The MegaFlash

[Bryce]

It's probably checking to see if a Multiface is connected to prevent freezing and copying. Several games checked for ROM expansions and wouldn't start if one was present. This is the 80's version of DRM , but it doesn't just effect MegaFlash, all ROMBoards will block certain games.

Bryce.

[Ythcal]

Arquimedes XXI has been released for the CPC... wait... THIS YEAR ;-)
So such a copy protection would be very strange, if not silly

[MiguelSky]

It does nothing special. What roms have you enabled?

[Bryce]

Then you've probably just too many ROMs initialised and used up RAM that the game needs.

Bryce.

[Ythcal]

OK, FutureOS was the problem. As soon as this is installed, even if it's alone, the game crashes.

[MaV]

OK, FutureOS was the problem. As soon as this is installed, even if it's alone, the game crashes.

*chuckle* Does TFM know about that?

[Ythcal]

Just 6 ROMs are installed, and the font in Arquimedes is totally messed up. The game seems to be not very ROM-friendly...

Which would be the best way to switch the entire MegaFlash off without disconnecting it?

[MaV]

I received mine today and connected it, and it works.

I'll do the flashing at the weekend.

Thanks a lot!

[SyX]

Well, i made the "FX" at the beginning of Arquimedes XXI, for don't make a lot of juggling with the two overscan screens, i save the memory used by the firmware before and restore after the "FX", but it looks that i didn't expect the Spanish Inquisi... ehem FutureOS
, but don't worry i will fix today

Just 6 ROMs are installed, and the font in Arquimedes is totally messed up. The game seems to be not very ROM-friendly...

Well, the game redefines the system font, and it looks that one of that roms mess with the font memory zone. Which roms are you using? Because i would can find the problem and notify to MiguelSky

[Bryce]

Which would be the best way to switch the entire MegaFlash off without disconnecting it?

I described earlier in this thread how you can disable the MegaFlash and still have it connected, but I wouldn't recommend this for general use, rather just in emergencies. If you are not using the MegaFlash, it's always better to completely disconnect it. Even when it's disabled as described above, the ICs are still running at full speed and processing everything (and using current), just their answer to the CPC is being inhibited.

Bryce.

[SyX]

Well, i have made a new version of Arquimedes XXI, that it's friendly with FutureOS 7 and 8 Beta. How i supposed, it was my "save firmware" routine , i hope that it will correct the problem with other roms, too ... but in other case, tell me and i will fix it     

You can download it, in my last post here (because the CPCWiki don't let me to attach the file, tell me that the attachment upload directory is not writable )

[Bryce]

What does your "save firmware" routine do exactly?

Bryce.

[SyX]

What does your "save firmware" routine do exactly?

Well, i disabled the interrupts, made a copy of the stack pointer and the int vector, and i copied to a free memory zone the ram between $A700 - $BFFF, but of course i didn't think in the extra ram reserved by other roms, now i copy all the ram between $8000-$BFFF (better too much, that said sorry again xDDDD) to an expansion ram page (the game is for CPCs with 128 KBs of RAM). Make the FX and restore everything that i saved previously

[Devilmarkus]

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?

Arquimedes needs almost all RAM. So it will not work well with additional ROMs.
When Miguel and me made it, we really put all bytes possible into this code.
Also don't forget that the game is in BASIC and that the font can fuck up when you move himem too much...

[TFM]

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....

Well, may you can save the corrupted ROM to disc and make a DSK, then send it to me (FutureSoft@gmx.de), so I can analyze the error.

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?

If you connect expansion ROMs then they use some RAM. The minimum amount of RAM a ROM will occupy is 4 bytes, but it can be some hundred bytes like in the case of Maxam or Protext.

Some games need all(!) bytes of the RAM, so they won't run if you have too much expansion ROMs which take too much RAM.

OK, FutureOS was the problem. As soon as this is installed, even if it's alone, the game crashes.

No, that's wrong. The FutureOS ROMs are the most compatible ROMs at all. They just take the 4 bytes of RAM (the firmware is actually responsible for that!). And they do nothing else. So, as mentioned, it's a RAM problem, don't blame this wonderful OS for it 

Well, i made the "FX" at the beginning of Arquimedes XXI, for don't make a lot of juggling with the two overscan screens, i save the memory used by the firmware before and restore after the "FX", but it looks that i didn't expect the Spanish Inquisi... ehem FutureOS

You didn't expect to find installed ROMs. So just save more RAM! Just lower the start of the saved RAM area. May you should start saving at &A200 or even better &A000.

Else only FutureOS ... eh the Spanish inquisition could save your Soul!

[SyX]

You didn't expect to find installed ROMs. So just save more RAM! Just lower the start of the saved RAM area. May you should start saving at &A200 or even better &A000.

Well, i always expect a maximum of 256 bytes extras taken for expansion roms, but in this case  it was the mix of the expansion roms and the symbol after 32, but don't worry i fixed this morning and it works perfectly with FutureOS and it will work even if you have 256 roms in your CPC 

Else only FutureOS ... eh the Spanish inquisition could save your Soul!

But i love the hell , how Supernatural has showed us, it looks a really funny place xDDDD

[TFM]

Now, really, FutureOS will not cause any problems, it changes nothing of the OS, just uses 4 bytes (for every ROM).

However 256 bytes is not enought if you use MAXAM & PROTEXT for example.

Damn, I missed that episode of Supernatural, will look it up at youtube though.

Important: The CPC-OS itself does a SYMBOL AFTER 32 after switching the machine on.
Just switch a blank CPC on, print himem, symbol after 256, print himem and you see ;-)

[SyX]

Important Fix: The CPC-OS makes a SYMBOL AFTER 240, reserving 128 bytes to redefinible characters by default, instead of near 2 KBs that it would suppose a SYMBOL AFTER 32, the chaps of Locomotive always had in mind the efficiency 

OT: Well, all the demons chicks always looks so interesting, that is the best clue of the hell's pleasures xDDD

[HAL6128]

(...after a time of vacation...) I've received my MegaFlash! Thanks to Bryce for the "delayed" shipping.

In the first moment I was a little bit disappointed because I expected something with the size of a SuperRom-plus. It's good than to have those shipping boxes for my old shoes. After unwrapping the envelope I was concerned, because I only found the centronic adapter, but, ...yeah, the MegaFlash was hidden behind it.

No, honestly. Great work, Bryce!
And it works perfectly well!!

[MaV]

After unwrapping the envelope I was concerned, because I only found the centronic adapter, but, ...yeah, the MegaFlash was hidden behind it.

That's the reason I didn't show it to my wife. She'll confiscate for the cuteness factor.

[Gryzor]

Well, mine didn't take a second look after I showed her...

Yeah, mine arrived today as well! Superb stuff.

At first it didn't work - I was getting screenfuls of color noise and even a "Press Play then Any Key" prompt! I soon found out there was a problem with the cable connector, most probably caused in the post. Grabbing the nearest hammer I fixed that in a jiffy and am now toying with it. Ah, how I wish I had a printer so I could compile my shopping lists in Protext and print them afterwards...

Once again, thanks lots Bryce for a wonderful project, we're really in debt

[Bryce]

Great to hear that the general consensus is good. More and more users will receive their MegaFlash in the next few days (I posted another 10 today). I hope there will be some new and cool ROM software developed for the CPC in the near future I was really impressed by QuickCMD, it's these kind of utilities, that make it worth having a MegaFlash in the first place.

Bryce.

[CPCIak]

My device just arrived today I'm so excited, i'll test it tomorrow. Great job Bryce - thanks a lot!

Does anyone know which Strapubox is suitable for the device?

[Bryce]

Cool, that was fast.

Regarding Strapuboxes, I have an SP 2029 ( http://www.reichelt.de/Etuigehaeuse/SP-2029-GR/index.html?;ACTION=3;LA=2;ARTICLE=33821;GROUPID=3356;SID=13Tk@ON38AAAIAAFzdmwk6a1e8acb319eb7d296870ca3a5e77d6c ) here, and with a bit of "editing" I think I could get the MegaFlash inside. With editing I mean: Remove the two PCB fixing holes so that the PCB is deeper inside and remove one of the case screw holes, which means the box is only closed with one screw. It's a very tight fit I'll admit. If you want to use a slightly larger Strapubox with less editing required, I think the 2000 would probably be a better choice.

Bryce.

[Gryzor]

Which one is the 2000 you're referring to?
Damn, those are sweet, I should try and find something similar in the local market...