CF IDE cable

DaveMB · 14 August 2011, 23:44

Does the CF adapter just require a standard IDE cable? I just wondered if i could use a full length one from a pc so i can run it ouside of my Amiga.

PS: i am aware of the PCB extender but would prefer a straight cabled connection, i plan to cut a thin slot in the case of my Amiga for the cable to run through.

prowler · 14 August 2011, 23:55

Yes, that's a perfectly simple way of connecting a CF card to your Amiga's IDE controller provided both the ribbon cable and CF-IDE adapter are 44-pin types.

The IDE cables used in PCs, however, are of the 40-pin type. In this case, you will require an adapter to connect the 40-pin cable to the 44-pin motherboard IDE header and a 40-pin IDE-CF adapter. You will also need to run a separate power lead alongside the ribbon cable to provide power to the 40-pin adapter.

A very similar method can be used to connect an external CD-ROM drive.

DaveMB · 15 August 2011, 18:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by prowler

Yes, that's a perfectly simple way of connecting a CF card to your Amiga's IDE controller provided both the ribbon cable and CF-IDE adapter are 44-pin types.

The IDE cables used in PCs, however, are of the 40-pin type. In this case, you will require an adapter to connect the 40-pin cable to the 44-pin motherboard IDE header and a 40-pin IDE-CF adapter. You will also need to run a separate power lead alongside the ribbon cable to provide power to the 40-pin adapter.

A very similar method can be used to connect an external CD-ROM drive.

ok thanks, i'll probably leave the top of the Amiga unscrewed for easy access anyway, just a thought, i have a usb - multicard reader that has a CF slot, will WinUAE be able to access the CF as an Amiga drive through the reader or does it need a direct to motherboard connection?

prowler · 15 August 2011, 22:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turrican2FTW

i have a usb - multicard reader that has a CF slot, will WinUAE be able to access the CF as an Amiga drive through the reader or does it need a direct to motherboard connection?

Yes, the USB multi-card reader should do the job. Whether you introduce the CF card via the USB reader or the motherboard IDE controller, you must prevent Windows from assigning it a drive letter when it is first detected, or WinUAE will not mount the card as an Amiga formatted drive.

DaveMB · 15 August 2011, 22:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by prowler

Yes, the USB multi-card reader should do the job. Whether you introduce the CF card via the USB reader or the motherboard IDE controller, you must prevent Windows from assigning it a drive letter when it is first detected, or WinUAE will not mount the card as an Amiga formatted drive.

Computer/disk managment/remove drive letter

Will that suffice?

prowler · 15 August 2011, 22:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turrican2FTW

Computer/disk managment/remove drive letter

Will that suffice?

If you successfully prevent Windows from ever assigning it a drive letter, then that should not be necessary.

However, if the card is FAT-formatted when you connect it, Windows will assign it a drive letter anyway, and you will need to remove it by the method you've suggested above if you really want to use it as an Amiga formatted drive in WinUAE, in which case you will need to prepare it in WinUAE once it's mounted.

But do you really want to do that?

The FAT-formatted CF card can be mounted in WinUAE as a hard drive for transferring programs to your Amiga via the PCMCIA slot with a suitable adapter. In that case, choose to mount the CF card root directory as an emulated hard drive in WinUAE instead.

DaveMB · 15 August 2011, 22:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by prowler

If you successfully prevent Windows from ever assigning it a drive letter, then that should not be necessary.

However, if the card is FAT-formatted when you connect it, Windows will assign it a drive letter anyway, and you will need to remove it by the method you've suggested above if you really want to use it as an Amiga formatted drive in WinUAE, in which case you will need to prepare it in WinUAE once it's mounted.

But do you really want to do that?

The FAT-formatted CF card can be mounted in WinUAE as a hard drive for transferring programs to your Amiga via the PCMCIA slot with a suitable adapter. In that case, choose to mount the CF card root directory as an emulated hard drive in WinUAE instead.

I have 2x ultra II 4gb CF on there way along with a PCMCIA transfer kit and a IDE/CF adapter.

My plan is to install ClassicWB along with WHDLoad and a few games/demos etc on one CF card, this will be the internal IDE/CF card and will be (hopefully) setup and configured using WinUAE and partitioned something like 300mb for ClassicWB then the remainder split into 2 partitions for games and demos.

The second CF i plan to use with the PCMCIA transfer kit, It will be partitioned as 2x500mb and 2x1.5gb, the 2x1.5gb will be used as extra storage space (kinda like an external HDD) one of the 500mb will be for any work/projects etc and the other one i plan to use pureley for connecting to my laptop/WinUAE and filling with .adf's to write back to disk.

prowler · 15 August 2011, 22:43

In that case, remove the drive letter Windows assigns to the first card before mounting in WinUAE. You will then be able to prepare the card for connecting to your Amiga's IDE controller using the utilities on the install disk provided with Workbench sets.

The second card can first be repartitioned in Windows as you wish. Then, when using the card in WinUAE, you can mount the root directory of each partition as an emulated hard drive for transferring files to your Amiga via the PCMCIA slot.

DaveMB · 15 August 2011, 22:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by prowler

In that case, remove the drive letter Windows assigns to the first card before mounting in WinUAE. You will then be able to prepare the card for connecting to your Amiga's IDE controller using the utilities on the install disk provided with Workbench sets.

The second card can first be repartitioned in Windows as you wish. Then, when using the card in WinUAE, you can mount the root directory of each partition as an emulated hard drive for transferring files to your Amiga via the PCMCIA slot.

Excellent, thanks for your help

I'ts gonna be nice to have some real Amiga hardware for the first time this century

prowler · 15 August 2011, 23:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turrican2FTW

Excellent, thanks for your help

You're welcome. It's a bit thin on the detail at this stage, but it should be enough to get you started.

There's plenty of help already in the threads. Just use the Search menu item in the top panel from any page, or start a new thread with your question if you can't find what you're looking for.

If your new thread disappears, a moderator might have merged it with an existing thread if appropriate. Just keep an eye out for recently updated threads on similar topics or search for your recent posts from your profile page.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turrican2FTW

I'ts gonna be nice to have some real Amiga hardware for the first time this century

Yep, I know that feeling well. I didn't get my first Amiga ever until 2001 (a NOS AT1200 from Eyetech, before they were acquired by AmigaKit).

14 August 2011, 23:44	#1
DaveMB Banana in disk drive eror Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: England (Hull) Age: 44 Posts: 358	CF IDE cable Does the CF adapter just require a standard IDE cable? I just wondered if i could use a full length one from a pc so i can run it ouside of my Amiga. PS: i am aware of the PCB extender but would prefer a straight cabled connection, i plan to cut a thin slot in the case of my Amiga for the cable to run through.

14 August 2011, 23:55	#2
prowler Global Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Sidcup, England Posts: 10,300	Yes, that's a perfectly simple way of connecting a CF card to your Amiga's IDE controller provided both the ribbon cable and CF-IDE adapter are 44-pin types. The IDE cables used in PCs, however, are of the 40-pin type. In this case, you will require an adapter to connect the 40-pin cable to the 44-pin motherboard IDE header and a 40-pin IDE-CF adapter. You will also need to run a separate power lead alongside the ribbon cable to provide power to the 40-pin adapter. A very similar method can be used to connect an external CD-ROM drive. Last edited by prowler; 15 August 2011 at 00:05.

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15 August 2011, 22:43	#8
prowler Global Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Sidcup, England Posts: 10,300	In that case, remove the drive letter Windows assigns to the first card before mounting in WinUAE. You will then be able to prepare the card for connecting to your Amiga's IDE controller using the utilities on the install disk provided with Workbench sets. The second card can first be repartitioned in Windows as you wish. Then, when using the card in WinUAE, you can mount the root directory of each partition as an emulated hard drive for transferring files to your Amiga via the PCMCIA slot.

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