The original CMI uses two floppy drives (Drive 0 & Drive 1)
Drive 0 handled the operating system.
Drive 1 handles the sounds.
My CMI IIx has been upgraded with a SD card reader.
This is very useful as the original 8" floppy drives are getting really old.
To install the SD card reader you need to remove one of the floppy drives.
The card reader has 2 toggle switches (S1 & S2) that let you choose how the CMI picks
which drive to use.
S2 is sometimes referred to as QFC9. It's connected to the QFC9 card which is positioned
in the 19th slot in the C.M.I.
The SD card can behave as two virtual drives, or act as just one virtual drive allowing you to
still use the remaining floppy drive.
So my CMI can now boot or load sounds from the SD card alone
or a combo of the SD card & the single remaining 8" floppy drive.
(but that's how it is, so get used to it).
Just remember that drive 0 always handles the operating system, and drive 1 takes care of the sounds, sequences, etc.
There are 3 possible switch combinations:
1. S2 up, S1 up
2. S2 up , S1 down
3. S2 down, S1 up.
99% of the time I use Combination 2:
S2 up , S1 down.
This inactivates the unreliable original 8" floppy drive.
You now have two virtual SD card drives: Flash Drive A & B
Flash Drive A is drive 0 « Boot system »
Flash Drive B is drive 1 « Sounds »
However, if you want to use the original floppy, the other settings are important.
One combination lets you boot from the floppy and write & read from the SD card
The other is the reverse.
Combination 1
S2 up, S1 up
This activates the original 8" floppy drive.
You also have one virtual SD card drive:
Flash Drive B
To clarify the setup:
The 8'' floppy is now active as drive 0 « Boot system »
The Flash Drive A is inactive
Flash Drive B is active as drive 1 « Sounds »
Use this if you wish to boot from the 8" drive, and read and write sounds to the SD card.
After you have booted the IIx from the floppy (page 1 is seen on the monitor),
type P2 to see the contents of your disc.
Remember that the SD card has two virtual drives - A & B.
You need to change the drive to B.
Then enter the "sounds" folder.
Toggling the left & right buttons on the SD card drive should show the contents of the various virtual disks
The contents will be refreshed on the monitor as you press the left/right buttons.
Combination 3
S2 down, S1 up
You also have one virtual SD card drive:
Flash Drive B
To clarify the setup:
The 8'' is now active as drive 1. It holds the « Sounds »
Flash Drive A Inactive
The Flash Drive B is active as drive 0 . It holds the « Boot system »
Use this if you wish to boot from the flash drive, and read and write sounds to the 8" floppy
Do let me know if there are any errors or omissions. Cheers J
Links:
+ Main fairlight index
+ The 8 inch Floppy Drives
+ Floppy Disc Controller Card
+ Flash Card upgrade.
+ Instructions for using the HxC SD Flash card reader
+ Floppy Disc Controller Card
+ Flash Card upgrade.
+ Instructions for using the HxC SD Flash card reader
Many thanks to Peter of Horizontal Productions for the many many hours of help.
He is the authority on all things Fairlight.
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