Help with using M4

villain · 20:19, 17 February 17

After I completed my CPC setup with a PSU and a scart-cable I actually found the time to try to set up my M4 (after moooooonths). I succesfully updated it to the latest firmware and connected it with the WiFi.

What I was looking for now is a short how-to concerning filling the SD-card with software (dsk or no dsk). Maybe those informations are buried in the big M4-thread but I didn't find them. What I already did was copying some dsk-files to the SD-card. I created subdirectories for this purpose, but those seem to be empty. What would be the correct approach? Example would be helpful...

Next step would be to get YANCC running. I have no experience from the past with ROMboxes and ROMs... How could I get YANCC on the M4, step by step? Next thing would be to write dsk to real discs. But I think I already found this information in the YANCC-documentation.

Thanks for bringing me and my CPC into the 21st century. :-)

SRS · 22:34, 17 February 17

Arm, maybe I understand you falsch , but:
(from http://www.spinpoint.org/cpc/m4info.txt)

First type: |netstat to see if you are connected, or there's some error. If connected, it will display your IP number. You can type this into firefox browser (other browsers may be fine, that's just what I used) or the netbios name, and access the rest of the configuration from there under settings. When using netbios name, make sure you type it like this: http://CPC6128   (remember the http) It might take a bit the first time as your computer will have to associate the netbios name to the IP. Similar when using the IP number http://192.168.1.20  (what you used or got from |netstat)

Using that on PC you can use "FILES" to transfer DSK and other stuff to M4 which stores it on your SD.

See: http://www.spinpoint.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/m4config6128.jpg

Duke · 10:21, 18 February 17

Quote from: villain on 20:19, 17 February 17
What I already did was copying some dsk-files to the SD-card. I created subdirectories for this purpose, but those seem to be empty. What would be the correct approach? Example would be helpful...

This is really all you should need to do. Once you have a .dsk image or a directory with files.

|cd,"somedsk.dsk" or |cd,"somedir"
cat
run"whatever

SOS · 14:59, 18 February 17

YANCC:
Start the "Config.bas" and answer at least the both question "Direct-Boot" with No (you don't need this feature, when you have a M4-Card).
(Tip: Start the DSK-Image with e.g. WinApe, Run "config.bas" and copy the new written ROM-File with WinApe to your local Windows Drive).
Place the new written ROM-File first, after that the 2.nd ROM, example:
Slot 12: YANCC-CO.rom
Slot 14: Launcher.rom

You can upload the ROMs with the WebFrontend of the M4-Card (see posting from SRS).

"Next thing would be to write dsk to real discs"
At the Moment, YANCC didn't support the floppies (you can only copy DSK to SD-Card directories).
I'm actual working on this and I hope to release it soon.

villain · 17:34, 18 February 17

Quote from: Duke on 10:21, 18 February 17
This is really all you should need to do. Once you have a .dsk image or a directory with files.

Seems that my problems were caused by the PSU. Took another one, that @Bryce recently recommended, and now it's working. Experimenting now, more questions will probably follow. :-)

villain · 12:46, 19 February 17

It's me again... :-)

Maybe I was dreaming this but didn't somebody make a collection/archive of software for use with M4? Patched in a way that they don't look for drive A but working completely from the SD?

Duke · 15:26, 19 February 17

Quote from: villain on 12:46, 19 February 17
It's me again... :-)

Maybe I was dreaming this but didn't somebody make a collection/archive of software for use with M4? Patched in a way that they don't look for drive A but working completely from the SD?

You are probably thinking of this collection: http://www.amstrad.es/cpcgamescd/NVG_CPCLoader_Games_Collection.zip

But they aren't particularily patched, for good success use modified lowerrom (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/M4_Board under Various files) if you use a CPC6128.
If you use 464/664/PLUS just set M4 rom to 7.

villain · 14:28, 01 April 17

One question again... I would like to write for example the .dsks of Imperial Mahjong and Pinball Dreams to a real 3" disk. Is it possbile? How? I managed this way for testing purposes with smaller .dsks (Flynn's Hero e.g.) by using the funny tool of @rafa32gr... My spanish seems to work better than my cpcish...

rafa32gr · 16:27, 01 April 17

Hello
I tried to implement this funcionality using writedsk from Arkos ROM pack, but unfortunately it seems to be incompatible with M4 board.

I currently do that with dsk-cpc utility from divine coding.

If you think its a good funcionality to my menu i promise to try to implement this in next updates.

Copy files from a dsk to a floppy is still possible pressing F key while you are selecting a file.

rafa32gr · 16:33, 01 April 17

Quote from: villain on 12:46, 19 February 17
It's me again... :-)

Maybe I was dreaming this but didn't somebody make a collection/archive of software for use with M4? Patched in a way that they don't look for drive A but working completely from the SD?

I dont try all games i upload to amstrad.esy.es (yet) but nearly 90% of they (1000 games aprox), runs perfectly on a 464 gate array 40007 with a M4 board attached.

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Help with using M4