X-MEM, a new memory expansion for all CPC.

[TotO]

hello Toto, i want to buy a memory expansion for my cpc like xmem BUT i already have the m4 wifi board WITH EDGE connector!
is possible a converter edge to mother x4 board?
 

You can plug it on the MotherX4 passthrough connector, using this: MX4 Edge adapter

(or yes, sell it and buy a new one)

[opticpow]

Hi All,

I just received my X-MEM kit yesterday and I eagerly built it last night. After soldering it up, and running through the init & install programs I came across a interesting problem:

Connected to my 6128 and boot with the ROM switch on CPC, I get the ROM message after doing the install. When I try to boot with the switch on ROM, I just get a blank screen. 

I decided to try it on my 464, so I change the RAM switch to 464 and it boots correctly into the FW and appears to work correctly. I then went back to the 6128 and it was working now. What I just realised is that I left the RAM switch on 464. For some reason, it works on both my 464 & 6128 on the 464 switch, but on my 6128 it doesn't boot on the 6128 setting. Should I be worried about this?

I haven't done any testing besides the supplied programs to list the ROMs etc. I'd like to get Parados working on it to get better 3.5" support on my 6128. I uploaded it to slot 6 but couldn't get the |DRIVE RSX to work and it was 2am by this stage so I called it a night.

I haven't read through this entire thread yet, so please excuse this question if it has come up before.

Wayne.

[TotO]

Hey!

May be your "464/6128" switch solder need to be redo? (forcing the 6128 as a 464 work but is not a solution)
Please, send me the both side pictures by mail, so I will be able to take a look. 

[opticpow]

Hey!

May be your "464/6128" switch solder need to be redo? (forcing the 6128 as a 464 work but is not a solution)
Please, send me the both side pictures by mail, so I will be able to take a look. 

I'm pretty sure the solder was ok, but I've redone the switches just in case. Email sent.

I've checked my edge connector and it looked pretty bad, so I cleaned it with some alcohol and that seems to have improved the situation and can now boot with the switch on 6128. I'm still seeing a strange things accessing drive B when booted from the X-MEM. I'll play more and see if I can work out whats going on

Wayne

Wayne.

[Bryce]

Any chance that you have ParaDOS installed?

Bryce.

[TotO]

I'm pretty sure the solder was ok, but I've redone the switches just in case. Email sent.

I've checked my edge connector and it looked pretty bad, so I cleaned it with some alcohol and that seems to have improved the situation and can now boot with the switch on 6128. I'm still seeing a strange things accessing drive B when booted from the X-MEM. I'll play more and see if I can work out whats going on

Nice to read that cleaning your expansion connector allow to solve the problem. (I was afraid that switch was defective)
May be cleaning the floppy connector will help too? 

[opticpow]

Any chance that you have ParaDOS installed?

Bryce.

Yep, in Slot 6

[Bryce]

Yep, in Slot 6

As far as I know, drive B: acts differently when ParaDOS is enabled.

Bryce.


Gesendet von meinem Motorola DynaTEC 8000X mit Tapatalk

[opticpow]

As far as I know, drive B: acts differently when ParaDOS is enabled.

Bryce.

Looks like it could be the culprit. Removed ParaDOS and I can CAT drive B without screen issues.

Dam, using ParaDOS with my 3.5 drive was my main use case 

Wayne
 

[Audronic]

@opticpow

Parados Version 1.2 Modifications.
So that the Drive B defaults to 40 Track Single sided.
and then you can use Parados to make adjustments to the drive setup.

To make the “B” drive default to 40 Track Single sided.

Modify the byte at &3ffe  from &03 to &00 (drive B).


and alter the Checksum Byte at &3fff from &E5 to &E2

Good luck   Ray

[opticpow]

@opticpow

Parados Version 1.2 Modifications.
So that the Drive B defaults to 40 Track Single sided.
and then you can use Parados to make adjustments to the drive setup.

To make the “B” drive default to 40 Track Single sided.

Modify the byte at &3ffe  from &03 to &00 (drive B).


and alter the Checksum Byte at &3fff from &E5 to &E2

Good luck   Ray

Thanks Ray, I'll give that a go tonight.

Wayne

[Audronic]

@opticpow
Here is a copy of the Rom that i use, it will save you having to patch a rom.
I have renamed it to ParaDV2m.rom to save confusion.

Good luck    Ray

[opticpow]

@opticpow
Here is a copy of the Rom that i use, it will save you having to patch a rom.
I have renamed it to ParDV2m.rom to save confusion.

Good luck    Ray

@Audronic

I finally got some free time to test this out. Works like a charm. Thanks Ray

Wayne

[Grimmsqueaker]

I ordered mine earlier this week so waiting for it to arrive now, hopefully it will arrive in the next few days.

I am literally using it as a ram expansion and the 6128 switch to run games like Adams family and get music and the extra features on other titles!

[dragon]

I have strange issue.

When i put x-mem.(booting from cpc).

|drive from parados returns me bad command, all others command appear working, included the mine in my custom 512k cartridge.

But without x-mem |drive works.

But this not happen in normal parados cartridge(128k).


anyway i not remember touch |drive.

well this happend to booting from rom in x-mem. No mather what cartridge i inserted in c4cpc it return "bad commnad" in |drive.

[angelcaio]

Try pressing esc while you boot the system for skip the ROMs initialization
http://www.centpourcent.net/uploads/2/2/9/8/22986686/getstart.txt


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[dragon]

Try pressing esc while you boot the system for skip the ROMs initialization
http://www.centpourcent.net/uploads/2/2/9/8/22986686/getstart.txt


Enviado desde mi iPad utilizando Tapatalk

O found these old post from 2014  . I go try It Next time i mount the cpc.

The Bad Command is because there is a bug in the Expansion rom for the RamDisc. There is a fixed version which TotO provided to me in this thread somewhere. OR if you rerun the install turning off the RamDisc until this new EXT rom is included on the next disc image release then this also fixes it...


On Second thoughts I am sure the guys will not mind me uploading a DSK copy of my XMEM disc that has the fixed EXT rom included. You only need to replace side 1 but both sides are included purly for completeness.


Craig

Anyway the 3.15w expansions detect my modified parados ROM  as "trash".   i need take a look to disasembly around these text to view why he is thinking is trash Jaja.

[TotO]

For information, the X-MEM 512K RAM IC should be replaced with the M48Z512 or M48T512 IC.

M48Z512 is a NVRAM. It allow to keep the memory content when the CPC is turned off (RAM Drive). It cost around 10/15$.
M48T512 is a TIMEKEEPER. It allow the same, but the last 8 bytes are used for the embedded Real Time Clock. It cost around 20/25$.

Let me know your interrest for that. It will be possible the reduce the price with quantity.

[Audronic]

For information, the X-MEM 512K RAM IC should be replaced with the M48Z512 or M48T512 IC.

Happy New Year .
?? Ram Drive ??
?? RTC ??
Will there be some software support

Thanks    Ray

[TotO]

?? Ram Drive ??
?? RTC ??
Will there be some software support

The RAM Drive already exist (CP/M, FW3.15, some softwares). That allow to not lost its content when your turn off the CPC.
About the RTC, it is really easy as you just have to write or read 8bytes to do it into your own programs.
And I'm sure that will took less than a minute to Prodatron, TFM, SyX ... to support it.

[Audronic]

@TotO
Ok Thanks.
I have ordered  one (M48Z512)  For about $6.00 Australian to use as a test.
Ray

[Prodatron]

About the RTC, it is really easy as you just have to write or read 8bytes to do it into your own programs.

Sounds interesting, I will have a look at the specs. So for accessing the RTC you just do
OUT #7F00,#FF
and read/write bytes #7ff8-#7fff
?

[TotO]

Sounds interesting, I will have a look at the specs. So for accessing the RTC you just do
OUT #7F00,#FF and read/write bytes #7ff8-#7fff ?

Exactly.

[TotO]

I have ordered  one (M48Z512)  For about $6.00 Australian to use as a test.

Nice deal for the NVRAM version. (no RTC)

[zhulien]

Looks like it could be the culprit. Removed ParaDOS and I can CAT drive B without screen issues.

Dam, using ParaDOS with my 3.5 drive was my main use case 

Wayne

Perhaps you can try the super.rom and modified amsdos80.rom?  this I believe was more common than ParaDOS at least here in Melbourne and is very compatible - all it really does is change the number of tracks.  For CPM you can use xform (on the dragonbreed utils rom) to set it to Vortex CPM format.  You only get about 704kb per disc, but still not bad.