Is there Compact Flash (via PCMCIA) size limit?

Nostromo · 18 January 2009, 09:47

I would like to put the complete WHDload games collection on a single compact flash card to play directly on the Amiga via the PCMCIA converter. The WHDload collection needs an 8gb CF card to fit. The CF will be formatted as Fat16 to make it easy to transfer files from PC to Amiga.

Will I be able to use an 8gb CF?
Will I have to partition it as 2 x 4gb in order for it to work?
If I install FAT32 instead, then there would be no size limit?

Thank you in advance for suggestions and help

E'Blue

BlueAchenar · 18 January 2009, 10:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by everblue

I would like to put the complete WHDload games collection on a single compact flash card to play directly on the Amiga via the PCMCIA converter. The WHDload collection needs an 8gb CF card to fit. The CF will be formatted as Fat16 to make it easy to transfer files from PC to Amiga.

Will I be able to use an 8gb CF?
Will I have to partition it as 2 x 4gb in order for it to work?
If I install FAT32 instead, then there would be no size limit?

Thank you in advance for suggestions and help

E'Blue

"Will I be able to use an 8gb CF?"

Yes.

"Will I have to partition it as 2 x 4gb in order for it to work?"

No. Use one FAT32 partition.

"If I install FAT32 instead, then there would be no size limit?"

Sort of. Even with FAT32 you'd be limited to a 128GB CF card (because of LBA28), not that it is much of a problem at this time.

Just choose the CF card brand well. I advise Sandisk, Toshiba, Delkin or Peak, specially the first two.

meega · 18 January 2009, 10:52

Relevant info:

FAT16 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/118335
and
FAT32 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314463

Nostromo · 18 January 2009, 11:49

Are Transcend good?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/8GB-Transcend-...1%7C240%3A1318

Retro1234 · 18 January 2009, 11:54

What is it that stops cards from working via PCMCIA?
Ive a had both a 2GB and 4GB CF card not work.

alexh · 18 January 2009, 12:02

They have to appear as FIXED disks and not REMOVABLE disks. Almost all new cards appear as REMOVABLE because that enables them to be HOT-SWAPPED in certain high-speed Card Readers.

For (some) SANDISK cards you can change this attribute using one of two utilities for the PC:

For Athens based cards you can use ATCFWCHG.COM
For earlier cards you can use NDCFWCHG.COM

I believe that the drivers (CFD and scsi.device) could be re-written to use REMOVABLE type cards but they are closed source projects.

Retro1234 · 18 January 2009, 12:09

Ill have a look at those tools the cards are a couple of cheapys.
DATASAFE = 4GB
Kingston = 2GB

The only cards ive ever had working working were the small size Kingston cards from AmigaKit.
Can anyone recomend a large cheap card that works?

alexh · 18 January 2009, 12:24

Those tools are SANDISK only. They dont work with any other card

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boo Boo

Can anyone recomend a large cheap card that works?

No-one can at this point, as ALL cards are going to the REMOVABLE type and being just a firmware configuration two cards can look identical and one be FIXED and the other REMOVABLE.

The only way anyone can recommend them is if they've personally tried them OR it is sold (at a premium) under the title FIXED.

Rule of thumb though, the RED & BLUE Sandisk cards are OEM Atheros based and work with ATCFWCHG.COM, but beware there are lots of fakes.

The RED & BLUE Sandisk cards with the gold stripe are RETAIL possibly pre Atheros and work with NDCFWCHG.COM

Nostromo · 18 January 2009, 14:14

So will this work out of the box:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...:X:AAQ:GB:1123

Also, is there a way to know if that is the real deal or pirate job?

Thanks!

BlueAchenar · 18 January 2009, 14:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by everblue

So will this work out of the box:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...:X:AAQ:GB:1123

Also, is there a way to know if that is the real deal or pirate job?

Thanks!

Should work.

I don't have the same opinion as alexh about removable cards. I've seen removables work and fixed ones not work.

To see if its genuine or not you have to read the information directly from the card. If you connect the card to a PC via a PCMCIA adapter it should give you a clue. I have one counterfeit Sandisk which is actually a Lexar.

Nostromo · 18 January 2009, 14:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueAchenar

Should work.

I don't have the same opinion as alexh about removable cards. I've seen removables work and fixed ones not work.

To see if its genuine or not you have to read the information directly from the card. If you connect the card to a PC via a PCMCIA adapter it should give you a clue. I have one counterfeit Sandisk which is actually a Lexar.

I want to know if its fake prior to buying it

alexh · 18 January 2009, 15:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueAchenar

I don't have the same opinion as alexh about removable cards. I've seen removables work and fixed ones not work.

Yeah?

I think the evidence from users on this board proves that I am in someway right. Too many users converted their SANDISK cards to FIXED using the tools and they suddenly worked.

BlueAchenar · 18 January 2009, 15:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexh

Yeah?

I think the evidence from users on this board proves that I am in someway right. Too many users converted their SANDISK cards to FIXED using the tools and they suddenly worked.

Sorry, I forgot the current driver doesn't allow removable ones. But the amiga hardware is actually capable of working with them.

alexh · 18 January 2009, 15:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueAchenar

Sorry, I forgot the current driver doesn't allow removable ones. But the amiga hardware is actually capable of working with them.

Sure, I did mention that in a post above.

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexh

I believe that the drivers (CFD and scsi.device) could be re-written to use REMOVABLE type cards but they are closed source projects.

It's not just CFD (the PCMCIA driver) but also scsi.device (the A600/A1200 internal IDE driver) and buddha.device (the buddha driver) that do not like removable type CF cards.

Unsure if removable cards work well with CF->IDE->SCSI adapters such as the ACard 7720U. Would be an interesting experiment.

thgill · 18 January 2009, 15:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by everblue

So will this work out of the box:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...:X:AAQ:GB:1123

Also, is there a way to know if that is the real deal or pirate job?

Thanks!

I use the exact same card via PCMCIA adapter on my A1200 and it works perfectly.

When I first got it, I just connected it to my PC, formatted it FAT32 and popped it in my PCMCIA adapter and it worked fine.

I think NovaCoder uses the Sandisk Ultra II 8 gig card internally on the ide bus. So it will work in either use. I use the 4 gig version on my ide bus as my HD.

Heres a picture of mine in the Amigakit EasyADF adapter:

Antiriad · 18 January 2009, 18:59

Very cool stuff gentlemen, who would have thought that A1200's would one day be able to have solid state hard drives (technically) via this method?

prowler · 18 January 2009, 20:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexh

Unsure if removable cards work well with CF->IDE->SCSI adapters such as the ACard 7720U. Would be an interesting experiment.

Hi Alexh,

Some work has already been done on this with promising results. See this thread for more information:
http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=41108

Amiga1992 · 19 January 2009, 05:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by everblue

Are Transcend good?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/8GB-Transcend-...1%7C240%3A1318

Transcend 2GB @133 works just great, dunno about 8GB!

prowler · 24 January 2009, 01:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexh

For Athens based cards you can use ATCFWCHG.COM
For earlier cards you can use NDCFWCHG.COM

Hi Alex,

ATCFWCHG.COM seems to be available at various places on the net (keeps moving around), but NDCFWCHG.COM I cannot find a copy of anywhere.

Do you have a copy of this utility you could upload, please?

prowler

alexh · 24 January 2009, 02:17

Nope, dont have it. It is for the VERY old cards though.

18 January 2009, 09:47	#1
Nostromo Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: The World! Posts: 454	Is there Compact Flash (via PCMCIA) size limit? I would like to put the complete WHDload games collection on a single compact flash card to play directly on the Amiga via the PCMCIA converter. The WHDload collection needs an 8gb CF card to fit. The CF will be formatted as Fat16 to make it easy to transfer files from PC to Amiga. Will I be able to use an 8gb CF? Will I have to partition it as 2 x 4gb in order for it to work? If I install FAT32 instead, then there would be no size limit? Thank you in advance for suggestions and help E'Blue

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18 January 2009, 10:52	#3
meega Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Oooh what a feeling yeaaah dancing on the ceiling Posts: 314	Relevant info: FAT16 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/118335 and FAT32 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314463

18 January 2009, 11:49	#4
Nostromo Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: The World! Posts: 454	Are Transcend good? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/8GB-Transcend-...1%7C240%3A1318

18 January 2009, 11:54	#5
Retro1234 Phone Homer Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: 5150 Posts: 5,790	What is it that stops cards from working via PCMCIA? Ive a had both a 2GB and 4GB CF card not work.

18 January 2009, 12:02	#6
alexh Thalion Webshrine Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oxford Posts: 14,397	They have to appear as FIXED disks and not REMOVABLE disks. Almost all new cards appear as REMOVABLE because that enables them to be HOT-SWAPPED in certain high-speed Card Readers. For (some) SANDISK cards you can change this attribute using one of two utilities for the PC: For Athens based cards you can use ATCFWCHG.COM For earlier cards you can use NDCFWCHG.COM I believe that the drivers (CFD and scsi.device) could be re-written to use REMOVABLE type cards but they are closed source projects.

18 January 2009, 12:09	#7
Retro1234 Phone Homer Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: 5150 Posts: 5,790	Ill have a look at those tools the cards are a couple of cheapys. DATASAFE = 4GB Kingston = 2GB The only cards ive ever had working working were the small size Kingston cards from AmigaKit. Can anyone recomend a large cheap card that works?

18 January 2009, 14:14	#9
Nostromo Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: The World! Posts: 454	So will this work out of the box: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...:X:AAQ:GB:1123 Also, is there a way to know if that is the real deal or pirate job? Thanks!

18 January 2009, 18:59	#16
Antiriad The Sacred Armour Of Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Sussex, UK Age: 45 Posts: 1,141	Very cool stuff gentlemen, who would have thought that A1200's would one day be able to have solid state hard drives (technically) via this method?

24 January 2009, 02:17	#20
alexh Thalion Webshrine Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oxford Posts: 14,397	Nope, dont have it. It is for the VERY old cards though.

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