Hello all! I am new to AppleFritter, so please forgive my simply jumping right in, but I'm having an extremely frustrating experience and am really looking for some assitance.
I recently purchased a MicroDrive Turbo from Reactive Micro for use in my ROM03 IIGS. I've heard excellent things about it and purchased the complete kit (that included the CF Card).
I received the card and attempted to follow the instructions about installation. Slot 7 with that slot set to "Your Card". But, things go strange from there. When I turn on the IIGS, I simply get a screen with the text:
MicroDrive/Turbo Card:drive 1 error
That's it.
I have tried the card in Slot 2 (including setting Slot 2 to be the default boot slot in the Control Panel) and the same error message occurs. I have removed the CF card and reinstalled it. No dice. I have looked at the card (with the cover off the computer) and the card shows the “Power” light and the “card detect” light (which, pardon my color-blind eyes, I think is green?). When I reboot the computer, the “Active” light does come on as well.
I have tried the card in a ROM01 IIGS that I have as well and get the exact same problem.
Lastly, I tried to check out the CF Card using CiderPress. I used CiderPress on a Windows PC to access the CF Card and, when I try to select the CF Card in the “Volume Copy” function, CiderPress tells me it is unable to access the drive because it does not have the necessary permissions.
I should point out that I have a FloppyEmu as well and the IIGS boots GS/OS 6.0.1 from that drive perfectly fine (and, just for clarification-sake, the same problem occurs with the Microdrive Turbo whether I have the FloppyEmu attached to the computer or not).
I have tried reaching out to Reactive Micro via their support e-mail (twice in the last week) and have received no response, so I'm hoping that someone here might have some ideas.
I really feel dumb for this, but I really have no idea what else to do.
Any ideas or assitance would be very much appreciated.
But the last time I saw that error message on my MicroDrive Turbo was when I had the CF plugged into the wrong CF slot (attachment pins) on the MicroDrive card itself. I moved it to the other slot, and the error went anyway and it worked as expected.
Have you tried the MDT utilities?
Both GOTTJ and WAYNE have good suggestions.
I have found that the MDT does not work well with the CF card in the right side connector. I only use the left side connector.
Also, the MDT utilities is invluable to setting up the MDT properly. Load that into your Floppy Emu and run the utility and see if you can get it working that way.
Hello again, all!
I am sorry for the delay in my response. A family emergency has taken up my time over the past several days. I did get back ti this last night though. I should point out that I DID eventually hear back from ReActiveMicro. They were very apologetic for how long it took for them to get back to me. It did end up that I had the CF Card in the wrong slot. I feel really silly for that. I would swear I tried both slots with the same problem, but here we are and I can't deny that. At any rate, all seems to be working now!
Thank you for the support and the ideas!
Hard for me to believe that I actually knew the answer to the problem! But I do appreciate errors and problems as excellent learning tools when similar problems arise later. It would be nice if the other CF slot on the card was accessable at the same time.
Both slots on the CF card adapter ARE accessible at the same time. You can have 4 volumes on each card for a total of 8. It's just that the first slot (on the side closest to the top of the adapter, with the LED's) is assigned to the first 4 volumes.
If yours does not work like this it might be one of the defective units that were shipped a while ago.
Here's the reply I received from Henry back in July, 2020 when I emailed about accessing the other CF card: "There is one thing to note however. I don't believe the IIe can see the second CF Card. This is an 8bit limit, where as the IIgs can see the second CF Card. However you can try and perhaps you will have better success than others in the past. As far as accessing it, I would think it's the same as any other ProDOS volume. I can't see how it would or could be different. "
Has anyone got this to work with a IIe? If so, please share how.
Thank you!
I've tried it on a IIe and I can verify that it does NOT work. One card only in the left slot.
Four volumes is plenty and you can always swap cards if you need more.
Not sure exactly why that is true with the the IIe. But the original post was about a IIGS. In which case both slots work.
ReactiveMicro at least used to sell an extension cable for the CF slots to allow the card to be external for more convenient swapping.