Updating the Firmware on a ACA500+

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Don't Panic. Please wash hands.

    Quote "If you say that installation (pressing "F7 - Installer menu" in the main menu and "F1 OS 3.1 Auto Installer") goes straight to the insert WB 3.1 disk screen, and you don't see the install disks unpacking either, then there's something wrong beyond my comprehension. Is that what you want to say?"

    Yes exactly what I am saying. No install disks unpacking. I will see if I can get a snapshot of it.

    I am just going to update the installer again.

    So please bear with me thanks

    I have updated the installer again. Should I perhaps try the LHA file.?

    The 1st image is after press F7 (With Aux off) No a sign of install disk and unpacking them. It goes straight to the 2nd image

    Aux unselected and no CF card in the Aux slot


    Regards


    John

    In any case, the next time please do not enter the Cloaking Device Expert Menu after power-up and before running the installation.

    Not saying that this fully explains it, but I think I've just seen an interconnection there.


    Edit: If I enter Cloaking Device Expert Menu, return to the main menu, and then start the Installation, all sorts of issues are creeping up. Please, for the time being, until this is completely settled: Do NOT use "F9 - Cloaking Device Mode Expert Menu" at all. This is a very special menu for compatibility, and not helpful at all in a discussion about installation.

    Formatted the previous CF card that worked in the Canon Camera and Also via W10. Still the same situation.


    It is replicating the same start up information on the install (F7 F1) and WB 3.1 image as doing F1 to start WB 3.1., because of course no WB 3.1 on the CF card.

    ie Generating the same information. Not sure if thats any help or not.

    I'm not sure. What do you mean by W10? Did you enter the expert menu?

    (Or any other menu - if so, why and what did you adjust there?)


    The minimum sequence would be:


    1. Insert to be installed CF in Boot. Remove any CF from Aux.

    2. Power on.

    3. press F7.

    4. press F1.

    5. press Return.

    Wait until installation disks are unpacked.

    ACA500Plus installer is started.

    6. Then click Install to install.


    and you should see all the steps as in the screenshots above.

    Don't enter any other menu - just F7 and F1.

    You must've seen the procedure before...


    Edit: On the next attempt, please write down a protocol of the steps you have taken in their exact order.

    No I have not entered the expert menu since you instructed me not too.


    Quote " Formatted the previous CF card that worked in the Canon Camera and Also via W10. Still the same situation"


    W10. I am talking about formatting the CF card in a PC running Windows 10 to FAT32 format. Also tried in my Canon Camera.


    Your Quote

    "

    "1. Insert to be installed CF in Boot. Remove any CF from Aux.

    2. Power on.

    3. press F7.

    4. press F1.

    5. press Return.

    Wait until installation disks are unpacked.

    ACA500Plus installer is started.

    6. Then click Install to install."


    PLease note this is the exact sequence that I have followed all the time. Does not get to "installation disks are unpacked"


    This worked the 1st time before I update the Firmware as suggested by yourself. (2nd paragraph on the 4th July re 32gb CF card)

    I eventually updated both firmware. Menu and Installer.

    Tried the 32gb CF did not work. Partitioned it to a 9gb did not work. The installation disks are not unpacked, (Photo) goes straight to the WB 3.1 (Photo).

    I thought I would try the 16gb again, because I wanted to do and F7 F3 so I formatted to FAT32 via Windows 10 (W10).

    Did not work :- The installation disks are not unpacked, (Photo) goes straight to the WB 3.1 (Photo).

    So I tried F7 F1 did not work :- The installation disks are not unpacked, (Photo) goes straight to the WB 3.1 (Photo).


    I have tried a 256mb card just to see if there is any difference. None does exactly the same thing. I realise its too small, But I am at my wits' end with this card.

    Hi,

    There appears to be some conjecture that I am not following the correct install protocol.

    I had successfull installed WB3.1 on the 16bg card prio to updating the Firmware and it worked.

    Since up dating the firmware. The results have been as discussed.

    My steps are outligned below starting at 1 through to 9 (could not upload a video)

    1. 16gb CF Sandisk Card in Boot drive. Nothing in Aux

    2. Main Menu and will be selecting F7

    3. Installer Menu

    4, Unselecting Aux Slot by pressing 1

    5. Selecting F1 for installation of WB3.1

    6. Not showing any unpacking of WB3.1 disks

    7. Asking for WB3.1 Disks. (Should have unpacked to CF card)

    8. If Bootable WB in DFO as opposed to 7 having no bootable WB . Not showing Boot disk and naturally not showing Aux as not activated

    Please see more in next post as I have 4 more phot0

    These photos show both 16gb cards named as follows 1. Empty and the other named Boot.


    This shows what happens when the install is activated with F7 F1 for installation and the Aux is activated and a WB bootable disk in DF0.

    Just to show CF card are reading okay. I do leave the Aux unactivated as previousely advised


    Photo 1. Shows A 16gb CF Card called "Boot" in the Aux slot and a 16gb CF Card listed as PC0??? in the Boot slot. T

    his was named empty, but showed up as PC0??. This is the card that should have had the ROMS and WB3.1 loaded to it.


    Photo 2 Shows the reverse of the above. A 16gb CF Card called "Empty" in the Aux slot and a 16gb CF Card listed as PC0?? in the Boot slot.

    This was named "Boot" ,but should up as PC0??. This is the card that should have had the ROMS and WB3.1 loaded to it.

    In the above instances I am just reversing the 16gb cards from the Boot slot to the Aux slot. To prove they both read okay.


    Install does not work on either of these card.

    It did on one card previousely before the firmware update.


    Q1. The reason the cards are showing up as PC0?? in the boot drive

    Q2. What information show up when cards are not compatible ?

    Q3 Can we go back to the previous firmware ?

    Q4 How can this be fixed


    I have tried al least 10 times on each card to try and install WB 3.1 to no avail. The disks are simply not unpacking . Why Why

    Thank you for your patience and effort.

    First, could you please post a screenshot from the main menu, then pressing the Tab key, to display all versions.

    Please note that a 256MB compact flash is not too small at all for an AmigaOS installation.

    It is possible to go back to the previous firmware, by flashing the old versions Menu system v0.141 and Installer 1.1 from the ACA500plus firmware page (both would have to be flashed). However the recent update was precisely for supporting bigger CF media.

    So it might be a good idea to temporarily revert to a working scenario with the previous firmware and a small compact flash.

    Hi,

    Thank you for your patience.

    I am sure we can get this sorted.

    I did try the 256mb, card, but the same scenario.

    Is it possible that all 3 cards are not suitable for the ACA. They are all Sandisk cards

    I would rather use the upto date firmware, but I suppose I could always update again.

    Do you think they are suitable ? as they are showing up on the AUX and also the boot drive.

    Although that is not right because I had one that did work and silly me formattted it because I want to do a F3 config.

    I do not understand How one CF card could work and when I formatted it it would not work


    Is there anything else that could interfer with the installer not loading the WB3.1.

    The only thing I have is a DFO/DF1 boot switcher. This is activated by hold down the 3 Amiga keys for 6 sec I think.

    Of course that is not being activated by me when installing it any way because its only for the DF0 and DF1 drives.


    Has anybody else had this sort of issue ?

    Screenshots look good.


    It's hard to imagine that the CF medium causes failure of the installer coming up in the first place. I haven't seen this yet. Also if you can update the firmware from such a CF card, then it can't be completely unsuitable for installation.

    But ok, if you can now get hold of a card from a different vendor, try this first. Preferrably try a medium not bigger than 4GB.

    We need a successful starting point. My suggested plan for testing now would be:


    - Try to run the installation on 256MB (or another untested, not bigger than 4GB) medium first.

    - If that fails, downgrade the Menu system to v0.141 (keeping the installer), retry.

    - If that fails, also downgrade the Installer to v1.1, and retry.

    - If that fails, retry with yet another medium.

    Of course you can later upgrade Menu and installer again. The differences are not huge, this shouldn't be a major concern.


    (I've seen a SanDisk medium fail, but I wouldn't expect the problem here at this point. The ACA500+ is quite tolerant with regard to the CF card quality, I've been using "foto equipment quality" cards here for a long time without failure. CF cards that have never failed for me in any Amiga context are "industrial grade" Transcend CF170.)

    It appears to pick up the memory.

    This is doing F1 as though your loading WB1.3 and I have a WB in DFO and DF1 so its boots to those.

    Photo is WB1.3 in DF0 and WB2.1 in DF1


    No sure if this is of any help.


    OF course it does no load WB3.1 because of disks not unpacking during installing

    These are the 3 cards I have tried and the PhotoFast one did work until I formatted it.

    I have attached a sceenshot. Is this the the downgrade you are talking about.


    I think originally I upgraded the Menu 1st than I think the installer worked on the card okay, but because I want to use a biggere card I than upgrade the installer.


    I would like to do the reverse of what you stated i.e Downgrade the installer first. Do you think that will be an issue ?

    I have tried the 256mb card as per photo no luck.


    So I will do the following :-

    1. Try the 256 again

    2. Partition one of the 16gb card to 4gb and try that

    3. Downgrade the installer to v1.1 and if that does not work

    4. Downgrade the Menu to v0.141


    How does that sit with you ?

    Okay I have found the downgrade tks.


    What is the the OS installation files ? Is that a last resort ?

    I was testing myself what I suggested, and I actually found a CF medium with which the installer did not start, but this was after unpacking the installation disks. The Boot LED didn't go out and the screen remained black. I could not reproduce this during another attempt, and I successfully installed onto this medium using the latest menu and installer. Conclusion: so there is indeed some possible interaction with "drama CFs", or perhaps with how carefully they were inserted or the cleanliness of the CF slot.


    Some more ideas (unrelated to each other and the above):

    - Insert medium to be installed not in Boot, but in the Aux slot. The installer supports this, maybe this helps getting further. (However if installation is successful, you'd have to move the CF to the Boot slot for booting.)

    - Enter "F9 - Cloaking Device Mode Expert Menu", press "D" for resetting all settings to defaults, press "S" to save. Then, likewise, enter "F10 - Normal Mode Expert menu", press "D", press "S". All settings should be at defaults now. Power-off. Retry.

    The new installer (v1.5) works with the old Menu system (v0.141),

    but the old installer (v1.1) does not work with the new Menu system (v0.146).


    Partitioning a CF from the outside would probably not be of any use - the Amiga uses its own partitioning scheme and filesystem, which are both completely incompatible with what you can produce on a Windows PC (except perhaps with highly specialized tools). The whole media will be partitioned and overwritten by our installer in the Amiga format.


    You can partition CFs of course with a modern version of the Amiga HDToolBox program. But up to and including OS 3.1 HDToolBox and filesystems are not capable of properly dealing with media and partitions bigger than 4GB. (That's the main reason for our installer: It know how to deal with them.)


    Of course, last not least, you still have the option to install OS3.1 from the "F10 - Normal expert menu", selecting "W - Virtual disk - WB3.1 Install", but doing this manually would open a different topic.

    1. All cards tried in installing from the Aux. As per your instructions. Exactly the same situtation, not unpacking 3.1

    2. Downgraded the Menu system to v0.141 (keeping the installer) Tried all cards exactly the same, not unpacking 3..1

    3. Downgrade the Installer to v1.1, Tried all cards exactly the same, not unpacking 3..1

    4. Upgraded both firmware again and Tried all cards on F7 F1 and also in the Aux slot. Exactly the same situtation, not unpacking 3.1

    5. Photo of 16 gb partitioned by diskpart in the PC showing 3.91 and 10.99 Fat32 partition.

    This is showing the partitions after trying this disk in F7 F1. So the card is not being partited by the installer

    6. Photo 16gb partitioned by the Amiga (I was able to do this) showing SDH0 and SDH1. Tried installing by boot and Aux.

    Exactly the same situtation, not unpacking 3.1

    7.Photo 16gb and 256mb cards in Boot and Aux. Both cards are showing up on the screen.

    This was using F1 to try to boot 3.1 with DFO and DFI bootable disk. Aux (255mb) and Boot SDHO and SDH1 (16gb partitioned by the Amiga.

    8. Photo show the 16gb partitioned on the amiga and in the CF reader on the PC showing it is an Amiga format


    I am at a total loss on where to go from here.


    What I do not understand is if all the cards read in the boot and Aux slot why isn't the ACA writing the WB 2.1 to the cards ?

    Two of those cards are absolutely new and your quote "The ACA500+ is quite tolerant with regard to the CF card quality," Previous picture.

    The only transcend cards as you suggest are only available from China and are "Used"


    I am situated in Victoria Australia and 4gb cards are like hens teeth.

    Even 16gb are becoming very hard to obtain.


    Again I will ask has anybody else had this issue especially with Sandisk Cards

    What does the OS installation files Firmware do thanks ?

    Quote from Postmaster

    5. Photo of 16 gb partitioned by diskpart in the PC showing 3.91 and 10.99 Fat32 partition.

    This is showing the partitions after trying this disk in F7 F1. So the card is not being partited by the installer

    Please do read what Timm wrote: Your PC will not see the partitions that the Amiga has generated and vice versa. An Amiga boot card will apear unformatted to the PC. If it shows something, it'll be false or backup info.


    We need to focus on a single topic for now, and I suggest that's making sure the WB disks are properly unpacked.

    Hey Mate


    I was just showing him that there is not an issue with CF cards as suggested. As they format to the Amiga system and show up in the Amiga etc.

    It seems to me that he is dwelling on the CF cards and all 3 do show up on the Amiga and not the ACA500 plus card itself


    This has been going since the 4th July 2021

    We all are at a loss., and I have spent many hours with this issue, too.

    At least we know now that it's not related to the firmware, or firmware update.

    Next ideas:


    1. Do not insert any CF card at all, power on, F7 F1, do the OS 3.1 disks unpack and the installer start?

    Because if they do, you can even now insert a CF card to Aux and install to Aux.


    If that fails, next up to try:


    2. Enter "F10 - Normal mode expert menu", use W key to select "Virtual disk - WB3.1 Install". Press Return. Do the OS 3.1 install disks unpack?

    Fine, we might never know why the automatic installer doesn't start on your computer, but we might get OS3.1 to install then.


    Preferrably use your 256MB CF, because it is safer - a CF bigger than 4GB should work, too, but we'd not use more than 4GB of the card here.

    In the "F10 normal mode expert menu", besides selecting "Virtual disk - WB3.1 Install" you also have to adjust to use "Kickstart v3.1 r40.63", roughly as in screenshot (1). Then press Return to start booting from here. The system should come up with the install disks. Next we need to setup your CF with HDToolBox (2), which is located on the Install3.1 volume.

    First we're setting up the drive type (3), if there is an old definition, use "Delete Old" to delete it, then click "Define New...", and "Read Configuration" (4). (Don't worry if the size is displayed with a negative number, this is to be expected if the medium is bigger than 4GB.) Accept the new drive definition (5). In the main window, click "Partition Drive" (6). In the next window, check "Advanced Options" and "Bootable". The first (leftmost) partition must not exceed 4000 Meg - but please make a partition significantly smaller - even just 100 or 200MB would be perfectly sufficient for the system partition. More partitions can be added later.

    If there are more partitions, delete them (7). Accept changes and save them to the card (8).

    Next we must reboot - enter the ACA500+ menu by holding the left mouse button. Again select "F10 normal mode expert menu", Kickstart 3.1, and "Virtual disk - WB3.1 Install" as in (1), and press Return to boot wth these settings.


    You'll then find an icon of the newly created volume. It needs to be formatted first (9). Give it a useful name, such as "WB31". To make sure that the CF can be written safely, prefer "Format" over "Quick Format" - but a full format may take an extremely long time with a big partition.


    Then you can open the Install3.1 volume again, open the Install drawer, and Install OS 3.1 in your preferred language (a).



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