UltraSatan TOS/DOS compatible image files (7th Oct. 2009)

[wongck]

Wow... must be fun testing all that different variation of drivers and partition size.
Wish I could help with some of the testing but I don't have the hardware.

[DrCoolZic]

Not directly related but I am looking for a program called Xboot 3 that allow to boot from different partitions.
I have been looking in many places but did not found. Does anybody has a copy ?

[Desty]

The problem is located in the GEMDOS portion of the TOS and can only be fixed if you use BIGDOS (DOS partition up to 2GB) or an HD driver (TOS&DOS partitions up to 512MB for TOS > 1.02 or 1GB for TOS 4.x) like HDDRIVER or PPTOSDOS.

Thanks, that's a good explanation (i.e. understandable even by me) I look forward to finding out more about the development of Pptosdos!

[AtariSince1989]

Not directly related but I am looking for a program called Xboot 3 that allow to boot from different partitions.
I have been looking in many places but did not found. Does anybody has a copy ?

We added it to the Atari ST essential software (The List), but it is commercial software... just got a link for the demo: http://www4.pair.com/gribnif/files/Demos/xbootdem.zip

[DrCoolZic]

Not directly related but I am looking for a program called Xboot 3 that allow to boot from different partitions.
I have been looking in many places but did not found. Does anybody has a copy ?

We added it to the Atari ST essential software (The List), but it is commercial software... just got a link for the demo: http://www4.pair.com/gribnif/files/Demos/xbootdem.zip

Thanks did not know. A great List !!!

[DrCoolZic]

So what would be the best solution: A driver that can handle MANY TOS&DOS partitions + one of them can be made bootable. With such driver you can use your boot sd card on Atari and PC with many 512MB partitions. Your transfer card would also need to TOS&DOS partitioned so it can be read on both systems. This is a nice solution for Stan user as well.

Unfortunately such a driver is not yet available, but it should be soon (preliminary tests look very promising). For me this will be the perfect solution as this driver does NOT need BIGDOS and therefore you are running "pure" Atari software with no GEMDOS replacement

I did not mention but you can experiment with this new driver by looking at http://ppera.07x.net/atari/DiskImgPP1.html
You can dowload a disk image with 3 TOSDOS partitions and games + Mint ... + of course the driver at http://www.megaupload.com/?d=J43LY1IV
The 3 Partitions can be read on Atari and directly on PC and you can choose from which partition you boot and no need for BIGDOS. Isnt it wonderful
Only restriction on this preliminary version is only 1GB sd card and only ID=0. Of course final version will remove all these limitations for only 10€

Also want to mention that solutions needing BigDOS are not for gamers - many will not work with BigDOS. I think that Desty has problems with it. And I can make some different sized image files too, by need

[bj]

Not directly related but I am looking for a program called Xboot 3 that allow to boot from different partitions.
I have been looking in many places but did not found. Does anybody has a copy ?

Here you go. I don't think it does what you mention but it does a whole lot of other things . Basically it allows boot up using different sets of auto programs, accessories, Cpx modules and Desktop Inf files. The ultimate in bootup configurability! It's been my fave for many years.

[wongck]

Here you go. I don't think it does what you mention but it does a whole lot of other things . Basically it allows boot up using different sets of auto programs, accessories, Cpx modules and Desktop Inf files. The ultimate in bootup configurability! It's been my fave for many years.

Yeap, the best. I am using it since the mid 90s.
The version 3.2, is patched to work after Y2K plus some other bugs fix.

[AtariSince1989]

Not directly related but I am looking for a program called Xboot 3 that allow to boot from different partitions.
I have been looking in many places but did not found. Does anybody has a copy ?

Here you go. I don't think it does what you mention but it does a whole lot of other things . Basically it allows boot up using different sets of auto programs, accessories, Cpx modules and Desktop Inf files. The ultimate in bootup configurability! It's been my fave for many years.

Thanks a lot. I have tried it and I have seen that is like Superboot... but much nicer! I'm gonna use xboot from now on

[DrCoolZic]

Not directly related but I am looking for a program called Xboot 3 that allow to boot from different partitions.
I have been looking in many places but did not found. Does anybody has a copy ?

Here you go. I don't think it does what you mention but it does a whole lot of other things . Basically it allows boot up using different sets of auto programs, accessories, Cpx modules and Desktop Inf files. The ultimate in bootup configurability! It's been my fave for many years.

Thanks a lot.
I have heard that is is a very good program, but do not know all the features.
Thanks again

[DrCoolZic]

I did not mention but you can experiment with this new driver by looking at http://ppera.07x.net/atari/DiskImgPP1.html
You can dowload a disk image with 3 TOSDOS partitions and games + Mint ... + of course the driver at http://www.megaupload.com/?d=J43LY1IV
The 3 Partitions can be read on Atari and directly on PC and you can choose from which partition you boot and no need for BIGDOS. Isnt it wonderful
Only restriction on this preliminary version is only 1GB sd card and only ID=0. Of course final version will remove all these limitations for only 10€

Actually what I siad was not totally right here is the reply from ppera

... ACSI autoboot can work from any target 0-7 . Only that it scans then only that target and not further ones. It will be added in next revision, with ICD commands and AHDI drive support. And I will likely post new image with it, for free. Only for partitioner (with driver) I plan to charge.
But it seems that it will be not finished so soon - really not much free time now.

For information there is already a test program (HD performance analyzer) that uses ICD extended command and therefore allow access above 1GB

[Awol]

The 32mb limit shouldn't be an issue for me since I actually have a 32mb SD card (it came with my digital camera, and I was planning to use it as my TOS&DOS transfer card). I put Mug UK's image on the card, but I can't get it to show up on my Atari's desktop as a hard disk. Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong? I tried to make the card bootable with ICD and it wouldn't work either. For the moment, I've reformatted it as TOS-only and it's working fine with the ICD driver.

[Mug UK]

If you read (either in this thread or the one for ICD compatible images) you'll see that the ICD driver won't boot directly with a card formatted TOS/DOS .. that only works for HDDriver. You can, however, put it as your Drive D: and it should work and, as it's 32Mb, it shouldn't have any of the write error problems that DrCoolZic has found with his exhaustive tests.

[DrCoolZic]

The 32mb limit shouldn't be an issue for me since I actually have a 32mb SD card (it came with my digital camera, and I was planning to use it as my TOS&DOS transfer card). I put Mug UK's image on the card, but I can't get it to show up on my Atari's desktop as a hard disk. Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong? I tried to make the card bootable with ICD and it wouldn't work either. For the moment, I've reformatted it as TOS-only and it's working fine with the ICD driver.

If you hae 32MB SD card and ICD this shoud be easy! First do not use HDDRIVER images. IN theory they should work for 32MB partitions however I have found a bug in HDDRIVER: It does not write correectly DOS&TOS partitions with less than 32MB (I will document this later).
So plug your card on PC use the disk manager, select your SD card and create a partition using FAT for the file system. Format it with the default values. Thats all that you need to do!
Now you should be able to access the card in PC but also with ICD on Atari as it recognize directly small FAT partition ...
However beware that this card cannot be made bootable on Atari...
Let me know if you have any problem.
Jean

[Awol]

If you read (either in this thread or the one for ICD compatible images) you'll see that the ICD driver won't boot directly with a card formatted TOS/DOS .. that only works for HDDriver. You can, however, put it as your Drive D: and it should work and, as it's 32Mb, it shouldn't have any of the write error problems that DrCoolZic has found with his exhaustive tests.

Ah... I missed that somehow. Thanks!

If you hae 32MB SD card and ICD this shoud be easy! First do not use HDDRIVER images. IN theory they should work for 32MB partitions however I have found a bug in HDDRIVER: It does not write correectly DOS&TOS partitions with less than 32MB (I will document this later).
So plug your card on PC use the disk manager, select your SD card and create a partition using FAT for the file system. Format it with the default values. Thats all that you need to do!
Now you should be able to access the card in PC but also with ICD on Atari as it recognize directly small FAT partition ...
However beware that this card cannot be made bootable on Atari...
Let me know if you have any problem.
Jean

I actually tried formatting the card as FAT and using it with the CBHD driver, but I couldn't get it to work... probably because I was only using one card and didn't know that FAT can't be made bootable on the Atari. I didn't know that the ICD driver supported FAT formatted cards though! I thought only HDDRIVER and CBHD did. Anyway, I'll get another SD card and make it bootable (and TOS-only), and then I'll try my 32mb FAT card with ICD. Thanks for the info!

[DrCoolZic]

I have just release a new version of my documentation on Hard Disk in this document you will find all the information you need to know about Hard disk.
Do not be afraid this is a long document but full of practical information. Just read what you need
The link is http://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.ph ... 92#p158692

Small utility to test drive can be found at http://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=18408

[Mug UK]

Good stuff DrCoolZic .. should I lock this thread now?

[DrCoolZic]

Good stuff DrCoolZic .. should I lock this thread now?

Not sure what lock thread mean? No new post?
But if you want to lock it no problem with me

[Mug UK]

Yep - that's what I mean. If you've answered all the queries, and directed them to your up to date guide, there's not much use for this thread other than to store the images for HDDriver owners.

[Awol]

If you hae 32MB SD card and ICD this shoud be easy! First do not use HDDRIVER images. IN theory they should work for 32MB partitions however I have found a bug in HDDRIVER: It does not write correectly DOS&TOS partitions with less than 32MB (I will document this later).
So plug your card on PC use the disk manager, select your SD card and create a partition using FAT for the file system. Format it with the default values. Thats all that you need to do!
Now you should be able to access the card in PC but also with ICD on Atari as it recognize directly small FAT partition ...
However beware that this card cannot be made bootable on Atari...
Let me know if you have any problem.
Jean

I can't get this to work! I can access my 32MB card on my PC, but not my Atari.

[DrCoolZic]

If you hae 32MB SD card and ICD this shoud be easy! First do not use HDDRIVER images. IN theory they should work for 32MB partitions however I have found a bug in HDDRIVER: It does not write correectly DOS&TOS partitions with less than 32MB (I will document this later).
So plug your card on PC use the disk manager, select your SD card and create a partition using FAT for the file system. Format it with the default values. Thats all that you need to do!
Now you should be able to access the card in PC but also with ICD on Atari as it recognize directly small FAT partition ...
However beware that this card cannot be made bootable on Atari...
Let me know if you have any problem.
Jean

I can't get this to work! I can access my 32MB card on my PC, but not my Atari.

Should work. However default might not be the right value?
On PC format the 32MB with FAT (not FAT32) and select 512 for allocation unit.
Now you should be able to read on Atari with ICD or HDDRIVER

[wongck]

I can't get this to work! I can access my 32MB card on my PC, but not my Atari.
Should work. However default might not be the right value?
On PC format the 32MB with FAT (not FAT32) and select 512 for allocation unit.
Now you should be able to read on Atari with ICD or HDDRIVER

I think if you format on PC, then you need DOS mode on Atari to read the HDD.
This is bigDOS or maybe hddriver in DOS mode.
I think ICD will not read it.

[DrCoolZic]

I can't get this to work! I can access my 32MB card on my PC, but not my Atari.
Should work. However default might not be the right value?
On PC format the 32MB with FAT (not FAT32) and select 512 for allocation unit.
Now you should be able to read on Atari with ICD or HDDRIVER

I think if you format on PC, then you need DOS mode on Atari to read the HDD.
This is bigDOS or maybe hddriver in DOS mode.
I think ICD will not read it.

Yes you need a driver that can read dos partitions and this is the case of at least HDD and ICD.
However in order for this to work the partition needs to be less (not less or equal) than 32MB
If partition is equal or more than 32MB then you need either to use BIGDOS or DOS/TOS partitions with HDDriver
see http://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.ph ... 39#p158692 for more technical details

[wongck]

see http://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.ph ... 39#p158692 for more technical details

Ahh yes, how is your project getting along?

[DrCoolZic]

see http://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.ph ... 39#p158692 for more technical details

Ahh yes, how is your project getting along?

Unfortunately Ppera is progressing slowly on the new driver. This is due to the fact that based on analysis of the problem of partitions size and number of partitions he needs to rewrite large portion of the code.