[Coco] SuperIDE backup/restore

Luis Antoniosi (CoCoDemus) retrocanada76 at gmail.com
Mon Jul 29 16:28:51 EDT 2013 

OS errors you solve typing:

clear 1000

that's it.


On Mon, Jul 29, 2013 at 1:39 PM, Gustavo Ranaur Schoenaker <
ranaur at ranaur.net> wrote:

> Just a short update.
>
> I got two 256MB cards and copied the Luis's image on them (dd ing them).
> They work perfectly. Only the 512MB card is broken.
>
> I really don't think my sIDE is broken. It is working very well on the
> 256MB cards. I got 3 cards, so I don't need to make the 512MB anymore.
>
> Actually, I'm still testing it just for the fun. :-)
>
> I made a short test, "dding" /dev/zero through the entire card. Plugged the
> card on sIDE and DSKINI the first disk. OK.
> Then I wrote a small basic program to DSKO$ every sector of every disk with
> a string showing the DISK/TRACK/SECTOR count.
>
> I extracted the image with DD and analyzed it (with hexdump).
>
> The fist HDB-DOS disk starts at 0xA5BB800 (ok, that is the magic Cloud-9
> number 52DDC * 512 full sector size) and ends 630 * 256 sectors after. This
> makes sense and shows that I'm not messing with some hidden partition. For
> the records I'm using /dev/rdisk4 on a mac. (never use /dev/rdisk4s1: this
> is the partition, /dev/rdisk4 is the entire disk) You can use /dev/disk4
> aswell.
>
> I was changing the program do DSKI$ every sector and compare the contents
> with the "ideal" position. I did it, but I'm getting ?OS errors on the
> DSKI$ when I read the sectors to the strings, well ... I got to fix it
> somehow.
>
> Then it was 3:20 in the morning and I needed to go to work next day. :-)
>
> My pending list is:
>
>    - Run the same program to write sectors into a 256MB card and compare
>    the images. The hypothesis is that due some bizarre CF IDE emulation it
> may
>    be writting the sectors in a different order: instead CHS it is writing
>    CSH. I got to figure out this. This would explain a lot of phenomena I
> get,
>    but the odds are small, I know.
>    - Copy the 256MB image into the 512MB and compare it using the program.
>    - Try to copy the Luis's image only from 0xA5BB800 onwards. I'll loose
>    OS-9,but this may shine a light on what is happening.
>
> I'll post the results.
>
> Ed,
>
> I have an idea you may try. Put one "broken" CF card into sIDE as
> initialize the disk 0 with DSKINI. Save some dummy basic program to fill
> the disk. Make the image of the card, and write it to another "broken"
> card. See if it works.
>
> Good luck,
>
> On Mon, Jul 29, 2013 at 11:48 AM, Luis Antoniosi (CoCoDemus) <
> retrocanada76 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > it's not the sIDE. It's something about the CF cards.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On Mon, Jul 29, 2013 at 10:04 AM, Mark Marlette
> > <mmarlette at frontiernet.net>wrote:
> >
> > > sIDE user's,
> > >
> > > I really don't know what to say here. Since 2004 when the device was
> > > released, I have found only one generic CF card, no name brand, that
> > > wouldn't work properly on the sIDE. This had to do with some internal
> > > caching of the data WRITTEN   to the CF. The cache had to be flushed
> > >
> > >  before powering down. READS were fine of course, so it was noted and
> not
> > > used.
> > >
> > > I did look at Ed's cards, he sent four in, one didn't have enough
> > clusters
> > > so, the image wouldn't fit on it. All devices are not created equal.
> > When I
> > > picked the top sector count, I analyzed all the 256MB CFs and picked a
> > > number down from the last sector so that I would run into this problem.
> > > This one of Ed's is really short clusters. So I didn't image that one.
> > >
> > > The rest I imaged and functioned no problem.
> > >
> > > Gustavo's example was flawed in his copying of the CF at the time. As
> > > IIRC, he just picked a sector to stop copying at. You have to do the
> > math.
> > > He stopped copying too early. Not sure where his games where or if this
> > was
> > > related or not. NOS starts at secotr 0 and works up. HDB-DOS starts at
> a
> > > sector I picked at the top and works it's way down. There is a
> partition
> > in
> > > the middle that is unused.
> > >
> > >
> > > Since I was able to make image Ed's CF here and he can't. I would
> > normally
> > > say then the sIDE is defective(only two ever and those where
> > > bumped/pulled/inserted with power applied, blew CPLD), BUT the image
> > that I
> > > made works on his device. ????
> > >
> > >
> > > So that leads me then to the process/tool. Ed is using Winhex, just as
> I
> > > am. This is a power tool and has all kinds of options. Not sure if that
> > is
> > > an issue as well.
> > >
> > > Don't have any free time to work on this to figure the cause...already
> > > taking vacation from dayjob to work on orders.
> > >
> > > I have no more CFs but the last 100 or so I bought from Ebay from a guy
> > in
> > > Chicago. SanDisk. He sold single pieces as well. As my $16 charge is
> > higher
> > > it does pay for imagining the CF and some limited support.
> > >
> > > Since NOS, SuperDriver and HDB-DOS are now free and were Boisy's
> > products.
> > > I did the hardware design and production builds, it is REALLY hard to
> > > devote much time to this to figure this issue out.
> > >
> > > If you think your hardware is defective, please contact me via our
> > support
> > > web page contact information and I'll setup a RMA and we can take a
> look
> > at
> > > it. No charge but you will have to pay for the round trip
> > > postage....Gustavo's case....OUCH! :(
> > >
> > >
> > > Open to ideas, but I am out ATM.
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > >
> > > Mark
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ________________________________
> > >  From: Gustavo Ranaur Schoenaker <ranaur at ranaur.net>
> > > To: CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts <coco at maltedmedia.com>
> > > Sent: Sunday, July 28, 2013 10:48 PM
> > > Subject: Re: [Coco] SuperIDE backup/restore
> > >
> > >
> > > Ed,
> > >
> > > I'm having a very similar problem with my SuperIDE. I have the 256GB
> > > original Cloud 9 card, and I would like to backup it an work from a
> copy.
> > >
> > > Initially I used one of 4GB Transcend Card. I DD the content from the
> > > original Cloud-9 to it. I could boot it, but when I run som problems,
> the
> > > computer hangs.
> > >
> > > I tried both on a CoCo 2 and a CoCo 3 with the very same results.
> > Original
> > > OK, copy bad.
> > >
> > > For example, everytime I ran Calixto Island, I got some vertical black
> > bars
> > > on the credit screen (I sent the pictures from the list two weeks ago),
> > and
> > > the games went crazy when I start.
> > >
> > > Then I bought a 512MB and a 256MB card. They're not easy to find theese
> > > days ...
> > >
> > > When I copied to the 512MB I got the very same vertical bars and those
> > > strange behaviour. With the 256MB card everything went fine. I`m using
> > it!
> > >
> > > I tried everything (with some help from Retrocanada) to use the 4GB and
> > the
> > > 512MB card with no luck. I also have a Powerpak, a 8 bit Nintendo
> > cartridge
> > > that reads the ROM from a CF card. The 512MB card is not recognized on
> > > powerpak either.
> > >
> > > BTW, the card works perfectly on a Linux, a Mac or a windows machine.
> > >
> > > There is something very, very strange in the way CF cards works. Who is
> > the
> > > culprit? The CF card's IDE emulation? Maybe ... but why does it works
> on
> > > Intel Systems? SuperIDE? Maybe but why it hasn't worked on Powerpak
> > either?
> > > HDB-DOS way of accessing the information? Maybe ... but this doesn't
> > makes
> > > sense, since it only uses sector count. Everything together? Maybe ...
> > > Ghosts from 80`s haunting your old CoCo? Maybe ...
> > >
> > > I just bought two more 256 CF cards. I'll post as soon as I have more
> > > information.
> > >
> > > Up to now the best way to backup your data is saving your data on a
> > > Drivewire disks using wired. But it takes time *and* patience.
> > >
> > > Keep us informed. I`ll keep you informed as soon as I have more info.
> > >
> > > Good luck!
> > >
> > > On Sun, Jul 28, 2013 at 6:04 PM, Ed Orbea <ed.orbea at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > > List Members
> > > >
> > > > My goal is to be able to backup and restore my SuperIDE CF Card.I
> could
> > > > copy each HDB-DOS virtual drive to physical floppies (and then copy
> > them
> > > to
> > > > DSK image files).
> > > >
> > > > I could use dsave and make copies of the contents of the various
> > NitrOS-9
> > > > directories and sub directories to physical floppies (and then copy
> > them
> > > to
> > > > DSK image files).
> > > >
> > > > But why do I need to do that?
> > > >
> > > > I "should" be able to use (via WinXP) the 'dd' utility from Cygwin or
> > the
> > > > Win32DI application or WinHex (from X-Ways software) or Disk Imager
> (by
> > > > Roadkil.net) to extract an image of the entire CF drive and then
> > restore
> > > it.
> > > >
> > > > In order to try to do this, I purchased several 256mg CF cards
> (which I
> > > > have referenced in previous posts).
> > > >
> > > > I successfully used the above listed utilities to extract an image
> from
> > > my
> > > > Cloud9 distribution card.
> > > >
> > > > I generated as MD5 hash for each image (after it was extracted from
> the
> > > CF
> > > > card) and all hash codes were identical.
> > > >
> > > > I tried several different CF card (that Mark was kind enough to test
> > for
> > > > me, as I have been struggling with this for several weeks).
> > > >
> > > > The 'target' CF cards are all identical to the Cloud9 distribution CF
> > > card
> > > > according to that is shown via the IDEPROBE utility contained on the
> > > > Clloud9 distribution disk
> > > >
> > > >    Logical cylinders: 980
> > > >
> > > >    Logical heads: 16
> > > >
> > > >    Logical sectors: 32
> > > >
> > > >    Total sectors: 501760
> > > >
> > > >    LBA: Is Supported
> > > >
> > > >    PIO Timing: 2
> > > >
> > > > The only differences are the Serial Number (obviously this should be
> > > > different) and the # sectors per R/W multiple(Cloud9 distribution
> disk
> > =
> > > 1,
> > > > the other CF cards = 4).
> > > >
> > > > So, I should be able to "extract" the image from the Cloud9
> > distribution
> > > > CF card and "restore" it to any of the 'matching' CF cards.
> > > >
> > > > The problem is that I can't. And let me explain further.
> > > >
> > > >    I can extract the image (without any failures or errors)
> > > >
> > > >    I can generate a MD5 has of the actual CF card and the extracted
> > > >    image, and they match. That tells me that I do not have to do a
> > > >    byte-by-byre comparison, as the image is an exact copy of the
> card.
> > > >
> > > >    I can then restore the image to one of the other CF cards without
> > > >    encountering an error or failure
> > > >
> > > >    I can then generate a MD5 hash of the new CF cards and that hash
> > > >    matches what has previously generated.
> > > >
> > > >    But when I put the new CF card into the SuperIDE device and power
> on
> > > >    the system (CoCo3), I see the Disk Basic banner, the HBD-DOS LBA
> > > >    banner, and then the system either: starts showing 'sparklies';
> > > >    starts showing random colors and letters; or just hangs.
> > > >
> > > >    The LED on the SuperIDE remains a solid color (no blinking).
> > > >
> > > > I have tried using only the SuperIDE cartridge (no MPI)
> > > >
> > > > I have tried various MPI configurations/combinations.
> > > >
> > > > Everything works correctly, when I am using the Cloud9 distribution
> > card
> > > > and doesn't work when using the new CF card
> > > >
> > > > My CoCo system (as mentioned in previous posts) is:
> > > >
> > > >    CoCo3 (6809)
> > > >
> > > >    Cloud9 Triad memory upgrade
> > > >
> > > >    Roy's VGA converted
> > > >
> > > >    MPI with slot 4 (either Disto SCII FDCC with DW3 in Eprom OR
> TRS-80
> > > >    26-3129 'long' FDCC); Slot 3 Orch-90; Slot 2 Modified SSC; Slot 1
> > > >    SuperIDE.
> > > >
> > > > Your help is appreciated
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
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> > > > Coco at maltedmedia.com
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> > > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/coco>
> > > >
> > >
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> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
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> >
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