FlashFloppy - new firmware for Gotek drives, open source

[Bren McGuire]

OK this seems too complex for my crummy hand skills

Originally Posted by solarmon

You solder on to one of the Amiga RGB signals, and on to one of the Amiga video sync signal - see here for more details:

https://github.com/keirf/FF_OSD/wiki/Amiga-Connections

Here is a summary for the connections on an A1200:

[Methanoid]

Quick question - how do I set up the USB stick for use with FF? Format as FAT32? Just load thousands of ADFs into root dir or is there some file structure I should use. Never actually used Gotek before!

[solarmon]

Originally Posted by Methanoid

Quick question - how do I set up the USB stick for use with FF? Format as FAT32? Just load thousands of ADFs into root dir or is there some file structure I should use. Never actually used Gotek before!

FAT32 is supported (not ExFAT or NTFS) and there are several 'modes' you can use dependoing on your requirements - one of them is Native mode which is suitable for what you want.

For further details, have a read here:

https://github.com/keirf/FlashFloppy/wiki/Initial-Setup

[c0dehunter]

Hello all,

I am getting the Error: writesector -> failure while seeking the track 00!

Now this error message only appears when I boot to AUTOBOOT.HFE (on the USB Flash stick).

If I press the next button on GoTek and select another .ADF image (game/demo), it loads it just fine.

A bit of background:
I am using the latest version of the FF firmware (2.14 stable, as of 03/23/2020 that is)

My goal is:
1) To keep my A500 internal floppy drive, and have the GoTek externally connected as DF1.

2) I also like to convert/write the .ADF images from the GoTek to real floppy diskettes, and then boot them from my internal floppy drive.

3) And last, I would like to have the ability to boot from GoTek (connected externally) as Df0, therefore I am using a boot-selector switch.

Links to the eBay store where I purchased the boot-selector switch, as well as the external adapter for the GoTek/Floppy:


boot-selector switch
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/163705977263


adapter for the GoTek/Floppy
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Gotek-Floppy-External-Drive-Adapter-for-Commodore-Amiga-Cables-included/233144992109?_trkparms=aid%3D1110001%26algo%3DSPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140131123730%26meid%3D3608ff1cbf0b4ea08f2f1874d3f3b5ad%26pid%3D100167%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D15%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D233144988083%26itm%3D233144992109%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D5411&_trksid=p5411.c100167.m2940


When I received the items, I installed the boot-selector switch, and connected my GoTek externally, and inserted a fresh 8GB USB stick that contains the HXCSDFE.CFG, and AUTOBOOT.HFE on the root its root.

When I flip the boot-selector switch, in order to boot from GoTek externally (as DF0), when it boots to the AUTOBOOT.HFE, I get the dreaded Error: writesector -> failure while seeking the track 00! in main screen, and can not go any further.

Now this error message only appears when I boot to AUTOBOOT.HFE , if I insert another USB stick that has additional games/demoes .ADF files assigned to it, and press next/previous button, it boots and loads them with flawlessly.

As you can see, I NEED to be able to boot to AUTOBOOT.HFE, in order to add/assign more .ADF images (games/demos) to the USB stick, but this error messages prevents me.

Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[solarmon]

Sometimes the Autoboot.HFE file gets corrupted and can cause issues. Download it again.

If you are on Facebook, then join the FlashFloppy group as Keir Fraser is very active on there:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/flashfloppy/

[Keir]

Make sure you're using latest AUTOBOOT.HFE, from the FlashFloppy distro. Apart from that, find me on Github or Facebook (there's a FF group on Facebook).

[c0dehunter]

Thank you, I am using flashfloppy-v2.14.zip, and extracting fresh files off this .zip file. Still the same.


Any help would be appreciated!

[solarmon]

Originally Posted by c0dehunter

Thank you, I am using flashfloppy-v2.14.zip, and extracting fresh files off this .zip file. Still the same.


Any help would be appreciated!

Use the latest AUTOBOOT.HFE file from the latest v3.13a release - this should work in the v2.14 firmware too.

[c0dehunter]

I tried v3.13a release, with the same result, tried older versions (2.13, 2.12), same error message.


Now this error message only appears when I boot to AUTOBOOT.HFE , if I insert another USB stick that has additional games/demoes .ADF files assigned to it, and press next/previous button, it boots and loads them with flawlessly.

As you can see, I NEED to be able to boot to AUTOBOOT.HFE, in order to add/assign more .ADF images (games/demos) to the USB stick, but this error messages prevents me.

[Keir]

This isn't a support thread. You can email/github/Facebook for further support.

[AJCopland]

Yes, quickly everyone lets leave this forum and use Facebook for everything! ... or not

[indigolemon]

Originally Posted by AJCopland

Yes, quickly everyone lets leave this forum and use Facebook for everything! ... or not

Oh come on. Kaffer suggested Email, Github or Facebook for support - as he doesn't use this thread for that.

[solarmon]

Originally Posted by AJCopland

Yes, quickly everyone lets leave this forum and use Facebook for everything! ... or not

This thread is not meant to be a support thread.

There are other official channels of support, not just Facebook, as indicated by kaffer.

If users can't comply with that then that is their problem.

[AJCopland]

Yep ok, my bad and I apologise

[AJCopland]

That is going ot be something of a problem though for those of us who refuse to have anything to do with FaceBook.

You can't just say, "Use the facebook channel", so if you're asking the community how they get around the problem, what do we do?

[solarmon]

Originally Posted by AJCopland

That is going ot be something of a problem though for those of us who refuse to have anything to do with FaceBook.

You can't just say, "Use the facebook channel", so if you're asking the community how they get around the problem, what do we do?

As already stated, there are other channels - Github, just raise a ticket:

https://github.com/keirf/FlashFloppy/issues

[Methanoid]

Originally Posted by AJCopland

That is going ot be something of a problem though for those of us who refuse to have anything to do with FaceBook.

You can't just say, "Use the facebook channel", so if you're asking the community how they get around the problem, what do we do?

Hardly.. its a FREE product, so if anyone doesnt like the support method that the author offers.. well.. vote with your feet

[Keir]

Originally Posted by solarmon

As already stated, there are other channels - Github, just raise a ticket:

https://github.com/keirf/FlashFloppy/issues

Accepted methods in order of preference:
#1. Github ticket (you need a github account)
#2. Email (find it in my github profile)
#3. Facebook (FF group post or PM)

This is a News forum and inappropriate for support. I also find the PM system here tedious for support (compared with plain email).