Writing anything to gotek floppy crashes the unit

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mikeyp
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Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2016 1:11 pm

Writing anything to gotek floppy crashes the unit

Post by mikeyp »

A couple of years ago, I got 2 gotek floppy emulators, bought and put hxc firmware on them, got on really well with them with no issues. This week I got a third gotek unit, happy with my previous experience, I again bought and put hxc firmware on it, but this time updated to firmware HXCFEUSB_V3_1_23_1a.UPD

Now, I can read from images no problem, but try to write anything back, and I get a plethora of errors from DOS or Windows. I can't format any disk, and on occasion the gotek crashes completely so the buttons don't respond and if I pull the memory stick, it doesn't revert to hxc on the display.

This isn't anything complicated, just standard 1.44MB floppy images in HFE format, generated by the current version of the windows application. I noticed the generated images are larger than before (4,117KB as opposed to 3,921KB) but I guess that's to do with new things that have been added in the last 2 years.

I have replicated the same symptoms on 2 units, one old and one new on two different desktops running Windows 95 and ME on the floppy header and on a usb-floppy adapter connected to a Windows 10 laptop. All scenarios worked previously.

mikeyp
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Re: Writing anything to gotek floppy crashes the unit

Post by mikeyp »

I just noticed something. My config file is only 8kb, yet the ones in the zip are 64kb. I'll replace it, try it tomorrow and report back.

Jeff
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Re: Writing anything to gotek floppy crashes the unit

Post by Jeff »

This may be a power supply issue and/or an usb stick issue (too slow ?)
If possible please try another stick.

and also be aware that the firmware now support img files. this probably works better with slow usb stick.
(but the crash thing is quite strange -> try another stick anyway... ;) )

mikeyp
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Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2016 1:11 pm

Re: Writing anything to gotek floppy crashes the unit

Post by mikeyp »

Hi Jeff

Thanks for replying. The updated config file made no difference. If I try to format a floppy, the gotek just hangs.

I doubt its a PSU issue. The Win95 PC has its original power supply, so I could see that but the WinME PC has a modern new power supply and the lapop has 5V 1A usb ports. It shouldn't be an issue across so many machines and as I said, all worked on the 2016 firmware.

I use 2 different memory sticks, a usb2 generic blue one that worked fine before, and a sandisk ultra usb3 small stick.

I'm going to try the following:
  • A usb>sd adapter with a class 10 card.
  • Upgrade to HXCFEUSB_V3_1_34_2a.UPD firmware.
  • The .img format as you suggest.
  • A smaller number of images in case that's a factor. Both sticks have +900 images.
  • Downgrade to firmware v3.0.8.0a which you added the fast backward/forward that I suggested as I had a silly number of images.
I'll report back with what I find.

Thanks again for doing this and providing such good support.

mikeyp
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Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2016 1:11 pm

Re: Writing anything to gotek floppy crashes the unit

Post by mikeyp »

Haha, the memory stick I just picked up happens to have HXCFEUSB_HFE_V3_0_8_2a.upd and 63 images on. Totally forgot about that one. I'll try that too.

Jeff
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Re: Writing anything to gotek floppy crashes the unit

Post by Jeff »

And what about a normal write (file creation/writing) ? Same crash issue ?

Jeff
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Re: Writing anything to gotek floppy crashes the unit

Post by Jeff »

I have just retested the V3_1_23_1a & the very last version on a PIII PC under MSDOS 6.22 (Format + Files copy to IMG & HFE 1.44MB images).
I didn't managed to reproduce the issue.
Have you done some mods on this gotek (oled screen ?)

Another point : On the server your last connection was in 2016. Which account have you used to flash this gotek ?

mikeyp
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Re: Writing anything to gotek floppy crashes the unit

Post by mikeyp »

Jeff wrote:
Sun Jan 27, 2019 12:02 pm
And what about a normal write (file creation/writing) ? Same crash issue ?
Not always. Sometimes it writes, sometimes an error message, sometimes a blue screen saying please insert the disc with serial number... bigger writes such as formatting seem to crash it.
Jeff wrote:
Sun Jan 27, 2019 12:54 pm
I have just retested the V3_1_23_1a & the very last version on a PIII PC under MSDOS 6.22 (Format + Files copy to IMG & HFE 1.44MB images).
I didn't managed to reproduce the issue.
Have you done some mods on this gotek (oled screen ?)
I haven’t tried dos. I’ll try that later too.

All 3 gotek drives are stock with 3 digit 7 segment displays. The newest one has a small pc buzzer across the JB pins but removing it makes no difference.
Jeff wrote:
Sun Jan 27, 2019 12:54 pm
Another point : On the server your last connection was in 2016. Which account have you used to flash this gotek ?
I have a new email address and couldn’t remember which one I used in 2016. I figured since each purchase is single use it didn’t matter. I’ll pm you with the new address. I don’t mind if you prefer to merge the accounts.

Edit: are private messages disabled? I can’t find the link.

Jeff
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Re: Writing anything to gotek floppy crashes the unit

Post by Jeff »

To rule out any hardware or software issue can you :

- try the old goteks with the usb stick causing issue on the new gotek without changing the firmware.
- update these goteks with the latest firmware.
- retry them with the same stick.

for the "pm" use my email : hxc2001 at hxc2001.com

mikeyp
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Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2016 1:11 pm

Re: Writing anything to gotek floppy crashes the unit

Post by mikeyp »

Jeff wrote:
Sun Jan 27, 2019 1:43 pm
To rule out any hardware or software issue can you :

- try the old goteks with the usb stick causing issue on the new gotek without changing the firmware.
3 sticks and 1 sd card that all worked on the old firmware are causing the issue on both drives.
Jeff wrote:
Sun Jan 27, 2019 1:43 pm
- update these goteks with the latest firmware.
- retry them with the same stick.
With the latest firmware HXCFEUSB_V3_1_34_2a.UPD the issue persists.
Jeff wrote:
Sun Jan 27, 2019 1:43 pm
for the "pm" use my email : hxc2001 at hxc2001.com
Thank you. I have emailed you from the new email address.
mikeyp wrote:
Sun Jan 27, 2019 11:32 am
A usb>sd adapter with a class 10 card.
No change, still hanging and causing errors.
mikeyp wrote:
Sun Jan 27, 2019 11:32 am
Upgrade to HXCFEUSB_V3_1_34_2a.UPD firmware.
Same issue as with V3_1_23_1a
mikeyp wrote:
Sun Jan 27, 2019 11:32 am
A smaller number of images in case that's a factor. Both sticks have +900 images.
Tried 10 images, no change.
mikeyp wrote:
Sun Jan 27, 2019 11:32 am
The .img format as you suggest.
Ok, I didn't get as far as trying .img. When I tried the old 3,921KB HFE, everything suddenly works fine. The 4,117KB images I generated with HxCFloppyEmulator.exe v2.1.22.2 seem to be the problem. If I copy in the 3,921KB images I generated in 2016 to any of the memory sticks and use them on any of the drives, everything works fine, I can full format discs, write files, do everything I expect, no problem. Is there another way to generate the images? Can the gotek drive generate the images for me? Is there another way I can write files into the images?

Jeff
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Re: Writing anything to gotek floppy crashes the unit

Post by Jeff »

mikeyp wrote:
Sun Jan 27, 2019 5:02 pm
Ok, I didn't get as far as trying .img. When I tried the old 3,921KB HFE, everything suddenly works fine. The 4,117KB images I generated with HxCFloppyEmulator.exe v2.1.22.2 seem to be the problem. If I copy in the 3,921KB images I generated in 2016 to any of the memory sticks and use them on any of the drives, everything works fine, I can full format discs, write files, do everything I expect, no problem. Is there another way to generate the images? Can the gotek drive generate the images for me? Is there another way I can write files into the images?
Interesting. Can you send me the working and the non working HFE images to my email ? (hxc2001 at hxc2001.com)

mikeyp
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Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2016 1:11 pm

Re: Writing anything to gotek floppy crashes the unit

Post by mikeyp »

Jeff wrote:
Sun Jan 27, 2019 7:08 pm
Interesting. Can you send me the working and the non working HFE images to my email ? (hxc2001 at hxc2001.com)
I've just generated some images on the two computers to send to you.

BLANK.HFEis the blank floppy generated as described in the thread.
DSKA0001.HFE is the WIN95 boot floppy generated on the Pentium II on a 2016 image.
DSKA0004.HFE is the WINME boot floppy generated on the Pentium 4 on a 2016 image.
DSKA0011.HFE is the corrupt result of trying to write the WIN95 boot floppy to a copy of the BLANK.HFE file. The JPGs show before and after trying to write the disk. I can't upload them here.

Jeff
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Re: Writing anything to gotek floppy crashes the unit

Post by Jeff »

mikeyp wrote:
Sun Jan 27, 2019 8:09 pm
Jeff wrote:
Sun Jan 27, 2019 7:08 pm
Interesting. Can you send me the working and the non working HFE images to my email ? (hxc2001 at hxc2001.com)
I've just generated some images on the two computers to send to you.

BLANK.HFEis the blank floppy generated as described in the thread.
DSKA0001.HFE is the WIN95 boot floppy generated on the Pentium II on a 2016 image.
DSKA0004.HFE is the WINME boot floppy generated on the Pentium 4 on a 2016 image.
DSKA0011.HFE is the corrupt result of trying to write the WIN95 boot floppy to a copy of the BLANK.HFE file. The JPGs show before and after trying to write the disk. I can't upload them here.
The new images are effectively wrong. the bitrate is set to 250000 kbits/s while it should be set to 500000 kbits/s.

How did you create/convert these images ? (step by step)

mikeyp
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Re: Writing anything to gotek floppy crashes the unit

Post by mikeyp »

Jeff wrote:
Sun Jan 27, 2019 8:48 pm
The new images are effectively wrong. the bitrate is set to 250000 kbits/s while it should be set to 500000 kbits/s.

How did you create/convert these images ? (step by step)
Ah, ok, that would be why they're not working right.

This is what I'm doing for blank disks:
  1. Start HxCFloppyEmulator.exe v2.1.22.2
  2. Click Floppy ImageCreate DOS/AmigaDOS Disk
  3. Select 3"5 1.44MB DSHD FAT12 from the dropdown list
  4. Click Create Disk
  5. Click Save/Export
  6. Name it DSKA####.HFE in the root of the memory stick
  7. Click Save
To convert a floppy image:
  1. Click Load
  2. Select .img file and click open
  3. Click Export
  4. Name it DSKA####.HFE in the root of the memory stick
  5. Click Save
Edit: Is it possible for me to see what the bitrate is?

Edit 2: Found it. When I generate a new blank disk as above, I get the following:

Code: Select all

Track RPM : 300 RPM

Bitrate : 500000 bit/s

Track format :
ISOIBM_MFM_ENCODING

Track len : 200000 cells
Number of side : 2

Interface mode:
IBMPC_HD_FLOPPYMODE
PC Interface (1.44MB/HD Disk)
If I close/open the program and load the file, I get the following:

Code: Select all

Track RPM : 149 RPM

Bitrate : 250000 bit/s

Track format :
ISOIBM_MFM_ENCODING

Track len : 200704 cells
Number of side : 2

Interface mode:
IBMPC_HD_FLOPPYMODE
PC Interface (1.44MB/HD Disk)
It's either not saving or loading right...

Jeff
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Re: Writing anything to gotek floppy crashes the unit

Post by Jeff »

I have fixed the software. You need to reconvert the images :

https://hxc2001.com/download/floppy_dri ... r_soft.zip (v2.1.22.3)

This was a regression in the recent pc/mac conversion software releases...
Thanks for the feedback !

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