Gotek Q&A

Update your old 720k to a 1.44 drive etc.
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: Going Gotek - FlashFloppy How To

Post by rubber_jonnie »

@jacolover
If you want to simplify things, remove autoboot.hfe from the USB stick. Since I wrote this guide I've found out that you don't need to use it and I'll be adding an update. Just put ST files in the root of the floppy, then you can select them with the Gotek buttons, rather than using autoboot.hfe and selecting slots. Also make sure you use Fat32 and a maximum USB stick size of 32GB.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
jacolover
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Re: Going Gotek - FlashFloppy How To

Post by jacolover »

Hi rubber, and thanks, I'll give that a go and see what happens, I am guessing I still need the HXCSDFE.CFG in the root, correct? Also, I guess that all the .stx files I have gotten were for use with an emulator. ANy ideas where I may find .st files to run? Thanks!
jacolover
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Stuck with files not loading?

Post by jacolover »

OK, I think I have much of this worked out, the Gotek does seem to function, I get the "f-f" if there is no floppy. I now have two .st files on the USB and was able to slot them into 001 and 002, both of those locations can be accessed by the buttons on the Gotek, but nothing else, is that right? In other words, you cannot select any tracks beyond what is present as files on the Gotek. I did remove the autoboot.hfe and got basically nothing, just straight to desktop. Returning autoboot.hfe allowed me to access the menu and assign the files location numbers. However, upon reboot, while I can select 001 and 002 via the Gotek panel buttons, I get nothing but the lights on the USB blinking but no loaded file, it just goes back to the desktop and, when the A drive is accessed, I get 0 bytes. Combine this with "Drive A not responding..." with the floppy drive installed, I am left to ponder if there is a problem with something on the motherboard, perhaps the DMA or WS1772, any ideas here? Thanks
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Re: Going Gotek - FlashFloppy How To

Post by rubber_jonnie »

jacolover wrote: Mon May 04, 2020 4:55 pm Hi rubber, and thanks, I'll give that a go and see what happens, I am guessing I still need the HXCSDFE.CFG in the root, correct? Also, I guess that all the .stx files I have gotten were for use with an emulator. ANy ideas where I may find .st files to run? Thanks!
If you remove Autoboot.HFE, then HXCSDFE.CFG is unnecessary because it holds the configuration used by Autoboot.hfe.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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Re: Stuck with files not loading?

Post by rubber_jonnie »

jacolover wrote: Tue May 05, 2020 12:46 am OK, I think I have much of this worked out, the Gotek does seem to function, I get the "f-f" if there is no floppy. I now have two .st files on the USB and was able to slot them into 001 and 002, both of those locations can be accessed by the buttons on the Gotek, but nothing else, is that right? In other words, you cannot select any tracks beyond what is present as files on the Gotek. I did remove the autoboot.hfe and got basically nothing, just straight to desktop. Returning autoboot.hfe allowed me to access the menu and assign the files location numbers. However, upon reboot, while I can select 001 and 002 via the Gotek panel buttons, I get nothing but the lights on the USB blinking but no loaded file, it just goes back to the desktop and, when the A drive is accessed, I get 0 bytes. Combine this with "Drive A not responding..." with the floppy drive installed, I am left to ponder if there is a problem with something on the motherboard, perhaps the DMA or WS1772, any ideas here? Thanks
F-F is correct when the Gotek is powered on with FlashFloppy firmware. The fact that you are able to autoboot using autoboot.hfe and put ST images to slots says the drive is working. I can't recall if I already asked, but what jumpers are set on the Gotek? You only need S0, all others are redundant.

If Autoboot.hfe is removed, you will drop straight to desktop on boot unless a bootable disk image is selected, in which case it boots from that.

ST files on the USB stick are then accessible simply by pressing the buttons on the Gotek, though if you only have the original LED numeric display, it isn't possible to see what image is loaded, just what image is selected working A-Z through what is on the stick. I personally use OLED displays on my Goteks without Autoboot.hfe and I can cycle through the ST images and it will show me the name of the ST image currently selected. This method is easier as you don't have to load ST images into slots using the Autoboot.hfe software.

And yes, with Autoboot.hfe, you can only select what is assigned to the slots. If Autoboot.hfe is present, it always occupies slot 000 BTW.

What I'd suggest is this:

1. Test the ST disk images with an emulator (Hatari or Steem) first. If they don't work there, they won't work on an ST/Gotek combination.
2. Try a different USB stick. This can make a world of difference. I have 2 supposedly identical 32GB USB sticks. One works, one does not, no reason as to why, but both work on a PC. Make sure it's formatted to Fat32. Win10 has a nasty habit of using exFAT as the default file system, which can give odd results.
3. I have attached in a zip file, some known good working ST images. I use them on my own Gotek so I know they are good. Please try them out.
Attachments
ST_Images.zip
(248.28 KiB) Downloaded 229 times
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
jacolover
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Re: Going Gotek - FlashFloppy How To

Post by jacolover »

Hi rubber, you are a godsend! Your explanation in depth is quite helpful so that now I know that the drive is really reading. I will go back later today to try another USB stick and load up you files and see how it goes. Thanks again!
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Re: Going Gotek - FlashFloppy How To

Post by rubber_jonnie »

jacolover wrote: Tue May 05, 2020 5:02 pm Hi rubber, you are a godsend! Your explanation in depth is quite helpful so that now I know that the drive is really reading. I will go back later today to try another USB stick and load up you files and see how it goes. Thanks again!
No worries, you're welcome.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
jacolover
Posts: 47
Joined: Sun May 03, 2020 6:40 am

Re: Going Gotek - FlashFloppy How To

Post by jacolover »

Hi rubber, I have a few questions to ask if I may. I used a different USB stick and loaded the boot and cfg files on it along with your .st files. The config screen came up and I slotted the 3 files into 001, 002, 003. After that I rebooted and tried to select 001 before it dropped me to the GEM desktop, oops too slow! But I did get 001 up on the stick and then accessed drive A and got... a GEM box with the files for the utils program! So I executed the utils program and, hooray, that ran! So it seems as though I do have a working drive using the Gotek, now just need to get some files and then a working floppy drive for all the disks I have. Again, thanks for all your help, this would not have been possible without your tolerance and help. And now I know how my students feel when I get them to understand some basic electronics in the lab class I teach and they are so happy!
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Re: Going Gotek - FlashFloppy How To

Post by rubber_jonnie »

@jacolover

The last selected disk will be remembered, so there's no need to worry about having to select the slot before hitting the GEM desktop. Imagine you had 99 images in slots, it'd be pretty difficult to select Slot 50 before the desktop appeared!

For example:

You have an autobooting game in slot 1. With the ST powered on, press the selection buttons on the Gotek until it reads 001. Press reset on the ST and it will boot from slot 1. You can boot from ANY slot provided it is selected prior to rebooting the ST.

You can also change the slot in use whilst the ST is running. Say you have an application or game that uses 2 disks and they are in slot 1 and slot 2. You select slot 1 and run the application or game (Or even boot from it) and when it requests disk 2 you select slot 2 and click to say that disk 2 is inserted.

There is one final thing. If you have say a utility disk in slot 1, and a text editor in slot 2, and the GEM window for disk A is open, you can change slots on the fly. However, because the ST doesn't support the disk changeline, you won't see the contents of the GEM window for disk A change until you select it and press ESC.

As for the rest, no worries, glad you got going. One of the reasons I'm here is to help people :)
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
Steve
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Re: Going Gotek - FlashFloppy How To

Post by Steve »

Rubber, I've ordered one of these with an oled display:
http://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=38549

Will your instructions for setting up a usb drive be relevent for me? Thx
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