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XTIDE problem

S

souler

Experienced Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2006
Messages
66
I finally managed to finish my XTIDE v2 "ghetto build". Assembled from scrap parts and rest of them i bought from local electronics store.

Problem is, it doesn't recognize any HD. I have tried it with two different old IDE disks and even ordered a CF card reader and 2GB card from ebay which someone told me should work.

Only difference is when there is a HD (or the CF reader+card) connected it will take few seconds longer when it's trying to detect a HD.

I've tried it with every setting i can think of (jumper settings, changing hw addresses, reflashing etc)..

"screenshot" and photos of the setting:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/1lxfl4ku9pfvyom/7wepA6k9QQ

any ideas?
 
Which parts are the scrap ones? Maybe one of them is bad. Since the chips are socketed try replacing them one by one with others.
 
Chips are all new, except that Max3232 i found from my storage, but it has never been used either..
I could try replacing IC's but i need to buy a replacement first so i could use some hint which of them could be bad. Caps and resistors are also working for sure.
All connectors, headers, jumper pins and sockets are from scrap.
 
Check that your BIOS configuration is appropriate controller type. Also why are there two scans for 300h... seems like two controllers are configured.
 
I've set the controller type to "XTIDE v2". I suppose it's correct :) There are two scans for the reason i just tried every possible thing and honestly forgot to change it back. It doesn't make any difference though.
 
Check the jumper configuration for fast ('chuck-mod') or V1... sorry I forget which jumper it is. You need it on fast, to use XTIDEv2 BIOS mode.
 
I've found that switching between chuck mod and v1 requires a power cycle between changes, if you have attempted to access a drive in the wrong mode.
ie: if software is v1 and jumpers are chuck mod, you will lock up the hard drive accessing it. Just changing the jumper or changing the BIOS is not enough to get the drive out of that stuck mode until you power cycle. That may or may not be your problem here, but it can cause some scary moments when you think everything should be working fine and it isn't.
 
hargle said:
I've found that switching between chuck mod and v1 requires a power cycle between changes, if you have attempted to access a drive in the wrong mode.
ie: if software is v1 and jumpers are chuck mod, you will lock up the hard drive accessing it. Just changing the jumper or changing the BIOS is not enough to get the drive out of that stuck mode until you power cycle. That may or may not be your problem here, but it can cause some scary moments when you think everything should be working fine and it isn't.
Click to expand...


I changed the controller type & jumpers both to v1 and also tried every other combination and cycling power between but no-go. Tested it with old working HD and that CF-card. I start to be pretty convinced that something is broken in the card.

Board has been checked for cold/bad joints but there is none.
 
Ok, i got it to work!

The problem was that Chinese CF card reader from ebay which had very bad solder joints, even two shorts!, someone clearly can't do his job somewhere.. I fixed it a little bit and now XTIDE and everything works just fine :) Looks like those old HD's still won't recognize but it's not a problem anymore, guess they are incompatible. I'm lucky that this card reader didn't fry my 5150 or the XTIDE.

Thanks for your help guys and sorry for not checking that first before asking.. just couldn't even think a new reader would be like that..
 
The CompactFlash card probably doesn't provide enough output to drive it. Some only provide a few mA on DASP line, which probably used already by the LED on the adapter.
 
pearce_jj said:
The CompactFlash card probably doesn't provide enough output to drive it. Some only provide a few mA on DASP line, which probably used already by the LED on the adapter.
Click to expand...

I just deleted the message because i found out one of my leds worked when i connected it to external header. That working one probably needs less current so it works. Guess i replace the LED on XTIDE card with one of those.
 
Last edited:
I still got problem with this :|
I did fdisk, format etc and when i boot the computer it just hangs to "Starting MS-DOS" text and sometimes it boots, sometimes it gives random characters and of course freezes. I've tried like 50 times and every thing i can think of. Computer boots normally with floppy every time with same DOS 6.22 and i can access the CF-card. I have tried to do "fdisk /mbr", transfer DOS again, but doesn't make no difference.

Programs hang or puke random characters before freezing the computer when i try to run them from the CF-card, some of them work though.

i have done complete flash read/write/compare test to CF card, it was OK. Also memory tests with IBM Diag went well.

any ideas?
(this will be my last stupid question, sorry for them but i just want this to work and i ran out of ideas.)
 
I've gotten lost somewhere, so how about some basic information. What type of computer is this? A generic XT or something more exotic?

Have you tried it with and IDE drive (not CF, not adapter) to see how it behaves?
 
kb2syd said:
I've gotten lost somewhere, so how about some basic information. What type of computer is this? A generic XT or something more exotic?

Have you tried it with and IDE drive (not CF, not adapter) to see how it behaves?
Click to expand...


Computer is IBM 5150.

I've tried it with two IDE HD's but they won't recognize. They are 150GB and 400GB and i don't have older ones to try with.

.... Just finished testing the XTIDE with my another 5150, same results. So the problem is not the computer i guess.
 
Okay i bought a 8.4GB IDE disk from local flea market and it seems to recognize and work without any problems. So, i guess the problem is that Chinese cheap CF card from ebay. I tested it many times with flash memory tester and it came perfectly clean. I also tested the CF reader in another computer and it worked flawlessly too.

There must be something with that CF card why it isn't working with this XTIDE...

I ordered Hitachi Microdrive 6GB from 'bay and try with it next.
 
There was a bad memory chip on memory expansion card that caused random errors, CF reader was built like 8years old in China (well, maybe..:()which i fixed and a new CF card from eBay didn't work with XTIDE but with Windows7 it's flawless when i tested it multiple times. Looks like the XTIDE was the only thing working here after all, except the weak led which isn't an issue anymore either :) So now all problems are solved and thanks for help everyone, i do these things too hurry.
 
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