Re: Focus Utilities vs CF to IDE adaptor?

[Sean McNamara <sean@macassist.com.au>]

In article <1188497499.925603.28530@q4g2000prc.googlegroups.com>,
 a2aviator@gmail.com wrote:

> I do them all the time. 32M, 128M, 256M, 512M 1GB..
> 
> Set the CF adapter as master, slide the card in, type "FORMAT" in the
> box, hit "OpenApple-Return" (skips the counting phase, though the
> counting is not whats doing it in, just saves time)
> 
> There's some slight firmware improvements that help with CF cards on
> the low level, but every ROM version on the Focus card supports them
> none the less.
> 
> It's worked ever since the SunDisk fullsize flash cards were around.
> (Sun, not San, pre-SanDisk, it was SunDisk)
> 
> Check your CF adapter somewhere else, or post a closeup picture of it.
> It should be the variety that has no ICs inline.
> 
> tdiaz -a- apple2(dot goes here)org

Hi Tony, thanks for the thoughts.

I tried the CF card adaptor in an external case I have, and the 512MB 
card (the only one I had at that point) was recognised immediately by my 
Mac.

I have tried the adaptor in Master and Slave configs, just in case - no 
difference.

The 512MB card is an 80x, and the 128 is 45x - not sure if that's any 
use diagnostically.

I think the Focus card firmware is v1.2 - will confirm later on today.

The error it throws up is #$8080 if that's of any use - when I do the 
hardware test it says no drive is attached.

When I first boot up the IIgs (a ROM 01 with a memory expansion (1MB, I 
think) and a SCSI card to which aq 40MB drive is attached with GS/OS, 
the green LED on the Focus card is lit, and the red access light on the 
adaptor is lit - after that, the green one may flash here or there, but 
nothing of any great length.

I've tried the Focus card in slots 1 and 2.

I saw your mention of the OpenApple-Return trick in an old edition of 
The Lamp - I've been using a Mac ADB keyboard, and the Apple key on it 
doesn't seem to avoid the counting phase, so I'm going to rustle up my 
IIgs ADB keyboard sometime today just in case that can make a difference.

Pics of the card, adaptor and CF card are at:

Adaptor:
<http://apple2.macassist.com.au/images/CFfront.jpg>
<http://apple2.macassist.com.au/images/CFback.jpg>

Adaptor mounted on Focus card with CF card:
<http://apple2.macassist.com.au/images/focusCFfront.jpg>
<http://apple2.macassist.com.au/images/focusCFback.jpg>

I presume (hope?) I have everything oriented the right way.

If you have any further thoughts, I'd be very appreciative.

Kind regards

Sean

PS: If they're of no great size and you have any "lying around", images 
of 128MB and 512MB cleanly formatted CF cards would be great - not sure 
if they compress down to a manageable size. I'd like to try the 
CiderPress route of dumping an image onto the card if I can, especially 
if the formatting utility continues to play up.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sean McNamara                               mailto:sean@macassist.com.au
MacAssist                                             Ph: (02) 8920 0866
Authorised Apple Solutions Reseller                  Fax: (02) 8920 0877
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