Im using a generic chinese bootable Cf to IDE adapter on mine with no problems, but you have to put the correct values for cyl-heads-sectors in bios.

Use a CF of less than 512M.

But there is no IDE interface in my Tower AT or at least I don't see any IDE connector. So, I need an IDE interface to ISA slot?

kroutilm@seznam.cz wrote on 2021-02-18, 19:08:

But there is no IDE interface in my Tower AT or at least I don't see any IDE connector. So, I need an IDE interface to ISA slot?

You are right. These although being 286s had an MFM hard disk (models 220/240/260 with a 20/40/60MB HDD. Model 260 also had a 12MHz CPU instead of 10).
Some XT-IDE implementation will definitely work, I don't know about the specific one you ask for.
Does it have a "normal" BIOS or was Schneider still using their own with a single pre-defined HDD that you can't change? If it's not their own BIOS you can also use some ISA I/O card with a passive CF->IDE adapter like mentioned above. In any case the easiest and safest would be the XT-IDE

Hi and welcome! 😃
We've quite a few Tower AT owners here at Vogons.
I've listed some links about them.

Personally, I also use XTIDE Universal BIOS (on an ethernet card).
For for interfacing a DOM with the Schneider PC, I use a simply CD-ROM controller card.
It provides an IDE port (Secondary-Master) which a PC BIOS normally ignores.
However, my copy of XUB is configured to use that, too.

Re: IDE disk-on-module + 386

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc2fVXozxwU

Re: 286 PC won't boot from HDD or Floppy

Fixing a Schneider 386 SX System 40

Looking for Schneider Tower AT BIOS

Schneider VGA AT System 70 CEG power connectors pinout

My Schneider AT Towers

Is there a win3x EGA driver that supports more than 640x350 resolution?

Edit: Picture added.
Edit: You can also use a soundcard with IDE/ATAPI interface. Works the same.
Provided that the interface is enabled during POST. An ISA Plug&Pray card that needs an program for initialization is no good.
Cards that work are the SB Pro, some old ESS cards with jumpers (688F etc), Sound Blaster 16's with jumpers (CT17xx for example) and so on..

kroutilm@seznam.cz wrote on 2021-02-18, 19:08:

But there is no IDE interface in my Tower AT or at least I don't see any IDE connector. So, I need an IDE interface to ISA slot?

Mine is an AT system 40 with one IDE connector. If yours doesnt have one, your best bet is using a controller card like Jo22 has recommeded if you cant get the Xt-ide up and running.

I dont use a Xt-ide myself, so i fear that I cant help with that.

Hello,
thank you all for information and hints. The XT-CF-Lite works now.

I got my Tower AT a week ago a used it with MCE2VGA to conver EGA output to VGA monitor. The picture was somehow fuzzy, with some areas shaking, so simply not nice. So I installed VGA card and was happy. Then I installed the XT-CF-Lite and had no luck. After some fiddling I found following:

- internal EGA with XT-CF-Lite: works
- with VGA card in "long" slot and XT-CF in any other slot: does not work
- with VGA card in "short" slot and XT-CF in any other slot: works!

So, now I am enjoying nice VGA picture and XT-CF-Lite at the same time. BTW, Windows 3.0 works nice on this machine.

Hi. I got Schneider AT VGA system 40 and repaired power supply so now it is in service =) Thanks to vogons users! Some threads from our local forum:
https://retro-pc.by/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=461
https://retro-pc.by/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=466

Jo22 wrote on 2021-02-19, 10:44:

Personally, I also use XTIDE Universal BIOS (on an ethernet card).

Now I'm trying XTIDE universal BIOS @ NIC but it hangs at line "Released under GNU GPL" and XUB menu at first line doesn't display. Which build did you used (_at, _atl etc.)? Have you done any specific configuration of XUB?

Updated: Hmmm, setting CPU speed to 6,25 MHz instead of 12 MHz will load XTIDE BIOS succesfully. Why it doesn't work with 12 MHz CPU even if ISA bus speed is 6,25 MHz?

Lyawon wrote on 2021-03-13, 22:00:

Jo22 wrote on 2021-02-19, 10:44:

Personally, I also use XTIDE Universal BIOS (on an ethernet card).

Now I'm trying XTIDE universal BIOS @ NIC but it hangs at line "Released under GNU GPL" and XUB menu at first line doesn't display. Which build did you used (_at, _atl etc.)? Have you done any specific configuration of XUB?

Updated: Hmmm, setting CPU speed to 6,25 MHz instead of 12 MHz will load XTIDE BIOS succesfully. Why it doesn't work with 12 MHz CPU even if ISA bus speed is 6,25 MHz?

Hi! 😀 I'm using XUB 2.0.0ß3 (2013-03-02).
- More precisely, the atl version (no menu), because it takes up less space in UMA.
The normal at version worked fine, too.
I know, it's almost a decade old by now, but it serves me well. ^^

My Schneider Tower AT:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc2fVXozxwU

My XUB backups (set to auto):
Re: IDE disk-on-module + 386

Not sure what's causing the issue, though.
My Tower AT uses something higher, 10MHz, I guess.
I really have to check..

Maybe it's a timing issue or noise on the ISA bus.
I use a DOM directly connected to the IDE interface (no cable)..
What kind of HDD do use if I may ask?

I have the XTIDE-CF too with a 4GB card as 2x2Gb in my Tandon 286 running after another Member corrected my faulty soldered CF Slot.

Jo22 wrote on 2021-03-14, 00:11:

Maybe it's a timing issue or noise on the ISA bus. I use a DOM directly connected to the IDE interface (no cable).. What kind o […]
Show full quote

Lyawon wrote on 2021-03-13, 22:00:

Now I'm trying XTIDE universal BIOS @ NIC but it hangs at line "Released under GNU GPL"...
Updated: Hmmm, setting CPU speed to 6,25 MHz instead of 12 MHz will load XTIDE BIOS succesfully. Why it doesn't work with 12 MHz CPU even if ISA bus speed is 6,25 MHz?

Maybe it's a timing issue or noise on the ISA bus.
I use a DOM directly connected to the IDE interface (no cable)..
What kind of HDD do use if I may ask?

I plan to use CF at stock IDE controller or any suitable IDE disk. During my esperimenrts it hangs with any hdd connected even no any disk connected.
Also last night I tried another 286 (also with 12MHz CPU). Behavior were the same. So I suppose the issue not related to Sneider but NIC...

May I ask for which reason you use additional ISA IDE interface card instead of stock IDE at main board?

Lyawon wrote on 2021-03-14, 15:16:

I plan to use CF at stock IDE controller or any suitable IDE disk. During my esperimenrts it hangs with any hdd connected even n […]
Show full quote

Jo22 wrote on 2021-03-14, 00:11:

Maybe it's a timing issue or noise on the ISA bus. I use a DOM directly connected to the IDE interface (no cable).. What kind o […]
Show full quote

Lyawon wrote on 2021-03-13, 22:00:

Now I'm trying XTIDE universal BIOS @ NIC but it hangs at line "Released under GNU GPL"...
Updated: Hmmm, setting CPU speed to 6,25 MHz instead of 12 MHz will load XTIDE BIOS succesfully. Why it doesn't work with 12 MHz CPU even if ISA bus speed is 6,25 MHz?

Maybe it's a timing issue or noise on the ISA bus.
I use a DOM directly connected to the IDE interface (no cable)..
What kind of HDD do use if I may ask?

I plan to use CF at stock IDE controller or any suitable IDE disk. During my esperimenrts it hangs with any hdd connected even no any disk connected.
Also last night I tried another 286 (also with 12MHz CPU). Behavior were the same. So I suppose the issue not related to Sneider but NIC...

May I ask for which reason you use additional ISA IDE interface card instead of stock IDE at main board?

Do you have a XTIDE bios installed and on what device is the eeprom mounted? Separate card or network Card?

Lyawon wrote on 2021-03-14, 15:16:

May I ask for which reason you use additional ISA IDE interface card instead of stock IDE at main board?

Sure, no problem.🙂 My Tower AT is a model 220 and has no on-board IDE apparently.
Originally, it came with a WD1003 compatible MFM/RLL controller card for ST-506/ST-412 HDDs.
If memory serves, the chip on the card was a WD1006..
Since the PSU was broken, I decided to fix it and keep the power usage low (use flash instead of real HDD).

Edit : Another option was to use a sound card's IDE connector..
Many SB Pro clones (ES688F etc) and my old SB 16 (CT1740) has one, too.

However, I decided against it in case of the AT 220 because I wanted to use a real SB 2.0 with CMS chips in at least one of my PCs.

Because, the analogue mixing circuit between the original first gen SBs differ from SB Pro and later:
PCM audio and FM have differences in volume.
FM and PCM Volume Balance of SB Cards

Of course that's a non issue with a little bit tinkering.
The SB16 has a mixer that can be configured.
And the clones could be modified, if their chips have dedicated output lins for PCM/FM.
Just insert an appropriate resistor to make one of them a bit quiter. 😉

GuillermoXT wrote on 2021-03-14, 16:40:

Do you have a XTIDE bios installed and on what device is the eeprom mounted? Separate card or network Card?

I use XTIDE BIOS at network card.

Jo22 wrote on 2021-03-14, 19:31:

Sure, no problem.🙂 My Tower AT is a model 220 and has no on-board IDE apparently....

Thanks for this.

2 All: here is some update. Tonight have on my hands:
A - NIC 3Com EtherLink III 3C509B-C
B - NIC non-PnP noname with UM9003F
C - EEPROM M27C256B withide_atl v2.0.0beta3 2013-03-02
D - EEPROM AM27C512 with ide_atl r604 2020/12/15

- any combination boot fine in my P 1.
- B with both EEPROMs boots well in other 286@10MHz AMD
- A with both EEPROMS hangs in 286@12MHz but can boots if TURBO button is unpressed
- any combination works fine in Schneider if CPU clock se to 6,25MHz but hangs if CPU set to 12MHz. CPU is Siemens

Thanks for the information!

I'll setup my Schneider within the next two days and do some tests, too. 😀