USIfAC II, technical problems & support [MERGED with Plus-related posts from original thread]

[ikonsgr]

Although pins on centronics are less exposed than on edge connector, i wonder if after ~40 years, would it be possible for the centronics connector, to get corrosion/oxidation of the pins like with edge connector?
I never had a CPC with centronics connector, but someone with centronics CPC, could verify this.

[unay]

Although pins on centronics are less exposed than on edge connector, i wonder if after ~40 years, would it be possible for the centronics connector, to get corrosion/oxidation of the pins like with edge connector?
I never had a CPC with centronics connector, but someone with centronics CPC, could verify this.

My Schneider seems to be exposed some moisture on the upper side. It's not causing any problem with working, for example floppy cable that you send me works fine with it. I checked the centronics adapter (also you send it  ) with multimeter, there is no problem on it. I'll check the centronics pins on my computer later.

I also try Ulifac with my other Amstrad CPC 6128 that i fixed by cpcwiki's help (with edge connector), it works after couple of attempt. But there's another problem appears, seems like Ulifac's floppy controller (i dont know there is one, i'm just guessing) and Amstrad's floppy controller conflicts to gether. Some times work to gether, some times i cant get acces the floppy (i cancel the 3" floppy and plug 3.5" as drive A trough the ext. floppy port). I'll try with 3" floppy again and this is important because i wanna get images of my old 3" disks (there is some programs that i write in basic when i was a child).

[ikonsgr]

I also try Ulifac with my other Amstrad CPC 6128 that i fixed by cpcwiki's help (with edge connector), it works after couple of attempt. But there's another problem appears, seems like Ulifac's floppy controller (i dont know there is one, i'm just guessing) and Amstrad's floppy controller conflicts to gether. Some times work to gether, some times i cant get acces the floppy (i cancel the 3" floppy and plug 3.5" as drive A trough the ext. floppy port). I'll try with 3" floppy again and this is important because i wanna get images of my old 3" disks (there is some programs that i write in basic when i was a child).

ULIfAC implements a low level 765FDC controller emulation, and when you access a dsk image, the 3" drive A, seems like it's active (drive light will lit, and you can even get motor control moves if a 3" floppy disk is inserted). If you want to access floppy disks you should give |DIS command. And then, you can go back to dsk image access by re issuing |FDC.
 In any case, it would be better not to have a floppy disk inserted in disk drive, when you access a dsk image.
Btw, if you want to backup 3" disks to dsk images you can use the |DISK,"imagename.dsk"  command.

[unay]

I also try Ulifac with my other Amstrad CPC 6128 that i fixed by cpcwiki's help (with edge connector), it works after couple of attempt. But there's another problem appears, seems like Ulifac's floppy controller (i dont know there is one, i'm just guessing) and Amstrad's floppy controller conflicts to gether. Some times work to gether, some times i cant get acces the floppy (i cancel the 3" floppy and plug 3.5" as drive A trough the ext. floppy port). I'll try with 3" floppy again and this is important because i wanna get images of my old 3" disks (there is some programs that i write in basic when i was a child).

ULIfAC implements a low level 765FDC controller emulation, and when you access a dsk image, the 3" drive A, seems like it's active (drive light will lit, and you can even get motor control moves if a 3" floppy disk is inserted). If you want to access floppy disks you should give |DIS command. And then, you can go back to dsk image access by re issuing |FDC.
 In any case, it would be better not to have a floppy disk inserted in disk drive, when you access a dsk image.
Btw, if you want to backup 3" disks to dsk images you can use the |DISK,"imagename.dsk"  command.

Thanks a lot.  |DIS,  |DISK,  |DSK all of them works fine. Also drive A and drive B detecting but dirve B (3.5" ext) seems to can access disk but when try to load or run, its not work.
Guess i'm gonna work on it little bit more than i though

[ikonsgr]

Also drive A and drive B detecting but dirve B (3.5" ext) seems to can access disk but when try to load or run, its not work

This is probably caused by the fact that many games can only load from DRIVE A:
This was a common programming practice of the era, not to check both drives A: and B: for loading files, but instead, load directly from DRIVE A: which i guess they did it, simply because, the vast majority of CPC 6128 users back at the '80s didn't have a (quite expensive) external 3" DRIVE, and almost all games/utilities fit in a single floppy disk anyway.
So even if you select the 3.5" DRIVE B: and run the first loader file from it, in many cases, all the subsequent files will require to be in DRIVE A:
And that's why i have a switch on the ribbon drive cable, that allows you to set external drive as DRIVE A:

[unay]

And that's why i have a switch on the ribbon drive cable, that allows you to set external drive as DRIVE A:

I know, i'm using it. But, i was hoping there might be another solution for both drives work to gether.

[ikonsgr]

I know, i'm using it. But, i was hoping there might be another solution for both drives work to gether.

I'm afraid you can't use both drives at the same time, you can either select Drive A: or Drive B:, by giving |A or |B commands

[unay]

I know, i'm using it. But, i was hoping there might be another solution for both drives work to gether.

I'm afraid you can't use both drives at the same time, you can either select Drive A: or Drive B:, by giving |A or |B commands

It's because of my english  What i mean is; both drive work together but in order, not at the same time. Like copying disks using old programs (discology, handy man etc)

[ikonsgr]

It's because of my english What i mean is; both drive work together but in order, not at the same time. Like copying disks using old programs (discology, handy man etc)

I think i have your solution, for what you most probable want to do:
|DISK,"imagename" to get dsk image backup from the internal 3" Drive A:
|DSK,"imagename",2 copy directly, the same image to external 3.5" Drive B: 

[unay]

It's because of my english What i mean is; both drive work together but in order, not at the same time. Like copying disks using old programs (discology, handy man etc)

I think i have your solution, for what you most probable want to do:
|DISK,"imagename" to get dsk image backup from the internal 3" Drive A:
|DSK,"imagename",2 copy directly, the same image to external 3.5" Drive B: 

I have successfully write Symbos 720kb ver on 3.5" disk. But i cant write Street Fighter 2 (2021) Beta.dsk. At the end of the writing image, it says "cant access the image." Looks like its about the SF2 images format. I attached the file. Any thoughts? 

[ikonsgr]

But i cant write Street Fighter 2 (2021) Beta.dsk. At the end of the writing image, it says "cant access the image." Looks like its about the SF2 images format. I attached the file. Any thoughts?

This usually happens when the reported number of tracks in dsk image header, is different from the actual number of tracks written in the image file. In most cases, this doesn't affect the transfer, and you should get a good & working floppy disk. Anyway,i correct the image and now it should be written without any errors.

[unay]

Thanks bro. This one works fine.

[unay]

By the way, it works both 3" and 3.5" on my 6128.

[unay]

Hi everyone,

I Wonder if ıts possible to make a save state on ulifac, like m4 board?

Also, @ikonsgr my neighbor
Sometimes ulifac doesnt start properly. I have to reset several times or cut the power off and try again and again. Buttons are working but ulifac screen wont appear. Is it about the rom number or else?
Buy the way i'm using it on the 6128 that i repair. Remember, it has some path damages at the 40025 and 40015. Are theese repairs can cause the problem?

[ikonsgr]

I Wonder if ıts possible to make a save state on ulifac, like m4 board?

I suppose you mean to save a snapshot. Unfortunately this requires constant watch of several I/O outputs "on the fly", in order to save the current state of CPC (like registers of CPU, 6845CRT, 8255 I/O, upper/lower rom state, Rom number selection, memory configuration etc), which needs a lot of extra logic for the various address decoding and also very fast MCU response in order to do all parameter savings "on the fly". This can be done directly using the "monster" 32bit ARM MCU of M4 board, but it's not possible with the 8bit PIC MCU of ULIfAC board.

Also, @ikonsgr my neighbor
Sometimes ulifac doesnt start properly. I have to reset several times or cut the power off and try again and again. Buttons are working but ulifac screen wont appear. Is it about the rom number or else?
Buy the way i'm using it on the 6128 that i repair. Remember, it has some path damages at the 40025 and 40015. Are theese repairs can cause the problem?

Well, if the same ULIfAC works ok on different CPC, then obviously the problem has to do with the specific CPC. This kind of behavior, most times caused by bad contact of 50pin expansion edge connector, but since this is a damaged & repaired CPC, it might have a different issue 

[unay]

Thanks for quick response bro.

[ivavilagu]

Hi guys,

I load a binary file without problem from a dsk but in direct mode run"file.bin" generates error 'line too long'. Does anyone know the cause?

[Mark_wllms]

Hi guys,

I load a binary file without problem from a dsk but in direct mode run"file.bin" generates error 'line too long'. Does anyone know the cause?

I believe there were problems running binary files with some older firmwares. Do you know what version you have?

[ikonsgr]

Hi guys,

I load a binary file without problem from a dsk but in direct mode run"file.bin" generates error 'line too long'. Does anyone know the cause?

Can you be more specific? There are quite a few games that use a binary file with track/sector loader, and not amsdos file access routines, these binary files can be executed only from dsk image.

[ivavilagu]

Hi guys,

I load a binary file without problem from a dsk but in direct mode run"file.bin" generates error 'line too long'. Does anyone know the cause?

Can you be more specific? There are quite a few games that use a binary file with track/sector loader, and not amsdos file access routines, these binary files can be executed only from dsk image.

I´m making a frontend for loading games (like your file_manager), using cpctelera framework. Loading the dsk file with |mg and making run"xxx.bin" file loads without problem.

If I put the bin file into usb root folder and try to load with run"xxx.bin" the error 'line too long' appears (previosly doing |EN, of course)

Trying to load from |fm the error also appears.

[ivavilagu]

Ulifac firmware? The last. I bought the card recently.

[ikonsgr]

Hi guys,

I load a binary file without problem from a dsk but in direct mode run"file.bin" generates error 'line too long'. Does anyone know the cause?

Can you be more specific? There are quite a few games that use a binary file with track/sector loader, and not amsdos file access routines, these binary files can be executed only from dsk image.

I´m making a frontend for loading games (like your file_manager), using cpctelera framework. Loading the dsk file with |mg and making run"xxx.bin" file loads without problem.

If I put the bin file into usb root folder and try to load with run"xxx.bin" the error 'line too long' appears (previosly doing |EN, of course)

Trying to load from |fm the error also appears.

How do you get the binary file? Perhaps the binary file you create doesn't have an amsdos header.
Did you try to extract binary from dsk, with cpcdiskxp or by using |EXT command?

[ivavilagu]

Hi guys,

I load a binary file without problem from a dsk but in direct mode run"file.bin" generates error 'line too long'. Does anyone know the cause?

Can you be more specific? There are quite a few games that use a binary file with track/sector loader, and not amsdos file access routines, these binary files can be executed only from dsk image.

I´m making a frontend for loading games (like your file_manager), using cpctelera framework. Loading the dsk file with |mg and making run"xxx.bin" file loads without problem.

If I put the bin file into usb root folder and try to load with run"xxx.bin" the error 'line too long' appears (previosly doing |EN, of course)

Trying to load from |fm the error also appears.

How do you get the binary file? Perhaps the binary file you create doesn't have an amsdos header.
Did you try to extract binary from dsk, with cpcdiskxp or by using |EXT command?

I copy cpctelera bin file to USB. 
Tomorrow will try to extract file from dsk and run it. Maybe final compiled file does not have amsdos header

[Mark_wllms]

I Wonder if ıts possible to make a save state on ulifac, like m4 board?

I have done this successfully on the USIFAC II by chaining my Multiface 2 onto the USIFAC and saving snapshots onto the emulated disk.

It works even better if you mount an empty disk and then load the game from a snapshot.

[ivavilagu]

Problem solved. Final CPCtelera binary files don´t have amsdos header. Automatically adding it with addamsdosheader