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SD to CF adapter issues

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First post, by the-beast

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Hi all

I recently got one of these SD to CF adapters ('Sintechi hightspeed SD to CF adapter v1.0' is that is shows in the BIOS). It works when it is the only thing connected to either of the IDE cables, but as soon as I want to introduce anything else I.e. CD drive, into the mix those items I add can not be seen.

For example:

SD to CF on IDE 1
CD set to master and on IDE 2 - Not visible
CD set to slave and on IDE 2 - Not visible
CD set to slave and on IDE 1 - Not visible

SD to CF on IDE 2
CD set to master and on IDE 1 - Not visible
CD set to slave and on IDE 1 - Not visible
CD set to slave and on IDE 2 - Not visible

Remove SD to CF
CD set to master and on IDE 2 - visible
CD set to slave and on IDE 2 - visible
CD set to slave and on IDE 1 - visible
CD set to master and on IDE 1 - visible

Nothing else will work on either IDE channel if the SD to CF adapter is being used. As soon as I disconnect teh SD to CF adapter everything else works first time.

I tried with multiple drives, all with the same result. The adapter does not have any jumper settings which might be part of the problem. I'm using a Gigabyte GA-6BXC if that is any help.

Does anyone know of a SD to CF that will actually place nice with other components that I can get in the UK? One that I can easily mount in the case would be a bonus. I don't want to get another random one in case I waste more time/money and have the same issue again.

Thanks for any help.

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Reply 1 of 13, by Jo22

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Hi, I've avoided SD cards because of these issues so far.
However, maybe you're lucky and this isse can be fixed. 😀
Just for curiosity, did you set the other devices to slave or cable-select, yet ?

Food luck! 😀

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In what to one race is no time at all, another race can rise and fall..." - The Minstrel

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Reply 3 of 13, by Beegle

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I've used the same SD-IDE adapter in the past, and it gave me nothing but trouble including
- Unrecognized SD cards
- Recognized SD cards, but unbootable
- Randomly erased SD cards
- Corrupted partitions

switching to a CF-IDE solved everything in my setup, including stuff with master/slave on the same cables.

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Reply 4 of 13, by the-beast

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I have only got one CF to IDE and thats in the 486. Might try a SATA to IDE and see if I am happy with that before I spend any more money.

The main aim here was to get something without moving parts that would work in Win 98 easily and quickly.

Ta

Reply 5 of 13, by Atom Ant

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I purchased the same adapter for one of my system, but i have not tried yet. Probably won’t work either than... China’s shit.

My high end of '96 gaming machine;
Intel PR440FX - Pentium Pro 200MHz 512K, Matrox Millenium I 4MB, Creative 3D Blaster Voodoo II 12MB SLI, 128MB EDO RAM, Creative Sound Blaster AWE64 Gold, 4x Creative CD reader, Windows 95...

Reply 6 of 13, by cyclone3d

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Are you using a 40-wire or an 80-wire cable?

The 80-wire cables will have one of the wires notched out near the one connector AND they are a lot stiffer than the older IDE cables.

It could be a compatibility issue with the cable, the controller, or the BIOS.

Not like these things probably go through much testing at all before put on the market.

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Reply 8 of 13, by the-beast

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OK, old thread however I think I've finally solved it.

As I have been testing various boards over the years it became apparent it was working fine (with what I had) on every motherboard except Gigabyte boards.

I noticed a few other people had ones with a firmware version of 'Sintechi hightspeed SD to CF adapter v1.2' on youtube so decided to take small risk and ordered another one. It arrived the other day and externally looks exactly like the old one down to the SD35VC0 marking. The big difference was this was showing on boot as 'FC-1307 SD to CF Adapter V1.4' and even better it worked.

So in answer to my question from 4 and a bit years ago yes a SD card reader adapter can work with other IDE devices plugged in but only when using newer adapter firmware on Gigabyte boards.

How I'm wondering if I can update the firmware on my old adapter.

Reply 9 of 13, by drosse1meyer

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the-beast wrote on 2023-04-03, 17:23:
OK, old thread however I think I've finally solved it. […]
Show full quote

OK, old thread however I think I've finally solved it.

As I have been testing various boards over the years it became apparent it was working fine (with what I had) on every motherboard except Gigabyte boards.

I noticed a few other people had ones with a firmware version of 'Sintechi hightspeed SD to CF adapter v1.2' on youtube so decided to take small risk and ordered another one. It arrived the other day and externally looks exactly like the old one down to the SD35VC0 marking. The big difference was this was showing on boot as 'FC-1307 SD to CF Adapter V1.4' and even better it worked.

So in answer to my question from 4 and a bit years ago yes a SD card reader adapter can work with other IDE devices plugged in but only when using newer adapter firmware on Gigabyte boards.

How I'm wondering if I can update the firmware on my old adapter.

well, you are persistent 😁

FWIW i use the FC-1307 in many machines from 486 onwards with zero issues / conflicts. i actually like them very much, cant be beat for the price.

P1: Packard Bell - 233 MMX, Voodoo1, 64 MB, ALS100+
P2-V2: Dell Dimension - 400 Mhz, Voodoo2, 256 MB
P!!! Custom: 1 Ghz, GeForce2 Pro/64MB, 384 MB

Reply 10 of 13, by the-beast

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drosse1meyer wrote on 2023-04-04, 00:50:

well, you are persistent 😁

FWIW i use the FC-1307 in many machines from 486 onwards with zero issues / conflicts. i actually like them very much, cant be beat for the price.

Very frustrating when it was not working, and now very satisfying when resolved.

Reply 11 of 13, by douglar

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drosse1meyer wrote on 2023-04-04, 00:50:

FWIW i use the FC-1307 in many machines from 486 onwards with zero issues / conflicts. i actually like them very much, cant be beat for the price.

I had a Gateway board with phoenix bios, i420ex chipset and a CMD PCI0640B IDE controller.

It couldn't negotiate a viable PATA communications with a FC-1307 adapter. Just didn't see them.

https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/anigma-bat4ip3e

Reply 12 of 13, by weedeewee

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the-beast wrote on 2023-04-03, 17:23:
OK, old thread however I think I've finally solved it. […]
Show full quote

OK, old thread however I think I've finally solved it.

As I have been testing various boards over the years it became apparent it was working fine (with what I had) on every motherboard except Gigabyte boards.

I noticed a few other people had ones with a firmware version of 'Sintechi hightspeed SD to CF adapter v1.2' on youtube so decided to take small risk and ordered another one. It arrived the other day and externally looks exactly like the old one down to the SD35VC0 marking. The big difference was this was showing on boot as 'FC-1307 SD to CF Adapter V1.4' and even better it worked.

So in answer to my question from 4 and a bit years ago yes a SD card reader adapter can work with other IDE devices plugged in but only when using newer adapter firmware on Gigabyte boards.

How I'm wondering if I can update the firmware on my old adapter.

https://imgur.com/a/6LfT5tS
I think the IC containing the firmware is the small 8 legged ( SOIC-8 ? ) one FH25VQ40 .
I think it's a 4 Megabit Serial Flash Memory.
At least the closest resembling datasheet makes me think that.
VJ4scGm.jpg

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Reply 13 of 13, by drosse1meyer

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douglar wrote on 2023-04-05, 18:56:
I had a Gateway board with phoenix bios, i420ex chipset and a CMD PCI0640B IDE controller. […]
Show full quote
drosse1meyer wrote on 2023-04-04, 00:50:

FWIW i use the FC-1307 in many machines from 486 onwards with zero issues / conflicts. i actually like them very much, cant be beat for the price.

I had a Gateway board with phoenix bios, i420ex chipset and a CMD PCI0640B IDE controller.

It couldn't negotiate a viable PATA communications with a FC-1307 adapter. Just didn't see them.

https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/anigma-bat4ip3e

🙁

P1: Packard Bell - 233 MMX, Voodoo1, 64 MB, ALS100+
P2-V2: Dell Dimension - 400 Mhz, Voodoo2, 256 MB
P!!! Custom: 1 Ghz, GeForce2 Pro/64MB, 384 MB

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