Hello, I'm running out of things to try to get this thing working.
I bought a x68000 a couple weeks ago and it seems to operate normally with the copy of Twin Bee.
I took out the internal HDD with a 20pin to 50pin SASI cable and I'm trying to just setup the SCSI2SD in its place. Notice I 3d printed a bottom for the board to protect it and I put some tape so it won't short out.
s-l1604.jpg
The included HDD is unable to boot and booting the master boot disk with it installed, it displays "device does not operate"
I used the V4 image and tried both SASI and SCSI modes in this guide https://gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=x68000:installing_scsi2sd_on_x68000_externally
I get "So low SCSI level error" when I try to boot via the SxSI booter on the ID of the device I've configured via the Windows interface of SCSI2SD.
I get "Device with ID0, Not recognized or does not operate. When the OS tries to load the SCSIHD driver.
I've tried changing the ID to 3 as well and I get the same result.
When I try to format the disk it'll actually pause on the correct ID but it responds with "Unable to Identify".
I have tried:
- Verifying the stock cable connection via beeping out the connections
- Making a new cable (it was a little sloppy)
- Recapping part of the bottom board around the SCSI connector
- Reflashing SCSI2SD trying both ID0 and ID3
- 3 different SD card images
- 3 different SD cards, 2 12GB and 1 2GB
- Updating the Firmware on the SCSI2SD
- Powering via USB
- Adding a physical jumper on the TERMPWR
Notice my switch
s-l1605.jpg
I'm unable to select the SCSI device as the boot device, and the SCSI_ID doesn't let me select anything.
Does anyone have any ideas of other things I can try to get this mounted?
Out of curiosity...are you able to boot your SD card in an emulator? If it works there, it would work on the real machine and you could at least eliminate one possible issue. On another note, although you mention that you followed the instructions, you didn't mention that you installed the SASI Bootloader. You must do that first in order for the SCSI2SD to be seen by the machine.
Lastly, it's possible that your PSU is faulty. The power supplies in these machines are notorious and I can see from your image that you're possibly still running the original.
I'll try mounting it in a emulator.
I did install the SASI Bootloader and what happens is it'll seemingly detect the device on the correct ID but then it throws "So low SCSI level"
The PSU is an original I bought online. It actually shorted out and exploded because the previous owner reassembled it incorrectly and one mosfet wasn't protected and shorted on the side of the PSU chassis. I was able to fix the traces and fix the short and it seems to work fine.
When the PSU was broken I ordered all the parts to do the PicoPSU replacement and I've actually been building that most of the day, I was planning on just keeping it as a backup but I might test it out when I finish to see if it changes anything.
Quote from: spectreman on May 04, 2025, 01:15:05 AM@mrface
Try HD_MAX: 0
When trying this, I boot into the SASI Bootloader and it seemingly detects that there is a device with ID 3 but it loads for a second and results in "So Low SCSI Level".
Quote from: 3rdman01 on May 03, 2025, 12:54:27 PMOut of curiosity...are you able to boot your SD card in an emulator? If it works there, it would work on the real machine and you could at least eliminate one possible issue. On another note, although you mention that you followed the instructions, you didn't mention that you installed the SASI Bootloader. You must do that first in order for the SCSI2SD to be seen by the machine.
Lastly, it's possible that your PSU is faulty. The power supplies in these machines are notorious and I can see from your image that you're possibly still running the original.
When booting the SD card in an emulator, when the drive is mounted as a virtual SASI it behaves pretty similar to my real hardware.
When I add it as a virtual SCSI drive I'm able to boot off the emulator.
I noticed I'm missing the terminators, so I ordered some to see if that will fix it.
Quote from: mrface on May 05, 2025, 11:56:35 AMWhen booting the SD card in an emulator, when the drive is mounted as a virtual SASI it behaves pretty similar to my real hardware.
When I add it as a virtual SCSI drive I'm able to boot off the emulator.
Yes, I think that's normal...I was just wondering if the drive image was actually a working SD card. One less thing to think about. With that said, I have a suggestion...
I had a problem recently where my EXPERT HD wouldn't boot sometimes and eventually it wouldn't boot at all. My problem was solved for me when the power in my house went out for an extended period of time which caused the battery back up to run out and the SRAM was wiped out. Once I reloaded the Master Disk and redo the setup, everything was working perfectly again and I've not had a single problem since.
FYI your machine (like mine) needs the battery to hold its configuration and if the sram is corrupted, it can lead to crazy problems. I don't know that this is your issue but it could be. There is a program that you can run from a disk that can "clear" the sram which I can share once I'm back home. Otherwise, you can power it down and let it sit until the battery is dead or remove the battery if possible.
Secondly, I'm confused by your "missing terminators" post...The termination is handled in software in the SD2SCSI software (if memory serves me correctly).
Lastly, do you have a memory card? Your Switch.x image above shows 2MB of memory available to you but I am pretty sure your model has only 1MB. I think that is right.
Quote from: 3rdman01 on May 06, 2025, 06:24:10 AMQuote from: mrface on May 05, 2025, 11:56:35 AMWhen booting the SD card in an emulator, when the drive is mounted as a virtual SASI it behaves pretty similar to my real hardware.
When I add it as a virtual SCSI drive I'm able to boot off the emulator.
Yes, I think that's normal...I was just wondering if the drive image was actually a working SD card. One less thing to think about. With that said, I have a suggestion...
I had a problem recently where my EXPERT HD wouldn't boot sometimes and eventually it wouldn't boot at all. My problem was solved for me when the power in my house went out for an extended period of time which caused the battery back up to run out and the SRAM was wiped out. Once I reloaded the Master Disk and redo the setup, everything was working perfectly again and I've not had a single problem since.
FYI your machine (like mine) needs the battery to hold its configuration and if the sram is corrupted, it can lead to crazy problems. I don't know that this is your issue but it could be. There is a program that you can run from a disk that can "clear" the sram which I can share once I'm back home. Otherwise, you can power it down and let it sit until the battery is dead or remove the battery if possible.
Secondly, I'm confused by your "missing terminators" post...The termination is handled in software in the SD2SCSI software (if memory serves me correctly).
Lastly, do you have a memory card? Your Switch.x image above shows 2MB of memory available to you but I am pretty sure your model has only 1MB. I think that is right.
I think you're right about the ram, I saw it has a ram expansion on the opposite side and I assumed it was 1MB on the board + 1MB expansion but I think I'm wrong.
I just tried reducing the ram and then just re-ran bootset.x after booting from std to reset the SRAM and I get the same result. I replaced the sram battery this past weekend.
I originally thought the same as you that I don't need the terminators but, looking at other people's setups it looks like they have them installed on their scsi2sd. Maybe it's actively set as in it can in software turn them off without removing them. I figured it was maybe worth a shot so I ordered the resistors to see. If it's in software why even have a spot on the board for them?
I have a SCSI2SD in my SASI unit and I don't have a terminator in mine and it works fine. My unit though is from Rabbit Hole Computing but it's the older 5.1 version. I've never seen your SCSI2SD device...do u know anyone else using that device in our machines?
Edit: Does this help?
https://nfggames.com/forum2/index.php?topic=6692.0 (https://nfggames.com/forum2/index.php?topic=6692.0)
Are you certain that you've got termination turned on using the SCSI2SD setup software?
Edit x2: Thanks to increiblehark's guide, I found this link...Perhaps this helps?
https://nfggames.com/forum2/index.php?topic=7198.msg50477#msg50477 (https://nfggames.com/forum2/index.php?topic=7198.msg50477#msg50477)
Edit x3: I just took a closer look at your SCSI2SD device...is there a jumper on the "TERMPWR" pins on the board? I think that needs to be on as I believe that directs the 5V where it needs to go to work as mentioned in the post above.
I really appreciate y'all helping me!
I just tested again with Enable SCSI terminator ON and notice the setting does specify v5.1 only. I have v4.2d of the board. If you google the v4.2d and v4.2 boards every image I find of it has the resistor packs installed. I'm really hoping this is it.
settings.png
Here are my settings.
I tested with a jumper on the termpwr and got the same results.
The seller said they've tested externally and it works, but I'm speculating that the external SCSI might be terminated internally, mine is not.
Here's a closer look at my board:
2023-02-27T16_53_18.426Z-t1.png
I don't know if it matters, but I have enable SCSI2 unchecked in my config. If you have an 8gb or larger sd card you can try out my image, it has the scsi2sd settings config for it included. I've seen the so low scsi error on bluescsi but not scsi2sd. Hoping that the resistor packs as you mentioned are the culprit.
I can't add much here but SCSI2 doesn't work on a SASI port with SxSI without installing a parity generator circuit. Just FYI.
After getting the terminators I'm still unable to mount. I'm getting all the same results.
I ordered all the stuff to hook it up externally instead like the guides do and I'm hoping the sd2scsi just doesn't work internally on SASI machines.
I use bluescsi2 internally for my X68Ks, it's cheaper and works flawless
Quote from: mrface on May 10, 2025, 06:31:03 AMAfter getting the terminators I'm still unable to mount. I'm getting all the same results.
I ordered all the stuff to hook it up externally instead like the guides do and I'm hoping the sd2scsi just doesn't work internally on SASI machines.
I just want to point out that I have a SASI machine and my SCSI2SD works flawlessly but I don't have a model as old as yours (I've got the 5.1 variant). I'm inclined to think that your model isn't compatible somehow to our machines and you might be better off investing in another device. Please let us know how you make out.
I ended up giving up on scsi2sd and instead trying out the rascsi and I'm getting different errors now. Now at bootup, if I bind the hds file to id 3 or greater, on the SASI boot menu it will hang indefinitely and I get "So low SCSI level".
If I skip the driver and boot into the OS, the device won't mount and on attempting to format the device, it'll hang saying "waiting device".
This is a dumb question but is it possible that I need a scsi controller card or something?
I don't really understand why my machine is so cursed.
It seems like most people are able to do cn50->db25->either sd2scsi or rascsi and it just works.
I'm proud to say I finally got it to work.
All I had to do with the rascsi is set the terminator switches and it works now!
What a journey thanks everyone!
Glad to hear! Are you running the latest image from incrediblehark or an older one? Did you determine that you have 2mb of memory?
I'm running the most recent image and yes it recognizes the 2MB but I think I need to unload some drivers or something to get certain games to load in the Games2 folder.
Two things...can you run Dracula? If so, then yes your 2mb are recognized. Secondly, the "Games2" folder is only in the older image. Incrediblehark's image is bigger and mounts several drives in the SCSI chain.
Oh ok I'll try out Incrediblehark's image today. I was playing Dracula last night, the port is awesome on the x68k!
The updated image is awesome, there's so much on here!
If anyone stumbles upon this thread, I'm running Rascsi v22.8.1 and I just used the raw hds images. You have to set hdd count to 0 to get it to recognize all the disks.
You can get the kit for $35 and the assembled board for $50 here:
https://www.vintagecomputercenter.com/product/rascsi