AmigaOS 4.1, Update 4: No Cd and floppy drive

[Retrofan]

Hi:
Well, this is my first post and I'm going to start complaining...

I've got a desktop A1200 using a BPPC, BVision, Dvd drive, Subway, Idefix, Delfina (running BTW), Acard and Clockport expander.

To resume: Till Update 3 everything's ok. I installed Update 4 and RuninUAE and I've lost the floppy and the Dvd drive. I could recover this last using Idefix, but I've got no floppy drive; it's like if it were disconnected.

I've tried installing another Cf Hd. What I've got is the same result. Of course if I try a Cf with another OS it's working, in fact I've installed another till Update 3, all OK.

The thing is that it is not only me; a friend has exactly the same problem. I think there is something in Update 4 or in the RuninUAE installation that makes that.

Any idea?
Thanks.

[danbeaver]

Hi there!

There is a "floppy fix" for A1200's and A4000's that is mentioned in the original install (and FAQ) as some systems have issues. I had issues with my IDE DVD drive on install and used an Acard solution.

Dan

[Retrofan]

Hi: Thanks for answering. Yes, I saw that. It's in the first installation, and I used it as long as it keeps marked for my A1200 even. No, that's not the problem. After the installation I've got the floppy working nice, the same after update 3. The problem is after Update 4 and the RuninUAE. I lost then the Cd and the floppy. I can recover the Cd using Idefix software, but I can't recover the floppy drive. I've tried to install another Cf Hd from the beginning and it behaves the same.

Edit: Perhaps that fix is disabled somehow with Update 4. ¿¿???

[danbeaver]

Hi there back at ya!

OK, I'm looking into update 4 and there is a new kernal (and next to it a kernal.debug); the debug, I believe, sends information out the serial device which means (if you were inclined) you could hook up a computer to the serial device/port and look at it; Ive done it in the past and it's of little help to the non-developer. There is also a new "Kicklayout-1200" which I know defines the elements you want in the kernal image: It has the usual stuff but also has "commented out ~ ';' " the MODULE Kickstart/ATechA1200Fix that (as it says above) is there to correct for those Amigas that were built with PC based Floppies. Maybe the upgrade somehow has the comment present and before it was absent ???

Nothing else in the Files_NOARCH and Files_BlizzardPPC have anything to do with the floppy or resource.kmod routines.

Try the Kicklayout with that change and see if there is a difference; if not use an older kernal ~ Updates 3 is 1012572 in size vs Update 4's 1013728.(since both are listed as Version 53.25, which can't be right if one is in Update 3, the other in update 4, and their sizes are different).

-Dan

[Retrofan]

Hi. Thanks a lot, you are right. I've changed it and now it's working (Cold boot of course).

So, for everybody who wants to recover the Floppy and the Cd drive:

Open a shell and type: ed System:Kickstart/Kicklayout-A1200

For the floppy:
Reading down you will find this message:

Some A1200 from Amiga Technologies have a hardware problem. Or in fact some floppy drives designed for PCs have it. When disk.resource checks for the internal floppy drive it doesn't claim to be present. When you have such a model and you miss the DF0: device uncomment the following line by removing the leading semicolon. Then disk.resource will always report that DF0: exists and is a 3.5" drive when it could not be found.

So uncomment the commented line.

For the Cd using Idefix:

You will find another place where it talks about the Ide scsi.device. It tells that the scsi.device can not autodetect Idefix.../ Ideport doubler hardware.
So uncomment that too.

Apart of that I commented another line (;C:Ata3.driver), as I'm not using a Fast Ata.

I hope Hyperion will fix this in the next update, asking again about what you need with the Floppy and Idefix.

[nbache]

if not use an older kernal ~ Updates 3 is 1012572 in size vs Update 4's 1013728.(since both are listed as Version 53.25, which can't be right if one is in Update 3, the other in update 4, and their sizes are different).

Make sure when checking versions of kernel modules as well as libraries and other resident modules, to always use the FILE switch on the version command, e.g. "version SYS:Kickstart/kernel FILE FULL" and "version CD0:System/Kickstart/kernel FILE FULL" (paths from memory). Otherwise you might be checking the version of the same resident module twice even if you did specify the exact paths.

This might be the reason for your two kernels seeming to have the same version.

Best regards,

Niels

[danbeaver]

Hi NBache!

Excellent point. It is right there in the "Version.doc." So I rechecked the files and the kernel from Update 3 is 53.22, from Update 4 is 53.25!

I've been working through the documentation by compiling "Chapters" for the various odd files stored in the Sys:Documentation, and the "C" chapter alone is over 300 pages long. Looks pretty in Final Writer, but reading everything is taking longer than making the chapters. I'm doing this to have on hand a "manual" of OS 4.1, since there isn't one available; you have to prod and poke around to locate stuff. I'm also lucky to have an automatic duplexing printer.

Thanks,

Dan

[phipscube]

This problem still exists with Update 5