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The MegaFlash

Started by Bryce, 17:04, 05 August 11

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Bryce

#50
Ok, so here's a simpler mod, that will allow you to safely start the CPC without it initialising any MegaFlash ROMs and more importantly, without having to tear the original PCB apart.

First you need to add a push button: One side of the button goes to GND. The negative pin of the 100µf capacitor is probably the safest location to solder the wire to GND. The negative pin is the one nearest the Flash socket.
The other side of the button should go to the centre pin of the ROM7 jumper.

If you want to start the CPC with no MegaFlash ROMs enabled, just remove the ROM 7 jumper completely and hold the button pressed while you are switching the CPC on, then replace the ROM 7 jumper as soon as you get the Ready Prompt. DON'T press this button while the Jumper is still in place! In fact to make it safer, you could use a two pin jumper-header instead of a button. Then you just move the Jumper from the normal ROM 7 jumper-pins to your new pins and move it back when ready has appeared.

It's not a really great solution, but it's safe for your CPC, your MegaFlash and the PLCC socket will get to live a lot longer.

Bryce.

Pentagon

Thank you so much, i will report if its working at my Megaflash. I need to find a push button first.

Kindly Regards
Tom


Bryce

I've already built and tested it. It works fine here, so it should work fine for you too.

Bryce.

Pentagon

We got it, lets mod it !  ;D

So, i am done with that cool mod and its working fine!!! Thanks a lot, much easier to work now and no more socket murdering anymore. I still have the problem, that it is impossible to Park / Unpark the Roms with 1.28 of Basic Megaflash Version. So i have to clear the Rom Socket instead of parking the rom.

Kindly regards
Tom

Bryce

I'm sure TFM will be on to clear that problem up. To my shame, I have to admit, that I'm still using V1.27  :o

And Parking works there, so I'm sure it's just a minor glitch.

Bryce.

Pentagon

Here some pictures of the mod:

Bryce

Very neat :)

Bryce.

Ythcal

Same here: no parking in 1.28 BASIC-Edition.
But the device itself works very nice. Thank you for that!

@Pentagon:
What will be the difference between Import/Export and Load/Save (ROM)?

Hm, I can view the RSX commands in Basic with |help,# - even without any additional ROM in the MegaFlash... Is this normal? Is there another modification in my 6128 I didn't know before? (I got it heavily modded by GoST)
Unfortunately this doesn't work anymore when installing the ROMBooster...

Bryce

You sure the entire Flash is empty?? Otherwise it can only be one of Gosts Mods. Have you got a standard ROM 7 image, or is ParaDOS or something installed? The |Help command may be there.

Bryce.

Pentagon

I dont have a "Help" command inside. I am running Parados too, but i think you have installed another ROM expansion with a "Help" Command. So it would be useful to have a RSX Lister. Just select a rom and the RSX Commands could be viewed. That would be great.

Regards
Tom


Ythcal

My 6128 has a switch to select either XD-DOS or AMSDOS. So maybe the AMSDOS itself is altered in some way.

Bryce

#61
Well if you haven't deleted it, then Maxam 1.5 was on the MegaFlash when you got it. Maybe that has a Help command. What ROMs are listed when you type |Help  ?

Bryce

Edit: Just checked, Maxam 1.5 has a help command. Is it still on the MegaFlash?

TFM

Ok, I uploaded the MegaFlash ROManager version 1.29. Please check if Park/Unpark works now. I'm sorry for any inconvenience, but it's hard to code software for hardware which I don't have. All functions are supposed to work now, if you encounter any kind of problem then please let me know.
TFM of FutureSoft
Also visit the CPC and Plus users favorite OS: FutureOS - The Revolution on CPC6128 and 6128Plus

Ythcal

After deleting all ROMs for testing of the park function (see http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?topic=2561.0) |help doesn't work anymore, so it came from Maxam

Kris

Hi,

I just received mine; it works perfectly: great manufacturing, good quality and so small !! that's perfect to be integrated in my CPC+ case.
I have been trying many roms and fucntions.... and no issues appeared; I'm about to play with it today ; I will come back here later with more details.




Bryce

Cool. Glad you like it :) If you do manage to install it internally, make sure you post lots of pictures so that others can do the same.

Bryce.

Kris

1st bug appears when I tried to flash booster.rom as 01. My CPC crashed at boot (certainly in conflict with 1 other ROMs installed) and I had to shunt between central pin of ROM7 & Gnd to start normally: I will certainly add an "emergency push" to be able to boot without megaflash.
Furthermore, an option to delete 100% of the megaflash in Rom manager could be a good thing.

@Bryce: From electronic point of view, what is the best mod to boot CPC without megaflash ?
Thanks

Bryce

#67
That's not a bug :) The Booster ROM will ONLY work in ROM Position 15 and nowhere else. This is mentioned in the Booster ROM instructions. And saving it to position 1 will certainly make the MegaFlash or any other ROMBoard crash.

A "Delete All" command would be useful, but you'll have to talk to TFM about that, it's a software request.

The ROM 7 centre pin to GND is the best mod to disable the MegaFlash completely at startup, but make sure you remove the ROM 7 jumper completely too when you do this.

Bryce.

Kris

#68
About BOOSTER rom, I just find the instructions, that's fine
Thank you for you help .

@TFM: what is the difference between "clear" in process menu the "clear" in Rom management menu ?
Other question, after a test, what means a yellow border ?
Many thanks and sorry with a ll my questions.

TFM

Quote from: Kris on 11:03, 17 August 11
About BOOSTER rom, I just find the instructions, that's fine
Thank you for you help .

@TFM: what is the difference between "clear" in process menu the "clear" in Rom management menu ?
Other question, after a test, what means a yellow border ?
Many thanks and sorry with a ll my questions.

Well, CLEAR and COPY are the same in both menues (You can use which ever you prefer).

After the "Check Flash" procedure the border should be green, then blue. In this case it's all good.
But if the Border flashed yellow and orange, then the Flash has an error. However at the moment it seems, that the software has errors and not the Flash. I'm working on it.
TFM of FutureSoft
Also visit the CPC and Plus users favorite OS: FutureOS - The Revolution on CPC6128 and 6128Plus

Kris

I find a strange thing this afternoon: I used the clear function to delete ROM 3: process was OK and rom_manager detect this rom as "empty" but code was not fffffff so there was a checksum error at the boot.
I haven't been able to delete it correctly, I have been obliged to program a new ROM to have a proper system....


qbert

Not received mine yet.... I'm jealous  :-X  , considering I'm situated in France like Kris.

Ynot.zer0

received mine today  ;D   will have a play on Saturday!

Bryce

Cool. Let me know how it goes. Still some minor teething problems on the software side, but we're on top of it.

Bryce.

Ythcal

Wow, the MegaFlash prevents Arquimedes XXI from starting!? It stops right before the language selection screen. Without it, the game works... What the heck is the game doing there?
Can anyone confirm this behavior?

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