🚀 go-pugleaf

Mike Leavitt <ac998@lafn.org> wrote:

> Hello I-Hate-Spam
> > Here is a description of exactly what I have/what I'm doing.  If you could
> > possibly tell me what software I need and/or where I can get it so I can
> > begin using the harddrive, I would be enormously appreciative.  Here goes...
> > 
> > One of the only other disks I have that came with the computer is a disk
> > labeled "Amiga 2090A Hard Disk Software."  So this is what I do:
> > 
> > 1.  I put workbench 1.2 in the drive and turn on the computer.  It then gets
> > me to the desktop screen.
> > 2.  I put the Amiga 2090A hard disk software in the drive and click on the
> > "HDInstall" Icon.  I then click on the Install program.
> > 3.  The computer says, "Setting up for first ..." and then it begins copying
> > various files.
> > 4.  The computer asks me if I want to continue since it will delete
> > everything on the harddrive."  I typed in yes.
> > 5.  The computer says "checking your mountlist" and copies more files
> > 6.  The computer days "Mounting hard disk and initializing."
> > 7.  The computer asks me if this is a SCSI hard disk.  (I don't know -- so I
> > have tried typing both yes and no, but I get the same result -- please see
> > # 8 below for what happens)
> > 8.  The computer says "Error -1 on open device of hddisk.device."
> > 
> > Accordingly, if you can suggest how the heck I can get the harddrive to work
> > and/or where I can get the necessary software from, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE
> > tell me.
> > 
> > Thank you enormously in advance for your time/assistance.
> 
> Well you have the right software, and it is most probably an SCSI
> drive.  My guess would be that either the hard-drive or the controller
> or both are bad.  They are really ancient.  The 2090a will not boot
> from a hard-disk and neither will OS 1.2, they require a boot floppy.
> Frankly, you can get a self booting 2091 for around $10.00, and you
> could probably get 1.3 or 2.04 roms that will boot from a hard disk
> for around the same price.  3.1 roms might cost you $25 or $30. 
> Anyway, replace that controller, and get at least 1.3 roms if you want
> it to work.  Probably the controller and maybe the hard-disk are
> toast.  First check and see if there is a program called something
> like HDToolbox on one of your 1.2 disks.  It could also be what the
> guy who responded said, the hard-drive may not be prepped.  A similar
> message will be given even by OS 3.9 if you try to install it on an
> unprepped hard-disk.  HDToolbox may have first appeared with the 1.3
> rom and OS though, I started with 1.3.3, and never used 1.2, so I
> don't know.  Anyone?  

I'm not sure, but it's academic in this case as HDtoolbox is useless on
an A2090 (no support for RDB, odd partitioning scheme in general).

Now, I just had a thought.

As the error is on opening hddisk.device, it's possible that it isn't on
the boot floppy, I can't remember how you're supposed to do it, but I
think the system either needs to be booted from the HD install disk, or
you need to put the hddisk.device file in the expansion drawer of your
boot disk. as I said before, work on copies, it'll be a lot easier to
fix if/when you screw up.

I echo what Mike says though, you'll find life much easier with an A2091
(though I'm more of a GVP person, they tend to be a tad more expensive)
and more recent roms.

-- 
Ryan Callaghan icq: 20957015 email callagrm<at>aston.ac.uk
Amiga 2000 040/27 | A1200 040/33      | PowerMac dual G4/500 512MB/40GB
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