X-MEM, a new memory expansion for all CPC.

[CPC_Fan]

Thanks Craig. I thought that it would be something easy like that, but I wasn't sure.


Now all I need to do is to figure out how to get .ROM files/images onto a Amsdos formatted 3.5 inch floppy disc using windows.

[CraigsBar]

Thanks Craig. I thought that it would be something easy like that, but I wasn't sure.


Now all I need to do is to figure out how to get .ROM files/images onto a Amsdos formatted 3.5 inch floppy disc using windows.

a combination of winape and cpcdiskxp.

Winape to copy the files onto a dsk image (and test them) then cpcdiskxp to write that disk to a floppy.

You have a real floppy drive in your pc right, not just a USB one?

[CPC_Fan]

Ah I see. I take it that it's fairly easy to make a dsk image in Winape? How do I do it? Sorry for all the questions Craig. It's just that I've not done this sort of thing before and I want to make sure that I get it right first time.


Yes it is a real floppy drive in the pc that I use for copying Amstrad stuff on to 

[Bryce]

TFMs ROManager is much more comfortable / user-friendly for managing the slots on the x-mem (or any other Flash ROMBoard).

Bryce.

[CraigsBar]

Ah I see. I take it that it's fairly easy to make a dsk image in Winape? How do I do it? Sorry for all the questions Craig. It's just that I've not done this sort of thing before and I want to make sure that I get it right first time.


Yes it is a real floppy drive in the pc that I use for copying Amstrad stuff on to 

OK, From memory, as I have only OSX hardware now, in WinAPE there is an option to insert a disc image, on that screen there is a button to edit the DSK. If you click that it opens the DSK editor.


In here you can create a new DSK image and drag and drop files from the Windows file system to the DSK image.


Once you have added your files and sved the DSK file, you can open with WinAPE and check the files are actually there and working correctly, then close WinAPE, open CPCDiskXP and copy the DSK file to the physical floppy disk.


If all goes well then you have an AmsDOS formatted 3.5inch disc that you can use on the CPC.


As I said in the other thread, if you remind me of your  postal address I'll send you a copy of my ROM Essentials floppy disc Romdos 716k format.


Craig

[CPC_Fan]

Thanks for the run down Craig.

[CraigsBar]

Thanks for the run down Craig.

Oh I have just remembered how you can get into Parados when you have the bugged xmem rom files....


If you boot the CPC with the ESC key held down, ie. press and hold ESC then power on the CPC, DO NOT release the ESC key until the first *Break* message is shown will disable all roms except 9, thus the Expansion rom is Slot 1 is disabled.


This will then allow access to Parados with |drive as the RamDrive is not enabled and |drive is not interrupted between basic and Parados. It's cumbersome, but it works.


Craig

[TFM]

You mean 6, not 9!? Do you?


Eventually 6 turned out to be 9! Oh, if Jimmy would have known...

[CraigsBar]

You mean 6, not 9!? Do you?


Eventually 6 turned out to be 9! Oh, if Jimmy would have known...

no no. I meant 7 not 9 ;-)

[TFM]

Uups. Sorry, wrong video!


Well, happy weekend then!

[Singaja]

Hiya,
I'd like to clarify how X-Mem is intended to work. So the fuzz seems to be about the rom slot 7 which contains the Amsdos(or Parados or ACMEDOS in the future) rom for IO disk operations. Preferably I'm not after messing with the physical rom chip on my Amstrad, because I'm afraid something can go really wrong rendering my beloved machine dead. So anyway if I go for X-Mem while it's connected can it load up the lower rom 7 by itself or do I need something like Bryce's solution LowerROM - CPCWiki between the Amstrad's edge expansion port and the X-Mem's "motherboard" for it to work?

[TFM]

Sounds like you confuse lots of things here. TotO explained it all in the X-MEM docs. So in brief:


- The X-MEM can replace the lower ROM.
- The X-MEM does NOT replace ROM 7 because on some motherboards it could cause problems.

[Singaja]

Ok, so it seems X-Mem on it's own is the ultimate rom/ram CPC solution.
To clear further doubts:
- The only viable option of changing ROM7 is physically replacing the chip, right?
- Using x-mem if I load a DOS-rom like Parados (and pressumably ACMEDOS in the future) to slot 1 , will my cpc on power up will boot up with the parados "welcome screen" and be able to access the additional space on floppys? Or maybe slot 7 is the only way to achieve this?

[TFM]

Ok, so it seems X-Mem on it's own is the ultimate rom/ram CPC solution.

It's the best you can buy now. But 4 MB of RAM would be better of course 

- The only viable option of changing ROM7 is physically replacing the chip, right?

It depends on your PCB, my 6128 has no problem if an external card replaces ROM 7. But other PCB versions do.

[Singaja]

I inspected my 6128's board and it looks most closely to MC20000C and MC20000B. My Z80 chip has 8622 written on it , and the Amstad 40010 chip has 28622. What are my options?

[gerald]

It depends on your PCB, my 6128 has no problem if an external card replaces ROM 7. But other PCB versions do.

I think we had this discussion many times and you should better stop saying that is PCB dependant.
There is NO WAY to disable the internal AMSDOS ROM on ANY 6128 PCB, whatever the revision. Only the Plus range allow this.
The fact that yours is working is just a lucky conjunction. It may fail at any time by either damaging the internal or external ROM.

I inspected my 6128's board and it looks most closely to MC20000C and MC20000B. My Z80 chip has 8622 written on it , and the Amstad 40010 chip has 28622. What are my options?

The only proper option are :
- remove the AMSDOS ROM and use an external extension that can replace ROM7 (The XMEM cannot do that)
- put the AMSDOS ROM on socket and put a your select ROM7 in the socket (EPROM)
- do what every one does, put alternate ROM in slot below 7, as they are supposed to work 

[Singaja]

The only proper option are :
- remove the AMSDOS ROM and use an external extension that can replace ROM7 (The XMEM cannot do that)
- put the AMSDOS ROM on socket and put a your select ROM7 in the socket (EPROM)
- do what every one does, put alternate ROM in slot below 7, as they are supposed to work 

Thanks gerald for your insight. So if I'm after alternative slot 7 rom (i.e. Parados) , after unsoldering the original rom and soldering the rom socket to the physical rom slot 7 to alternate between vanilla Amsdom rom and Parados and other forthcoming awesome roms I would unscrew the amstrad case to open it and physically replace it? And that's the best possible solution?

[Singaja]

- do what every one does, put alternate ROM in slot below 7, as they are supposed to work 

Wait that made me think. So let's focus on Parados for now. Using X-mem if I put it in slot 6, will it override the IO disk handling of internal Amsdos rom on slot 7? So is there a point for replacing the rom 7 at all if I aim for external hardware like x-mem?

[CraigsBar]

I think we had this discussion many times and you should better stop saying that is PCB dependant.
There is NO WAY to disable the internal AMSDOS ROM on ANY 6128 PCB, whatever the revision. Only the Plus range allow this.
The fact that yours is working is just a lucky conjunction. It may fail at any time by either damaging the internal or external ROM.
The only proper option are :
- remove the AMSDOS ROM and use an external extension that can replace ROM7 (The XMEM cannot do that)
- put the AMSDOS ROM on socket and put a your select ROM7 in the socket (EPROM)
- do what every one does, put alternate ROM in slot below 7, as they are supposed to work 

Sorry @gerald, I am with @TFM on this. I have both an Amstrad CPC 6128, and a Schneider badged one. On both of these my symbiface perfectly well replaced the soldered internal amsdos and replaces it with parados in slot 7. I do believe that there are only 3 specific machines that this works on. And that @TFM has one, and I have the other 2 seems unlikely.

[CraigsBar]

Wait that made me think. So let's focus on Parados for now. Using X-mem if I put it in slot 6, will it override the IO disk handling of internal Amsdos rom on slot 7? So is there a point for replacing the rom 7 at all if I aim for external hardware like x-mem?

Yes there is... 2 reasons in fact....

1. With parados is slot 6 software that resets ROMs and initialises only 0 and 7 will not work on any extended format disc.

And 2. You will be using a ROM slot that you don't need to! You have only 16 or 32. So every one is precious.

[Singaja]

I'd luv to see a noob guide on this matter  Anyway X-Mem by design I presume does not allow to replace rom7 (because most Amstrad pre-Plus PCBs won't allow it). I might by lucky enough (or not) that my MC20000C/MC20000B would still allow it without any internal modifications , but which hardware is for the job of providing rom slot7? (apart from Symbiface which might be hard to get)

[gerald]

Sorry @gerald, I am with @TFM on this. I have both an Amstrad CPC 6128, and a Schneider badged one. On both of these my symbiface perfectly well replaced the soldered internal amsdos and replaces it with parados in slot 7. I do believe that there are only 3 specific machines that this works on. And that @TFM has one, and I have the other 2 seems unlikely.

You can be sorry 
If you're with TFM on this, can you list how to identify a CPC that will work without any doubt with an external ROM7, without first plugging the extension ?
What you see is a mix of component pad drive/level characteristics, that magically works on your CPC. But you have no way to tell which board will work without trying.
So telling someone that some board work is somehow telling them buy all CPC the can until you find one that work.
Not a good advice !

I'd luv to see a noob guide on this matter  Anyway X-Mem by design I presume does not allow to replace rom7 (because most Amstrad pre-Plus PCBs won't allow it). I might by lucky enough (or not) that my MC20000C/MC20000B would still allow it without any internal modifications , but which hardware is for the job of providing rom slot7? (apart from Symbiface which might be hard to get)

Symbiface II ? 

[Singaja]

Symbiface II ? 

Are schematics available for it?

[CraigsBar]

Are schematics available for it?

Not that I know of. And the required code to run the ide, ps2 mouse, rtc etc is not available either.

Shame really it is a awesome card, so glad I have one (and a spare)

[Singaja]

Not that I know of. And the required code to run the ide, ps2 mouse, rtc etc is not available either.

You mean not available in Basic right? SymbOS can handle those^ with the Symbiface2?