ROMAN 2

[CraigsBar]

Hi Guys,


I just found ROMAN v2 on cpc-power


http://cpc-power.com/index.php?page=detail&num=10969


I have tested it on the Symbiface and *REALLY* like it however it seems to not like my SST chipped x-mem. I managed to flash itself, and will backup as many roms as I want. but it does not seem to want to flash anything else.


Is this meant to work, and if not, is there anyway it can be patched to work on an X-Mem with an SST chip?


Craig

[TFM]

...snip... however it seems to not like my SST chipped x-mem. I managed to flash itself, and will backup as many roms as I want. but it does not seem to want to flash anything else.

It only flashes itself to the X-MEM? Sounds like a virus.

Is this meant to work, and if not, is there anyway it can be patched to work on an X-Mem with an SST chip?

You can use the new ROManager for Flashing the X-MEM with SST chip. Download here:
http://futureos.cpc-live.com/files/ROManager_1.8.zip

[radu14m]

2.0 is not newer that 1.8 ?

[TFM]

2.0 is not newer that 1.8 ?

No it's not, because we talk about romam 2.0 and ROManager 1.8. Just compare them and you well see. 

[Pentagon]

I am using Roman 2.0 with X-Mem and it works fine. Just set switch No#2 to Boot Mode = CPC and it should work. It is not working if you set the switch to XMem Boot. I don't know why, you should ask Nilquader for that, cause he did 2.0
If you need to flash into XMem Mode, i would try TFM Software, it should work fine.

Regards
Tom

[CraigsBar]

Ahh, I did not try without fw 3.15. Will test that tonight.

[TotO]

I don't know why, you should ask Nilquader for that, cause he did 2.0

Probably because the firmware interruptions are not disabled.
So, the CPC can't access it while the board is programmed. The result is a crash with the BOOT mode.

[CraigsBar]

Probably because the firmware interruptions are not disabled.
So, the CPC can't access it while the board is programmed. The result is a crash with the BOOT mode.

it did flash itself correctly under fw 3.15 so it must be possible to fix. Under amsdos it is the best Rom based flashtool I've found. I do like your "flasher" too, but being disc based means I am forever looking for the floppy lol. Any chance of a Rom version of it?

[TotO]

I do like your "flasher" too, but being disc based means I am forever looking for the floppy lol. Any chance of a Rom version of it?

A X-MEM tool in ROM version will be available soon.

[CraigsBar]

This i like the sound of. :-)

[radu14m]

Great news TotO !!!

[SyX]

I do like your "flasher" too, but being disc based means I am forever looking for the floppy lol. Any chance of a Rom version of it?

And if you use FW315.ROM and FW315EXP.ROM, you can use the FLASH rsx:

Code Select Expand

|FLASH,&address,rom_number
|FLASH,"filename",rom_number

[TotO]

Sure, the FLASH RSX is the best way for flashing the X-MEM you FW3.15 users.
I hope that many peoples use them.

[CraigsBar]

Sure, the FLASH RSX is the best way for flashing the X-MEM you FW3.15 users.
I hope that many peoples use them.

Yes I can, and Yes I do.... BUT.... even for flashing 1 rom that means I have to |help first to establsh which slots are free, If I want to then blank some slots so that all roms for a multi rom game or whatever are together then I need flasher to erase the slots. and then probably |help again to flash what I want, where I want.


On a single Drive system that is a pain.. lots of swapping discs between my X-Mem disc and the Rom Collection disks etc....


It would be much quicker to |flasher / |roman / |whatever do all the housekeeping tasks then reboot.


Flasher is great (But not currently on ROM) but I really like the interface for ROMAN 2 and that is on rom, it just does not play nice with FW 3.15


I guess these teething probelms will all be resolved in the fullness of time, but it's only gonna happen if people using it report them


Craig

[TFM]

I am using Roman 2.0 with X-Mem and it works fine. Just set switch No#2 to Boot Mode = CPC and it should work. It is not working if you set the switch to XMem Boot. I don't know why, you should ask Nilquader for that, cause he did 2.0
If you need to flash into XMem Mode, i would try TFM Software, it should work fine.

Regards
Tom

You probably got one from the first X-MEM batch, they have the Winbond Flash. Later versions use the SST Flash, since it's getting harder and harder to get the Winbond Flash.

BTW: ROManager 1.87 released:
http://futureos.cpc-live.com/files/ROManager_1.87.zip

[TotO]

CraigsBar, the INFO and FLASH RSXs are in ROM. Why using floppy is a pain? 

Turning ON your CPC.
|INFO, give you informations about the installed and free ROMs. (and the RSX commands for each ROM)
|FLASH, program the wished ROM with the file or the memory area. No reboot is needed.
Last but not least, they can be used on your BASIC program for doing custom batch install... What else?

[CraigsBar]

CraigsBar, the INFO and FLASH RSXs are in ROM. Why using floppy is a pain? 

Turning ON your CPC.
|INFO, give you informations about the installed and free ROMs. (and the RSX commands for each ROM)
|FLASH, program the wished ROM with the file or the memory area. No reboot is needed.
Last but not least, they can be used on your BASIC program for doing custom batch install... What else?

all those actions provided in a nice gui. Akin to your flasher app, or roman2 or rommanager1.8.

Once Rom manager for amsdos is xmem friendly (it wasn't last time I checked) or roman2 works with fw 3.15 or a Rom version of flasher is available I won't need the disc anymore.

[TFM]

You will always need a disc - just to provide the ROM image you would like to burn.

[CraigsBar]

You will always need a disc - just to provide the ROM image you would like to burn.

Yes, one. romdos formatted with lots of Rom images on it. Or none.... Minibooster transfer the file from my Mac to the silicon disc and flash from there. However, is a working flashing/erasing general Rom image housekeeping app with a gui too much to ask for? Several exist.... But of those, the one that comes on Rom image itself does not play nice with fw 3.15. Just saying. Think I should forget I mentioned it.

[TFM]

Yes, one. romdos formatted with lots of Rom images on it.

Yes, right. That's the way I do it too. Have ROManager on one disc (0.7 MB Vortex format) and on disc there are my about fourty favorite ROMs. All I need it one disc, and I don't waste a ROM slot for the ROM management software (ok, waste it s bad word since there is really space enough).

Or none.... Minibooster transfer the file from my Mac to the silicon disc and flash from there.

  OMH! That would be way to complicated to me. And I don't want to need to fire up the PC just to be able to burn a ROM on CPC. If you need your PC, then get the Flash to your PC Flasher and you can have all the comfort you want.

However, is a working flashing/erasing general Rom image housekeeping app with a gui too much to ask for? Several exist.... But of those, the one that comes on Rom image itself does not play nice with fw 3.15. Just saying. Think I should forget I mentioned it.

Well, I can only tell you what I think. If I don't like the situation then I change it by myself. That was the reason I made FutureOS.
We all have a different taste, maybe you should make your own ROM flasher?

[Nilquader]

ROMAN 2 works on the SST-based ROM boxes (Megaflash NG, FlashGordon and the X-MEM) but it is not compatible with the modified firmware inside the lower rom of the X-MEM. So if you want to use ROMAN 2 on the X-MEM, switch back to the original firmware first.

[CraigsBar]

ROMAN 2 works on the SST-based ROM boxes (Megaflash NG, FlashGordon and the X-MEM) but it is not compatible with the modified firmware inside the lower rom of the X-MEM. So if you want to use ROMAN 2 on the X-MEM, switch back to the original firmware first.

which was my original question... Can this be "fixed"?

[TFM]

ROMAN 2 works on the SST-based ROM boxes (Megaflash NG, FlashGordon and the X-MEM) but it is not compatible with the modified firmware inside the lower rom of the X-MEM. So if you want to use ROMAN 2 on the X-MEM, switch back to the original firmware first.

Do you know what exactly is the problem with FW3.15?

[Nilquader]

Do you know what exactly is the problem with FW3.15?

I've never analyzed this. I'm not really interested in debugging non-standard firmware configurations. ROMAN 2 is meant to be used on the CPC 464 or 6128 with the default firmware. Maybe you want to try the Megaflash NG RSX software at http://forum.spielquader.de/filebase/index.php/Entry/9-MegaFlash-NG-RSX/

[TFM]

No thanks. I already got something that works like a charm. But thanks for the information.