IDEFix Express... or not?

protek · 15 September 2008, 14:26

I've studied the features of the IDEFix Express package and I am somewhat tempted to order one. On the other hand there's always the question of money.

So here's the situation: I've got a pretty cheap buffered 4-way IDE splitter and I've got a CF card via adapter plus an "external" cd-rom drive via a long IDE cable connected to it. I plan to replace the cd-rom with an internal SFF unit. I also have a SCSI kit in my Blizzard 1230 mkIV. I also have the IDEFix 97 software installed

I currently use the cd-rom for transferring files and possibly re-installing OS3.9. That's pretty much it. So does the IDEFix Express justify its price? I could also use the SCSI but the SCSI-IDE adapter is more expensive than the IDEFix Express and I'd need two since SCSI SFF cd-roms do not actually grow on trees.

keropi · 15 September 2008, 14:59

I also have a 1230/50 powered A1200 and the IDEFix Express... it is awesome, get it ! Speed is about ~5mb/s ... I only have an internal 2.5" HDD , but still I recommend it! plus you get the IDEFIX software AND it fits 100% along with the new Indivision internal SD/FF ...
Got mine from amigakit.com btw...

protek · 15 September 2008, 18:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by keropi

AND it fits 100% along with the new Indivision internal SD/FF ...
Got mine from amigakit.com btw...

Yes, I've got mine waiting for dispatch.

They seem to have run out of IDEFix Express, though. At least the order button was missing, when I last checked.

gklinger · 16 September 2008, 04:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by keropi

Speed is about ~5mb/s

Which is about double the speed of the 1200's onboard controller. Impressive. Lately I've been bothered by how slow disk (well, CF card) access is on my 1200 so I've been considering adding a SCSI controller to my Blizzard and then using a SCSI to IDE convertor like Toni did (see here) to improve speed. He's getting ~7.5MB/s with that setup. I'll have to figure out the cost/benefit ratio.

Quote:

I recommend it! plus you get the IDEFIX software

What advantages does that provide? Part of the reason I went with OS 3.9 was because I understood that it might save me some IDE-related hassles and I wouldn't need a replacement IDE card. Am I giving 3.9's drivers too much credit?

TheCorfiot · 16 September 2008, 11:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by gklinger

What advantages does that provide? Part of the reason I went with OS 3.9 was because I understood that it might save me some IDE-related hassles and I wouldn't need a replacement IDE card. Am I giving 3.9's drivers too much credit?

I've got OS3.9 BB2 running on my hot-rod A1200 with indivision, primarily so I could make use of the 40GB 2.5" HD I had from an old laptop,
As long as the patches are applied correctly my system now see's the full 40GB, (partitioned sensibly), & operates flawlessly.
Compatibility is fine Just about any WHDLoad Game Demo or indeed apps I throw at it work perfect.
Even though I'm not using a 4 way IDE on this machine I still have the IDEFix driver in c: (& s-s), As I find without it I cannot see all my partitions.

Interested by your comments regarding the CF card being slower, I found this too, HD speed is now 2.4MB. a lot faster than the CF was.

TC

r6stu · 17 September 2008, 14:55

MY CF wont boot when trying to install the software it just hangs!

StevenJGore · 17 September 2008, 16:07

Try removing C:IDEfix from the startup-sequence. Worked for me.

gklinger · 17 September 2008, 23:01

I'm running 3.9 with BB2 and I had to use SFS to avoid errors on my 8GB CF card. It's partitioned as 200MB for the OS and the remainder for games. So far, everything is working smoothly. The only problem is that it is as slow as heck and I'm so bothered that I'm willing to waste a bit of money to fix the problem. Either a Blizzard SCSI card + SCSI to IDE bridge or an IDEFix Express. I just need to figure out which is best.

r6stu · 18 September 2008, 13:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by StevenJGore

Try removing C:IDEfix from the startup-sequence. Worked for me.

Also hangs on trying to detect cdroms drives. No atapi.device shown!

FOL · 18 September 2008, 19:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by r6stu

Also hangs on trying to detect cdroms drives. No atapi.device shown!

I had the same problem, I ended up removing the IDEFIX Express adapter and leaving the ide splitter in. Then used the old IDEFIX program, only way I could get it working due to the problem you having.

I posted here somewhere, how I done it without the IDEFIX Express adapter and the old IDEFIX program.

protek · 19 September 2008, 11:24

Is it possible to connect the buffered IDE splitter into the SCSI kit via adapter or will we just run into trouble regarding device ids?

NovaCoder · 22 September 2008, 01:15

Ok, I've just installed one of these in my 1200 desktop (running a Bliz 030 & OS3.9 BB2).

I also had probs installing the software the first time so I do I actually need to install it to get the IDE speed boost? The software seems to be for CDROM drives (which I don't have).

Sysinfo is now reporting 2.8mb per sec with my CF HD...is that better than standard?

DJBase · 22 September 2008, 11:49

With an 030 you should be able to get up to 5MB/s but the speed with CF cards is very different. Some CF cards are slow and some cards are fast. So you just need the right CF card.

DJBase · 22 September 2008, 11:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by protek

Is it possible to connect the buffered IDE splitter into the SCSI kit via adapter or will we just run into trouble regarding device ids?

I don't get the point. IDE and SCSI are two different parts. You can't mix it unless you have a converter interface.

NovaCoder · 22 September 2008, 13:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJBase

With an 030 you should be able to get up to 5MB/s but the speed with CF cards is very different. Some CF cards are slow and some cards are fast. So you just need the right CF card.

I have a Sandisk Ultra 2...should be fast enough

Ok so I installed the IDEFix software but as with the user above, the system just hangs unless I remove the 'IDEFIX' command from the startup sequence. SysInfo now reports a 3.3 m/s transfer rate.

DJBase · 22 September 2008, 14:16

3.3 MB/s is about what someone else gets with an SanDisk Extreme III 4GB card with 060 so I guess its ok. Just compare what you get with a normal hard drive.

protek · 23 September 2008, 09:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJBase

I don't get the point. IDE and SCSI are two different parts. You can't mix it unless you have a converter interface.

The actual question was, do I need a SCSI to IDE converter interface to each of my IDE devices or can I just connect one converter into buffered IDE splitter and have as much IDE devices as the IDE splitter can take?

amigakit.com · 23 September 2008, 17:27

IDEFIX Express arrived back in stock today:

http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/...roducts_id=425

DJBase · 23 September 2008, 18:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by protek

The actual question was, do I need a SCSI to IDE converter interface to each of my IDE devices or can I just connect one converter into buffered IDE splitter and have as much IDE devices as the IDE splitter can take?

Ah, now I understand. Each IDE device would need a SCSI2IDE converter interface. You can not attach the IDEfix and use up to 4 devices with only 1 converter.

NovaCoder · 24 September 2008, 07:48

It appears that the IDEFIX command (driver?) is not happy to play with a CF when used with the express adapter. Can anyone confirm/deny this?

15 September 2008, 14:26	#1
protek Amiga hobbyist Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Oulu, Finland Posts: 250	IDEFix Express... or not? I've studied the features of the IDEFix Express package and I am somewhat tempted to order one. On the other hand there's always the question of money. So here's the situation: I've got a pretty cheap buffered 4-way IDE splitter and I've got a CF card via adapter plus an "external" cd-rom drive via a long IDE cable connected to it. I plan to replace the cd-rom with an internal SFF unit. I also have a SCSI kit in my Blizzard 1230 mkIV. I also have the IDEFix 97 software installed I currently use the cd-rom for transferring files and possibly re-installing OS3.9. That's pretty much it. So does the IDEFix Express justify its price? I could also use the SCSI but the SCSI-IDE adapter is more expensive than the IDEFix Express and I'd need two since SCSI SFF cd-roms do not actually grow on trees.

24 September 2008, 07:48	#20
NovaCoder Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Melbourne/Australia Posts: 4,400	It appears that the IDEFIX command (driver?) is not happy to play with a CF when used with the express adapter. Can anyone confirm/deny this? Last edited by NovaCoder; 24 September 2008 at 07:55.

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15 September 2008, 14:59	#2
keropi . Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ioannina/Greece Posts: 5,040	I also have a 1230/50 powered A1200 and the IDEFix Express... it is awesome, get it ! Speed is about ~5mb/s ... I only have an internal 2.5" HDD , but still I recommend it! plus you get the IDEFIX software AND it fits 100% along with the new Indivision internal SD/FF ... Got mine from amigakit.com btw...

17 September 2008, 14:55	#6
r6stu Registered User Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Southampton Age: 43 Posts: 112	MY CF wont boot when trying to install the software it just hangs!

17 September 2008, 16:07	#7
StevenJGore Amiga Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: North Yorkshire, UK Age: 46 Posts: 726	Try removing C:IDEfix from the startup-sequence. Worked for me.

17 September 2008, 23:01	#8
gklinger Vegetable Lasagna Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toronto, CANADA Age: 54 Posts: 711	I'm running 3.9 with BB2 and I had to use SFS to avoid errors on my 8GB CF card. It's partitioned as 200MB for the OS and the remainder for games. So far, everything is working smoothly. The only problem is that it is as slow as heck and I'm so bothered that I'm willing to waste a bit of money to fix the problem. Either a Blizzard SCSI card + SCSI to IDE bridge or an IDEFix Express. I just need to figure out which is best.

19 September 2008, 11:24	#11
protek Amiga hobbyist Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Oulu, Finland Posts: 250	Is it possible to connect the buffered IDE splitter into the SCSI kit via adapter or will we just run into trouble regarding device ids?

22 September 2008, 01:15	#12
NovaCoder Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Melbourne/Australia Posts: 4,400	Ok, I've just installed one of these in my 1200 desktop (running a Bliz 030 & OS3.9 BB2). I also had probs installing the software the first time so I do I actually need to install it to get the IDE speed boost? The software seems to be for CDROM drives (which I don't have). Sysinfo is now reporting 2.8mb per sec with my CF HD...is that better than standard?

22 September 2008, 11:49	#13
DJBase Amiga is my Religion Join Date: May 2005 Location: Germany Posts: 578	With an 030 you should be able to get up to 5MB/s but the speed with CF cards is very different. Some CF cards are slow and some cards are fast. So you just need the right CF card.

22 September 2008, 14:16	#16
DJBase Amiga is my Religion Join Date: May 2005 Location: Germany Posts: 578	3.3 MB/s is about what someone else gets with an SanDisk Extreme III 4GB card with 060 so I guess its ok. Just compare what you get with a normal hard drive.

23 September 2008, 17:27	#18
amigakit.com Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: www.amigakit.com Posts: 2,015	IDEFIX Express arrived back in stock today: http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/...roducts_id=425

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