Can't boot from CF card once DOM module removed

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Don't Panic. Please wash hands.
  • Hi, I have an Amiga 3000 with Buddha controller installed - no other cards installed apart from a SCSI to SD adapter.


    I can use the Buddha DOM module to format and install WB on a CF card fine with no issues, and once installed, Workbench boots fine.


    My problem is that I wish to remove the Buddha DOM module so that I can use the secondary IDE port for other devices (CD-ROM, HDD etc). As soon as I remove the DOM module (and remove the jumper) I find that I cannot boot into the CF card and all I get is the Amiga Kickstart ROM screen. If I boot into Workbench using a floppy disk, I cannot see either of the partitions on the CF card.


    Am I doing anything wrong?


    Many thanks,

    Matt

  • Ok, it looks like I’ve got it resolved. The jumper on the IDE CF adapter was set to ‘slave’ (I had pilfered it from an old PC to use in the Amiga).


    Once I had set it to Master I could see the CF card and it’s contents in Workbench. When using HDToolBox change scsi.device to buddhascsi.device (click icon, choose ‘information..’ from the drop down menu) and you can view the IDE hard disks.


    Now I can connect a CD-ROM drive. My plan is to use a IDE to SATA converter card connected to a ESATA port on the rear of the A3000 and connect a ESATA external DVD drive.


    “It’s a crazy idea but it might just work..” and a lot cheaper than a SCSI ext CD-ROM drive on EBay ;o)

  • Hi Jens, ok thanks for letting me know. In that case I won’t hold my breath but I will let you know either way.


    If I doesn’t work then I will just have to connect a long IDE ribbon cable and molex power and take it through an empty blanking plate slot in the back of the machine and plonk an internal DVD drive on top of the A3000.


    In the longer term I will look into a USB solution like the individual rapid road.


    Matt

  • Guess what? ....it didn’t work so I’m just going to use a regular DVD drive which I tested and works straight away.


    I am still getting strange behaviour with the Buddha unit though. With the DOM off it boots from the CF card most times but from a cold boot it sometimes goes to the Kickstart ROM screen (as if the Buddha hasn’t initialised in time). Doing a warm reboot then boots it into Workbench.


    The motherboard has been recapped but the PSU has not.


    With the DOM connected it never boots to the Buddha install screen (even with the CF disconnected), instead I get a blank blue AmigaDOS window. When I first installed the Buddha card it worked fine.


    Any ideas?


    Matt

  • I am still getting strange behaviour with the Buddha unit though. With the DOM off it boots from the CF card most times but from a cold boot it sometimes goes to the Kickstart ROM screen (as if the Buddha hasn’t initialised in time). Doing a warm reboot then boots it into Workbench.

    This sounds like the CF card starts too slow - slower than the setting of the Boot ROM. Please read the additional instructions of the flash tool: You can set the timeout value for waiting for an IDE device to up to 30 seconds - that should fix it.



    With the DOM connected it never boots to the Buddha install screen (even with the CF disconnected), instead I get a blank blue AmigaDOS window. When I first installed the Buddha card it worked fine.

    The DOM has a very low boot priority (negative!), so it will really only boot of there is not other bootable device connected. If you still get nothing with the DOM being the only bootable device, please double-check if you're giving it power using the DOM power jumper. You may have done the right thing and removed the jumper after your successful install, but forgot to put it back on when trying it. That's common, even for me, and I have designed the thing :-)

  • Please read the additional instructions of the flash tool: You can set the timeout value for waiting for an IDE device to up to 30 seconds - that should fix it.


    Hi Jens, where can I find the additional instructions? I can find the flash tool, but no instructions apart from the command line options to read and write to the flash memory.


    Thanks,

    Matt

  • I don't have access to an Amiga from here, but the commandline options should already include something like a "seconds to wait on power-up". Maybe Timm can give a hint here - he wrote the flash tool.

  • You can get a command overview with

    # flashtool ?

    To set the maximum wait time, use

    # flashtool maxwait <n> persist

    For persisting a setting, the flash must be in unprotected mode (hold right mouse button at power-up)

  • Hi, thanks for this. Am I right in assuming that ‘flash tool’ is a different program from ‘buddhaflashtool’ which is included on the DOM?


    If I type Buddhaflashtool maxwait 20 persist it doesn’t understand the command.

  • Further to the above, I think my confusion is that I have an executable called ‘Buddhaflashtool’ which is on the DOM which allows reading and writing to the flash, and you are referring to a command called ‘flash tool’. Where can I find it? Do I need to download it from somewhere?


    Thanks for your help..

  • Hi, I have searched the wiki and still cannot find it - only the Buddhaflashtool which I referred to earlier and the flashBuddha tool which is for 1998 to 2007 controllers only.


    Can you please send me a direct link?

  • Hi Timm,


    That’s works, many thanks.


    I installed the tool and tried the delay at a number of increments all the way up to 30 but I still get the Kickstart screen on first boot then it goes into WB after a reset.

  • Did you hold the mouse button on power-up and see the green/black flashing screen? If you didn't do this on power-up (not on a reset!), then you did not change the maxwait value.

  • Hi, yes I did hold down the mouse button on power up and the screen flashed green and black horizontal lines.


    When I entered the command I ensured that it was persistent and it confirmed the change had been made.


    Thanks,

    Matt

  • The last reply was more than 365 days ago, this thread is most likely obsolete. It is recommended to create a new thread instead.