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FILECORE error on booting
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Anthony Hilton
Jul 6, 2012, 6:32:58 AM7/6/12
to
Having searched here and csa.hardware, and found a number of likely
articles, I think the problem is related to a Cunama SCSI card with ZIP
drive connected.
An A7000(+?) with Cumana SCSI card and Watford Electronics Video
Digitiser used in a hospital to record medical images of spinal
curvature for monitoring the condition over time has been moved to a
different room. At Bootup it now reports "Machine startup has not
completed successfully: 'File Core error' " and offers 3 buttons:
'Floppy Boot', 'Cancel', 'Retry'.
RISCOS 3.71 Boot drive is internal 2Gb IDE drive ADFS format. The only
way to transfer images to be any use is via SCSI Zip drive. Filecore
2.98 (22 June 1996) is SystemROM module 29
Retry does a soft reboot resulting in the same message.
Cancel gives a non-configured desktop and reports that is hasn't been
configured
Floppy Boot to a floppy with a minimal !Boot (basically just !Boot.!Run
including the line:
Set Boot$Dir ADFS::HardDisc4.$.!Boot
gets the configured desktop but still no active SCSI drive (one grey
icon SCSI 4 on the iconbar). This will allow the Medical Photographers
to grab new images but they cannot transfer them where they are needed.
I ran my copy of DiscKnight and didn't find any errors with HardDisc4.
The ZIP utility on the machine doesn't find the ZIP drive. There is a
disc in the ZIP drive and it is powered on.
The 'File Core error' message also appears at shutdown.
What do I need to do to get the ZIP drive working again (and in the
process stop the 'File Core error' message?
Thanks in advance
Anthony
articles, I think the problem is related to a Cunama SCSI card with ZIP
drive connected.
An A7000(+?) with Cumana SCSI card and Watford Electronics Video
Digitiser used in a hospital to record medical images of spinal
curvature for monitoring the condition over time has been moved to a
different room. At Bootup it now reports "Machine startup has not
completed successfully: 'File Core error' " and offers 3 buttons:
'Floppy Boot', 'Cancel', 'Retry'.
RISCOS 3.71 Boot drive is internal 2Gb IDE drive ADFS format. The only
way to transfer images to be any use is via SCSI Zip drive. Filecore
2.98 (22 June 1996) is SystemROM module 29
Retry does a soft reboot resulting in the same message.
Cancel gives a non-configured desktop and reports that is hasn't been
configured
Floppy Boot to a floppy with a minimal !Boot (basically just !Boot.!Run
including the line:
Set Boot$Dir ADFS::HardDisc4.$.!Boot
gets the configured desktop but still no active SCSI drive (one grey
icon SCSI 4 on the iconbar). This will allow the Medical Photographers
to grab new images but they cannot transfer them where they are needed.
I ran my copy of DiscKnight and didn't find any errors with HardDisc4.
The ZIP utility on the machine doesn't find the ZIP drive. There is a
disc in the ZIP drive and it is powered on.
The 'File Core error' message also appears at shutdown.
What do I need to do to get the ZIP drive working again (and in the
process stop the 'File Core error' message?
Thanks in advance
Anthony
Theo Markettos
Jul 6, 2012, 7:28:44 AM7/6/12
to
Anthony Hilton <ne...@tinshill.f9.co.uk> wrote:
> The ZIP utility on the machine doesn't find the ZIP drive. There is a
> disc in the ZIP drive and it is powered on.
>
> The 'File Core error' message also appears at shutdown.
What does *Devices say?
> The ZIP utility on the machine doesn't find the ZIP drive. There is a
> disc in the ZIP drive and it is powered on.
>
> The 'File Core error' message also appears at shutdown.
What is the message of the 'File Core error'? 'Filecore in use'?
Do you know if the Zip drive itself is good? They had a reputation for
being very unreliable.
Theo
Anthony Hilton
Jul 6, 2012, 11:05:50 AM7/6/12
to
I'll try *Devices on Monday when I can get to the machine again.
The ZIP drive was OK last week.
The message on shutdown is exactly "File Core error" in the body of the
window/dialogue box - I don't recall there being a window title - and
there is an OK button. Clicking OK the machine shuts down.
Anthony
druck
Jul 7, 2012, 6:40:29 PM7/7/12
to
On 06/07/2012 11:32, Anthony Hilton wrote:
> Having searched here and csa.hardware, and found a number of likely
> articles, I think the problem is related to a Cunama SCSI card with ZIP
> drive connected.
>
> An A7000(+?) with Cumana SCSI card and Watford Electronics Video
> Digitiser used in a hospital to record medical images of spinal
> curvature for monitoring the condition over time has been moved to a
> different room. At Bootup it now reports "Machine startup has not
> completed successfully: 'File Core error' " and offers 3 buttons:
> 'Floppy Boot', 'Cancel', 'Retry'.
Try booting without the ZIP disc attached, I suspect the SCSI system is
> Having searched here and csa.hardware, and found a number of likely
> articles, I think the problem is related to a Cunama SCSI card with ZIP
> drive connected.
>
> An A7000(+?) with Cumana SCSI card and Watford Electronics Video
> Digitiser used in a hospital to record medical images of spinal
> curvature for monitoring the condition over time has been moved to a
> different room. At Bootup it now reports "Machine startup has not
> completed successfully: 'File Core error' " and offers 3 buttons:
> 'Floppy Boot', 'Cancel', 'Retry'.
trying to register a disc with FileCore using bad information from the
faulty zip, and killing it.
> RISCOS 3.71 Boot drive is internal 2Gb IDE drive ADFS format. The only
> way to transfer images to be any use is via SCSI Zip drive. Filecore
> 2.98 (22 June 1996) is SystemROM module 29
>
> Retry does a soft reboot resulting in the same message.
> Cancel gives a non-configured desktop and reports that is hasn't been
> configured
> I ran my copy of DiscKnight and didn't find any errors with HardDisc4.
given how old a 2GB drive is, it is bona fide miracle it is still
working. I would recommend replacing immediately.
> The ZIP utility on the machine doesn't find the ZIP drive. There is a
> disc in the ZIP drive and it is powered on.
>
> The 'File Core error' message also appears at shutdown.
> What do I need to do to get the ZIP drive working again (and in the
> process stop the 'File Core error' message?
that order of likelihood. The age of the equipment means a failures are
to be expected, especially as Zip's are in contact with the drive head
all the tine (like floppies) so both disc and head will wear out.
You really need to migrate everything to a more recent storage medium,
as of yesterday, or better still, as of 10 years ago.
---druck
Anthony Hilton
Jul 8, 2012, 7:50:32 AM7/8/12
to
Thanks for your input, druck.
On 07/07/2012 23:40, druck wrote:
> On 06/07/2012 11:32, Anthony Hilton wrote:
>> Having searched here and csa.hardware, and found a number of likely
>> articles, I think the problem is related to a Cunama SCSI card with ZIP
>> drive connected.
>>
>> An A7000(+?) with Cumana SCSI card and Watford Electronics Video
>> Digitiser used in a hospital to record medical images of spinal
>> curvature for monitoring the condition over time has been moved to a
>> different room. At Bootup it now reports "Machine startup has not
>> completed successfully: 'File Core error' " and offers 3 buttons:
>> 'Floppy Boot', 'Cancel', 'Retry'.
>
> Try booting without the ZIP disc attached, I suspect the SCSI system is
> trying to register a disc with FileCore using bad information from the
> faulty zip, and killing it.
[snip]
> It could be the Zip disc, the Zip drive or the SCSI card at fault, in
> that order of likelihood. The age of the equipment means a failures are
> to be expected, especially as Zip's are in contact with the drive head
> all the tine (like floppies) so both disc and head will wear out.
Am I understanding correctly? Same error with no ZIP drive connected
suggests a problem with the SCSI card? Problem goes away when the ZIP
drive is disconnected it is either the drive or the disk so try with no
disc or a different disk to diagnose that.
> You really need to migrate everything to a more recent storage medium,
> as of yesterday, or better still, as of 10 years ago.
A replacement for the whole system is on the way but still some weeks
away so we need to keep this one stumbling along for a while yet.
A USB ZIP drive is available, but no USB connectoin in the A7000. If the
ZIP drive is the problem, would we be better off looking for a SCSI to
USB adaptor or replacing the SCSI card in the A7000 with a USB card
(Unipod seems to be the current one) to use the newer USB ZIP drive?
Anthony
On 07/07/2012 23:40, druck wrote:
> On 06/07/2012 11:32, Anthony Hilton wrote:
>> Having searched here and csa.hardware, and found a number of likely
>> articles, I think the problem is related to a Cunama SCSI card with ZIP
>> drive connected.
>>
>> An A7000(+?) with Cumana SCSI card and Watford Electronics Video
>> Digitiser used in a hospital to record medical images of spinal
>> curvature for monitoring the condition over time has been moved to a
>> different room. At Bootup it now reports "Machine startup has not
>> completed successfully: 'File Core error' " and offers 3 buttons:
>> 'Floppy Boot', 'Cancel', 'Retry'.
>
> Try booting without the ZIP disc attached, I suspect the SCSI system is
> trying to register a disc with FileCore using bad information from the
> faulty zip, and killing it.
> It could be the Zip disc, the Zip drive or the SCSI card at fault, in
> that order of likelihood. The age of the equipment means a failures are
> to be expected, especially as Zip's are in contact with the drive head
> all the tine (like floppies) so both disc and head will wear out.
suggests a problem with the SCSI card? Problem goes away when the ZIP
drive is disconnected it is either the drive or the disk so try with no
disc or a different disk to diagnose that.
> You really need to migrate everything to a more recent storage medium,
> as of yesterday, or better still, as of 10 years ago.
away so we need to keep this one stumbling along for a while yet.
A USB ZIP drive is available, but no USB connectoin in the A7000. If the
ZIP drive is the problem, would we be better off looking for a SCSI to
USB adaptor or replacing the SCSI card in the A7000 with a USB card
(Unipod seems to be the current one) to use the newer USB ZIP drive?
Anthony
druck
Jul 8, 2012, 10:25:51 AM7/8/12
to
>> You really need to migrate everything to a more recent storage medium,
>> as of yesterday, or better still, as of 10 years ago.
>
> A replacement for the whole system is on the way but still some weeks
> away so we need to keep this one stumbling along for a while yet.
>
> A USB ZIP drive is available, but no USB connectoin in the A7000. If the
> ZIP drive is the problem, would we be better off looking for a SCSI to
> USB adaptor or replacing the SCSI card in the A7000 with a USB card
> (Unipod seems to be the current one) to use the newer USB ZIP drive?
each other. I recall reports discs used in the parallel drives not being
compatible with USB drives, and the parallel and SCSI were based on the
same hardware, but I could be wrong on that.
---druck
Theo Markettos
Jul 8, 2012, 3:39:28 PM7/8/12
to
Anthony Hilton <ne...@tinshill.f9.co.uk> wrote:
> A USB ZIP drive is available, but no USB connectoin in the A7000. If the
> ZIP drive is the problem, would we be better off looking for a SCSI to
> USB adaptor or replacing the SCSI card in the A7000 with a USB card
> (Unipod seems to be the current one) to use the newer USB ZIP drive?
You could try putting a CompactFlash to IDE adaptor in the machine and using
> A USB ZIP drive is available, but no USB connectoin in the A7000. If the
> ZIP drive is the problem, would we be better off looking for a SCSI to
> USB adaptor or replacing the SCSI card in the A7000 with a USB card
> (Unipod seems to be the current one) to use the newer USB ZIP drive?
a CF card. You'd have to try various cards as many don't like being run as
slave to another device (the hard drive I assume).
Or you could use a SCSI hard drive and dedicate the IDE bus to the CF card.
APDL have experience in such things if you want a tested solution.
That wouldn't help you get data off the existing Zip, but that might already
be toast...
Where are these ADFS-formatted Zips going, anyway?
Theo
David Holden
Jul 9, 2012, 2:21:08 AM7/9/12
to
On 6-Jul-2012, Anthony Hilton <ne...@tinshill.f9.co.uk> wrote:
> The ZIP drive was OK last week.
>
> The message on shutdown is exactly "File Core error" in the body of the
> window/dialogue box - I don't recall there being a window title - and
> there is an OK button. Clicking OK the machine shuts down.
with this is that if the drive isn't mounted or has previously been
'manually' dismounted they try to mount it just so they can dismount it. If
there's a problem (ie. a drive fault) you'll get an error. It sounds as if
this is the problem.
--
David Holden - APDL - <http://www.apdl.co.uk>
David Holden
Jul 9, 2012, 2:32:04 AM7/9/12
to
On 8-Jul-2012, druck <ne...@druck.org.uk> wrote:
> I'm not sure if the different type of ZIP drives are all compatible with
> each other. I recall reports discs used in the parallel drives not being
> compatible with USB drives, and the parallel and SCSI were based on the
> same hardware, but I could be wrong on that.
Discs formatted on some makes of card wouldn't work on other makes or on
parallel drives, etc. There were similar problems with Syquest drives. Discs
formatted using IDE worked on anything; discs formatted on some SCSI cards
would only work on that make of card.
I've probably got some Zip drives around (and a load of discs) if all else
fails. I won't use them as they're so unreliable. Biggest problem is that if
a drive fails it usually trashes the disc because the head has either picked
up some grit or fallen off (they do tend to do that). User then puts in
another disc (assuming it's the disc at fault) and trashes that. Then tries
the trashed discs in another drive and the disc(s) damage that. Repeat until
totally screwed. Not a good scenario.
Anthony Hilton
Jul 9, 2012, 3:15:31 PM7/9/12
to
Taking the machine to pieces and re-making all the connections it now
boots correctly with the ZIP drive connected but reports Disc not
recognised on shutdown. I'm guessing this is a damaged ZIP disc.
My next thought is to put in a network card (taken out of a spare RiscPC
I have) and transfer the files that way instead of the Zip disc.
Anthony
Anthony Hilton
Jul 9, 2012, 3:20:05 PM7/9/12
to
On 08/07/2012 20:39, Theo Markettos wrote:
[snip]
> Where are these ADFS-formatted Zips going, anyway?
They are not ADFS formatted because they are going to a PC and the
images imported to Powerpoint.
I'll try a network card in the A7000 and transfer files using !NWclient
or !FTPc to get to the Netware file store. Otherwise I'll either hop
over to csa.networking for advice on Omniclient or buy a copy of
Lanman98 to transfer directly to a PC.
Anthony
[snip]
> Where are these ADFS-formatted Zips going, anyway?
images imported to Powerpoint.
I'll try a network card in the A7000 and transfer files using !NWclient
or !FTPc to get to the Netware file store. Otherwise I'll either hop
over to csa.networking for advice on Omniclient or buy a copy of
Lanman98 to transfer directly to a PC.
Anthony
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