A little explanation on GOTEK+HxC would be great..

[appiah4]

I have a GOTEK with the Cortex firmware and it's not really as reliable as I would like. I want to buy the HxC firmware for it (contacted the author on eab waiting for a response) but there are a couple of things I'd like to learn. All help would be appreciated:

1. Can I flash the Gotek to the HxC firmware from a USB stick, or do I need the serial-usb and soldering skills?
2. Does the Gotek HxC work as a df1: external drive on an A500? If it does, how do I access the software? i.e. For the Cortex, I need to boot WB1.3, then run SELCTOR on df1: throuch CLI.. How is this handled for HxC?

[demolition]

You need a USB<->TTL UART cable to flash the HxC bootloader. After this is done, any future flash updates can be done through USB. Most Goteks already have pin headers in place, and then there is no soldering involved.

Here is the tool you need to use with the guide on how to do it:
http://hxc2001.com/download/floppy_d...rialBridge.zip

If you connect the Gotek in an external chassis, it will run like any normal DF1 drive.
HxC also comes with a manager disk which is the HxC equivalent of SELECTOR.ADF.
It is called AUTOBOOT.HFE and is found in this package:
http://hxc2001.com/download/floppy_d...or_Manager.zip
I don't know if the disk is a DOS disk so it can be used the same way you explain but normally you would want the floppy emulator to work as DF0 and boot directly into the manager software.

[emufan]

is it possible to install the HxC firmware using the usb to usb link solution?

Gotek flashing without serial adapter

Originally Posted by rasteri

Just in case anyone is too cheap to spend the €0.99 for a serial adapter to flash your Gotek, and has a USB-A to USB-A cable lying around -
[ Show youtube player ]

software / driver link in youtube description.

[appiah4]

Originally Posted by demolition

You need a USB<->TTL UART cable to flash the HxC bootloader. After this is done, any future flash updates can be done through USB. Most Goteks already have pin headers in place, and then there is no soldering involved.

Here is the tool you need to use with the guide on how to do it:
http://hxc2001.com/download/floppy_d...rialBridge.zip

If you connect the Gotek in an external chassis, it will run like any normal DF1 drive.
HxC also comes with a manager disk which is the HxC equivalent of SELECTOR.ADF.
It is called AUTOBOOT.HFE and is found in this package:
http://hxc2001.com/download/floppy_d...or_Manager.zip
I don't know if the disk is a DOS disk so it can be used the same way you explain but normally you would want the floppy emulator to work as DF0 and boot directly into the manager software.

Thanks, I'll check to see if my pin headers were actually soldered on or whether they were temporarily connected for Cortex flashing.. Considering the pin headers for REBOOT, 3.3V, TX and RX were installed something like this will be enough?

Originally Posted by emufan

is it possible to install the HxC firmware using the usb to usb link solution?

Gotek flashing without serial adapter

Very interesting. The headers are connected with a simple pin?

[demolition]

Originally Posted by appiah4

Considering the pin headers for REBOOT, 3.3V, TX and RX were installed something like this will be enough?

I think it should be ok, however I am not sure if it needs to be 5V TTL or if 3.3V will work.
Edit: I flashed my Gotek with HxC using a CP2102 based adapter but I never checked if it was 3.3 or 5V

[demolition]

Originally Posted by emufan

is it possible to install the HxC firmware using the usb to usb link solution?

Gotek flashing without serial adapter

Don't think that will work since the HxC bootloader can only be flashed using the official HxC tool since it needs to retrieve a license from the server for every flashing.

[appiah4]

Originally Posted by demolition

Don't think that will work since the HxC bootloader can only be flashed using the official HxC tool since it needs to retrieve a license from the server for every flashing.

Yeah the video specifically mentions HxC not being an option with usb.

Headers were not installed on my gotek, the cables were temporarily soldered for flashing then removed. HxC autloader can't be run from df1: either apparently so I'm likely better off sticking to Cortex, buggy as it is.

[emufan]

Originally Posted by demolition

Don't think that will work since the HxC bootloader can only be flashed using the official HxC tool since it needs to retrieve a license from the server for every flashing.

hmm, but the HxC software is just looking for a gotek device, i should not make a diff, if it's using another driver.
flashing is possible with serial adapter and the usb to usb cable. i'll ask in the other thread, maybe jeff can tweak his firmware installer to make the cable only solution work

[demolition]

The HxC tool should work with any COM port so if the USB solution presents itself as that, then it might work.

[emufan]

Originally Posted by demolition

The HxC tool should work with any COM port so if the USB solution presents itself as that, then it might work.

yep. thats what i think too. maybe easier solution, than playing with that serial adapter.
let's see what jeff will say about that.

Originally Posted by appiah4

Very interesting. The headers are connected with a simple pin?

cannot say much about the modification. i dont own a gotek, so i cannot test.
i just thought someone should give it a try

[appiah4]

I'll order some header pins along with a usb serial tonight.. I'll then try to solder the pins onto the board and likely ruin it, but we do what we must because we can.

[emufan]

Originally Posted by appiah4

I'll order some header pins along with a usb serial tonight.. I'll then try to solder the pins onto the board and likely ruin it, but we do what we must because we can.

like the one in the video said, it will not work without jeff doing some tweaks with his installer software.
maybe he is in the mood now supporting this in a new release

[appiah4]

Originally Posted by emufan

like the one in the video said, it will not work without jeff doing some tweaks with his installer software.
maybe he is in the mood now supporting this in a new release

Its ok Ill need the pins to connect a TTL anyway.

Apparently if I run the HxC firmware as df1 I can run it in a nonindexed mode if I name the image files correctly like disk0001 or sonething?

[demolition]

Originally Posted by appiah4

Apparently if I run the HxC firmware as df1 I can run it in a nonindexed mode if I name the image files correctly like disk0001 or sonething?

From the readme file inside http://hxc2001.com/download/floppy_d...a_firmware.zip:

----------------
- Indexed mode -
----------------

In this mode the file images must be named DSKA0000.HFE, DSKA0001.HFE, DSKA0002.HFE,...
The 2/3 digits display shows the actual file number selected.

No LCD and/or extra push button is needed to use this mode.
No extra software needed.

This is the recommended mode when you don't have the extra LCD & button and when
your machine can't use the autoboot mode (see below).

The config file to copy to the root of the flash media for this mode :

Config_Files\Indexed_mode\HXCSDFE.CFG

[appiah4]

Originally Posted by demolition

From the readme file inside http://hxc2001.com/download/floppy_d...a_firmware.zip:

Yeah, saw that.. but it specifically mentions .HFE so I was wondering if that would also work with .ADF files? I suppose I could always just convert the .ADF files to .HFE..

[demolition]

I think indexed mode only works with HFE files.

[appiah4]

Alright, so I'll get the pins soldered tonight, order a the USB Serial adapter, buy the HxC firmware and see if it's actually more reliable than Cortex.

For the good of us all. [spoiler]Except the ones who are dead.[/spoiler]

Final questions:

1. Is reverting to the Cortex firmware as simple as reflashing it over HxC?
2. Is the HxC license for a one time only flash or can I flash it onto the same drive as many times as I can? If that's the case, how does the poor guy know for sure that I'm not just flashing it onto multiple Goteks?

[demolition]

Originally Posted by appiah4

1. Is reverting to the Cortex firmware as simple as reflashing it over HxC?
2. Is the HxC license for a one time only flash or can I flash it onto the same drive as many times as I can? If that's the case, how does the poor guy know for sure that I'm not just flashing it onto multiple Goteks?

1. You can use the HxC bootloader together with the Cortex firmware so you can simply revert to Cortex using USB flashing. That also means you do not need to buy another HxC license to go back to the HxC firmware since the license is locked to the bootloader and not the firmware.

2. You can flash one HxC bootloader per license you buy so if you overwrite the bootloader and want to use HxC again, you need to buy another license. But there is no reason to remove the HxC bootloader once it is in there.

[appiah4]

Originally Posted by demolition

1. You can use the HxC bootloader together with the Cortex firmware so you can simply revert to Cortex using USB flashing. That also means you do not need to buy another HxC license to go back to the HxC firmware since the license is locked to the bootloader and not the firmware.

2. You can flash one HxC bootloader per license you buy so if you overwrite the bootloader and want to use HxC again, you need to buy another license. But there is no reason to remove the HxC bootloader once it is in there.

Oooh, nice. Sold Just waiting to get the pins soldered on and having my USB TTL come in the mail now..

[emufan]

Originally Posted by appiah4

Its ok Ill need the pins to connect a TTL anyway.

jeff gave an answer - so maybe in the future

Originally Posted by Jeff_HxC2001

not yet, maybe later.