Apricot special format

HxC Floppy emulator support for all others computers...
roadrash
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Re: Apricot special format

Post by roadrash »

Ive tried it again doing what you said and I get a error code of 08 which is :(Sector not found; unformatted or corrupt disk or bad load address in disk label sector).

Jeff
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Re: Apricot special format

Post by Jeff »

roadrash wrote:
Sat May 11, 2019 2:01 pm
I loaded the Hxc emulator software and went to settings menu and selected choose "USB HXC FlOPPY EMULATOR SETTINGS" then loaded the file I wanted to export then clicked "Export" and it converted it to a _dsk.hfe file and saved it. but where do I find the config file you mention?
In the firmware zip archive.

Jeff
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Re: Apricot special format

Post by Jeff »

roadrash wrote:
Sat May 11, 2019 3:27 pm
Ive tried it again doing what you said and I get a error code of 08 which is :(Sector not found; unformatted or corrupt disk or bad load address in disk label sector).
What can you read on the emulator display ?

roadrash
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Re: Apricot special format

Post by roadrash »

The error is what is being reported by the Apricot. When its trying to boot from the Gotek it all seems like its working then at the end the Apricot stops booting and gives a error of 08 which according to the manual means: Sector not found; unformatted or corrupt disk or bad load address in disk label sector.

I wondered if this is maybe because this Apricot uses single sided disks and only 70 tracks, it also has an rpm of 600 plus 512 bit rate.
Doesnt this matter?

Jeff
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Re: Apricot special format

Post by Jeff »

roadrash wrote:
Sat May 11, 2019 5:03 pm
The error is what is being reported by the Apricot. When its trying to boot from the Gotek it all seems like its working then at the end the Apricot stops booting and gives a error of 08 which according to the manual means: Sector not found; unformatted or corrupt disk or bad load address in disk label sector.

I wondered if this is maybe because this Apricot uses single sided disks and only 70 tracks, it also has an rpm of 600 plus 512 bit rate.
Doesnt this matter?
Ok but what can you read on the gotek display ? please tell me !
And what about the green led ?

(I am referring to this troubleshooting page :
https://hxc2001.com/docs/gotek-floppy-e ... oting.html )

roadrash
Posts: 18
Joined: Fri May 03, 2019 8:19 pm

Re: Apricot special format

Post by roadrash »

Thanks for this help Jess its greatly appreciated.
Ok the gotek when I turn it on without the USB shows "hxc" on its display.
If I then insert the key with the DSKA0000.hfe file and the HXCSDFE.CFG file and turn it on, the gotek display says 000 and the green light comes on (this coincides with the Apricot looking to boot the disk) and then after a about 5 secs is goes off, then a few seconds later it comes on and this keeps repeating and the Apricot is showing a 08 error.. I did select indexed mode in the config.

This is exactly the same scenario I get when I have a real floppy connected. Maybe this is pointing to a motherboard connection fault or something.

Jeff
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Re: Apricot special format

Post by Jeff »

roadrash wrote:
Sat May 11, 2019 9:50 pm
Thanks for this help Jess its greatly appreciated.
Ok the gotek when I turn it on without the USB shows "hxc" on its display.
If I then insert the key with the DSKA0000.hfe file and the HXCSDFE.CFG file and turn it on, the gotek display says 000 and the green light comes on (this coincides with the Apricot looking to boot the disk) and then after a about 5 secs is goes off, then a few seconds later it comes on and this keeps repeating and the Apricot is showing a 08 error.. I did select indexed mode in the config.

This is exactly the same scenario I get when I have a real floppy connected. Maybe this is pointing to a motherboard connection fault or something.
ok yes the gotek behaviour seems fine. Have you tried to change the floppy ribbon ?

roadrash
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Re: Apricot special format

Post by roadrash »

Its not the ribbon cable because the cable for the gotek eas a custom one i had to make because the sony 3. 5" drive on the Apricot has a non stadard 26 pin connector and the gotek a 34 pin standard floppy.
This Apricot is very old and was very damp and even rusty and corroded around thr pcb when i got it. I cleaned it all up and eventually had it work8ng with one of the 4 drives i had but something else may now have happened likeva bad commection. I will have to check the pcb tomorrow and resolder any dirty looking joints or chips.
Thanks for the help i may use the gotek on one of my Amiga"s now instead.

roadrash
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Re: Apricot special format

Post by roadrash »

Just out of interest i tried a custom drive firmware using the specs of the apicots disk drives and every time i tried to update it it failed with the gotek saying "err". And the display flashed 4 times but there wasnt 2 seconds between the flashes. Any idea what causes this?

Jeff
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Re: Apricot special format

Post by Jeff »

roadrash wrote:
Sun May 12, 2019 10:57 am
And the display flashed 4 times but there wasnt 2 seconds between the flashes. Any idea what causes this?
then the firmware is probably updated without problem.

BUT again : you don't need to update it with HFE files : As i explained all parameters & format is stored in the HFE files. No need to change the firmware...

roadrash
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Re: Apricot special format

Post by roadrash »

I dont understand sorry, there is page here: https://hxc2001.com/custom_fw/ where you can customise the firmware to what you want. Then they email you the new firmware. This is what the email says:
Please find attached the requested firmware !

To update the firmware on your device with a FAT32/FAT16/FAT12 USB flash stick/key:

-> Remove any older *.upd file from the stick (if present).
-> Copy the attached new firmware file (*.upd) to the stick/key.
-> Insert the USB stick/key into the emulator and press both buttons.
-> Power up the device and keep the buttons pressed during at least 2 seconds.
-> Wait some seconds... its done !

Note: Once your new firmware is flashed you may need to clear the drive internal settings
to use some of your new default settings : Press the right button at power up to clear them.

Possible bootstrap error codes:

Error 1 : (blink 1 time and 2 seconds pause cycle) No entry point (->no software flashed)
Error 2 : (blink 2 time and 2 seconds pause cycle) USB init error.
Error 3 : (blink 3 time and 2 seconds pause cycle) FAT error.
Error 4 : (blink 4 time and 2 seconds pause cycle) UPD File not found!
Error 5 : (blink 5 time and 2 seconds pause cycle) Bad UPD File header! (bad file)
Error 6 : (blink 6 time and 2 seconds pause cycle) Bad data crc! (file corrupted)
Error 7 : (blink 7 time and 2 seconds pause cycle) Bad data size!
Error 8 : (blink 8 time and 2 seconds pause cycle) Write error (STM32 flash error)

HxC Floppy Emulator project
Everytime I try to update it by holding in both buttons for 2 secs while powering it on, it begins the update but then stops with the message "err" which makes me think its a error. The display also flashes and beeps 4 times. I put the UPD file on the root of the sdcard so it should have found it.
Does this custom firmware actualy work?

Jeff
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Re: Apricot special format

Post by Jeff »

roadrash wrote:
Sun May 12, 2019 6:26 pm
Everytime I try to update it by holding in both buttons for 2 secs while powering it on, it begins the update but then stops with the message "err" which makes me think its a error. The display also flashes and beeps 4 times. I put the UPD file on the root of the sdcard so it should have found it.
Does this custom firmware actualy work?
Sure it does...

What are you seeing before the 'err' message ?

Jeff
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Re: Apricot special format

Post by Jeff »

roadrash wrote:
Sun May 12, 2019 6:26 pm
Everytime I try to update it by holding in both buttons for 2 secs while powering it on, it begins the update but then stops with the message "err" which makes me think its a error. The display also flashes and beeps 4 times. I put the UPD file on the root of the sdcard so it should have found it.
Does this custom firmware actualy work?
Sure it does...

What are you seeing before the 'err' message ?
i suspect that the emulator is just trying to load a bad file image after the update.
roadrash wrote:
Sun May 12, 2019 6:26 pm
The display also flashes and beeps 4 times.
When exactly ?

roadrash
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Joined: Fri May 03, 2019 8:19 pm

Re: Apricot special format

Post by roadrash »

Thanks for your patience Jeff. Its just after the display does the circular turning motion which I would think is it being programed. But these it sounds off 3 barp barp barp barp sounds and show "err". I did also connect a mini piezo pc speaker and turn the volume up in the firmware I was programming in and the piezo doesnt make any sound. I will check the piezo is working today in case its a duff one.
Does the .UPD filename need to be all upercase or something I am missing maybe?

Jeff
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Re: Apricot special format

Post by Jeff »

roadrash wrote:
Mon May 13, 2019 11:51 am
Does the .UPD filename need to be all upercase or something I am missing maybe?
nothing need to be changed here.

Please :

- Use a clean indexed config file (take the one present in the firmware zip archive.
- Convert properly your apricot dsk file to hfe with the hxc software and rename the output hfe files DSKA0000.HFE, DSKA0001.HFE, DSKA0002.HFE...

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