Ultimate Setup - What do the SIDE setting do?

[Frankie]

I have read a bunch of threads about the settings but I wouldn't be able to explain what they do.

I have an 800XL with the U1MB and a SIDE 2. I am trying to run SDX on the cart and use the CF.

 

The confusing one for me is "SIDE hardware"

 

I keep thinking if I want to use my SIDE 2, I should enable that. I'm not sure what with or without button setting does.

 

Except, it works better when I set SIDE to disabled.

 

So what's the deal with the SIDE setting?

 

Frank

 

 

[flashjazzcat]

Watch the beginning of the video in this post.

 

What works better when you set SIDE to disabled? The hard disk? The computer? SDX?

 

Anyway: SIDE Hardware is a PBI driver for your SIDE cart. If you switch on "SIDE Hardware" in the U1MB BIOS, you don't need any soft-drivers or whatnot to enjoy the hard disk. Select "SIDE Hardware, w/button", put the SIDE cart's switch into the LOADER (NOT SDX) position, and off you go.

 

If you want to know how to set the card up - it's in the video.

[Roydea6]

Side 2 switch up use SDX from UMB1 and Fat32 Side/with switch up..

Side 2 switch down use SDX from Side2 UMB1 menu side enable /// disable SDX on menu.. you will use Side 2 as SDX and Fat32..

[flashjazzcat]

Side 2 switch up use SDX from UMB1 and Fat32 Side/with switch up..

Side 2 switch down use SDX from Side2 UMB1 menu side enable /// disable SDX on menu.. you will use Side 2 as SDX and Fat32..

 

Now I'm confused as well.

 

When you enable "SIDE hardware" in U1MB, you can't simultaneously use SDX on the cart, since the switch should be in the up (loader) position.

 

Two modes of HDD operation are:

 

Side 2 switch up with SIDE Hardware enabled in U1MB, SDX enabled / disabled in U1MB (depending on which DOS you fancy). This gives you a PBI HDD.

Side 2 switch down with SIDE Hardware and SDX disabled in U1MB (SDX is then run from the cart). You'll need the SDX soft-driver to use the HDD in DOS in this configuration.

 

The third (stand-alone) mode of SIDE operation is with the switch in the up (loader) position and SDX/SIDE Hardware both disabled in U1MB. The FAT32 XEX loader will then boot from the cart.

 

Of course U1MB owners can get at the XEX loader by pressing "L" in the BIOS menu screen.

Edited November 22, 2013 by flashjazzcat

[Frankie]

I need to make labels with those 3 modes described and stick it on the cart.

 

Ok, So who knows the best way to figure out why I keep getting a corrupted filesystem on my Side 2 / CF. I'll be copying over files and suddenly bleeackk. Directory is full of garbage.

Tried a couple of CF cards, they all end that way. My Side 1 cart works great, never has a problem.

 

I did the first part of this http://www.nleaudio.com/css/stabiliz.htm

but didn't help. I need to do the second step as well.

[flashjazzcat]

Never experienced transmission errors with a SIDE2 (although I did with SIDE1). It shouldn't require any stability mods... but what you describe definitely sounds like a transmission error. What brands of CF card are you using? Are there any other mods on the machine apart from the Ultimate 1MB?

[Frankie]

They are transcend 4 GB cards

 

I have the dual pokey mod - http://lotharek.pl/product.php?pid=45 and low_budget's SVideo v2.1 Board.

You know, this could be a good excuse to pick up an unmodified 800xl so I can rule out other things... hmmm.

[flashjazzcat]

I once went through two motherboards trying to build a stable modded 800XL for someone until I realized there was a dry solder joint on that very stereo Pokey board, causing all kinds of random temperature-related lock-ups and instability. Fixing that resulted in perfect operation. Not saying that's the case here, but it just goes to show there a hundred different places to look for the source of an issue.

Edited November 23, 2013 by flashjazzcat

[Frankie]

I pulled the stereo board. That wasn't it.... I'll start with a clean machine and go from there.