EIDE problem???

[WolfMan]

Hi...

Some days ago, my A1200 dont´t start ok...
When i turn on my A1200, on workbench screen, apears this message:

4xEIDE.driver 3.2
"I can´t find 4xEIDE buffered interface"

Then i press "OK", and it start ok...

But what is this??How can i fix this??

Thanks...

[Harrison]

The error indicates that the copy of Workbench installed on the harddrive has drivers installed for a buffered IDE interface and it is trying to load these and locate the hardware before it then loads Workbench.

The driver it is trying to load is specifically for the Elbox 4xEIDE'99 buffered IDE interface. Do you know if your A1200 has a buffered IDE interface fitted, or have you only recently purchased the system?

A buffered IDE interface fits inside the A1200 onto the standard A1200's IDE harddrive port. This expands the port to allow up to 4 IDE devices such as harddrives and CD-Rom drives to be fitted and used together. But as a buffered IDE interface is not a standard part of the A1200, drivers need to be loaded to get it working as the first step when the system is switched on, or Workbench wouldn't be able to find the devices attached to it.

So either the A1200 used to have a buffered IDE interface fitted, but it has now been removed. Or if you have been using the A1200 fine and have only now started to get the problem, it could indicate that a buffered IDE interface inside your A1200 has stopped working correctly.

If you don't have a Buffered IDE interface fitted then uninstalling the drivers will fix the problem. Buffered IDE interface drivers are normally loaded from within the Startup-Sequence file in the first couple of lines of the file. Just put a ; before any lines relating to the 4xEIDE.driver 3.2 to cmment them out, save the file, and then try to reboot the system.

[WolfMan]

I have an internal HardDisk...But it works fine...I have many games installed on it...

[Harrison]

But do you have a Buffered IDE interface fitted inside your A1200? As standard the A1200 has a single Harddrive IDE port that allows you to connect 1 harddrive to the Amiga. A buffered interface connects to this same port, but expands the port to allow 4 harddrives or other IDE devices to be connected to the A1200.

The error you are getting is because Workbench installed on your harddrive is looking for a buffered IDE interface and cannot find one, so is asking if you wish to continue anyway. Even if it can't find one it would still be able to boot from a single harddrive connected to the standard A1200 IDE port.

If you don't have a buffered IDE interface fitted inside your A1200, or you are unsure, and you only have the harddrive and nothing else connected such as CD drives, then edit your workbench startup-sequence and comment out, or remove the lines that are trying to load the drivers for the buffered IDE interface. If you need help with how to edit your startup-sequence just ask and I will list the steps needed. Removing the lines from the file will remove the message you are getting when you start the system.

[WolfMan]

If you need help with how to edit your startup-sequence just ask and I will list the steps needed. Removing the lines from the file will remove the message you are getting when you start the system.

This is what i call a great help...Is there any tutorial?
Can you list this steps, please??
Thanks Harrison...

[Harrison]

Once the Amiga has finished loading into Workbench do the following:

Hold the right mouse button down, go to the "Workbench" menu and select "Execute Command".

In the box that appears type "ed s:startup-sequence" (without the quotes).

The startup-sequence file will load into the text editor called ed. Look at the top of the file and find any lines of code that refer to the "4xEIDE.driver 3.2" driver (or similar) being loaded. And add a ; followed by a space, to the front of these lines.

Finally save the file and close ed by pressing Esc, then X, and the pressing Enter.

Now reboot the Amiga and see if this fixes the problem.

[WolfMan]

EXELENT!!!!
Thanks for the help