User avatar
Combustify
SF Bay Area

Posted Sat Apr 27, 2019 11:23 am

Hey all. I finally found a reasonable A1000 and now I'm looking to archive the software and add some kind of modern storage, as well as meet up with other enthusiasts.

Located in the SF bay area, USA.

It seems like an external floppy emulator could achieve both of my goals: rip floppies from the originals onto the emulated floppy drive, and run images from it. However, I'm concerned about recovering disks with bad sectors. Any advice is greatly appreciated, as much of what I read from searches is outdated (IE hardware no longer for sale).

Cheers!

Combustify

User avatar
oldbull

Posted Sat Apr 27, 2019 1:28 pm

Welcome. I'm a few hours south of you, but had a 1000 since back in the day. Does your computer report (greater than) 300000 free memory in workbench? If not, you need the 256K memory module that goes behind the middle section of the front panel to bring the computer up to 512k total.

The literal floppy emulator is a device called a "GOTEK". There's different firmwares out there. I have no idea which GOTEK firmware is the right one for a given situation.

I have taken a different approach to minimizing the usage of floppies and moving files between the Amiga and the modern world:

Check out The ACA500+

Yes, it is designed for the A500 but it works on A1000 as well.

A fellow member of this board did a review.

You'll also need a doohickey for reading & writing CF cards on your PC.

**As for backing up copy-protected disks, I need that info also.**

In the interest of full disclosure, I should clarify that I also own an A500 and have chosen to make that my workhorse in order to preserve the A1000.

User avatar
Combustify
SF Bay Area

Posted Sat Apr 27, 2019 1:43 pm

I have a memory expansion installed. Workbench shows ~2mb free. I think the only other modification is a battery-powered clock, but I haven't removed the RF shield yet to confirm.

Thanks for the heads-up on the ACA500+. I had read that there was an ACA1000 and 2000 planned but saw nothing of their development, so it's good to know the ACA500+ can be adapted to the 1000. I have been looking into a HxC floppy emulator as well.

I'll be attending some local swap meets and if I find a reasonably priced working 500/600/1200 I'll likely grab it to better preserve the 1k, but for now it's what I've got (I at least need to stop using original program disks!).

Are there any common-sense replacements that could ensure a longer life for the 1k? I thought about power supply as proper power conditioning should help extend the life of other components, but all I've found for replacements are other 30 year-old used units that have no better guarantee.

Cheers, and thanks for the reply!

User avatar
Combustify
SF Bay Area

Posted Sat Apr 27, 2019 1:49 pm

I forgot to ask, how does modern storage handle software that requires multiple disks by default? Will the amiga mount the entire device, or is there some kind of software "disk-switch" that needs to be performed?

User avatar
intric8
Seattle, WA, USA

Posted Sat Apr 27, 2019 2:39 pm

Welcome, Combustify - and welcome to the A1000 club!

I still use floppies with all of my A1000's (don't ask how many I have) so I can't really help with Goteks and whatnot. It is good to have the front expansion 256, though, as that counts as Chip RAM. The side expansions will show up as Fast. My favorite expansion RAM - when it is stable and has a good connection (not always the case) is the Microbotics Starboard, which also has a possible StarClock module upgrade inside if if you're really, really lucky. Do you have one of those expansions installed?

If you want to go super hard core, and you indeed have the Starboard, if you're lucky it also has the SCSI port expansion on the back. That right there is the trifecta. And if you happen to have that, you could follow my footsteps and hook up an Iomega Zip Drive (remember those?) to it, and actually use 100 MB Zip Disks as full-blown hard drives. Need more space? Add another disk. =)

That's a crazy path to go down, of course, and not for everyone. There are so many cool options, the ACA500 is indeed a good place for many to start even if it wasn't designed for the 1000. Some report the device being unstable, but I think that's only when a Rejuvenator is in the mix (not a common problem for most folks). I wouldn't hold your breath for the ACA1000, as much as I wish it would come true. That idea has been sitting on a shelf for years.

User avatar
oldbull

Posted Sat Apr 27, 2019 3:39 pm

2MB on a 1000? That's got an expansion I don't have. My A1000 is stuck at 512k. No RTC. Single external floppy drive. It's what I had in-period. Stored in the original box from 1997-ish to 2018. Pulled it out, plugged it in. Powered up without missing a beat. Just a well-kept time capsule with light patina.

When shopping for an A500, try to get revision 5 or 6. From what I've read, those are the ones that are easiest to upgrade to 1MB "chip RAM". Mine is a Rev 6 with the 1Mb Agnus (8372A) already. Sorry to be throwing jargon around but it'll help you sound informed at the swap meet. ;) Not familiar with revision numbers on A600/A2000, sorry. But if you see the 8372A (or 8375) Agnus chip, that's what's important. There is an 8372 (non-A) Agnus. You want the "A" version of the 8372.

Common sense replacements for A1000? I can't help you there. Sorry. intric8 is the A1000 guru :D around here.

Modern storage and multiple floppies? I'm still learning stuff myself. There's a program called "WHDLOAD" that may help us with that. The GOTEK lets you switch images by pushing buttons.

User avatar
intric8
Seattle, WA, USA

Posted Sat Apr 27, 2019 4:19 pm

There's a program called "WHDLOAD" that may help us with that.
Actually, for WHDLOAD you need at least Kickstart ROM 2.0 and much more RAM. Some folks will say you should have a mild accelerator, too, as it eats up some CPU resources to run. That should run fine off an ACA500+, tho, since it's kind of an all-in-one package deal.

User avatar
Combustify
SF Bay Area

Posted Sat Apr 27, 2019 5:45 pm

The original owner told me they had a 1mb RAM expansion, but workbench definitely reports 1923568 free memory.

Edit: according to FreeMap I have 512k chip memory and 1.5m fast memory.

I'm disassembling it now to check out the board and fully remove the clock battery if it hasn't already been removed

Thanks again for the welcome and advice.
.

User avatar
Combustify
SF Bay Area

Posted Sat Apr 27, 2019 6:32 pm

Okay so I confirmed I have a DKB Insider II memory expansion unit installed. http://amiga.resource.cx/exp/insider2 I couldn't easily access the battery if there is one on the board.

https://imgur.com/a/tA0Vqi9

I honestly wouldn't mind using the disks except I need a way to duplicate them (as well as the spare/blank media to do so) to make sure I'm not contributing to their demise any more than necessary. I really like using them again. The other case is later games like Monkey Island 2 have resources all over the place, so it's a swap-a-thon.

Edit: found a copy of Marauder II so I may just need disks to make backups now.

User avatar
intric8
Seattle, WA, USA

Posted Sat Apr 27, 2019 9:45 pm

I couldn't easily access the battery if there is one on the board.
If I remember correctly that's the kind of battery that's actually inside the chip. You can't change it, and it's probably dead. In theory you could swap the chip, but it might be soldered to the board and not worth the hassle.
I may just need disks
If you go that route you want Double Sided Double Density (DSDD).

Buying single packs can get expensive, but they look like this.





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