Paradroid STE DMA issue blog

[geogeo_28]

As a bonus, I tried a diode on the VCC of the DMA, same issue.

[exxos]

Was that ulfrasatan tried on a different ST ? Sorry can't remember if it had or not...

[exxos]

Has this been tried https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/forum/viewt ... ?f=25&t=43

[Steve]

@exxos I'm trying jookies software but there's no explanation of what the figures mean. Does an X mean bad? And how many sector counts is good to use? Thx

PXL_20210207_114430363.MP.jpg (557.51 KiB) Viewed 3741 times

[exxos]

Sectors number is how many times to write to each sector.. 1 is fine..

Looking at the software image I posted, mine has all WWWW so I assume x is fail..

Try the pattern option, and look at the sectors on the PC...

[mst]

@exxos I'm trying jookies software but there's no explanation of what the figures mean. Does an X mean bad? And how many sector counts is good to use? Thx

PXL_20210207_114430363.MP.jpg

This software looks very interesting, for debugging purposes this can be more than useful...


Also I bring to Atari ST/E users a new video:

This is a video of the updated firmare, version of 5 February 2021, that solves hard disk writing on my STE;
probably this can be useful for many other ST machines.

However, on the update package, the original firmware is also included.

Previously, on a repairing attempt, and following Exxos research and recommendations, I installed the 10 K pull-ups on the WD1772 chip, and the CPU is replaced with a 68HC000FN20 , a low power version.



[VIDEO][/VIDEO]

[Steve]

@mst Woody is staring into my soul... it is disturbing me...

[Steve]

@mst
Here is my testing today with the STE & new firmware. So far the new firmware is /more stable/ than the original with this particular system, but is not as stable as an ultrasatan (fails copy test) and Jookies program still fills the screen with X's which I think is failed writes. But it seems no MBR corruption, where as original firmware did have MBR corruption.

ASCI2STM TESTING
(ALL USING ASCI2STM IMAGE / PPUTNIKS DRIVER)

ORIGINAL FIRMWARE
STE 32Mhz - DMA -38 SJ4 95
RUN HDTEST - Lots of X's a few W/R
WRITE DESKTOP.INF - Corrupted files
COPY GAME TO C:\ - FAIL 'cannot create file' (nothing copied)

STE 8Mhz - DMA -38 SJ4 95
RUN HDTEST - Lots of X's
WRITE DESKTOP.INF - Corrupted files
COPY GAME TO C:\ - FAIL > copied entire directory? But accessing C:\ everything is erased


NEW FIRMWARE
STE 32Mhz - DMA -38 SJ4 95
RUN HDTEST - Lots of X's but more W and R's this time
WRITE DESKTOP.INF - SUCCESS
COPY GAME TO C:\ - FAIL copies some files, but then shows 'error occured copying a file' MBR OK

STE 8Mhz - DMA -38 SJ4 95
RUN HDTEST - Program read corrupt
WRITE DESKTOP.INF - Corrupted files
COPY GAME TO C:\ - FAIL 'cannot create file' (nothing copied)

[Steve]

Just out of interest tested Jookies program with an original Ultrasatan:

STE @ 32Mhz, all X's and absolutely no R or W. But can copy files without corruption and save desktop.inf

So I have no idea of what Jookies program even means? It makes no sense.

[mst]

@mst
Here is my testing today with the STE & new firmware. So far the new firmware is /more stable/ than the original with this particular system, but is not as stable as an ultrasatan (fails copy test) and Jookies program still fills the screen with X's which I think is failed writes. But it seems no MBR corruption, where as original firmware did have MBR corruption.

Thank you so much,

The STEs equipped with -38 DMA chip are really annoying; these will need to follow all Exxos research and fixing stages...