AUTOBOOT - a strange problem.

HxC Floppy Emulator on Atari ST support
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yerzmyey
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AUTOBOOT - a strange problem.

Post by yerzmyey »

I use HxC SD for 2 years or so. Never noticed any problems.
But lately something strange started to appear.

AUTOBOOT.HFE doesn't want to load. Shows bombs.
When I delete it (and the config) and put back on SD card (from my HDD backup) it works again, but for several days only.

After that - the same strange error.

But what is more strange, I noticed that it still can be loaded with:
- eject the SD card
- turn the computer ON
- wait 3 "clicks" of the HxC
- insert SD card.

Now there are 2 ways of HxC's work:
1) it automatically load AUTOBOOT
2) sometimes it shows TOS' desktop. I press diskrive A. There I can see AUTO catalogue/folder. I enter it and press the AUTOBOOT program.

What do You think of it, guyz?
Did You encounter it before?
Very strange.

megar
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Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2011 12:22 am

Re: AUTOBOOT - a strange problem.

Post by megar »

I had strange problem too, they were solved by completely reformating the SD card..
I never had bombs but sometimes, the HxC fails to find the CFG file, or it was looping "Reading FAT32, then reading HXCFEMNG.CFG, etc.".

Anyway you seem to use an old version of the manager: it no longer use the AUTO folder to boot. You can try the version 2.00 beta1 here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=976

Jeff
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Re: AUTOBOOT - a strange problem.

Post by Jeff »

Be careful, this can be also related to a power supply failure... Very common with these old computers.

Please check the 5V power supply voltage from a cold boot during some minutes.

yerzmyey
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Re: AUTOBOOT - a strange problem.

Post by yerzmyey »

megar wrote:I had strange problem too, they were solved by completely reformating the SD card..
I never had bombs but sometimes, the HxC fails to find the CFG file, or it was looping "Reading FAT32, then reading HXCFEMNG.CFG, etc.".
Anyway you seem to use an old version of the manager: it no longer use the AUTO folder to boot. You can try the version 2.00 beta1 here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=976
Yes, I consider installing all the new stuff too.
As for the formatting, I made it and the problem appeared after a short time too.
It is possible the card gets dead slowly. Who knows.




Jeff:
In my case it's slightly different thing - I have an Atari 520ST (although with 4Mb) and it has no power for FDD at all.
Lotharek was kind enough to make for me a separate small power-supply.

Jeff
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Re: AUTOBOOT - a strange problem.

Post by Jeff »

yerzmyey wrote: Jeff:
In my case it's slightly different thing - I have an Atari 520ST (although with 4Mb) and it has no power for FDD at all.
Lotharek was kind enough to make for me a separate small power-supply.
can you tell me what is power supply output voltage ? (please measure it).

Jeff
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Re: AUTOBOOT - a strange problem.

Post by Jeff »

yerzmyey wrote:
megar wrote: As for the formatting, I made it and the problem appeared after a short time too.
It is possible the card gets dead slowly. Who knows.
I don't think so...
... but the power supplies yes ;)

yerzmyey
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Re: AUTOBOOT - a strange problem.

Post by yerzmyey »

Jeff wrote:
yerzmyey wrote: Jeff:
In my case it's slightly different thing - I have an Atari 520ST (although with 4Mb) and it has no power for FDD at all.
Lotharek was kind enough to make for me a separate small power-supply.
can you tell me what is power supply output voltage ? (please measure it).
I am not a hardware guy at all, but I asked Lotharek about it.
I'll let You know of course.
Greetzzzzzz,
Y

TeaTimeMyDear
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Joined: Tue May 12, 2015 12:30 am

Re: AUTOBOOT - a strange problem.

Post by TeaTimeMyDear »

megar wrote:I had strange problem too, they were solved by completely reformating the SD card..
I never had bombs but sometimes, the HxC fails to find the CFG file, or it was looping "Reading FAT32, then reading HXCFEMNG.CFG, etc.".

Anyway you seem to use an old version of the manager: it no longer use the AUTO folder to boot. You can try the version 2.00 beta1 here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=976

Hi.

Because i got same problems during booting (2, 4 maybe more bombs), HxC manager version 2.00 beta 1 fixed the deal on my 520 ST.

>> This version seems to preload faster datas and to cunsume less memory on startup.

Well one single inconvenient noticed when we pre-load multi slots : we must be positionned on the first one to load game in right sequence.. in other case we load current slot - but that's not so ennoying anyway.

Thank's so much for info. !... that's great.

TeaTimeMyDear.

telengard
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Joined: Sun Jul 15, 2007 9:30 pm

Re: AUTOBOOT - a strange problem.

Post by telengard »

I'm currently having a similar issue. I haven't used my 1040ST in a while, dug it out and now I'm getting 3 bombs sometimes when turning it on.
I've reformatted the SD card and put on just the menu, cfg, and one disk image.

Also, when trying to select the single disk image (hfe file) on the SD cart the LCD says "<<<bad file>>>".

Things I have tried:
- A different SD card
- Using a power supply instead of the ST floppy power
- Ran my ST diags cart on the machine and everything checks out OK, RAM etc

Any ideas?

yerzmyey
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Re: AUTOBOOT - a strange problem.

Post by yerzmyey »

If I recall, I was just copying over and over again the initial files into the SD card, whenever the problem appeared - and it was helping for some time.

Lately I wasn't using HxC, so cannot say if the problem still appears.

Jeff
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Re: AUTOBOOT - a strange problem.

Post by Jeff »

I am almost sure that there is no relation with the HxC here. The bombs story seems to be the common ST hardware. You should reseat the PLCC chips...
Have a look to the psu too.

yes, we are all getting old, and our ST computers too ;)

Anyway you may try to update the firmware:
https://hxc2001.com/download/floppy_driv ... rmware.zip

telengard
Posts: 57
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Re: AUTOBOOT - a strange problem.

Post by telengard »

Jeff wrote:I am almost sure that there is no relation with the HxC here. The bombs story seems to be the common ST hardware. You should reseat the PLCC chips...
Have a look to the psu too.

yes, we are all getting old, and our ST computers too ;)

Anyway you may try to update the firmware:
https://hxc2001.com/download/floppy_driv ... rmware.zip
But what about the "<<bad file>>". Isn't that the HxC reading from the SD card?

Yes, the ST does seem to have an issue, but it is behaving now (no bombs, TOS comes up). I will check out the power supply.

telengard
Posts: 57
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Re: AUTOBOOT - a strange problem.

Post by telengard »

Just to be sure, I switched the HxC over to the external power supply and I'm still seeing the !!<<bad file>>!!. Might not be related, but I'd be curious to know what causes that.

yerzmyey
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Re: AUTOBOOT - a strange problem.

Post by yerzmyey »

Yes, my HxC works with the external power supply, while the error appears.

Jeff
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Re: AUTOBOOT - a strange problem.

Post by Jeff »

yerzmyey wrote:Yes, my HxC works with the external power supply, while the error appears.
Which is a very bad pratice : The external and internal power supply have for sure a voltage difference... This produce communication error between the ST and the external device ( the HxC ). Please always use the same power source as the FDC...

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