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Help With M4

Started by chinnyhill10, 10:39, 22 July 17

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chinnyhill10

Top bod Craigsbar sent me an M4 card to review for the Youtube channel. Very generous of him and so far I'm blown away by just the concept of dragging and dropping files onto my CPC. In fact if you follow me on Twitter I had someone remotely loading stuff on there across the internet. Really cool stuff. Been trying out various ROM's etc all just fine.


The one issue I'm having is getting games to run. Try as I might everything I've tried so far just crashes out. I tried moving the M4 ROM to slot 7 but my 6128 refuses to start up (it hangs halfway through displaying the Amstrad copyright message).


So what am I doing wrong? I'm using cracked versions but they seem to get as far as the loading screen and then hang. The latest two I tried last night were Rampage and Turbo Esprit.


I know this is user error rather than a device fault, but having read and re-read the docs I can't work it out. Unless my 6128 is playing up? Edge connector is clean but should I re-clean it with something a bit more aggressive?


Any ideas? Cheers.
--
ChinnyVision - Reviews Of Classic Games Using Original Hardware
chinnyhill10 - YouTube

Duke

#1
Not all regular CPC6128's allows you to replace Rom 7 (in fact very few do).
To come around that problem, set M4 rom to 6.
Then upload the modified lowerrom from here:
http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/M4_Board
(Various Files)
To ie. slot 31
Tick enable lowerrom in the webui then Set.
Set lowerrom slot 31 then Set.
Reboot the M4 / CPC
Now the CPC will think M4 is rom 7.

That should help. Edge connector cleaning is always good too, if you encounter lockup's or resets etc, after I cleaned mine mechanically there has never been an issue. IPA alone is rarely enough.

EDIT: Also a quick way to verify if your edge connector is good.
Write a small basic program:
mode 2
10 cat
20 |time
30 goto 10

And let it run for some time, if all is good it can run endless, otherwise it will hang/reset or give random pixel errors eventually.

Quote from: chinnyhill10 on 10:39, 22 July 17
Top bod Craigsbar sent me an M4 card to review for the Youtube channel. Very generous of him and so far I'm blown away by just the concept of dragging and dropping files onto my CPC. In fact if you follow me on Twitter I had someone remotely loading stuff on there across the internet. Really cool stuff. Been trying out various ROM's etc all just fine.


The one issue I'm having is getting games to run. Try as I might everything I've tried so far just crashes out. I tried moving the M4 ROM to slot 7 but my 6128 refuses to start up (it hangs halfway through displaying the Amstrad copyright message).


So what am I doing wrong? I'm using cracked versions but they seem to get as far as the loading screen and then hang. The latest two I tried last night were Rampage and Turbo Esprit.


I know this is user error rather than a device fault, but having read and re-read the docs I can't work it out. Unless my 6128 is playing up? Edge connector is clean but should I re-clean it with something a bit more aggressive?


Any ideas? Cheers.

gerald

Quote from: Duke on 11:53, 22 July 17
Not all regular CPC6128's allows you to replace Rom 7 (in fact very few do).
By construction none of CPC6128/CPC664 allows you to replace ROM 7.
It only works if you have stronger pad driver (resulting in bigger short circuit on conflicting bits) on the external ROM than in the internal one.
Or removing the internal amsdos ROM

Duke

Quote from: gerald on 13:32, 22 July 17
By construction none of CPC6128/CPC664 allows you to replace ROM 7.
It only works if you have stronger pad driver (resulting in bigger short circuit on conflicting bits) on the external ROM than in the internal one.
Or removing the internal amsdos ROM
Yes, I read up on the long thread about it ages ago. Not sure if it was 100% verified that MC020C is not different, but probably as you say it has weaker signals, which makes it possible.
At the end of the day, using the modified lowerrom is just as good (and no databus contention), as most loaders use firmware for rom initialization.

CraigsBar

ChinnyVision, are you running from the dsk files directly, or have you extracted the files from the dsk to the sd card in in a directory. So far I have had no problems with cngsofts compactages as most of these are single file runnable hacks.

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chinnyhill10

Thanks for the help so far. Still having issues. Basically the games start loading but then try to access the normal A drive resulting in a crash.


I am loading from the dsk files in Amsdos by CD'ing into the 'directory' and then running it as usual. Is this wrong?


Not tried any CNG stuff as yet.Just older cracks.



--
ChinnyVision - Reviews Of Classic Games Using Original Hardware
chinnyhill10 - YouTube

Duke

Quote from: chinnyhill10 on 22:49, 23 July 17
Thanks for the help so far. Still having issues. Basically the games start loading but then try to access the normal A drive resulting in a crash.
This is normal behaviour of many games that re-initialize the disc roms, therefore you need to use the modified lowerrom to mimic M4 being the actual disc rom.
However there is also "cracked" games that still contain raw FDC access, which will fail also, while accessing the real disc drive. However it would be odd if all the games you tried are like this, I would say atleast 90% of all cracked games work if you use the modified lowerrom.
Quote
I am loading from the dsk files in Amsdos by CD'ing into the 'directory' and then running it as usual. Is this wrong?
That's the way to do it.

Shaun M. Neary

Quote from: chinnyhill10 on 22:49, 23 July 17

Not tried any CNG stuff as yet.Just older cracks.


Ditch them and update your collection. They're headache inducing, especially if you're a Plus user!


Pop over to CPC Rulez and find yourself some newschool cracking replacements.
Currently playing on: 2xCPC464, 1xCPC6128, 1x464Plus, 1x6128Plus, 2xGX4000. M4 board, ZMem 1MB and still forever playing Bruce Lee.
No cheats, snapshots or emulation. I play my games as they're intended to be played. What about you?

Fabrizio Radica

Quote from: Duke on 11:53, 22 July 17
Not all regular CPC6128's allows you to replace Rom 7 (in fact very few do).
To come around that problem, set M4 rom to 6.
Then upload the modified lowerrom from here:
http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/M4_Board
(Various Files)
To ie. slot 31
Tick enable lowerrom in the webui then Set.
Set lowerrom slot 31 then Set.
Reboot the M4 / CPC
Now the CPC will think M4 is rom 7.

That should help. Edge connector cleaning is always good too, if you encounter lockup's or resets etc, after I cleaned mine mechanically there has never been an issue. IPA alone is rarely enough.

EDIT: Also a quick way to verify if your edge connector is good.
Write a small basic program:
mode 2
10 cat
20 |time
30 goto 10

And let it run for some time, if all is good it can run endless, otherwise it will hang/reset or give random pixel errors eventually.

same problem here :(


- lower-rom slot to 31.
- i set slot 31 with lowerrom patched.
- i set lower-rom-enabled (checked) on "M4 Rom Config" section.

But i don't know how to set the m4rom (it's a file?) on slot 6

When i write |m4help on CPC, it return me:

...
6 M4 Board
7 CPM ROM
...
...
31 Basic

tnx :(

Duke

The M4 rom is embedded into the M4 firmware, you just pick a slot for it in the web interface under ROMS. Default is 6.
So it seems you have done everything correct if it is still in slot 6.

Remember that copyprotected dsk's will not work, find a cracked version of game in question if it still tries to access drive A (direct FDC I/O).

Quote from: Fabrizio Radica on 21:59, 12 September 17
same problem here :(


- lower-rom slot to 31.
- i set slot 31 with lowerrom patched.
- i set lower-rom-enabled (checked) on "M4 Rom Config" section.

But i don't know how to set the m4rom (it's a file?) on slot 6

When i write |m4help on CPC, it return me:

...
6 M4 Board
7 CPM ROM
...
...
31 Basic

tnx :(

ukmarkh

Hi,

New to the M4, just a few questions about this great device:

I get the below message when I try to run a game?



Plus in the web browser, how can I see file structure and create improve as I've seen in many vids.



Thx


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Duke

#11
Quote from: ukmarkh on 02:57, 27 May 18
I get the below message when I try to run a game?

The filename does not match, you snuck an E in there :)
RUN"WECLMANS.BAS

Quote
Plus in the web browser, how can I see file structure and create improve as I've seen in many vids.
You are on an older firmware before file navigation was added.
Just type |upgrade and let it download, then reboot the M4, wait a little and you should be upto date.

ukmarkh

Quote from: Duke on 05:50, 27 May 18
The filename does not match, you snuck an E in there :)
RUN"WECLMANS.BAS
You are on an older firmware before file navigation was added.
Just type |upgrade and let it download, then reboot the M4, wait a little and you should be upto date.

Haha! That'll teach me to stay up to the wee hours of the morning... I'll try again.

As for the upgrade, I've done that, but maybe I didn't reboot properly, I only used the soft reset on the M4 I think [emoji848]




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ukmarkh

Game is loading now, but despite running the Iupgrade, I still don't see the option in the browser to manage or manipulate the file structure [emoji17]


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Duke

Quote from: ukmarkh on 13:06, 27 May 18
Game is loading now, but despite running the Iupgrade, I still don't see the option in the browser to manage or manipulate the file structure
Does it say it downloaded the upgrade when using |upgrade ?

What does it say if you type |version ?

ukmarkh

Quote from: Duke on 16:15, 27 May 18
Does it say it downloaded the upgrade when using |upgrade ?

What does it say if you type |version ?



And



Hope this sheds some light?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Duke

Quote from: ukmarkh on 20:48, 27 May 18
Hope this sheds some light?

Looks alright, a power cycle (switch off/on) should upgrade it in about 30-40 seconds.
IF not, it must be that the downloads failed their CRC tests.
Instead you can manually download the upgrade:

Insert microSD card to PC.
Download http://www.spinpoint.org/cpc/M4FIRM_v204.zip
Unpack it to the root of the microSD card.
Insert the microSD to the M4 on the CPC
Power on the CPC and wait a bit till it resets/is ready.
Type |version
And it should say v2.0.4

ukmarkh

I did what you said, the screen went black, pink and blue light flashed a bit, but didn't reboot, left it for five minutes.

Now I get this...




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Duke

Quote from: ukmarkh on 04:11, 28 May 18
I did what you said, the screen went black, pink and blue light flashed a bit, but didn't reboot, left it for five minutes.
Looks like it didn't flash the esp firmware (|version would reveal that?). If both are v2.0.4, then try the v2.05b1 upgrade instead ( http://spinpoint.org/cpc/M4FIRM_v205b1.zip )

Maniac

Quote from: ukmarkh on 04:11, 28 May 18
I did what you said, the screen went black, pink and blue light flashed a bit, but didn't reboot, left it for five minutes.

Now I get this...




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Finally someone else with the same issues as me with 2.0.4! [emoji6]

ukmarkh

Hi, just wanted to thank you for your help, this new version flashed it and worked first time


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ukmarkh

Any recommendations on what software to use in conjunction with the M4...

Browsing Web, Easy file explorer, Chat/messenger, games that can be linked (two player), mining software [emoji23]


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ukmarkh

Anyone having problems loading demos such as Batman Forever and PHX on M4?



Just sits there with a blue or black screen...



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robcfg

Anything that access the floppy disk controller chip won't work on the M4 as far as I know, as there is no way to intercept those signals.

Maniac

Quote from: robcfg on 07:29, 29 May 18
Anything that access the floppy disk controller chip won't work on the M4 as far as I know, as there is no way to intercept those signals.
That's correct. However anything that uses standard AMSDOS loading will work. More so if you have the M4 ROM in slot 7 but if that's not possible a custom lower ROM is available which patches things for CPC that can't replace slot 7.

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