Re: Weird problem: SCSI flash drive works but won't boot

["ict@ccess" <gids.rs@sasktel.net>]

On Jun 13, 1:27 pm, Stephen <stephenh...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi everyone --
>
> After many years I'm trying to get my beloved ROM 01 IIGS up and
> running again.   I have a old SCSI drive but I fear it will not last
> much longer, so I am trying to set up a flash hard disk using hardware
> I already have.  I have an Apple High-Speed SCSI card connected to an
> Accent SCSI PCMCIA card reader.  In the reader I have a 256MB
> SimpleTech compact flash card via a PCMCIA-CF adapter.  The device is
> self-terminating and I have it set for ID 6 (though I have tried other
> IDs as well).  My High-Speed SCSI card is set to ID 7 (all default
> settings).
>
> In short, I can read and write to this drive in GS/OS just fine, but
> weirdly I can't get the system to actually boot from it.  Here are the
> details of this puzzle:
>
> To set this all up, I booted GS/OS 6.01 (from floppy) and ran Advanced
> Disk Utility.  It recognized the flash drive immediately and at the
> correct size of 256MB.  I created two 32MB ProDOS partitions and
> formatted them.  No problem.  Both drives show up in GS/OS and I can
> read and write to them.  I then proceeded to do an "Easy Update"
> install of GS/OS on the first ProDOS partition.  Install went
> smoothly, no problems.  Sweet!
>
> But upon reboot, the system hangs for a while (at the ROM splash
> screen) and then moves on to trying to boot slot 6.  I can see the
> access light on the card reader flash a few times, so it's trying but
> nothing happens.  If I boot to GS/OS on a floppy, I can access the
> flash volumes just fine.  I just can't boot up from them.
>
> Also interestingly it appears that ProDOS 8 can't see these drives.
> When ProDOS 8 starts up from a floppy there is a long hang at the
> ProDOS splash screen and the drive light blinks; startup from the
> floppy then continues.  PD8 applications like ProTERM and Apple's HS
> SCSI utilities seem to see that there is something in S7D1 but can't
> access it.  ProDOS 16 applications like GS/OS and ProSel16 can see it
> just fine.
>
> Based on what I've read about the CFFA card, I am wondering if perhaps
> CF cards in general need some sort of special partitioning and
> formatting that can't be done via the Advanced Disk Utility?  I
> actually tried running the CFFA utility but it is CFFA-specific.
> Apple's HS SCSI utility doesn't even see the drive.  ADU is the only
> thing I could get to recognize the drive.
>
> Any ideas?  Thanks for any advice!  It feels like I am very close
> here.
>
> --Stephen


The pause you are seeing at the Prodos splash screen means it is
looking for a bootable device in that slot.  Does everything work
properly if you used a scsi hard drive instead of the scsi-CF card
reader connected to your high-speed scsi card for booting up?  If you
can boot up fine from a scsi hard drive then it must be the card
readers' identity bytes may be signalling Prodos that it is not a
bootable device.  This will help isolate the device that is preventing
booting.

Rob