A4000 doesn't see SSD

Sundance2022 · 08 March 2022, 00:52

I recently purchased a SSD (SSD, IDE-SATA). My A4000 doesn't see it for some reason. I am re-entering the Amiga realm so I have forgotten 99% of what I once knew.

I hold down the two mouse buttons and it does not show there in the boot menu. My IDE drive is detected and boots just fine just fine. I have looked in the manual and on the MB and I don't see any jumper or anything.

Any clues to what is going on?

Leon Besson · 08 March 2022, 01:15

So to go back a bit. You’ve connected this up to the IDE connector, booted up an Install disk and tried using HDTOOLBOX or similar to attempt to setup the SSD?
Or has the SSD already been setup for Amiga use and the RGB isn’t being seen? Hence why it doesn’t show up when using the 2 mouse buttons?

Hercules · 08 March 2022, 01:22

Well, looking at the card, it isn't a zorro 2/3 card so of course it wont show up in the boot menu with manufacter id and product id

Hook the drive up and fire up HDToolBox. It should show up.

Sundance2022 · 08 March 2022, 04:11

Doesn't show in HDtoobox.

Leon, Correct on the second statement. According to the eBay sell it has been formatted for Amiga.

Jope · 08 March 2022, 09:24

I have had such bad luck with these adapters and Amigas. Sometimes the drives show up once and disappear on a reset, sometimes they never show up.

If only there was a reliably working IDE -> SATA chip. They all seem to be based on a JM20330.

Time to add yet another raspberry pi to our Amigas? This time IDE emulation. :-P

jbenam · 08 March 2022, 10:59

You're all forgetting the basics

Which kickstart ROM have you got on your A4000?

I have had a lot of issues detecting larger drives on 3.1. With 3.2 everything usually goes smoothly and the drive is always detected.

IIRC, 3.1's scsi.device can only use CHS addressing (which is usually absent on modern drives) while 3.2's can also use LBA.

I _THINK_ that some of these adapters can add CHS support by providing fake values (up to 128GiB) but not all of them do.

Jope · 08 March 2022, 11:19

Worth a go. I might have had 3.1.4 ROMs last time, but it's been a while.

alexh · 08 March 2022, 14:18

With the A4000's slow IDE interface you're better off with a microSD to IDE adapter.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/234413221276

The holes line up so you can fit a standard PCI retention bracket so they fit in an empty Zorro slot.

Here is the CF equivalent. I used to always use CF card adapters with brackets like these on A4000s but modern CF cards have become more picky and work less often whereas the MicroSD card bridge always works regardless of card.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284578258339

davideo · 08 March 2022, 16:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexh

Here is the CF equivalent. I used to always use CF card adapters with brackets like these on A4000s but modern CF cards have become more picky and work less often whereas the MicroSD card bridge always works regardless of card.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284578258339

That's what I use on my 4000.

Also tried a SCSI2SD but that's proving unreliable on my WarpEngine

jbenam · 08 March 2022, 19:02

Indeed, I usually advice the same. Unless you do massive writes on your Amiga daily, a microSD is going to be fine. When it comes to speed you're limited by the IDE interface anyway

08 March 2022, 00:52	#1
Sundance2022 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2022 Location: Suisun City Posts: 9	A4000 doesn't see SSD I recently purchased a SSD (SSD, IDE-SATA). My A4000 doesn't see it for some reason. I am re-entering the Amiga realm so I have forgotten 99% of what I once knew. I hold down the two mouse buttons and it does not show there in the boot menu. My IDE drive is detected and boots just fine just fine. I have looked in the manual and on the MB and I don't see any jumper or anything. Any clues to what is going on? Attached Thumbnails

08 March 2022, 04:11	#4
Sundance2022 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2022 Location: Suisun City Posts: 9	Doesn't show in HDtoobox. Leon, Correct on the second statement. According to the eBay sell it has been formatted for Amiga. Attached Thumbnails

08 March 2022, 14:18	#8
alexh Thalion Webshrine Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oxford Posts: 14,529	With the A4000's slow IDE interface you're better off with a microSD to IDE adapter. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/234413221276 The holes line up so you can fit a standard PCI retention bracket so they fit in an empty Zorro slot. Here is the CF equivalent. I used to always use CF card adapters with brackets like these on A4000s but modern CF cards have become more picky and work less often whereas the MicroSD card bridge always works regardless of card. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284578258339 Last edited by alexh; 08 March 2022 at 14:24.

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08 March 2022, 01:15	#2
Leon Besson Banned Join Date: Feb 2022 Location: Anywhere and everywhere I have a contract Posts: 822	So to go back a bit. You’ve connected this up to the IDE connector, booted up an Install disk and tried using HDTOOLBOX or similar to attempt to setup the SSD? Or has the SSD already been setup for Amiga use and the RGB isn’t being seen? Hence why it doesn’t show up when using the 2 mouse buttons?

08 March 2022, 01:22	#3
Hercules Vodka monster. Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: UK Posts: 337	Well, looking at the card, it isn't a zorro 2/3 card so of course it wont show up in the boot menu with manufacter id and product id Hook the drive up and fire up HDToolBox. It should show up.

08 March 2022, 09:24	#5
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,938	I have had such bad luck with these adapters and Amigas. Sometimes the drives show up once and disappear on a reset, sometimes they never show up. If only there was a reliably working IDE -> SATA chip. They all seem to be based on a JM20330. Time to add yet another raspberry pi to our Amigas? This time IDE emulation. :-P

08 March 2022, 10:59	#6
jbenam Italian Amiga Zealot Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Italy Age: 36 Posts: 1,921	You're all forgetting the basics Which kickstart ROM have you got on your A4000? I have had a lot of issues detecting larger drives on 3.1. With 3.2 everything usually goes smoothly and the drive is always detected. IIRC, 3.1's scsi.device can only use CHS addressing (which is usually absent on modern drives) while 3.2's can also use LBA. I _THINK_ that some of these adapters can add CHS support by providing fake values (up to 128GiB) but not all of them do.

08 March 2022, 11:19	#7
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,938	Worth a go. I might have had 3.1.4 ROMs last time, but it's been a while.

08 March 2022, 19:02	#10
jbenam Italian Amiga Zealot Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Italy Age: 36 Posts: 1,921	Indeed, I usually advice the same. Unless you do massive writes on your Amiga daily, a microSD is going to be fine. When it comes to speed you're limited by the IDE interface anyway

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