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problem accessing a specific CF Card (Compact Flash) in 8-bit TrueIDE mode

Compact Flash Card Users!

We have developed a card reader/writer for Compact Flash (and other cards) as part of a bigger controller chip my company designs.

For Compact Flash, we have been using TrueIDE mode and the

8-bit feature for operation (each pin used costs money...), to change the data register from 16-bit to 8-bit.

We have recently come across a CF card (16Mb, branded "Choice Only", model C16ZH)

Which we are not able to read, all signs being that it is not switching into 8-bit mode upon request. This one does not go into 8-bit mode, nor does it report 8-bit mode in error as an "unsupported feature". And yes, this card does know how to report an error; if I give it code for a non-existant feature, it returns an error code.

We have tried dozens of other different CF cards without incident, all of them happy to go to 8 bit mode.

But reading sectors from this one, it is evident I am only getting the even-numbered bytes, indicating 16-bit operation.

Other devices we have plugged it into (memory card readers, printers) can read and write the card.

However, the devices we know the hardware architecture of use a

16-bit data path.

Does anyone know if:

a) This is actually a brain-damaged card and is unique.

b) All CF read/writers use a 16-bit data path because this is not a unique problem.

c) All CF cards handle TrueIDE and 8-bit operation properly, the error is in my hardware and/or firmware.

My preferred answer is a.

I could almost live with c, if I had a clue of what I might be doing wrong.

Answer b is seriously painful.

Thanks,

Rufus

Reply to
Rufus V. Smith
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To conform to this specification, a CompactFlash Storage Card or CF+ Card must conform to all physical, electrical and Metaformat specifications in this document. A CompactFlash Storage Card must implement all PC Card and True IDE ATA commands listed in this specification. Commands can be implemented as "no operation" to meet this requirement. In addition, a CompactFlash card must implement all commands in section 6 except the Security commands (F1 to F6). While the security commands are optional, CFA members are encouraged to implement them.

Then in the pinout, D8-D15 are marked with this note:

  1. These signals are required only for 16 bit access and not required when installed in 8- bit systems. Devices should allow for 3-state signals not to consume current.

Implicitly, all CF cards are required to implement 8-bit mode.

Just out of interest, is the card asserting _IOIS16 after you put it in

8-bit mode and do a sector read?
Reply to
larwe

That is the way I read the spec, too! I certainly wouldn't expect a shipped part to not be compatible at this stage of the game.

I will check that signal, assuming it is valid in TrueIDE mode. (Will look at it in 8 and 16 bit modes on known good and the "ornery" card)

Stay Tuned.

Rufus

Reply to
Rufus V. Smith

wrong.

Hi Rufus,

I've seen this!! Came across it a few months back while developing a library. I have about a dozen cards, all different sizes, all sorts. And there's just one card which doesn't behave. It won't reply to the ID E9h (i think it is) command. Put it into a camera or laptop and no problems at all. It behaves like this in both 8 and 16bit mode. Will read and write sectors no problems though.

Also... I discovered that some commands return their 512byte results in big endian, and others little endian.. Spinning IDE drives also do it too... Not widely documented and made obvious either.

What I've also found out is that you can 'kill' a CF card by writing to it's lower sectors. Well 'killed' is perhaps a bit OTT as you can still use it in a CF reader and via the logger library I've developed. But insert it into a camera and it can't initialise it, format it, nothing.

Hope this helps somewhat :-) It's a balance between following the specs to the letter and trial and error.

Reply to
alyc

Well, this thread has scrolled off my news server...

Anyway, we picked up some dandy CFextend 160B cards at

formatting link
and got a great look at signals.

The questionable card asserts IOIS16 and keeps it asserted forever.

Unfortunately, the "control device" that appeared to read it properly with use an 8-bit bus was using direct access mode, not TrueIDE, so that didn't help.

I do see the data on the high byte lines, and the interesting ID fields came up:

Serial Number Field Contains:

"SERIAL-CODE-00000001"

Firmware Revision Field Contains (left justified with 2 spaces):

"00.0 "

Model Number Field Contains (20 trailing spaces):

"YourCompany Co. Ltd. "

To me it looks like a sample given out to potential resellers of a CF card product.

Hopefully the fellow who "found" this card will find out where it came from and get more details.

It doesn't help that every other device we use reads it. (They aren't as pin-conscious as we are, I guess).

Rufus

Reply to
Rufus V. Smith

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