Iomega and SCSI Amiga
- Thread starter Violo
- Start date
- Replies 13
- Views 170
I use Iomega drives on my A4000 systems. These are the ATA/ATAPI versions of Zip drives (250 or 750). I do use Iomega Jaz 2GB internal and external SCSI drives.
As for SCSI cables, yes these are universal.
I tend to use HDToolBox on AmigaOS and partition a Zip or Jaz disk using PFS3 or FFS. These I use for copying over AmigaOS 3.2 and 3.9 installers for an all in one installation on a new system. That way I have all the software in one place.
You can also read and write PC and MAC disks using DOSDriver mount points in Devs. AmigaOS3.9 includes these. But have a look over on Aminet.net and do a search for Iomega.
Thanks for your answer... i think i need a little help.
First of all, what I have to do to use Iomega Zip? (i have some 100MB disks)
From Aminet i've found a lot of results... but i cannot understand what are the drivers... if i have to copy some file manually or if exists an installable driver... any suggestion to guide me in this "Iomega Zio usage" will be helpful.
Thanks
First of all, what I have to do to use Iomega Zip? (i have some 100MB disks)
From Aminet i've found a lot of results... but i cannot understand what are the drivers... if i have to copy some file manually or if exists an installable driver... any suggestion to guide me in this "Iomega Zio usage" will be helpful.
Thanks
Okay let me try and explain as best as possible.
Bit of a chicken and egg when it comes to using a Zip disk specifically with the Amiga.
First off you ideally need some sort of boot device like a SCSI HDD with a working Workbench/AmigaOS. I’m guessing as you haven’t given full specs of your A3K setup, then you have a SCSI HDD with this already setup?
If you have then this would be the first thing to sort out.
If you have a working Workbench setup on a HDD. Great, then you can then do the following:
In Devs Dodrivers you need a mountpoint which can read and write PC or MAC Zip disks.
I recommend these from Aminet:
For mount points download this and follow instructions. Don’t worry this has the Zip100 mount point
Aminet - disk/misc/FreDS-Zip250.lha
And you can also get this just in case:
Aminet - disk/misc/ZSFS0mount.lha
To have a look and query a Zip disk etc. recommend to download and install this:
Aminet - disk/misc/IoTools.lha
If you plan on making bootable Zip disks or make them Amiga only read write. Then you need to look at using the HDToolBox which is in Tools on Workbench/AmigaOS. Then choose the Zip disk in the drive and set this up the same as a Hard Disk.
Remember that with any device in the SCSI chain, that you use Termination and set unique ID numbers.
Hi,
thanks so much for your help.
Yes, i have an A3000 T with the native SCSI controller used for a ZuluSCSI (instead of a real mechanical Hard Disk) and the CDRom, correctly mounted at boot.
I plug the Iomega Zip 100 with the SCSI cable to the rear SCSI port of Amiga 3000. I'm using the AOS 3.2.3.Using SCSIList i can see the SCSI item:
- Hard Disk
- CD ROM
- Iomega ZIP (SCSI ID 5)
So, i think from the hardware point of view, the Iomega Zip 100 is correctly seen.
When i insert a ZIP disk nothing happens.
Reading your message I understood that i miss the DOSDriver in DEVS folder.
I will download the file from Aminet. Do you know if exists an installer or i have to copy the file manually?
The last point: you linked to me the Iomega Zip 250, mine is Zip 100, is the same?
The Iomega has ID 5 and Termination ON (it is the last one on the SCSI chain after HD and CDROM)
I don't need to create bootable disk. But i have to notice that i don't see any disk from Iomega opening HDToool from System/Tools. I can see only the A3000 Hard Disk
thanks so much for your help.
Yes, i have an A3000 T with the native SCSI controller used for a ZuluSCSI (instead of a real mechanical Hard Disk) and the CDRom, correctly mounted at boot.
I plug the Iomega Zip 100 with the SCSI cable to the rear SCSI port of Amiga 3000. I'm using the AOS 3.2.3.Using SCSIList i can see the SCSI item:
- Hard Disk
- CD ROM
- Iomega ZIP (SCSI ID 5)
So, i think from the hardware point of view, the Iomega Zip 100 is correctly seen.
When i insert a ZIP disk nothing happens.
Reading your message I understood that i miss the DOSDriver in DEVS folder.
I will download the file from Aminet. Do you know if exists an installer or i have to copy the file manually?
The last point: you linked to me the Iomega Zip 250, mine is Zip 100, is the same?
The Iomega has ID 5 and Termination ON (it is the last one on the SCSI chain after HD and CDROM)
I don't need to create bootable disk. But i have to notice that i don't see any disk from Iomega opening HDToool from System/Tools. I can see only the A3000 Hard Disk
That’s good.
The mount list has to be in your devs DOSDrivers for certain formatted Zip disks to be seen when a Zip disk is inserted.
You may need to just copy the mount file into devs DOSDrivers manually.
If you want to use the Zip disk just for the Amiga, then use Iomega tools to format it as FastFileSystem. Or use HDToolBox instead to set up the disk, then partition and then can be formatted.
If HDToolBox isn’t seeing the Zip Disk. Then it maybe under a different device? I don’t use a A3000 so can only conclude you are using scsi.device? It should show something under ID 5?
With the FastFileSystem Amiga formatted disk you may need to use the “Mounter” program found in Tools or System which then will mount the disk.
Forgot to mention.
Download this as well and put it in your L drive
Aminet - disk/misc/fat95.lha
Comes in handy for Fat16 and FAT32 windows format
Last edited:
Thanks for your help!
I'm going to do some tests.
What is hardly to understand to me (I don't have any experience with Iomega) is the necessity to use HDToolBox... i thought the usage should be similar to a floppy disk, but reading your message it is more similar to an "attached hard drive".
(I think i just have the fat95, because i'm using SDBox, which uses an SD)
I'm going to do some tests.
What is hardly to understand to me (I don't have any experience with Iomega) is the necessity to use HDToolBox... i thought the usage should be similar to a floppy disk, but reading your message it is more similar to an "attached hard drive".
(I think i just have the fat95, because i'm using SDBox, which uses an SD)
No worries.
You would think that Zip disks would act like Floppies. But Amiga will only use 880KB or 1.4MB formatting.
Therefore why you have to partition it in HDToolBox and setup a filesystem.
To use Zip disks formatted for PC or MAC, then the Mount point is needed in Devs DosDrivers to then read these disks in the Amiga Environment. I believe the mount point for the PC uses L CrossDOSfilesystem.
Amiga OS 3.9 provided a few mount points for Iomega devices including the Amiga Version of Iomega Tools.
Remember Zip disks have a Finite life span, so will fail a lot sooner. Iomega tools will show you this.
Thanks to your help, now i'm able to read a Zip Disk.
I've found on HDToolBox... the curiosity is that i'm not using a DOSDriver on Devs (Inside Devs i have only CD0 and Audio). But the ZipDisk is seen on the HDToolBox List.
I created one partition (96MB), and i could format from the Workbench screen.
Question: on the HDToolbox screen i selected a custom file system: FAT/1 because i want to read the ZIP disk from the Iomega USB connected to Windows XP.
But when i format from Workbench i can select only FastFileSystem, so i think i have to format the Zip disk only from PC side in FAT32, right? (as the same for the SD card for the Amiga adapters)
I think i don't need the PCCrossdos because i'm using FAT as the same of SDBox which uses an SD formatted in FAT32...but myabe i'm wrong
I've found on HDToolBox... the curiosity is that i'm not using a DOSDriver on Devs (Inside Devs i have only CD0 and Audio). But the ZipDisk is seen on the HDToolBox List.
I created one partition (96MB), and i could format from the Workbench screen.
Question: on the HDToolbox screen i selected a custom file system: FAT/1 because i want to read the ZIP disk from the Iomega USB connected to Windows XP.
But when i format from Workbench i can select only FastFileSystem, so i think i have to format the Zip disk only from PC side in FAT32, right? (as the same for the SD card for the Amiga adapters)
I think i don't need the PCCrossdos because i'm using FAT as the same of SDBox which uses an SD formatted in FAT32...but myabe i'm wrong
Yes. I believe like a SD or CF card for transferring files between PC and Amiga you should use Fat16 or FAT32 on the PC side.
So to read back on the Amiga, I can only conclude using the Devs mountpoint and L Crossdosfilesystem. But try experimenting by using L FAT95 if CrossDos doesn’t work.
You can edit the mount points using Ed in Amiga Shell and also the Information of the mountfile icon using Icon/Information.
Accordingly to your suggestions, i've found this resource, maybe it could be useful for other Amiga users:
Nice find
Nice find
Sorry, i have a question:
now i can use Iomega Zip 100 on my A3000. If i want to use Iomega Zip 250 i need a different mount-list on Devs/DOSDrivers or not?
Short answer Yes. But that link I gave you should have both 100 and 250 Mountpoints.
Remember if only using the Zip disks for the Amiga and using HDToolbox with a native Filesystem such as FastFilesystem, SFS or PFS3 then you don’t really need a mountpoint. Just use the “Mounter” program bundled with AOS3.2 to mount this using SCSI.Device. Or if not made bootable, then leave the Zip Disk in when Booting.
Similar threads
- Locked
