This is a complete new driver from Alain Haoui for QUBIDE cards fitted with the version 2 GAL chip upgrade.
QubATA can be installed in a ROM on the QUBIDE card, or LRESPRed into RAM as a _rext file. Both versions are included in the distribution.
This is v3.06, and includes a new manual as a PDF file.
Screen shot of QubATA driver starting up
Several new and enhanced commands are inluded.
Fast device detection, up to 16×2 devices (with Expander), full compliance with ATA/ATAPI-4 protocol and removable media support, full Trashcan and associated utilities, enhanced direct raw access and “alien” devices support.
There is also CD Data support and Audio playing set of commands (largely compatible with those in QPC2 – audio is played via the CD drive panel), optimised and working slave blocks buffering with various sizes (up to 64 sectors per block) without side effects.
Includes a simple CD player program written in BASIC, along the lines of that supplied with QPC2.
Full unsigned arithmetic allowing big partitions/files up to 2GBytes, the largest for the QDOS FS with this driver.
Screen dump showing a 2GB win3_ !
IMPORTANT: QubATA only works on QUBIDE cards with v2 GAL chips. Also, not yet fully tested on the newer integrated QUBIDEs.
Download it from the QL ROMs page http://www.dilwyn.me.uk/qlrom/index.html#Qubide on my website (note: 946KB download)
Original QUBIDE, with the Q-Branch version 2 GAL chips and v2.01 EPROM
The first question is likely to be “How can I ensure my QUBIDE is compatible with this?”
Firstly, check the version number of your existing QUBIDE software – it’s displayed as the QUBIDE drivers start up. If this is V2.00 or later, it’s likely that your QUBIDE will be compatible since the v2.xx software needs the upgraded GAL chips.
If the QUBIDE has v1.xx software it’s likely it might not work with QubATA software since that relies on the presence of the upgraded GAL chips. On an original version 1 QUBIDE, these were simply labelled GAL1 and GAL2 (see the photo), on a version 2 QUBIDE, they may be labelled GAL1A and GAL1B.
For newer QUBIDEs such as those from José Leandro, or Zaxon in Poland (available through SellMyRetro.com), or the Russian Trump Card clone with integrated QUBIDE, you would be better advised ot contact the supplier to ask what version they supply. Alan Haoui has been able to get QubATA working with a prototype of the Russian Trump Card with QUBIDE, but it may still be worth checking with the supplier.
One way of testing is to start the QUBIDE with its on-board software, then once you have booted up, try to LRESPR the QubATA software:
LRESPR dddn_QATA306b_rext
dddn_ might be flp1_ or win1_ (wherever you saved this file). The filename may vary depending on which version you use. Always try this with the version with filename ending with _rext. The version with filename ending in _rom is designed to be burned into an EPROM and plugged into the EPROM socket on the QUBIDE. The _rom version won’t work if you LRESPR it.
Alain says that this will do no harm on QUBIDEs which have older software. You need to watch the message as the software starts up. It unlinks the original QUBIDE software (don’t worry, the link is restored next time you swithc on the QL/QUBIDE) and if it fails to work with your system there will simply be an error message.
We are seeking to locate the code necessary to produce further runs of the QUBIDE upgrade chipset, plus of course permission from the original developers Nasta and Phil Borman to make these available.