A1200 Surf Squirrel problems

[Cosmic Space Artist]

At least it's a step in the right direction.

How long have you left it on the Grey screen before giving in?

My original Squirrel would step through all possible SCSI ids before continuing to boot.
I eventually edited its startup routine and only checked the ids of connected equipment.
This made the bootup a lot faster.

I waited for a couple of minutes perhaps longer at times. No joy. But if you see ky latest replies it appears at least i have some usability, although it wont always boot when in the workbench boot folder. Ill probably have to stick to manually booting from it in dh2 when i need to use it.

 

[davideo]

I heard and experienced a longer wait.

Can you try it again and leave it for 10 minutes?

 

[Boing-ball]

@Cosmic Space Artist On your original post you mention this:

I am running the genuine copy of 3.2.2.1 along with the custom 3.2.2 roms .

What is included in the custom 3.2.2 ROMs? Is this version 47.111?

 

[Cosmic Space Artist]

@Cosmic Space Artist On your original post you mention this:

I am running the genuine copy of 3.2.2.1 along with the custom 3.2.2 roms .

What is included in the custom 3.2.2 ROMs? Is this version 47.111?

Hi mate yes thats right 47.111 they have the ehide.dev added. So the tf1260 can boot from its ide

 

[Cosmic Space Artist]

I heard and experienced a longer wait.

Can you try it again and leave it for 10 minutes?

Ill try 10 minutes tommorow mate yes

 

[miggymad]

Try installing AMICDFS from Aminet first to your HD then only copy squirrel.device from the Squirrel boot floppy disk you have already created to DEVS:

https://aminet.net/package/disk/cdrom/amicdfs240

Check the floppy boot disk's CD0 file and take a note of the Unit it specifies, chances are that's the one you need instead of waiting for the SCSI bus to be scanned and interrogated. The wait is usually because there is no termination on the SCSI bus so everything slows to a crawl during this phase.

Try the following example CD0 mountlist file. Just edit the Unit = 1 line accordingly but leave the rest alone.

Device = squirrelscsi.device
Unit = 1
FileSystem = L:AmiCDFS
Flags = 0
BlocksPerTrack = 32
BlockSize = 2048
Reserved = 0
LowCyl = 0
HighCyl = 11000
Surfaces = 1
Buffers = 64
BufMemType = 1
Mask = 0x7fffffff
GlobVec = -1
Priority = 10
DosType = 0x43444653
StackSize = 600
Mount = 1

The Squirrel installation software does not play nicely with anything above 3.14 ROM's - it just trashes the later version Workbench files and screws everything up.

 

[Cosmic Space Artist]

Try installing AMICDFS from Aminet first to your HD then only copy squirrel.device from the Squirrel boot floppy disk you have already created to DEVS:

https://aminet.net/package/disk/cdrom/amicdfs240

Check the floppy boot disk's CD0 file and take a note of the Unit it specifies, chances are that's the one you need instead of waiting for the SCSI bus to be scanned and interrogated. The wait is usually because there is no termination on the SCSI bus so everything slows to a crawl during this phase.

Try the following example CD0 mountlist file. Just edit the Unit = 1 line accordingly but leave the rest alone.

Device = squirrelscsi.device
Unit = 1
FileSystem = L:AmiCDFS
Flags = 0
BlocksPerTrack = 32
BlockSize = 2048
Reserved = 0
LowCyl = 0
HighCyl = 11000
Surfaces = 1
Buffers = 64
BufMemType = 1
Mask = 0x7fffffff
GlobVec = -1
Priority = 10
DosType = 0x43444653
StackSize = 600
Mount = 1

The Squirrel installation software does not play nicely with anything above 3.14 ROM's - it just trashes the later version Workbench files and screws everything up.

Hi mate, very interesting! I read about amicdfs and already downloaded it, but i convinced myself the bundled cdfs is up to date and that the problem is with the squirrel software, that as you say screws everything up!

My external scsi has built in termination switch, and is set to on. It boots up fast with the bootcd.
I wonderd if the scsi id 0 i have it set to was clashing with the internal ide as its marked as scsi device. But if i set the id to 1,2, or 3 theres no difference.

I will try the amicdfs with the mounsettings above, and only copying over the squirrel.dev.

Thanks very much

 

[Boing-ball]

PM sent with a link to some more surf Squirrel driver downloads and manual.

 

[Cosmic Space Artist]

PM sent with a link to some more surf Squirrel driver downloads and manual.

Hi mate,

Thanks for the link, from what ive researched so far there are only 2 versions of the installation software disks for the surf squirrel. Version 2.01 and 2.03. I have tried to install both versions but that makes no difference to the outcome.

I will try to do as miggy mad sais installing amicdfs to see if that version of mount works better with the squirrel.dev driver file. But failing that ill have to use the floppy image bootcd disk that is created from the instalation menu in order to access my external scsi via the surf squirrel pcmcia adapter.

Shame really as i would have liked the option to boot from the HD without errors, and have the option to emulate the cd32 as per the installation manual and boot CD32 games.

 

[Boing-ball]

Hi mate,

Thanks for the link, from what ive researched so far there are only 2 versions of the installation software disks for the surf squirrel. Version 2.01 and 2.03. I have tried to install both versions but that makes no difference to the outcome.

I will try to do as miggy mad sais installing amicdfs to see if that version of mount works better with the squirrel.dev driver file. But failing that ill have to use the floppy image bootcd disk that is created from the instalation menu in order to access my external scsi via the surf squirrel pcmcia adapter.

Shame really as i would have liked the option to boot from the HD without errors, and have the option to emulate the cd32 as per the installation manual and boot CD32 games.

There are other options for CD32 gaming with a CD. Idefix97’ has this ability as well. The Zappo Archos drivers also has this ability. There are other choices. Will PM you some details for IdeFix97’ if you want to give it a proper go

Just Remember though, that only around 70% of CD32 games will work as a lot of them depend on the CD32 chipset, which the A1200 and A4000 don’t have. That being no Akiko chip.

Edit: PM sent with Idefix97’ details

 

[Cosmic Space Artist]

There are other options for CD32 gaming with a CD. Idefix97’ has this ability as well. The Zappo Archos drivers also has this ability. There are other choices. Will PM you some details for IdeFix97’ if you want to give it a proper go

Just Remember though, that only around 70% of CD32 games will work as a lot of them depend on the CD32 chipset, which the A1200 and A4000 don’t have. That being no Akiko chip.

Edit: PM sent with Idefix97’ details

What an abosloute star you are mate well everyone has been so helpful on here to be fair.

Makes perfect sense what you say, Hmm im going to just get myself a cd32 to satisfy my nostalgia lol thatll solve that issue apart from the hellish cost !

I heard and experienced a longer wait.

Can you try it again and leave it for 10 minutes?

Waited 10 minutes plus nothing mate, Ive also tried the amicdfs and placing the device driver and cd0 no startup sequences and old software all these option but the only thing that works is your suggestion of using the bootcd floppy image.

its annoying i cannot simply boot from my hard drive with it working as it does from the boot from cd floppy, provided cd0 is configured with correct scsi unit ID and as per the cdboot image dos drivers included cd0.

Thanks for your time mate

 

[davideo]

I'll still try installing the software on my 1200 and see what happens when I reboot it.

 

[Cosmic Space Artist]

I'll still try installing the software on my 1200 and see what happens when I reboot it.

Thanks very much appreciated

 

[Boing-ball]

Having done a search on the subject of 3.2 and squirrel PCMCIA. The only conclusion I can find is that the non-surf variant works with the V 1.12 driver Although with my Pistorm32 and 3.2.2.1 and 3.2.2 (47.111) ROM setup. The surf squirrel would only work for me. I’m wondering if the issue isn’t with the EHIDE.device in the custom ROM conflicting? As I don’t have that in my 3.2.2 ROM setup.

 

[Cosmic Space Artist]

Try installing AMICDFS from Aminet first to your HD then only copy squirrel.device from the Squirrel boot floppy disk you have already created to DEVS:

https://aminet.net/package/disk/cdrom/amicdfs240

Check the floppy boot disk's CD0 file and take a note of the Unit it specifies, chances are that's the one you need instead of waiting for the SCSI bus to be scanned and interrogated. The wait is usually because there is no termination on the SCSI bus so everything slows to a crawl during this phase.

Try the following example CD0 mountlist file. Just edit the Unit = 1 line accordingly but leave the rest alone.

Device = squirrelscsi.device
Unit = 1
FileSystem = L:AmiCDFS
Flags = 0
BlocksPerTrack = 32
BlockSize = 2048
Reserved = 0
LowCyl = 0
HighCyl = 11000
Surfaces = 1
Buffers = 64
BufMemType = 1
Mask = 0x7fffffff
GlobVec = -1
Priority = 10
DosType = 0x43444653
StackSize = 600
Mount = 1

The Squirrel installation software does not play nicely with anything above 3.14 ROM's - it just trashes the later version Workbench files and screws everything up.

Having done a search on the subject of 3.2 and squirrel PCMCIA. The only conclusion I can find is that the non-surf variant works with the V 1.12 driver Although with my Pistorm32 and 3.2.2.1 and 3.2.2 (47.111) ROM setup. The surf squirrel would only work for me. I’m wondering if the issue isn’t with the EHIDE.device in the custom ROM conflicting? As I don’t have that in my 3.2.2 ROM setup.

Im wondering that about the ehide.dev in the roms. Perhaps its worth trying.

 

[Cosmic Space Artist]

Update to everyone, I have thoroughly tried everyones suggestions, some of which I had done previously from info off forums relating to the same device.

So far I am only reliably able to get this to work in its basic form, reading cd roms by use of tye surf squirrels installation option of creating and using a CDboot disk. Which i do by means of gotek. This works very well.
I am not able to get this to work simply booting from my WB amiga os 3.2.2.1 with 47.111 roms with ehide.device and TF1260. I have tried many methods, and fresh installs of OS with nothing else added,also removing the pcmcia CF mount Cf0 and also ive been using the surf squirrel installation disk both versions 2.01 and 2.03 result in same issues as previously mentioned, not booting, grey screen hangs for ever with no change. I can only get the factory installer to work provided I allow it to install all of the files overwriting newer versions of cdfs, mount, ffs, getpatch, etc etc which is annoying really as i purchased the later OS and want to benefit from its updates. Anyway it would still not work right causing all sorts of errors not always the same ones! Intuition cannot start, and screen flashing. And then often not boot at all or boot into a WB in low resoloution, i can modify the startup sequence and comment sections out but ive had no reliable results. Installing in advanced mode i can deselect the older files in favour of the newest ones already present but then it wont boot at all.
Ive tried installing the mount file CD0 in devs dos drivers with settings pointing to the squirrel.dev that i also manually placed in devs folder but it wont boot. Ive tried installing IDEfix97 and using its advanced cachecdfs cd0 mount but that makes no difference same with amicdfs. Im coming to the conclusion that for some uknown reason squirrel.dev will not run on my amiga1200 without all of its older software and files present, i am usure what these are and there are too many files in the morsals installation directory to try each combination. And even so some of which were causing conflicts with my workbench.
If the system will boot by using the basic cdboot image to activate it, to make the squirrel.dev activate then surely these files could be implimented into the 3.2os somehow and make it boot.just accessing the scsi for file reading is enough for me. For now ill just have to boot into the startup menu select df2 and boot this cdboot adf from my external gotek. The non amiga cd32 boot option is so far not showing any signs of conflict. Perhaps ill try another day removing the custom roms incase its ehide.dev, but i dont see why that should cause an issue,

Thanks everyone

 

[Boing-ball]

Update to everyone, I have thoroughly tried everyones suggestions, some of which I had done previously from info off forums relating to the same device.

So far I am only reliably able to get this to work in its basic form, reading cd roms by use of tye surf squirrels installation option of creating and using a CDboot disk. Which i do by means of gotek. This works very well.
I am not able to get this to work simply booting from my WB amiga os 3.2.2.1 with 47.111 roms with ehide.device. I have tried many methods, and fresh installs of OS with nothing else added,also removing the pcmcia CF mount Cf0 and also ive been using the surf squirrel installation disk both versions 2.01 and 2.03 result in same issues as previously mentioned, not booting, grey screen hangs for ever with no change. I can only get the factory installer to work provided I allow it to install all of the files overwriting newer versions of cdfs, mount, ffs, getpatch, etc etc which is annoying really as i purchased the later OS and want to benefit from its updates. Anyway it would still not work right causing all sorts of errors not always the same ones! Intuition cannot start, and screen flashing. And then often not boot at all or boot into a WB in low resoloution, i can modify the startup sequence and comment sections out but ive had no reliable results. Installing in advanced mode i can deselect the older files in favour of the newest ones already present but then it wont boot at all.
Ive tried installing the mount file CD0 in devs dos drivers with settings pointing to the squirrel.dev that i also manually placed in devs folder but it wont boot. Ive tried installing IDEfix97 and using its advanced cachecdfs cd0 mount but that makes no difference same with amicdfs. Im coming to the conclusion that for some uknown reason squirrel.dev will not run on my amiga1200 without all of its older software and files present, i am usure what these are and there are too many files in the morsals installation directory to try each combination. And even so some of which were causing conflicts with my workbench.
If the system will boot by using the basic cdboot image to activate it, to make the squirrel.dev activate then surely these files could be implimented into the 3.2os somehow and make it boot.just accessing the scsi for file reading is enough for me. For now ill just have to boot into the startup menu select df2 and boot this cdboot adf from my external gotek. The non amiga cd32 boot option is so far not showing any signs of conflict. Perhaps ill try another day removing the custom roms incase its ehide.dev, but i dont see why that should cause an issue,

Thanks everyone

Sorry to read this. The only other option if you want something that works for CD and CD32 etc.. Is a PCMCIA Sony VAIO CD drive. I know this isn’t the fix you are looking for, but if your intent is just to have a CD drive working on a Amiga. Then can confirm these work well.
There is a free driver software available from Aminet here:

Aminet - driver/media/PcmciaCD.lha

aminet.net

You can also use the IDEFIX97’ CD32 emulator with it.

 

[Cosmic Space Artist]

Sorry to read this. The only other option if you want something that works for CD and CD32 etc.. Is a PCMCIA Sony VAIO CD drive. I know this isn’t the fix you are looking for, but if your intent is just to have a CD drive working on a Amiga. Then can confirm these work well.
There is a free driver software available from Aminet here:

Aminet - driver/media/PcmciaCD.lha

aminet.net

You can also use the IDEFIX97’ CD32 emulator with it.

thanks for your thoughts mate, Yes I have seen those, I think i should like to try it out, I have the Driver and it installs lovely, and appears fine in the configuration alongside the Cd0 unlike the squirrel.dev grrrr. If I do get the sony, I shall use the external scsi for some of my other gear! But its a shame really as This surf squirrel is mint including the box, and it has the high speed serial interface aswell.

 

[Cosmic Space Artist]

Sorry to read this. The only other option if you want something that works for CD and CD32 etc.. Is a PCMCIA Sony VAIO CD drive. I know this isn’t the fix you are looking for, but if your intent is just to have a CD drive working on a Amiga. Then can confirm these work well.
There is a free driver software available from Aminet here:

Aminet - driver/media/PcmciaCD.lha

aminet.net

You can also use the IDEFIX97’ CD32 emulator with it.

IDEfix is working good, and ceratinly has some usefull features. Ill get a sony drive when cash allows, this hobbies getting crazy expensive lol.

 

[Cosmic Space Artist]

I'll still try installing the software on my 1200 and see what happens when I reboot it.

Hello mate, just wondering what your findings were? No worries if you not got time or chance yet.