Megaflash in cpc464

[wilco2009]

Are there any software like software like Booster to activate ROMs 8 to 15 in CPC 464?


Or Are ther any method to do that manually?

[TFM]

You can update to Firmware 3.1 (see wiki & forum).

[Bryce]

Firmware 3.1 only works with the 6128 BASIC ROM as far as I can remember. So you'll have to swap both.

Bryce.

[redbox]

You can update to Firmware 3.1 (see wiki & forum).

The version on the Wiki was 3.1 which was slightly bugged.

I've updated the Wiki with version 3.12 from the forum which does intialise ROMs 15-31 properly.

[Bryce]

Will it work with the 464's BASIC too, or will he need to use BASIC 1.1 on his 464?

Bryce.

[redbox]

Will it work with the 464's BASIC too, or will he need to use BASIC 1.1 on his 464?

Not sure (have to ask TotO/SyX) but I can patch a 464 OS for you to initalise ROMs 0-31 if you like?  You will physically have to put this into your machine though.

[Bryce]

Why? Would it not work on a LowerROMBoard?

Bryce.

[redbox]

Why? Would it not work on a LowerROMBoard?

Oh yes, should do. Forgot you'd made them!

[wilco2009]

Thanks a lot, I'll try it now.

[wilco2009]

I tried with 3.12 version and Basic 1.1 and the result is as following:

- When system starts shows a message "memory is exhausted", but everything seems to work ok.
- When I insert Megaflash the message at start still there. I can run ROMs (0..31) correctly.
- When I start "Megaflash ROM Manager" from ROM, I can't copy one ROM to another because system restarts when I select the option.
- Firmware 3.12 does not support tape.

Due to the mentioned problems I tried with 6128 OS Megaflash + Basic 1.1, and CPC 464 does not work at all.

Not sure (have to ask TotO/SyX) but I can patch a 464 OS for you to initalise ROMs 0-31 if you like?  You will physically have to put this into your machine though.

Could you patch 464 OS (Spanish version) to try it?

Thank you very much in advance. 

[redbox]

Could you patch 464 OS (Spanish version) to try it?

Well this was a lot more work than I thought it would be (I don't have the 464 OS source code) but I've given it a go.

The first problem was that one of the routines to patch (KL FIND COMMAND) is different in the 464 OS to the 6128 OS and it's also two bytes shorter.  Luckily I noticed that there is an error check to see if the ROM is within the 0,1,2 declaration range and this isn't essential.  So I patched this routine and tried it on WinApe and it appears that the ROMs are all working normally in the 0-7 range with this patch (tried Maxam, Protext and Utopia).

You can try this yourself (and possibly on real hardware to be sure) using the attached file: Os464_(Spanish)_patched.rom

Next step I took was to patch the ROM intialising and checking routines as I did with the 6128 and Plus.  The second problem was I did find another difference in that RST 3 FAR CALL on the 464 only checks up to ROM 6, but I'm assuming this is because a stock 464 doesn't have anything in ROM slot 7 (because it's used by the disc OS).  In theory these additional patches should work but as they don't work in emulators and only on real hardware I have no way of being sure...!

Anyway, give it a go and here is the ROM to burn which will hopefully allow the 464 to use all slots from 0-31: Os464_(Spanish)_patched_megaflash.rom

I'd start with the standard 464 configuration (BASIC 1.0, no disk OS, no additional ROMs) and build up from there.  Let me know if it works, and if it doesn't then let me know what happens (and try the first non-megaflash ROM too to see it that has any problems).

[wilco2009]

Thanks very much. I will try it and I will tell you the result.

[mr_lou]

Awesome. I may put in an order for a patch of the danish CPC464 OS some day in the future. 

[wilco2009]

Well this was a lot more work than I thought it would be (I don't have the 464 OS source code) but I've given it a go.

The first problem was that one of the routines to patch (KL FIND COMMAND) is different in the 464 OS to the 6128 OS and it's also two bytes shorter.  Luckily I noticed that there is an error check to see if the ROM is within the 0,1,2 declaration range and this isn't essential.  So I patched this routine and tried it on WinApe and it appears that the ROMs are all working normally in the 0-7 range with this patch (tried Maxam, Protext and Utopia).

You can try this yourself (and possibly on real hardware to be sure) using the attached file: Os464_(Spanish)_patched.rom

Next step I took was to patch the ROM intialising and checking routines as I did with the 6128 and Plus.  The second problem was I did find another difference in that RST 3 FAR CALL on the 464 only checks up to ROM 6, but I'm assuming this is because a stock 464 doesn't have anything in ROM slot 7 (because it's used by the disc OS).  In theory these additional patches should work but as they don't work in emulators and only on real hardware I have no way of being sure...!

Anyway, give it a go and here is the ROM to burn which will hopefully allow the 464 to use all slots from 0-31: Os464_(Spanish)_patched_megaflash.rom

I'd start with the standard 464 configuration (BASIC 1.0, no disk OS, no additional ROMs) and build up from there.  Let me know if it works, and if it doesn't then let me know what happens (and try the first non-megaflash ROM too to see it that has any problems).

OK. I tried both roms and first one is working right in my cpc464.


Second one seems to start initialising all ROMs but at the end hangs.


See picture:


https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-7b8GFa0a88w/UmVpv37A7DI/AAAAAAABWls/jT4nYfor5wI/w1056-h792-no/2013-10-21

[redbox]

OK. I tried both roms and first one is working right in my cpc464.

That's good news as it means the main patch is working.

Second one seems to start initialising all ROMs but at the end hangs.

I think it's likely to be a problem with the RST 3 FAR CALL.

Can you try the attached two ROMs (fc07 first then fc1f) and tell me what happens?

[wilco2009]

same efect than previous rom in both cases.


Initialise all roms and then crashes.

[redbox]

same efect than previous rom in both cases.
Initialise all roms and then crashes.

Hmmm, there's something about the 464 that doesn't like initialising ROM 7 and above then, I expect it's due to it being reserved for the disc OS.

The 6128 and Plus don't have this problem though.

Do you have a DDI-1?  And if so, have you tried any of the patched ROMs when it's attached?

[IanS]

Hmmm, there's something about the 464 that doesn't like initialising ROM 7 and above then, I expect it's due to it being reserved for the disc OS.

I can't think of anything in the 464 hardware that should cause any issue. I run my 464 with a 6128 rom, just so it initialises roms 8 to 15.

[wilco2009]

I can't think of anything in the 464 hardware that should cause any issue. I run my 464 with a 6128 rom, just so it initialises roms 8 to 15.

No. I haven't.

I can't think of anything in the 464 hardware that should cause any issue. I run my 464 with a 6128 rom, just so it initialises roms 8 to 15.

I'll try again with the 6128OS ans Basic 1.1. Perharps we had some problem with the EPROM in my previous test.

[redbox]

I'll try again with the 6128OS ans Basic 1.1. Perharps we had some problem with the EPROM in my previous test.

Are you putting the ROM directly into the 464 or are you using a Lower ROM board attachment?

[wilco2009]

I connect the EPROM directly to the 464.


I have tried the 6128 OS patched megaflash + Basic 1.1 again and it works!!!. The problem was bad connections between pins and the socket.


But versions modified by you, still not working, showing the same. All roms are initialized but then system hangs.


Thanks a lot.

[redbox]

I connect the EPROM directly to the 464.
I have tried the 6128 OS patched megaflash + Basic 1.1 again and it works!!!. The problem was bad connections between pins and the socket.

That's good news, glad you got it working.  The 6128 OS MegaFlash patch has no reported problems so far so it should all work ok.

But versions modified by you, still not working, showing the same. All roms are initialized but then system hangs.

I have a socketed 464 too so when I get some EPROMs I'll do some proper testing in the machine.  It would be nice to get a patched 464 OS working as well.

Thanks a lot.

No problem, it was an interesting exercise 

[TFM]

I have tried the 6128 OS patched megaflash + Basic 1.1 again and it works!!!. The problem was bad connections between pins and the socket.

That's good news.