CompactFlash IDE - not recognized

[Kapp]

I am converting an old laptop into a digital picture frame. My thought was
to create a small XP (nlite) with the apps I need (slideshow, wireless, vnc)
on a hard drive and then copy it over to a CompactFlash which I would then
replace the laptop harddrive with. I've got a nice tight version on a hard
drive (under 500Mb) ready to put onto CF.

Problem: it doesn't appear that the BIOS I have will recognize the CF as a
drive. I am using a 44-pin CF/IDE adapter I picked up on the internet. Using
a desktop, I confirmed that the adapter works (of course I had to adapt IT
to 40 pin IDE) and actually got the desktop to DOS boot from a formatted CF
(two actually, a 1.0GB Sandisk and a 512MB PNY). Unfortunately, hooking it
into the old laptop (DELL Inspiron 3500) the BIOS doesn't see it and thus
fdisk gives me "no fixed disks present."

Questions: Anyone have any thoughts on how to get around this? Perhaps a
different adapter? Am I lost for this laptop? I ensured it is the latest
BIOS version (for this inspiron Rev A14). I can proceed with using a hard
drive but the thought of using the CF really appeals to me. One thought I
had as to why the BIOS is not recognizing it was whether it has to do with
the CF card being marked as "removable". However, because it works on the
newer desktop I wonder if this could be it. Other than that, my limited
experience in these matters leaves me clueless!

[Lasse Jensen]

Kapp wrote:

> Other than that, my limited
> experience in these matters leaves me clueless!

First, please explain what this post is doing in comp.os.linux.embedded

--
Lasse Jensen [fafler at g mail dot com]
Linux, the choice of a GNU generation.

[Kapp]

>
> First, please explain what this post is doing in comp.os.linux.embedded
>

You don't think someone in this forum may have the answer or thoughts on a
CF/IDE question? This is not XP driven. I know folks out there are doing
Linux on CF as well. Maybe they have an answer and maybe it will lead me to
doing this in Linux instead.

So, with the first part done, do you have any ideas or answers to share?

[Unknown]

On Thu, 21 Dec 2006 07:18:59 -0800, Kapp wrote:

> I am converting an old laptop into a digital picture frame. My thought was
> to create a small XP (nlite) with the apps I need (slideshow, wireless, vnc)
> on a hard drive and then copy it over to a CompactFlash which I would then
> replace the laptop harddrive with. I've got a nice tight version on a hard
> drive (under 500Mb) ready to put onto CF.
>
> Problem: it doesn't appear that the BIOS I have will recognize the CF as a
> drive. I am using a 44-pin CF/IDE adapter I picked up on the internet. Using
> a desktop, I confirmed that the adapter works (of course I had to adapt IT
> to 40 pin IDE) and actually got the desktop to DOS boot from a formatted CF
> (two actually, a 1.0GB Sandisk and a 512MB PNY). Unfortunately, hooking it
> into the old laptop (DELL Inspiron 3500) the BIOS doesn't see it and thus
> fdisk gives me "no fixed disks present."
>
> Questions: Anyone have any thoughts on how to get around this? Perhaps a
> different adapter? Am I lost for this laptop? I ensured it is the latest
> BIOS version (for this inspiron Rev A14). I can proceed with using a hard
> drive but the thought of using the CF really appeals to me. One thought I
> had as to why the BIOS is not recognizing it was whether it has to do with
> the CF card being marked as "removable". However, because it works on the
> newer desktop I wonder if this could be it. Other than that, my limited
> experience in these matters leaves me clueless!

The "adapter" is transparent to the IDE hardware, you did have a card in
it when you powered the machine ? - the BIOS would need to see the card
during POST for it to work, some cards do not support the generic IDE mode
required.

Jon

[Sebastian]

Hi,

> Questions: Anyone have any thoughts on how to get around this? Perhaps a
> different adapter? Am I lost for this laptop? I ensured it is the latest
> BIOS version (for this inspiron Rev A14). I can proceed with using a hard
> drive but the thought of using the CF really appeals to me. One thought I
> had as to why the BIOS is not recognizing it was whether it has to do with
> the CF card being marked as "removable". However, because it works on the
> newer desktop I wonder if this could be it. Other than that, my limited
> experience in these matters leaves me clueless!

Try different cards, as you did. Maybe some will work, some won't.
Then, let the BIOS do an auto-probe (if that's possible, i.e. press enter on
hard disk data). If that's not possible, leave it on "Auto". Then the BIOS
should recognize it. I don't know the specs of your notebook (and I admit,
I'm too lazy to search), but a CF-to-IDE interface worked for me on a
486-based notebook as well as on a 486 tower (and on a 286-based laptop,
too). So I don't think it's too much trouble there except incompatible
settings.

On the other hand, it could be your adaptor (I've got two on ebay, one
single- and one double-sided, both worked on my 486-based notebook).

The computers were a Toshiba T4600C, a no-named 486-based computer build
from spare parts found in the rubbish and an old Amstrad ALT-286.

Regards,
Sebastian

[Lasse Jensen]

Kapp wrote:

>>
>> First, please explain what this post is doing in comp.os.linux.embedded
>>
>
> You don't think someone in this forum may have the answer or thoughts on a
> CF/IDE question? This is not XP driven. I know folks out there are doing
> Linux on CF as well. Maybe they have an answer and maybe it will lead me
> to doing this in Linux instead.
>
> So, with the first part done, do you have any ideas or answers to share?

Yes. Is the adapter configured as master or slave? Some old laptops does not
look for at a master and expects only a slave drive.

The adapter is a passive piece of hardware, but even so i heard of adapters
that just wouldn't boot, so it might be a problem in the hardware design.
You might want to try booting the laptop from a Linux floppy (any kind,
only limited userspace tools like cat required) with the CF card connected
and see if it finds it. Linux doesn't use BIOS data to identify drives.

--
Lasse Jensen [fafler at g mail dot com]
Linux, the choice of a GNU generation.

[Kapp]

For one of the adapters, I tried the various ways.. it had a jumper on it
that was easy to manipulate. But now that you said that, I did not try
changing master/slave with the second adapter... I am not sure how on the
second adapter I change master/slave... I'll have to figure that out and
give that a shot.

Good idea on the Linux.. I may try this as well.. I have a few different
Linux versions here (messed around with my DTivos a couple years back) and
there are some Linux digital picture frames out there.

FYI, the said adapters are
http://www.logicsupply.com/product_info.php/products_id/337 and another I
purchased from an eBay vendor
:http://cgi.ebay.com/Compact-flash-to-44-pin-IDE-Hard-Drive-Adapter-Laptop_W0QQitemZ250059144989QQihZ015QQcategoryZ419 93QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item250059144989

>
> Yes. Is the adapter configured as master or slave? Some old laptops does
> not
> look for at a master and expects only a slave drive.
>
> The adapter is a passive piece of hardware, but even so i heard of
> adapters
> that just wouldn't boot, so it might be a problem in the hardware design.
> You might want to try booting the laptop from a Linux floppy (any kind,
> only limited userspace tools like cat required) with the CF card connected
> and see if it finds it. Linux doesn't use BIOS data to identify drives.
>
> --
> Lasse Jensen [fafler at g mail dot com]
> Linux, the choice of a GNU generation.

[Kapp]

Thanks. I did in fact have the card in. As a "passive' device would I need
to worry about the "removable" characteristic of the card. I have seen
folks discuss a utility to make the disk "fixed"... do you think that could
be it?

>
> The "adapter" is transparent to the IDE hardware, you did have a card in
> it when you powered the machine ? - the BIOS would need to see the card
> during POST for it to work, some cards do not support the generic IDE mode
> required.
>
> Jon
>
>

[linnix]

Kapp wrote:
> I am converting an old laptop into a digital picture frame. My thought was
> to create a small XP (nlite) with the apps I need (slideshow, wireless, vnc)
> on a hard drive and then copy it over to a CompactFlash which I would then
> replace the laptop harddrive with. I've got a nice tight version on a hard
> drive (under 500Mb) ready to put onto CF.
>
> Problem: it doesn't appear that the BIOS I have will recognize the CF as a
> drive. I am using a 44-pin CF/IDE adapter I picked up on the internet. Using
> a desktop, I confirmed that the adapter works (of course I had to adapt IT
> to 40 pin IDE) and actually got the desktop to DOS boot from a formatted CF
> (two actually, a 1.0GB Sandisk and a 512MB PNY). Unfortunately, hooking it
> into the old laptop (DELL Inspiron 3500) the BIOS doesn't see it and thus
> fdisk gives me "no fixed disks present."

Are you running "fdisk" from a hard disk? It's not a good idea to have
the CF sharing cable with a hard disk.

>
> Questions: Anyone have any thoughts on how to get around this? Perhaps a
> different adapter? Am I lost for this laptop? I ensured it is the latest
> BIOS version (for this inspiron Rev A14). I can proceed with using a hard
> drive but the thought of using the CF really appeals to me. One thought I
> had as to why the BIOS is not recognizing it was whether it has to do with
> the CF card being marked as "removable". However, because it works on the
> newer desktop I wonder if this could be it. Other than that, my limited
> experience in these matters leaves me clueless!

You can try booting directly on this:

http://cfd.linnix.com/sfide.html

[Kapp]

UPDATE: Got it working. I had to use the SanDisk utility to mark the CF as
"fixed." Once I did that the laptop BIOS had no problem seeing the CF via
the CF/IDE adapter. I have copied over my 420Mb XP installation and the
laptop picture frame works great.


"Kapp" <kappjack@NOSPAM.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:458aa5e8$0$27094$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
>I am converting an old laptop into a digital picture frame. My thought was
> to create a small XP (nlite) with the apps I need (slideshow, wireless,
> vnc)
> on a hard drive and then copy it over to a CompactFlash which I would then
> replace the laptop harddrive with. I've got a nice tight version on a hard
> drive (under 500Mb) ready to put onto CF.
>
> Problem: it doesn't appear that the BIOS I have will recognize the CF as a
> drive. I am using a 44-pin CF/IDE adapter I picked up on the internet.
> Using
> a desktop, I confirmed that the adapter works (of course I had to adapt IT
> to 40 pin IDE) and actually got the desktop to DOS boot from a formatted
> CF
> (two actually, a 1.0GB Sandisk and a 512MB PNY). Unfortunately, hooking it
> into the old laptop (DELL Inspiron 3500) the BIOS doesn't see it and thus
> fdisk gives me "no fixed disks present."
>
> Questions: Anyone have any thoughts on how to get around this? Perhaps a
> different adapter? Am I lost for this laptop? I ensured it is the latest
> BIOS version (for this inspiron Rev A14). I can proceed with using a hard
> drive but the thought of using the CF really appeals to me. One thought I
> had as to why the BIOS is not recognizing it was whether it has to do with
> the CF card being marked as "removable". However, because it works on the
> newer desktop I wonder if this could be it. Other than that, my limited
> experience in these matters leaves me clueless!
>
>
>