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NOTE:   This web site is not some kind of 'official' documentation hub for the XT-IDE card.
It is simply the result of someone who decided to add to the documentation that exists elsewhere.


XTIDE Universal BIOS   (a.k.a. XUB)


UPGRADING XUB ON XT-IDE/XT-CF CARD TO RELEASE R622

Either:

- You have a functioning XT-IDE or XT-CF card, presently containing a pre-R622 release of the XUB, and you want to upgrade to release R622.
- You have a functioning XT-IDE or XT-CF card, and you want to put XUB release R622 into a blank EEPROM that you have fitted to the card.

The following procedure uses the XT version of the XUB.  If you want more information about that, see note 1.


Requirement:  XT-IDE or XT-CF card.  (Not one of the many other types of cards that the XUB supports.)

Requirement:  For step 3, the ability to copy files from your modern computer to the vintage computer that contains the XT-IDE/XT-CF card.

Requirement:  The BIOS ROM (boot ROM) fitted on your XT-IDE/XT-CF card is an EEPROM type of ROM (rather than an EPROM), or flash ROM.  The 28C64 is an example of an EEPROM.

Requirement:  Your XT-IDE/XT-CF card is fully functional.
     - Functional enough that it will allow reading from and writing to the fitted EEPROM.
     - Functional enough that it will allow reading from and writing (via I/O ports) to the 'IDE interface' circuitry.  Required for the 'Auto Configure' functionality within XTIDECFG.COM

Requirement:  A functional IDE device (drive, CF, DOM, etc.) is fitted to your XT-IDE/XT-CF card.  Required for the 'Auto Configure' functionality within XTIDECFG.COM

Requirement:  There are no address conflicts that will prevent reading from and writing to the fitted EEPROM.
Requirement:  There are no I/O port conflicts that will prevent reading from and writing to the 'IDE interface' circuitry.

Requirement:  In case you end up in a situation where you cannot boot from the XT-IDE/XT-CF card, a DOS boot floppy/diskette containing the two files quoted in steps 1 to 3, plus FDISK.COM and FORMAT.COM.

Assumption:  The 'Auto Configure' functionality within XTIDECFG.COM is going to both correctly identify your XT-IDE/XT-CF card type, and the base I/O address that the card is switched/jumpered to.


1. [Modern computer]  Fetch the XUB R622 software package from here.
   
2. [Modern computer]  From within the XUB R622 software package, extract the files of XTIDECFG.COM and IDE_XT.BIN
   
3. Copy files XTIDECFG.COM and IDE_XT.BIN to your vintage computer.   (How you get them there, and where they reside, is up to you.)
   
4. [Vintage computer]  For the later step 17, you will need to know what the base (starting) I/O address of the IDE/CF interface is.  There are switches/jumpers on your XT-IDE/XT-CF card that control that.  The usual default setting is 300h.  Take note of what address your card is set for.
   
5. [Vintage computer]  For the later step 22, you will need to know what the base (starting) address of the EEPROM is.  There are switches/jumpers on your XT-IDE/XT-CF card that control that.  The usual default setting is D0000h.  Take note of what address your card is set for.
   
6. [Vintage computer]  If you have an XT-IDE card, and it has Compatibility/Hi-speed jumpers, then set the jumpers (2 of) to the Hi-speed setting.
   
7. [Vintage computer]  If your XT-IDE/XT-CF card has a switch or jumper that enables/disables writing to the EEPROM, ensure that the switch/jumper is in the state that enables writing.  Note that this is not the same as the switch/jumper that simply enables/disables the EEPROM - two different things.
   
8. [Vintage computer]  Execute XTIDECFG.COM  (the one from XUB release R622).
   
9. [XTIDECFG]  Arrow down to 'Load BIOS from file', then press the ENTER key.
10. [XTIDECFG]  Arrow to the IDE_XT.BIN file, then press the ENTER key.
11. [XTIDECFG]  Press the ENTER key.
12. [XTIDECFG]  Arrow down to 'Configure XTIDE Universal BIOS', then press the ENTER key.
13. [XTIDECFG]  Arrow down to 'Auto Configure', then press the ENTER key.
14. [XTIDECFG]  Press the ENTER key.
15. [XTIDECFG]  Arrow down to 'Primary IDE Controller', then press the ENTER key.
16. [XTIDECFG]  Note the 'Device type' setting. The 'Auto Configure' that we used earlier set this as it saw fit.  If you know for fact that the setting is incorrect for your XT-IDE/XT-CF card type, then change it.
17. [XTIDECFG]  Note the 'Base (cmd block) address' setting.  This is the base I/O address.  Change this setting if it does not match the I/O address that you determined earlier in step 4.
18. [XTIDECFG]  Press the ESC key so that you go back to the Configuration Menu.
19. [XTIDECFG]  Press the ESC key so that you go back to the Main Menu.
20. [XTIDECFG]  Arrow down to 'Flash EEPROM', then press the ENTER key.
21. [XTIDECFG]  Note the 'EEPROM type' setting.  Change it if required.
22. [XTIDECFG]  Note the 'EEPROM address' setting.  This is the base (starting) address that XTIDECFG will expect the EEPROM to be residing at.  Change this setting if it does not match the address that you determined earlier in step 5.
23. [XTIDECFG]  Arrow down to 'Start flashing', then press the ENTER key.  The XUB will now be written/flashed to the EEPROM.
24. [XTIDECFG]  When complete, press the ENTER key.  The computer will restart.

Sometimes, at this point, as the computer is starting, I do not see what I expect at the XUB spash/banner screen, and the answer is to power off/on the computer  (putting a good 15 seconds between the off and the on).

Sometimes, I see the XUB spash/banner screen show that the XUB has detected the make-model of IDE/CF device, but when the XUB then goes to boot from the device, "Missing operating system" is seen.  The fix was to redo the FDISK and FORMAT operations against the IDE/CF device (see here).

25. [Vintage computer]  If your XT-IDE/XT-CF card has a switch or jumper that enables/disables writing to the EEPROM, consider altering the switch/jumper so that writing to the EEPROM is now disabled.  Note that this is not the same as the switch/jumper that simply enables/disables the EEPROM - two different things.



Note 1 This procedure uses a 'lowest common denominator' approach.  The IDE_XT.BIN file that I get you to use:
- Works on both XT-class and AT-class computers; and
- Fits into either an 8 KB sized EEPROM (e.g. 28C64) or a 32 KB sized EEPROM (e.g. 28C256).

If your XT-IDE/XT-CF card supports a 32 KB sized EEPROM, and that EEPROM is fitted (and your card switched/jumpered accordingly), then you have the option of using the 'large' version of XUB, and the file for that is IDE_XTL.BIN  (note the L)

If you use your XT-IDE/XT-CF card in an AT-class computer, and you know that you will not later move the card to an XT-class computer, then perhaps use IDE_AT.BIN instead, for the performance benefit.