Mounting CD-ROM from floppy - is it possible

[DC33]

I have a question which I could not find an answer to in the forum, and because it isn't necessarily a "real" hardware or software problem, I am posting here.

I have a 4 gig CF card fitted in my miggy 1200 which I am in need of reformatting as I want to repartition it. There are several way to get around my dilemma, like copying a partition's content into another and then resizing/merging the two partitions and so forth and then copying the files back.

However, I am being a little lazy ('coz it a Sunday evening here in Oz) and also because I do not have the luxury of being able to this right now as I am short of space for juggling files between partitions.

As I have my files backed up on either CD or DVD, I was wanting to totally start anew and then copy the CD/DVD contents back into a partition without the need to having to insert the install disk and so forth.

Is there a program, or has anyone her on EAB created a single floppy that can be used which will mount a CD-ROM, and has HDTools allowing the user to start from scratch ?

I guess this would be a fantastic tool also in the event of a HD/CF drive crash particularly if ClassicWB needs re-installing for example.


Cheers

[DoogUK]

It has to be possible as the squirrel scsi cd32 emulator disk and the idefix cd32 emulator mount cd's from the floppy.

[DC33]

Originally Posted by DoogUK

It has to be possible as the squirrel scsi cd32 emulator disk and the idefix cd32 emulator mount cd's from the floppy.

Ta DoogUK. Don't have either... I am sure there is something out there

[DoogUK]

I'm sure it's easy enough to do..and someones already done it...they may post it to the zone for you.

[prowler]

Hi DC33,

What you require is a Workbench install disk with startup-sequence, mountlist and DosDrivers files set up in accordance with the configuration of your machine.

Its a DIY job, I'm afraid. I don't think you're going to find a utility or application to do this for you.

prowler

[musashi5150]

If you run into troubles tools like SnoopDos can come in handy to help you find what files you are missing.

[DC33]

Originally Posted by prowler

Hi DC33,

What you require is a Workbench install disk with startup-sequence, mountlist and DosDrivers files set up in accordance with the configuration of your machine.
prowler

Thanks prowler. Unfortunately, I am not that proficient with the mountlist etc. I am ok with the startup-sequence however

If you could perhaps offer some help here I would be very grateful.

Thanks

[DC33]

Originally Posted by musashi5150

If you run into troubles tools like SnoopDos can come in handy to help you find what files you are missing.

Uhhmm, sorry musashi5150 but I am not sure if I understand. (?) sorry. Must be having a Leytond day........ sorry Leytond

[prowler]

Originally Posted by DC33

Thanks prowler. Unfortunately, I am not that proficient with the mountlist etc. I am ok with the startup-sequence however

If you could perhaps offer some help here I would be very grateful.

Thanks

Hi DC33,

I'll have to set up my Amiga to help you with this. I'm not very proficient with the details of this either, but my A1200's configuration should broadly match what you will need to replicate on your boot floppy.

I won't be able to do this for about 2-3 hours. If you still need help then, I'll get it set up.

prowler

PS. What Workbench version are you using, 3.1?

[DC33]

Hi Prowler, BRILLIANT !!
Yes WB 3.1.

Thanks heaps.

[DC33]

Originally Posted by prowler

I won't be able to do this for about 2-3 hours. If you still need help then, I'll get it set up.

prowler

Don't rush Prowler, please. It is rather late here in Oz so I won't be back here 'till tomorrow sometime. Thanks for your tremendous help tho.

[prowler]

Originally Posted by DC33

Yes WB 3.1.

OK, that's a good start because that's what I have in my A1200.

Now, just some quick questions.

Is your CD-ROM drive connected to the IDE port?

And what about the CF card? Is that on the IDE as well, or the PCMCIA port?

Do you have a separate hard disk, and is that also IDE?

It would help if you could find and make copies of your existing startup-sequence, mountlist, and devices it uses, any DosDrivers and libraries which are relevant.

Then there are the files and drivers for mounting CF cards.

If you don't have them, go to Aminet
http://aminet.net/search

Download cfd.lha, fat95.lha, cardpatch.lha and cardreset.lha using your PC.

Extract them using WinRAR, and look at the docs.

That's all I can think of at the moment.

prowler

[DC33]

Originally Posted by prowler

Now, just some quick questions.

Is your CD-ROM drive connected to the IDE port?

And what about the CF card? Is that on the IDE as well, or the PCMCIA port?

Do you have a separate hard disk, and is that also IDE?

It would help if you could find and make copies of your existing startup-sequence, mountlist, and devices it uses, any DosDrivers and libraries which are relevant.

Then there are the files and drivers for mounting CF cards.

If you don't have them, go to Aminet
http://aminet.net/search

Download cfd.lha, fat95.lha, cardpatch.lha and cardreset.lha using your PC.

Extract them using WinRAR, and look at the docs.

That's all I can think of at the moment.

prowler

Thanks Prowler,

Both CF card and CD-ROM are on the IDE port using an IDE buffer. No other drives are attached. Nothing is attached via the PCMCIA port either.

Will follow your suggestions and see if it works out.

I suppose another option would be to get an old HD and use it as a backup for the files in DH0 for example. It would just be a case of disconnecting the external CD_ROM and using the HD instead, transfer files over and it should be good to go.

I will still explore the options outlined by you tho.

Cheers mate.

[thomas]

Is there a program, or has anyone her on EAB created a single floppy that can be used which will mount a CD-ROM, and has HDTools allowing the user to start from scratch ?

Check the Devs/Dosdrivers directory of your boot partition. There should be a CD related driver, probably CD0 or CD1. Copy it to Devs/Dosdrivers of your boot floppy disk.

Then load it into a text viewer. Among the first few lines there should be two reading

FileSystem = name1
Device = name2

Check the L directory of your HDD. There should be a file called name1 in it. Copy it to the L directory of your boot floppy.

Now check the Devs directory of your HDD. There shoud be a file called name2 in it. Copy it to the Devs directory of your boot floppy.

Of course you have to replace name1 and name2 by the actual names you found in the dos driver. Probably CacheCDFS and atapi.device.

[prowler]

Hi DC33,

Thanks for your response.

I shall have a look at my A1200's driver configuration tomorrow to see what I can glean from that.

However, I have no CF card on the IDE bus - only a hard disk and CD-ROM drive, so you'll be on your own with mounting the CF card. However, the documentation in the archives on Aminet should give you a good idea about that.

I'll speak with you again tomorrow and we'll see if we can get you set up. I just hope there's enough space on one floppy disk. Or have you got an external one you could use too?

prowler

[DC33]

@thomas - danke
@ prowler - thanks again

I have managed to build a floppy with the required files etc. When I boot up, everything is fine until I insert a CD/DVD into the drive

All @EAB,

The CD drive is seen as CD2 (not that it matters all that much !), so when I insert a disc, a Software failure "CD2 program failed (error #8000003D) comes up...!!

I have not been able to work out what the problem might be so I am open to suggestions.

Any ideas ? Thanks in advance

[thomas]

The CD drive is seen as CD2 (not that it matters all that much !), so when I insert a disc, a Software failure "CD2 program failed (error #8000003D) comes up...!!

If you have a 68040 or higher, make sure that the required libs (68040.library, 68060.library) are copied to the boot floppy and that it runs SetPatch early in startup-sequence.

[prowler]

Hi DC33,

Have you got CD0 in your Devs/DOSDrivers folder?

And have you got IDEfix in your C folder, and a line with C:IDEfix in your Startup-Sequence?

prowler

[prowler]

Hi again,

You don't say whether you can see the CF card.

If not, copy CardPatch and CardReset to C, insert lines for CardPatch and CardReset in your Startup-Sequence (see the docs), copy compactflash.device to Devs and CF0 to Devs/DOSDrivers. Finally, copy fat95 to L.

prowler

[thomas]

have you got IDEfix in your C folder, and a line with C:IDEfix in your Startup-Sequence?

IDEfix is not needed to mount the CD drive. It's only needed for large harddrives or if you have more than two harddrives. For the CD drive atapi.device is sufficient.

You don't say whether you can see the CF card.

He already installed the operating system on it. How could he if he didn't see the card ?

copy CardPatch and CardReset to C, insert lines for CardPatch and CardReset in your Startup-Sequence (see the docs),

There are no docs. These patches are for PCMCIA only, he uses the CF card as HDD-replacement on the IDE bus. No patches or drivers needed. If they were needed, he couldn't boot from the CF.

copy compactflash.device to Devs and CF0 to Devs/DOSDrivers. Finally, copy fat95 to L.

He does not want to read PC-formatted CF cards, either. The CF card is used as HDD-replacement, you know.