X-Mem and Multiface 2 compatibility

[CPC_Fan]

Hi all


I have recently moved and now finally have the room to fully set up my 6128. However, when I plug my original MF2 and X-Mem both together in the expansion port and then turn my machine on, it just crashes straight away. I have tried them both seperately and the 6128 boots up fine, so I know that they work individually.


So does anyone know what the problem might be? Or is it just that they are incompatible together? Would talrek's MF2 clone and the X-Mem work together in a Mx4 board?


Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated.

[CraigsBar]

Both work fine for me. But when using a mother4x I need to power it.

[CPC_Fan]

Hmm...


I was trying it with the X-Mem on it's own plugged on to the card connector of the MF2, which was then plugged into the expansion port of my 6128. Is this the way you have it set up Craig?

[dxs]

So does anyone know what the problem might be? Or is it just that they are incompatible together? Would talrek's MF2 clone and the X-Mem work together in a Mx4 board?
Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hi CPC_Fan,
Read this thread page MultiFace II clone , in summary you can't use the MFII (or repro MFII by Talrek) AND the X-Mem with FW3.15 (or any replacement firmware). You CAN use the MFII and X-Mem at the same time when disabling boot from X-Mem (middle switch on the X-Mem, check user manual).

[CPC_Fan]

Thanks for the heads up dxs. I must of missed that thread due to my recent house move.

[CPC_Fan]

Well I have tried booting from the 6128 instead of from the X-Mem and I'm getting interesting/different results. When the computer does manage to boot up, I can't list the ROMs installed on the X-Mem, as when I enter the |help command, the machine just resets itself.


Also sometimes when I switch on the 6128, it won't boot up properly. It either comes up with the Amstrad notice and says press play and then any key, or it will just display the Amstrad message in different garbled ways and not do anything. If this happens, I usually have to reset the MF2 several times using it's yellow reset button, or I have to turn the 6128 on and off 2 or 3 times until it is stable.


Any ideas anyone? Or should I just leave the MF2 off for now and swap between it and the X-Mem whenever I need to?

[CraigsBar]

The fw 3.15 exp ROM |help does not work without fw 3.15 running in my experience.  A shame as it overrides the same command utopia as it has an lower ROM slot.

[CPC_Fan]

Ah I see. Thanks Craig. Do you know if I still get all the other functions of the X-Mem, whilst using it with the MF2, but using the X-Mem's boot from CPC function (if that makes sense to you)?

[CraigsBar]

Yes, the other ROMs and RAM expansion work fine when booted from the CPC firmware. But as I said I have my xmem in a powered mother4x board.

[CPC_Fan]

That's good to know. I think maybe that I need to buy a separate power supply for my Motherx4 board and try the X-Mem in it that way with the MF2. That way it might be more stable.

[TotO]

The fw 3.15 exp ROM |help does not work without fw 3.15 running in my experience.  A shame as it overrides the same command utopia as it has an lower ROM slot.

A shame? 
What is the real problem for you?
 

[CraigsBar]

Shame?  [emoji23]

Yes. Shame. Because right now, when booted from the internal firmware there is no |help available.

[TotO]

Utopia use the |C command too... It no more work, because it is used for the RAM Drive.
If the EXP_ROM cause more problems than it add features for you, better to remove it.

[CraigsBar]

No I love the features, I just wish the help worked when booted from the standard firmware too.

[TotO]

No I love the features, I just wish the help worked when booted from the standard firmware too.

The fact is that EXP_ROM is a way to translate the FW3.1 CALLs to RSX. I will see if we can move the full code to it.

[CraigsBar]

Ahh, that makes sense then. I did not realise that this was only the RSX functionality and the code itself was in the firmware still. I wouldn't worry about it, it's not a deal breaker.

[TFM]

Utopia use the |C command too... It no more work, because it is used for the RAM Drive.
If the EXP_ROM cause more problems than it add features for you, better to remove it.

Regarding compatibility Utopia is a pain in the ass. Best is to forget it, other expansions contain it's functionality anyway.