I'm aware of the issues that CF cards can have. That's why I went for industrial grade CFs as this one (attached the specs). I'm not a 100% sure but I doubt that it's a problem with the CF. After booting from the floppy I can read all the files on the CF that have been previously installed.

Nevertheless, I tried to hook up the oldest HDs I have (a 170Mb Quantum ProDrive ELS and a 540Mb Quantum Maverick. I entered the C/H/S parameters in the BIOS setting but the system failed to recognize the HDs. I even got a HD interface error. So not sure what that means. I need to get hold of a proper ISA IDE controller. This might indeed be the issue. It's funny though that that of all storage devices the HDs from that period would not get recognized by the system.

Your IDE controller is OK.

Invest the money in a Network card with ROM socket and program your spare EPROM with XT-IDE.

You will see, it will solve all your problems 😉

I don't get it. Why a network card? Shouldn't I get a XT-IDE controller as you suggested. Or what do you mean by network card?

You only need the XT-IDE-boot-ROM. It will drive your existing IDE-controller.

You can use a cheap network card to insert the ROM in your System. Do you already have one? Then you are ready to go 😉

So, I took a 3com Etherlink III ISA, programmed an ATMEL AT27C512R with the ide_atl.bin BIOS file and put it into the network's card ROM socket.
Fired up the machine and disabled the HDs in the SBC's BIOS. Re-booted and...nothing. I don't see any posting from the XT-IDE Bios.

Checked online, could it be that the AT27C512R is not suited for this BIOS file. I have ordered some EEPROMs with 32, 64 and 256 kB assuming that this could be the problem. From your own experience, do you share my assumption that the used EEPROM might be the issue?

You need to fill the eprom with the Image. Copy it to the beginning of every 16 Kb Block for the atl Image. It is 12Kb so it must be at Offset 0, 16, 32, 48,...

For sure you also need to configure the 3com regarding the ROM-adress..

Predator99 wrote on 2020-01-14, 12:41:

For sure you also need to configure the 3com regarding the ROM-adress..

How do I do that?

There is a Setup Programm for the card where you can choose io adress, enable rom etc.. 3c5x9cfg.exe as far as i remember. Or do you have jumpers?

Sorry for the delay.

So, I've come around trying to do the steps you recommended. I think I'm a bit at a loss here. So, the 512 kb EEPROM chips I had did not work with the NIS. I ordered 64 kb ones and they now work, but I don't know who to write the BIN file to the particular address as indicated in the NIS setup tool.
So programming the chip with the ATL.BIN file does not work as the BIOS seems to be located an address where the NIS is not looking for it. Any advice?

I assume these are fundamentals for savvy IT guys but I'm at a loss regarding these addresses. I can't find the ones indicated in the NIS Setup tool in the EEPROM programmer tool when reading the EEPROM chip. Copy and paste also did not work as there are no addresses beyond the ones in which the content of the ATL.BIN file have been written to. At least that is my interpretation of what happened.

Again, many thanks for your help. Hope there is only a small step ahead to finally getting the 386 machine to work.

Looks very good. Try to program this image to your EPROM.

Size to be configure on the 3COM is only 8 kb.

Predator99 wrote on 2020-01-20, 17:38:

Looks very good. Try to program this image to your EPROM.

Size to be configure on the 3COM is only 8 kb.

If it does not work try some other starting adresses on the 3COM. But usually the Setup programs complains in case an adress is not available.

I did exactly what you suggested.

When I choose the first address from the 8kb address list the setup program says that I did not recognize the EEPROM. On the second address (screenshot) the whole program froze and I couldn't save or do anything. All the subsequent addresses worked (to illustrate I attached a screenshot of one of the tests - which I did for each address that actually I was able to saved to the NIC).
However, after booting the computer no matter what subsequent address from the 8kb list I chose in the NIC setup tool (and successfully saved to the NIC), the XT-IDE Bios would never post, never. Absolutely nothing.

Any clue what to do now?

Put Dos debug.EXE on your Boot Disk
Type...:
Debug
D C200:0

It should Display the content of the ROM if adress c200 is selected. What is the output?

Predator99 wrote on 2020-01-21, 10:05:

Put Dos debug.EXE on your Boot Disk Type...: Debug D C200:0 […]
Show full quote

Put Dos debug.EXE on your Boot Disk
Type...:
Debug
D C200:0

It should Display the content of the ROM if adress c200 is selected. What is the output?

Just for me to understand. Does the D C200:0 refer to C2000h - C3FFFh which I could not save to the NIC? If so, what is the purpose of it since this is the only address range that I could not select and save.

Your Screenshot above says the ROM is currently located at Memory starting adress C200:0 and ends at C3FF:0. Thats the perspective of the NIC and seems to be OK.

But it does not work.

Thereofre I like to look what your 80386 sees. Thats what debug.exe can show you. With the command "D C200:0" its shows you what data is located at memory adress C200:0. D means dump.

So in theory you should see some strings indicating your XT-IDE ROM is there. If not, its no surprise its not executed on startup.

Predator99 wrote on 2020-01-21, 16:39:

Your Screenshot above says the ROM is currently located at Memory starting adress C200:0 and ends at C3FF:0. Thats the perspecti […]
Show full quote

Your Screenshot above says the ROM is currently located at Memory starting adress C200:0 and ends at C3FF:0. Thats the perspective of the NIC and seems to be OK.

But it does not work.

Thereofre I like to look what your 80386 sees. Thats what debug.exe can show you. With the command "D C200:0" its shows you what data is located at memory adress C200:0. D means dump.

So in theory you should see some strings indicating your XT-IDE ROM is there. If not, its no surprise its not executed on startup.

Ok. I see that my previous post with the screenshots was a bit misleading. Actually, with the first screen shot I wanted to show the address range which when choosing makes the NIC setup tool freeze. Thus, this is actually the only address range I cannot save to the NIC. When choosing the address range before that the program complains. All other address ranges from the 8kb list work. I can save them to the NIC. Also, each of those address ranges seems to pass the tests (as illustration I sent you a screenshot). Sorry, my mistake. I realized that when seeing both screenshot you though that the successful test was linked to the first screen shot with the address range C200:0 to C3FF:0. It's not.

Makes no diffence...then follow the procedure with a working adress. If its D000 type

Debug
D D000:0

With regards to XT-IDE, have you configured & saved the ROM first with xtidecfg? This will generate the required checksum.

Also, unless you absolutely need the extra features of the large 12K ROM, I'd stick with the 8KB one instead as it's much easier to flash.

Predator99 wrote on 2020-01-22, 09:40:

Makes no diffence...then follow the procedure with a working adress. If its D000 type

Debug
D D000:0

Ok. That operation was not successful. Or maybe I missed something?

I tried it with one of the addresses which the NIC setup tool accepted and which I could save. Quite frustrating.
It seemed like such an easy thing to do. Program the XT-IDE to an EEPROM put it into a NIC and on we go.

What to do now?