have you tried the following...

boot from floppy,
remove all partitions,
reboot.
boot from floppy,
create partitions,
install dos.

?

Yes there's a fuzzy mid 90s breakpoint where early pre-atapi computers don't like drives partitioned and formatted by post-atapi IDE, not sure if it's the translation differences or what. Having been prepped on the older system though, you can often write to them fine on newer system, but there can be instances where it's way off and leaves you garbage when you look at it on old system again.

If you have formatted a partition size the computer can handle, you also need to set the boot partition as active.

Finally I have been able to boot from HDD.
I have done all the steps (fdisk, etc) booting from an msdos 6.22 floppy on the same machine.

Now I want to boot from COMPACT FLASH , tried 2 different adapters and 4 different CF without luck.
I think this will be hard to get it.

Tried 128MB, 256MB and 512MB CF
Tried with CLEARHDD and ATCFWCHG (Flip the removable - fixed bit)
Nothing seem to work

Thankyou
Gus

Did you try an "Industrial" type of Compact Flash card? I once had a system which only could boot of that specific type of CF. I can't remember why though.

eindbaas wrote on 2024-03-07, 18:57:

Did you try an "Industrial" type of Compact Flash card? I once had a system which only could boot of that specific type of CF. I can't remember why though.

Really don't know what is an "industrial" CF... read something about typifying a CF in fixed / removable.
Tried a program (ATCFWCHG) http://vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?fileid=1862&menustate=0 to do that on the CF but didn't solve the issue.

I have also bought a DOM (Disc On Module) that is labeled as industrial to try. Haven't received it yet.
Will comment.

Thankyou
Gus

Adding an xt-ide rom to the system should get you >8gb / >504mb size support, without the need for ezdrive/ontrack.

See the current in-development 'llama blaster' thread (8bit soundblaster pro compatible, ide interface, xt-ide bios, all in one package!), or grab an NE2000 compatible NIC with a 32k bootrom socket, and populate it.

The LlamaBlaster

zzgus wrote on 2024-03-08, 09:57:

Really don't know what is an "industrial" CF... read something about typifying a CF in fixed / removable.
Tried a program (ATCFWCHG) http://vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?fileid=1862&menustate=0 to do that on the CF but didn't solve the issue.

It only means the manufacturer wanted to call it suitable for industrial use 😜

It may imply things like improved endurance (SLC), not being marked as removable, being OK at higher temperatures, optimized to some degree for OS-like nonsequential access as opposed to the consumer/professional cards designed first and foremost for photo and video recording… or it might not; it's however true that these features are most common in "industrial" cards and SSDs/DOMs (which often have the same electronics of CFs)

The removable bit… in practice isn't very useful for anything (you can have removable drives in non-removable service like most internal CF to IDE adapters, and the opposite with HDD drawers, with nothing that knows better), and indeed most OSes don't care (only the Windows NT series really does, mostly gratuitously), so if it matters in DOS it's because of a BIOS (and/or active IDE controller) that tries to be too smart - it's known that some of them won't boot from non-MBR disks without an active partition, even though the whole implementation (or not) of a partition scheme is supposed to be at a higher level… and no, EFI systems as a whole didn't solve these stupid design choices 😀 🙁

That program only works for maybe a coiuple years' worth of Sandisk cards around 2003 - "AT" means Athena, the flash controller it's designed for…

wierd_w wrote on 2024-03-08, 10:10:

Adding an xt-ide rom to the system should get you >8gb / >504mb size support, without the need for ezdrive/ontrack.

See the current in-development 'llama blaster' thread (8bit soundblaster pro compatible, ide interface, xt-ide bios, all in one package!), or grab an NE2000 compatible NIC with a 32k bootrom socket, and populate it.

The LlamaBlaster

Really interesting the "llama blaster" project !

Thankyou
Gus

Ryccardo wrote on 2024-03-08, 15:14:

It only means the manufacturer wanted to call it suitable for industrial use 😜

It may imply things like improved endurance (SLC), not being marked as removable, being OK at higher temperatures, optimized to some degree for OS-like nonsequential access as opposed to the consumer/professional cards designed first and foremost for photo and video recording… or it might not; it's however true that these features are most common in "industrial" cards and SSDs/DOMs (which often have the same electronics of CFs)

Was what I thought about the "industrial" nomenclature, but not too much different from "standard" CF. Will try DOM when I get it.

The removable bit… in practice isn't very useful for anything (you can have removable drives in non-removable service like most internal CF to IDE adapters, and the opposite with HDD drawers, with nothing that knows better), and indeed most OSes don't care (only the Windows NT series really does, mostly gratuitously), so if it matters in DOS it's because of a BIOS (and/or active IDE controller) that tries to be too smart - it's known that some of them won't boot from non-MBR disks without an active partition, even though the whole implementation (or not) of a partition scheme is supposed to be at a higher level… and no, EFI systems as a whole didn't solve these stupid design choices 😀 🙁
That program only works for maybe a coiuple years' worth of Sandisk cards around 2003 - "AT" means Athena, the flash controller it's designed for…

True, it did not solve the problem, even though they are Sandisk !!

Thankyou

wierd_w wrote on 2024-03-08, 10:10:

or grab an NE2000 compatible NIC with a 32k bootrom socket, and populate it.

I got this card with the computer, I suppose will not be so lucky to be compatible with bootrom ?

That empry socket on the left is almost certainly for a 5V EPROM (or EEPROM or PROM or ROM, you likely won't be able to flash it from that socket - and remember the XTIDE option rom must be configured for your setup first), though you'll probably have to enable it in the card's configuration utility 😀

Which capacities (and therefore pinouts) are supported is a separate question!

In regard to your WSE200 NIC, this is a Wisecom / CIS Technology NIC.

WIth some digging, I found this package on driverguide.
(Self extracting archive)

ISA 16-Bit Ethernet Card Release Note -------------------------------------- […]
Show full quote

ISA 16-Bit Ethernet Card Release Note
--------------------------------------

This document describes the procedure of
performing the diagnosis and installation of
network driver for the 16-bit Ethernet adapter.

The purpose of each file contained in this driver diskette is described
as follows:

Version : v2.02

RELEASE This file

\DOSODI\3.X\E200NW.COM This is the ODI driver (DOS work station) for Novell
NetWare (client site).

\DOSODI\4.X\E200NW.COM To use this ODI driver for Novell NetWare Client
site, the version of LSL.COM file must be v2.11
or higher.

\DOS This is the NetWare DOS Requester Installation
directory.

\MSLANMAN.DOS This is the NDIS driver for DOS.
It contains the subdirectory and files for DOS Lan
Manager. Refer to the "README.TXT" file in NDIS.DOS
sub-directory for details.

\MSLANMAN.OS2 This is the NDIS driver for OS/2.
It contains the sub-directory and files for OS/2 Lan
Manager. Refer to the "README.TXT" file in NDIS.OS2
sub-directory for details.

\PACKET\E200PK.COM This is the packet driver for FTP Software's PC/TCP
for DOS. Refer to the "README.TXT" file in this
directory for details.

\SERVER.ODI\3.11\ E200NW.LAN This is the Novell NetWare V3.11 Server - ODI
driver. You can install up to four 16-Bit
Ethernet Adapters.

\SERVER.ODI\3.12\ E200NW.LAN This is the Novell NetWare V3.12 Server
- ODI driver for 16-Bit Ethernet Adapter. You
can install up to four 16-Bit Ethernet adapters.

\SERVER.ODI\4.X\ E200NW.LAN This is the Novell NetWare V4.X Server
- ODI driver for 16-Bit Ethernet Adapter. You
can install up to four 16-Bit Ethernet adapters.

\WINNT\E200ND3.SYS This is the NDIS 3.0 driver for Windows NT sub-directory.

\WIN95\E200ND3.SYS This is the NDIS 3.0 driver for Windows 95 sub-directory.

\NDIS.DOS This directory includes the NDIS 2.01 driver for DOS
and readme files, list of separate sub-directories for
each NOS. Each sub-directory includes a readme file that
describes how to install the ISA Ethernet Card NDIS
driver for the NOS it supports and the driver itself.

\NDIS.OS2 This directory includes the NDIS 2.01 driver for OS/2
and readme files, list of separate sub-directories for
each NOS. Each sub-directory includes a readme file that
describes how to install the ISA Ethernet Card NDIS
driver for the NOS it supports and the driver itself.

\CONFIG\EZSET.EXE Contains the Etherent adapter's diagnostics and
configuration software.

\OS2ODI\E200NW.SYS This is the Netware OS2ODI driver sub-directory.

\INSTALL\INSTALL.EXE This is the Network Operating System Installation
Utility program for NDC Ethernet card driver.

--------------------------------[ END ]--------------------------------------

It appears to contain the card setup program, as well as DOS/Win3.11 packet drivers.

No utility to flash in-card. You'll need a programmer to set up the EEPROM for use in the socket.

If you want/need a card that supports in-card bootrom flashing, check out the realtek 8019 series cards.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/126326008760

It DOES have an In-card bootrom flashing utility.

[card setup program for dos]
https://www.realtek.com/en/directly-download? … 84b96bbc3d98da6

[Rom program utility for dos]
https://www.realtek.com/en/directly-download? … d5b8a6429971fa7

wierd_w wrote on 2024-03-09, 05:14:

It appears to contain the card setup program, as well as DOS/Win3.11 packet drivers. No utility to flash in-card. You'll need a […]
Show full quote

It appears to contain the card setup program, as well as DOS/Win3.11 packet drivers.
No utility to flash in-card. You'll need a programmer to set up the EEPROM for use in the socket.
f you want/need a card that supports in-card bootrom flashing, check out the realtek 8019 series cards.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/126326008760
It DOES have an In-card bootrom flashing utility.
[card setup program for dos]
https://www.realtek.com/en/directly-download? … 84b96bbc3d98da6
[Rom program utility for dos]
https://www.realtek.com/en/directly-download? … d5b8a6429971fa7

Thankyou !!!

I have finally gave up trying to boot from CF.
I have installed EZ-DRIVE that I read that needs half of memory than ON-TRACK and is working perfect.

But as I think all of us that are in this forum like to "tinker" with those old things I have bought the card you mentioned !

Now I have to understand how does XT-IDE work and how to program to the card.

I don't know if there's any tutorial with step by step on how to do it. Will dig in Vogons.

Thankyou all !!!
Gus

wierd_w wrote on 2024-03-09, 05:14:

If you want/need a card that supports in-card bootrom flashing, check out the realtek 8019 series cards. https://www.ebay.com/it […]
Show full quote

If you want/need a card that supports in-card bootrom flashing, check out the realtek 8019 series cards.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/126326008760

It DOES have an In-card bootrom flashing utility.

[card setup program for dos]
https://www.realtek.com/en/directly-download? … 84b96bbc3d98da6

[Rom program utility for dos]
https://www.realtek.com/en/directly-download? … d5b8a6429971fa7

The links provided seem to not work, it opens a page with a DOWNLOAD FILE button but once pressed does nothing.

Are the links mentioned here?
https://www.realtek.com/en/component/zoo/cate … 8019as-software

Are those?

1DOS
2Download 	Description 	Version 	Update Time 	File Size
3Setup program and basic diagnostic 	3.3 	2018/08/02 	49 KB
4RPL boot ROM program     2.2          2018/08/02 	28 KB
5 

Thankyou !!!

Yes, those are the links in question.

Here is what I would suggest:

KEEP the Wisecom E200; pull its config utility and drivers.
Buy TWO blank EEPROMs.
Pull the most recent XT-IDE XUB and configuration program for it, from the XT-IDE org website.
Configure the XT-IDE XUB for use in an AT style system, scanning the primary and secondary IDE controller address ranges.
Pop one of the EEPROMs into the RTL8019AS.
Flash.
Pop the second one in.
Flash
Put the first chip in the E200, and use it for a second vintage machine, (as we all tend to be collectors......) as it will serve you quite well this way.
Use the RTL8019AS in your Tulip.