Sunrise CF ATA-IDE
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Description
Often called Sunrise CF, this interface is based on the Sunrise ATA-IDE Interface, the first interface that allows to use the MSX-DOS 2 on MSX1. (You needs a Memory Mapper cartridge for it.)
Some users sell clones of this interface with one or two slots. The firmware is same or this is Nextor with specific driver. This driver doesn't support (micro)SD to CF adapters.
Known bugs:
- Only half of each partitions in FAT16 is usable.
- Depending on the brands of CF used, there may be quirks when two cards are inserted especially on MSXs without floppy drive.
Gallery
How to use FAT16 partition
This method is for interface with original firmware v2.50 (or patched version v2.50a/b).
- Copy MSXDOS2.SYS, COMMAND2.COM and IDEFDISK.COM (v3.1 or v4.0 if MSX1) to a MSX-DOS2 formatted floppy disk and start your computer pressing [DEL] key ([INS] if firmware v2.50b) at startup until floppy disk boots. (If you use MSX-DOS2 v2.20~2.31, the COMMAND2.COM must be patched with COMPATCH or PATCHCOM to display the free disk memory calculation correctly.)
- Start IDEFDISK.COM and generate your partitions automatically.
- Write created partitions.
- Quit IDEFDISK.COM and restart it with the option /fat16
- Display partitions table and move the cursor to the last partition then delete all partitions one by one with [K] key except the first.
- Chose Add a partition, Specify all the rest of free memory. FAT16 partition will be displayed under the FAT12.
- Specify FAT12 partition as boot partition and quit the partitions table menu then write and initialize created partitions.
- Restart the MSX and copy MSXDOS2.SYS, COMMAND2.COM and FAT16.COM to the FAT12 partition (disk A:).
- Create a text file that contains "FAT16" and save it with the name "AUTOEXEC.BAT" on your FAT12 partition to automatically execute FAT16.COM at startup for the MSX-DOS2 to support the FAT16 partition.
- Restart the MSX and it's ready. The second disk will be the FAT16 partition.
Notes:
- You can using a CF in master slot instead of floppy disk but in this case pay attention to select the right CF before making the partitions with the Toggle drive option.
- Use a Floppy Disk or, a second CF of 32MB max formatted with IDEFDISK (one FAT12 partition only) to transfer your files from the PC/Mac to MSX CF.
- No matter how big the FAT16 partition is, you can only use the first half of it on MSX! If you want a better FAT16 support on Sunrise IDE/CF interface, use the Nextor kernel with embedded driver. Last version is 2.1.1 beta 2. It supports well the FAT16 and allows us to also use the interface on MSX1 (32kB RAM under Basic, 64kB under MSX-DOS1) by using a CF card formated in FAT12 up to 16MB per partition (without Nextor installed and without directory). In contrast, with this version you will lose the support of the CF card slave.