Gotek related questions

[appiah4]

Hello,

This is a first post; so for starters I was a kid in the 80s and early 90s, grew up with an Amiga 500, I love the hardware to bits, and I still have it in my storage.

The other day by sheer like I've come to learn about the Gotek drive, and immediately ordered it, and the TTL adapter required for the Cortex flash. Now come the tricky part: mount it internally or externally? A rundown of my options here would be great..

Internal: As I understand mounting this thing as a replacement to the df0 is possible, but unless I cut up the case (which I am VERY unwilling to do) I will not be able to reach the buttons or read the LED screen.. Depressing. Does anyone use the Gotek this way? Is it totally unusable, or just unwieldly?

External: Requires extra adaptor/cabling, looks ugly, and can't boot unless I do a hardware mod (which I do not really want to..). As I understand this method is mostly for copying ADF files to floppies (which I have around 50 of to use) - but how do you load adf files to the Gotek without being able to boot the selector.adf on it? Does it play well with XCopy? Should I not even bother?

Internal/External: Longer floppy ribbon/power cord through the floppy opening, Gotek resting on the case.. This is probably what I'll end up doing if all else fails.. Good luck to me finding the cables, though (and well done to me for trashing a dozen or so IDE/Floppy ribbons last week.. Who would ever need them again, right? Right?..)

Thanks to any who would take the time to reply

[ransom1122]

I use internal. Yes you have to cut and or file the case in order to use the gotek. But seriously who cares. There are so many a500s on ebay working and not working for cheap so buy an extra case if you're worried. You will have more fun on the gotek then worrying about your case

[Franchute13]

Originally Posted by ransom1122

I use internal. Yes you have to cut and or file the case in order to use the gotek. But seriously who cares. There are so many a500s on ebay working and not working for cheap so buy an extra case if you're worried. You will have more fun on the gotek then worrying about your case

It depends where you live.
Here (Argentina), the cheapest available on the Internet A500 costs $ 100. Generally they are between 200 - 300 U$S

appiah4
There are people who install it without cutting the A500
http://s15.postimg.org/x0nsqe3a3/gotec_5.jpg

[appiah4]

Originally Posted by Franchute13

It depends where you live.
Here (Argentina), the cheapest available on the Internet A500 costs $ 100. Generally they are between 200 - 300 U$S

appiah4
There are people who install it without cutting the A500
http://s15.postimg.org/x0nsqe3a3/gotec_5.jpg

Exactly! Covers or dud units are not very widely available where I live. This looks exactly like how I plan to mount mine, I wonder if this guy has any pictures of the interior? Also, are those switches in the floppy eject button slot a mod? Are the switches on the gotek easy to replace with longer switches?

[Franchute13]

Originally Posted by appiah4

Exactly! Covers or dud units are not very widely available where I live. This looks exactly like how I plan to mount mine, I wonder if this guy has any pictures of the interior? Also, are those switches in the floppy eject button slot a mod? Are the switches on the gotek easy to replace with longer switches?

You have 3 models of Gotek. without display, display with 2 digit, display with 3 digit.
This example is with Gotek 3 digit display but cutting case ... But, you can do it with no display
http://www.ultimateamiga.co.uk/index.php?topic=9762.0

[appiah4]

Originally Posted by Franchute13

You have 3 models of Gotek. without display, display with 2 digit, display with 3 digit.
This example is with Gotek 3 digit display but cutting case ... But, you can do it with no display
http://www.ultimateamiga.co.uk/index.php?topic=9762.0

Incredibly useful, thank you EAB.. I'm amazed at how helpful and alive this forum is

One final question: If I should opt to use this as a df1 unit, how do I mount adf images to it, in order to xcopy them onto floppies? The problem I see with it is that I can't boot SELECTOR.ADF on df1 with Kickstart 1.3?

[Franchute13]

Originally Posted by appiah4

Incredibly useful, thank you EAB.. I'm amazed at how helpful and alive this forum is

One final question: If I should opt to use this as a df1 unit, how do I mount adf images to it, in order to xcopy them onto floppies? The problem I see with it is that I can't boot SELECTOR.ADF on df1 with Kickstart 1.3?

Without display will not know which file is selecting, I mean, you must press the button to find the searched file. Example, if you have a game of many floppy, you must press button to hit the next disc.
You can also invent something like.
http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=78008&page=2

1.3 ROM can not boot from the DF1. (must adapt the motherboard or change the ROM).
If you have the gotek display, you can select the file (by number) and copy it to a floppy disk using xcopy.

[appiah4]

Originally Posted by Franchute13

Without display will not know which file is selecting, I mean, you must press the button to find the searched file. Example, if you have a game of many floppy, you must press button to hit the next disc.
You can also invent something like.
http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=78008&page=2

1.3 ROM can not boot from the DF1. (must adapt the motherboard or change the ROM).
If you have the gotek display, you can select the file (by number) and copy it to a floppy disk using xcopy.

But how does Gotek know which ADF is which number if I can't boot SELECTOR.ADF? Does it auto-assign alphabetically? That would be good enough for me.

EDIT: Apparently it sorts them by date added unless you boot the SELECTOR.ADF and set your own ordering? Can anyone confirm?

[Franchute13]

You have two ways to select the ADF. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
1) Selector.ADF small program to boot Amiga lets you select the ADF, avoiding having to Gotek buttons to get to the file.
2) Without using SELECTOR.ADF, simply select the number.

I do not know as it gives numeration.

[Jope]

selector.adf must always be present on the usb stick, as the adf<->number slot allocation info is stored into selector.adf.

[Solo761]

And also, you can't avoid using gotek buttons. Selector is used for linking (in lack of better term) adf files and slot numbers, not to select which file you're going to boot next. After you choose save and reboot in selector it'll switch from 000 (which is reserved for selector.adf) to 001 and that's the only slot change selector does.

Plus, as Jope said, selector.adf must be present on USB stick. No selector.adf = no working gotek.


Btw. you don't have to cut the case to fit gotek. I haven't cut it in any of my A500s. True, you can't close A500 case when you screw gotek in place as it's a bit higher than original floppy. But there are two options to fix this. Either cut this few milimeters off the top of Gotek's case, or drill screw holes in Gotek's casecca 1 centimeter closer to front of the gotek so you can install it a bit more inside A500 case. Either way you're going to be able to close the A500 case without any modifications to it.

I drilled holes in my Goteks and put them a bit more inside the case. Here's how it looks.

http://eab.abime.net/showpost.php?p=973514&postcount=8

I also made small PCB with microcontroller and IR receiver so I can change ADF slots with small universal remote. That's that small black square at right side of Gotek front.

And here's another clever mod by Anemos, again without cutting to A500 case.

http://eab.abime.net/showpost.php?p=...&postcount=357

[appiah4]

Originally Posted by Jope

selector.adf must always be present on the usb stick, as the adf<->number slot allocation info is stored into selector.adf.

Yes but.. How are they sorted by default?

Here's my scenario: Gotek installed externally as df1. I copy ADFs to floppy, say 100 of them, then insert USB to Gotek. I fire up XCOPY, and I want to copy a specific ADF to floppy.. Is there a way to know the numeration sorting? Are the ADF files even assigned to numbers without booting the SELECTOR.ADF?

I read somewhere that it was, by default, sorted by file creation date unless you boot SELECTOR.ADF, but I can't verify this anywhere

[Solo761]

They aren't, there is no numeration by default.

In your scenario only slot 000 would be available and that's selector.adf itself. You would need to start it manually, set said 100 ADFs to numbers. Only after that will you be able to choose numbers.

[appiah4]

I understand now, thank you very much. I will probably stick to using the LPT file transfer cable for now

[Solo761]

Well, this is actually not that much of a hassle.

Initial problem is that KS1.3 A500 won't boot of DF1. But it's not actually needed.

Connect gotek externaly, plug USB drive with selector.adf and ADFs you want. Then boot workbench from real floppy. Once it loads you'll have DF0 with your WB floppy and DF1 with selector.adf, not just open DF1 so it shows you files on selector.adf and start selector software that way. Now you can set ADF's to numbers you want the usual way and after that boot XCopy from real floppy and do what you wanted to in the first place.

[appiah4]

Originally Posted by Solo761

Well, this is actually not that much of a hassle.

Initial problem is that KS1.3 A500 won't boot of DF1. But it's not actually needed.

Connect gotek externaly, plug USB drive with selector.adf and ADFs you want. Then boot workbench from real floppy. Once it loads you'll have DF0 with your WB floppy and DF1 with selector.adf, not just open DF1 so it shows you files on selector.adf and start selector software that way. Now you can set ADF's to numbers you want the usual way and after that boot XCopy from real floppy and do what you wanted to in the first place.

That's.. actually amazingly simple and considering how dumb I was to not think of booting workbench first, I want to slap myself Gotek redeemed!

You guys are an amazing forum, I'm really glad I stumbled here.

[appiah4]

Originally Posted by Solo761

Well, this is actually not that much of a hassle.

Initial problem is that KS1.3 A500 won't boot of DF1. But it's not actually needed.

Connect gotek externaly, plug USB drive with selector.adf and ADFs you want. Then boot workbench from real floppy. Once it loads you'll have DF0 with your WB floppy and DF1 with selector.adf, not just open DF1 so it shows you files on selector.adf and start selector software that way. Now you can set ADF's to numbers you want the usual way and after that boot XCopy from real floppy and do what you wanted to in the first place.

I just tried this and it's a huge failure..

Boot into Workbench, Run Shell, then
cd df1:
SELECTOR
Loading...

Then I get the error:

Software error - task held
Finish ALL disk activity
Click CANCEL to reset/debug

CANCEL gives me Guru Meditation..

I'm guessing it was never meant to be run from df1? There is also an S directory with STARTUP-SEQUENCE in it, but when I run it I just get mount errors.

Any other ideas?

On an unrelated note, when I use this gotek drive as df1:, my df0: gives me intermittent read/write errors on disks that I KNOW are fine. The disks load fine once I disconnet the Gotek from df1: Any ideas why?

[appiah4]

I actually managed to get it working by setting the jumper to S0.. I thought it had to be S1 in order to use as df1: ? Regardless, it works (although for some reason the first time I added 100+ adfs to the list the selector buttons got stuck, so I had to reset it and add less, but it works and I can't complain too much)

[Jope]

Amiga drives are almost always S0 unless you have two internal drives. The electronics inside the external drive's case handle the select shuffling for you.

[rfancella]

I have a Gotek related question as well. I flashed it with the most current firmware (1.5a I think) ant the most current selector.adf.
You can use a joystick to navigate, yes. And keyboard arrow keys. Return to select. You can also press both buttons on the Gotek to jump to disk 000.
What other keys do what?
Would be nice as well to have "play lists" that could be loaded.

Thanks,
Ron