

Yep. I remember that was one of the drawbacks of AHDI. It cannot skip SCSI IDs, so to use the ZIP drive with AHDI, you must have SCSI devices 0-4 hooked up to the Falcon. You need to use ICD HD utils, HD Driver or some other HD driver that supports skipping SCSI IDs. I remember hating Iomega and their ZIP drives because of this stupidly designed device flaw.

[Gunstar]

I have the ICD HD utilities, but I'd have to reformat everything including my C: drive to use it right? I haven't done this becuase there is a LOT of software on the HD that I don't want to lose, even if I can find it all online again evena after searching for them, it's a HUGE pain to download, transfer and install hundreds of programs. So I guess I'll have to wait until I recieve my larger harddrive, format it with ICD utilities.

 

So the next question for me, is will I be able to connect both HD's to the Falcon, to still have or at least transfer all the software from my old to new HDD?

[ParanoidLittleMan]

Your internal hard drive is certainly AHDI (TOS) partitioned - AHDI driver handles only it. What means that ICD driver needs not to reformat, repartittion it. You just need to install driver. I installed several times AHDI over Hddriver or ICD over any of mentioned 2. for testing purposes, and no problems occured. So, you first run ICDBOOT.PRG , then not INSTALL.PRG - this would deleta all data, but run HDUTIL.PRG - where will see option for Set Hard Disk Auto Boot. All it takes couple minutes .

 

You may be able to connect 2-3 hard drives on Falcon and exchange files, but I guess that will not need it .

[Zogging Hell]

Shouldn't have to re-format anything. ICD will read AHDI disks no sweat, as will HD Driver.

 

The ICD boot sector will simply write over the AHDI one and hey presto (so to speak). Most Atari C drives are the same format, a slightly odd version of FAT 8/16. As long as the boot partition is below 1gb it should have no probs on a Falcon.

Edited April 22, 2013 by Zogging Hell

[Gunstar]

Thanks guys! I'll try this out tonight. I've got a 20GB 2.5" harddrive coming in the post from CyranoJ (thanks again Bud!), and my plan was to set up the 100MB Zip drive, then transfer all files from the current 60-80MB HDD I have now in one fell-swoop, then install and format the new HDD and I can either transfer all the stuff back to it, or just leave it clean for new programs and just load all the old software straight from the Zip drive when I want to use it like a removable hard drive.

 

I used this Zip drive as a boot drive with my STf too, though the Zip drive was connected through another non-working HDD, and just booted from Zip drive, it worked flawlessly. I was using ICD HDD drivers/boot at that time.

Edited April 22, 2013 by Gunstar

[Zogging Hell]

Just remember not to low level format the IDE disk using AHDI, IDE drives are not meant for real low level formatting (as AHDI will try to do because it is dumb) and you will feck it if you try. Just partition it and use mark bad in case there are any problems with surface damage. If you are using plain TOS 20gb might be overkill, I think the partition size limit for vanilla TOS 4.04 is 1gb (although that might be just the boot, my memory fails!). If it is you will have to use c. 20 x 1gb partitions..! This may be more than GEM can address with the Zip as well

 

If ICD gives the option it might be worth partitioning the disk as PC compatible to aid the transfer process. HD Driver can definitely do this, not sure about ICD, although I'm pretty sure it can read PC formatted HDs so you could just partition it on the PC.

[Gunstar]

Thanks for all the help and tips guys! I've got the zip up and running now, Formatted and partitioned with ICD utilities and ICD boot in the auto folder, and it all works great. I have the Zip in four 25MB partitions. The 20G HD may be overkill, but it's free and I'll just use all i can of it. I don't really think there are even enough ST/falcon/tos programs to even fill that much space anyway is there?

 

Now I've got to get my other Zip 100 drive attached to my PC to complete my plans of transferance. The other drive works through the parallel printer port on the PC, but I think windows will detect it.

Edited April 22, 2013 by Gunstar

[Zogging Hell]

Well your Falcon will play MP3s quite nicely so how about filling up the space with your favourite tunes (you'll soon get through it!)

[Gunstar]

What software do i need for MP3's?

[+DarkLord]

Aniplayer is one, FalcAmp is another, I believe.

 

HTHs.