HxC Floppy Emulator Rev. F with AmigaOS 3.1 and 3.5.

HxC Floppy Emulator on Amiga support
Jeff
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Re: HxC Floppy Emulator Rev. F with AmigaOS 3.1 and 3.5.

Post by Jeff »

Just to reformulate again the issue : You hear some "read retry/head recalibration" sounds when change the disk image ? That's it ? Or this sound can be hear at anytime ?
How is installed the emulator ? Internally ? Is there anything else on the floppy bus ? Are you using the original floppy ribbon ?

Have you tried the beta firmware ? :

https://hxc2001.com/download/floppy_dri ... rmware.zip

AC/DC HACKER!
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Re: HxC Floppy Emulator Rev. F with AmigaOS 3.1 and 3.5.

Post by AC/DC HACKER! »

The floppy access sound is active, so I hear it. The lights flicker for drive access, and I can watch the track numbers change in attempt to re-read, and 98% (guessing) the re-read always gets the correct data.

When a disk is inserted into a floppy drive for the Amiga 4000, or any other Amiga, the Amiga OS will check the floppy disk, and do a Validate to make sure the File System is okay. If it is, then AmigaDOS, as well as through Workbench's GUI, attempt to read the root info (directory structure, and so on) as well as Disk.info. That''s when I commonly hear and notice the retry or recalibration.
When using the emulated floppy, when booting/loading from a floppy that is AmigaDOS (OFS/FFS) there will sometimes be the retry sound. When I copy the disk, or use my disks before making an ADF or what the emulated drive uses, everything functions fine with my DF2: drive. The DF2: is connected directly to my Amiga 4000 and is in good shape.

The Emulator Floppy Drive is the ONLY drive connected to the cable which is connected to my Internal DF0:. I've also disconnected the emulated floppy drive and connected my Amiga Sony HD Floppy drive to the DF0: cable, and don't notice any of these problems.

I've applied the upgrade. Now the emulator Is Prompting for errors instead of re-reading and getting correct data and continuing on. Retries are still happening but mostly now I'm having to click Retry because now AmigaDOS error requesters are showing. "[Disk name] has a read error disk block [numbers]". I shall continue with this update for a little more and see if I notice any other changes.

Update 1: AmigaDOS is now prompting the error requester often. Having to click retry often, but it does eventually go through and get good data and continue on. But it's detecting errors a lot more than it did before. The retry sound is a lot of noticable now, hmm..some how it was quicker before. Shall I make a video for you?

Update 2: Going back to booting Without a Startup-Sequence from AmigaDOS boot, at the ADOS prompt I did not run SetPatch and copied all the test emulated disks 3 times to RAM:. Zero errors, as usual. But when SetPatch is run, the errors happen, and now often, the error prompts are showing.

Update 3: I used SetPatch NOCACHE QUIET and that has gone very well with booting to my normal OS 3.5 Workbench, as usual a bit slower than usual with 68060, but then I copied files from different DF0: emulated floppies including what I've been testing with and it has all gone great! So, I returned SetPatch QUIET back to normal and I'm using TUDE to disable all caches when I'm going to use the emulated floppies. So far, this is doing great!
I just used ReOrg which is a program that defrags floppies as well as makes file access times quicker. Next I'll test Directory Opus 5.81's Format...with Caches disables.
Disabling Caches from Amiga Boot menu is okay, but from TUDE from Workbench is much more doable. It all allows for enabling them, so, once done with any games or manipulation or modification, just reenable that way. This should be very successful and I'll update next when it is or isn't.

Update 4: Disabling cache with TUDE or "CPU NoCache" both do very well...BEFORE accessing the MicroSD, from ANY Workbench. Format from Workbench and Directory Opus 5 (with Verify Unchecked). There was one Retry after I had used ReOrg 3.11 to optimize an emulated disk, but I think that was my fault for not letting something clear from memory. I haven't heard it since.

So far, the lesson is.. From Workbench, a modified and updated system like mine to a basic Workbench disk, is use CLI or Execute Box (Right Amiga+E) and use CPU NoCache, and it'll all do well. Booting from a Workbench disk, the Startup-Sequence's NoCache should be added to SetPatch arguement so it's error / retry free when booting...for this Firmware (using your Beta).

If Not booting/using floppies, or writing to them, keep caches active or reenable them "CPU Cache". :-)

AC/DC HACKER!
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Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2018 5:39 pm

Re: HxC Floppy Emulator Rev. F with AmigaOS 3.1 and 3.5.

Post by AC/DC HACKER! »

I went back to firmware before the beta. Using the "CPU NoCache" and "CPU Cache" does fine that way. The many more error requesters and not reading through fake errors well at all in that beta just doesn't go well for me, unless I'm testing. Other than that, I didn't notice any other changes. It's back to getting correct data more often again..which makes it better for loading games on floppy that do use SetPatch to play, like "Breathless AGA".

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