BlueSCSI v2 on the Amiga

[Xanxi]

Hi there.

I have purchased an external version of the BlueSCSIv2 Wifi in order to use it internally with the BlizzSCSI of my Blizzard 1260 on one of my A1200.
I will need to tuck the device in somewhere and mine has been modded to have a wire available to the get HD led signal to the DJBase's led adapter.
I have understood that files have to been named on the SD card in a certain way so that the device see them as hard drives.

However, i am stuck here because i can't follow my standard procedure to copy my datas. Usually, i prepare a SSD, a CF or a SD with AmigaKit on the PC, and once properly partitionned i can copy fast my OS archive and my datas inside UAE. Then i only have to connect the drive in the target Amiga.

Now, i don't know how i could access the image file from within UAE and Amikit.
I don't have a SCSI controller for my modern PC.

The only SCSI controllers i have at hand now are the BlizzPPC and a squirrel SCSI.

Any help is welcome about a tutorial for the Amiga on how to actually prepare the SD card and necessary files and how to access them from WinUAE for a faster installation.

Thanks in advance.

 

[RandomInexperiencedGuy]

BlueSCSI uses files named like HDxy_512.hda
For WinUAE to access it just rename it to HDxy_512.hdf when you have copied it to your PC and vice versa.

Here is a good explanation: https://bluescsi.com/docs/Usage

 

[Xanxi]

Ah good, thanks!
About the SD card, so i have just to create the file on the SD and power the device for the drive image to be created?
Isn't there a config file or something? I have seen mention of a *.ini file but it isn't clear on bluescsi.com

 

[RandomInexperiencedGuy]

For some configs you might want to create and modify the ini file: https://bluescsi.com/docs/Compatibility

 

[Xanxi]

Sorry, i have read the website but there must be something i have been missing.

I have created on the SD a txt file named HD10_512 and a directory CD6 in order to put there iso images later.
I have powered the pico with the usb port, got 3 blinks and the following log.

After checking again the SD on the PC i have the same files and no disk image.
Besides, how can i choose a size in GB for my disk image, as 512 is only the block size?

The bluescsi website seems Mac centered.


Platform: BlueSCSI
FW Version: 2024.12.08-rel Dec 8 2024 22:19:03
Flash chip size: 2048 kB

=== SD Card Info ===
SD card detected, exFAT volume size: 243952 MB
SD Name: SR256, MID: 0x03, OID: 0x53 0x44

=== Global Config ===
Config file bluescsi.ini not found, using defaults
Active configuration:
-- SCSI ID: 6 using Optical image directory 'CD6'
Image directory 'CD6' was empty
Image directory was empty for ID6

=== Finding images in / ===
== Opening /HD10_512.txt for ID: 1 LUN: 0
---- Error: image file /HD10_512.txt is empty
---- Failed to load image

=== ROM Drive ===
Platform supports ROM drive up to 1692 kB
---- ROM drive image not detected

=== Configured SCSI Devices ===
* ID: 1, BlockSize: 512, Type: Fixed, Quirks: Apple, Size: 0kB
No images found, enabling RAW fallback partition
Limiting RAW image mapping to SD card sector count: 499744768
---- WARNING: This image does not appear to be a valid Macintosh Device image. See: https://github.com/BlueSCSI/BlueSCSI-v2/wiki/Disk-Images
Image directory 'CD6' was empty
Image directory was empty for ID6
Could not switch to image as provide filename was empty.

Initialization complete!

 

[JHanna]

What transfer speeds do you get on the BlueSCSI?

 

[Xanxi]

It should give max 10 MB/s. I have yet to test on the BlizzSCSI but i expect it will beat the 2,5 MB/s out of the IDe port with 68060 and do DMA.

About my previous message, i have understood how to create an image with this older video about BlueSCSI v1

 

[Boing-ball]

For this interested in getting one of these and how to setup. Have a look at Retronauts YouTube Video:

 

[Xanxi]

Thanks.
I have been able to create a drive of 1 GB for my boot partion and copy my files inside Amigakit.
Now i will make another image of 100 GB and partition it.

I wonder if it is not also the occasion to have a native Mac and native MSDOS disk images to use with Shapeshifter and PCTask.

 

[Xanxi]

Running into another issue.
Whereas the 1 GB disk image has worked just fine with HD Toolbox from my Amikit installation, the 100 GB one is only recognized as 17,6 GB and i can't partition properly.
When this problem arises with a SSD or memory card, i usually solve it by checking with a partition manager software within Windows what is the proper drive geometry and enter it by hand. I can't in this case. Anyone would know how to assess the geometry of that image?

EDIT : ok got 97,6 GB out of it after messing with cylinders, sectors and heads as the information was available in the configuration panel of WinUAE even if not properly read by HDToolbox.

 

[Boing-ball]

Running into another issue.
Whereas the 1 GB disk image has worked just fine with HD Toolbox from my Amikit installation, the 100 GB one is only recognized as 17,6 GB and i can't partition properly.
When this problem arises with a SSD or memory card, i usually solve it by checking with a partition manager software within Windows what is the proper drive geometry and enter it by hand. I can't in this case. Anyone would know how to assess the geometry of that image?

You haven’t mentioned Kickstart and AmigaOS versions you are using.

Also have you downloaded and installed the Phase 5 SCSI Tools.

www.a1k.org | phase5 | Drivers/Libraries

Also how have you formatted the SD card in windows?

 

[Xanxi]

I'm not inside the Amiga yet. I am formatting, partitionning and copying on WinUAE/Amikit for faster processing as i usually do.
When ready, i will connect this stuff to the BlizzardSCSI and i expect it to boot straight away.
OS3.1 by the way.
Preparation is on going now but unfortunately i only have a USB2 SD adapter so it is slow to copy all my stuff.

 

[Boing-ball]

I'm not inside the Amiga yet. I am formatting, partitionning and copying on WinUAE/Amikit for faster processing as i usually do.
When ready, i will connect this stuff to the BlizzardSCSI and i expect it to boot straight away.
OS3.1 by the way.
Preparation is on going now but unfortunately i only have a USB2 SD adapter so it is slow to copy all my stuff.

The OS3.1 and KS 3.1 is more than likely what is causing the partitioning issue. You may need a higher version of scsi.device.

 

[Xanxi]

I don't think so because i am using Amikit so far. It uses uaehf.device and more up to date hdtoolbox.

 

[Xanxi]

I had 2 hours to test my BlueSCSI today.

Good news, the BlueSCSI external version works perfectly on the Blizz SCSI module of my Blizz1260 and gets power from the DB25 connector alone.

I made first a mistake by giving to the BlueSCSI the wrong SD card, the one which was previously on an IDE adapter with regular SFS Amiga partitons. And it has worked straight away. So it seems there is no need to mess with disk images at all and it can use a SD partitionned like a usual hard drive.

Then i tested the other SD card i have been preparing. It has 1GB DH0 on one image, and DH1 to DH4 partitionned on another image of 100 GB, then two other images for Shapeshifter and PCTAsk that i haven't set up yet + a CD directory for ISO CD.
DH0: to DH4: works fine.

The blueSCSI gives 5,2 MB/s according to Sysinfo and 5,7 MB/s according to RSCP. I am not sure about the DMA because it seems to have a good amount of CPU time used in RSCP but the computer seems fast and reactive. Same speed with both SD. --- CORRECTION : there is about 5% CPU used during disk access whereas the IDE had almost 100% in RSCP, DMA works.

Now, to my temporary disappointment, i had this one made with a Dupont wire soldered to a point of the adapter underneath to Pico to have the non inverted HD LED signal. With the DJBase type LED adapter for the 1200, the HD LED is always on and blinks on access, so it seems i would need the inverted signal from the BlueSCSI. I will see how to sort this out later.

Still have to find a secure place to have the device inside the cas. It is rather stuffed already with the BlizzSCSI, IndiMK3, Gayle adapter, Freeway and Amiblaster CP + readl floppy drive.

 

[Xanxi]

Ok already two issues

- i can't close the case at all. Need to find a solution

- the DH0: image is already trashed and became NDOS after a crash of Shapeshifter which hardfiles were however on DH1:
The Amiga partitionned SD is still working fine even with Shapeshifter so might be better that way. However, in order to use the Daynaport WIFI feature, it is necessary again to have a disk image and another file on the SD, so it won't work with my native partitionned SD.

 

[JHanna]

Ok already two issues

- i can't close the case at all. Need to find a solution

- the DH0: image is already trashed and became NDOS after a crash of Shapeshifter which hardfiles were however on DH1:
The Amiga partitionned SD is still working fine even with Shapeshifter so might be better that way. However, in order to use the Daynaport WIFI feature, it is necessary again to have a disk image and another file on the SD, so it won't work with my native partitionned SD.

Yikes

 

[Boing-ball]

Ok already two issues

- i can't close the case at all. Need to find a solution

- the DH0: image is already trashed and became NDOS after a crash of Shapeshifter which hardfiles were however on DH1:
The Amiga partitionned SD is still working fine even with Shapeshifter so might be better that way. However, in order to use the Daynaport WIFI feature, it is necessary again to have a disk image and another file on the SD, so it won't work with my native partitionned SD.

Yep, that happens on the ZuluSCSI as well. Ideally you need to format the card in exfAT and setup HDF on WinUAE.

 

[Xanxi]

Yes that is what I have done already. Annoying if that happens.
How come it also works with the rdb partitioned sd?

 

[Boing-ball]

Yes that is what I have done already. Annoying if that happens.
How come it also works with the rdb partitioned sd?

Both the Zulu and Blue are offshoots from the SCSI2SD (Which I also own), the SCSI2SD can use RDB formatted SD cards as long as you programmed the SCSI2SD with the ID, SCsI Termination etc. with the Windows program. Doug over on his YouTube channel came across this phenomenon on the Zulu he reviewed. When he contacted Rabit Hole computing was told it’s an anomaly All I know is I tried on my Zulu RP adapter and after a while it corrupts the data. I’m using PFS3 BETa 5 Version 20.0 by Toni Willen.