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ParanoidLittleMan

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Posts posted by ParanoidLittleMan

  1. Posted

    Those head jumps in and out indicate that track seek works not - it can't read track number from disk. Last chance is to clean drive heads, use another floppy disk - some are in so bad shape that magnetic surface wears off, and that's what goes on heads - so get rid of if see signs of wearing. I had such problem couple times.

    And 1.44 drive can work in DD mode. Actually, in some ST only in that mode. But question is is it Atari compatible - if not need to change some line connections. Like swapping lines 10 and 12 . Then ensure that HD/DD line is properly connected - to GND or +5V - sorry, I don't keep it in my head so need to look about it online.

    Can get some clue here: http://atari.8bitchip.info/flomodam.html

    And yes, there is little harder problem to solve - disk change detection, but that is not relevant for start - it will work with not Atari compatible drive without that mod, only danger is when changing not copy protected disks.

  4. Posted

    9 hours ago, SoulBuster said:

     

    As I understand it, other preservation initiatives try to preserve in the original format of the software. I think I accomplished it with this title and the MSA program I am using.  The fact that I cannot make it back into a disk really is not relevant as the data can be extracted and installed with out the original format.

     

    Thanks for verifying that result.

    Sure, I'm aware that we need preservation in original format (although some can say that there are better formats for that than ST images, even if SW is not copy protected).  But, to use it, or as said just to 'verify' image (via running files on it, or unpacking archive) often some other format is much better.   And what is more important - to have it strictly in original format, or to make it easier usable.  Computer SW is not like some painting. You want not only to look at it, but to taste it too 🙂

  5. Posted

    I copied files from Gem-View floppy image to hard disk. Depacked LZH, and it is then about 220 KB instead 160 KB - so was solved that it fits on single SD floppy - what was, it seems most important thing in the World those years 🙂 OK, this was for sure for people with hard disk, so no big problem, and luckily, disk is still in good shape, and we have it now for whole digital eternity.

  7. Posted

    21 hours ago, SoulBuster said:

    Gem-View - The disk format is 2 Sides, 82 Tracks, 11 Sectors/Track, Step 3ms, Skew 1, Fatlen 3, Sect/Cluster 2, DirLen 8, Dir Entry Count 128, Boot Sector Normal.  I was not able to make it back into a disk.

    Gem-View.ZIP 816.36 kB · 3 downloads

     

    It's best to put so large formats/sizes on HD floppy. Will check later how it works from 1.44 MB format.

    Hmm, quick look into DIR says that there is some packed data - so more reasons to go on larger format, and if possible have it unpacked on.

  8. Posted

    It is known fact that without disk in floppy drive there is longer delay until Desktop shows.  Then, if there is disk in drive, but file DESKTOP.INF is corrupted it may be that will get empty Desktop. And in this case most likely: there is HW failure, and that causes this problem.

     

    What can do:  try with another drive, good one. If it works fine, can read and write to disks then it is clear case.

    If works not with good drive (what is properly connected, powered) then failure is in Atari. And that's longer story.

     

    To add, that any floppy drive is now very old. Buying other, trying to fix - may be expensive, questionable how useful it is, how long will last.

    More and more people goes on replacement solution. Ton of threads about it here ...

  9. Posted

    Nice too see people take effort and time about preservation - and indeed, we are in last years, maybe decade-two when floppy disks old over 30 years still are in relative good shape and can be read error less.

    Looked that repository at Mega - lot of new titles since I  looked it last time.

    And that reminds me on my missing flawless images of games list - there is thread at atari-forum about it, for some 10 years.

    And just from top of head:  Son Shu Shi,  Jinks - still no good images of them. 

    Worst is that whole idea of doing some database about available images, with added comments about how good, how well tested it is, plus possible limitations - like TOS v. compatibility, etc - just ignored .  I know that it is easier to just DL and DL, but how about quality ahead quantity ?

     

  11. Posted

    Just finished game selection and start menu program. It took more time than expected, and I used little unusual way - it works via editing DESKOP.INF or NEWDESK.INF for TOS 2.06 - what results in opening window with game's DIR in Desktop - then can start game, or maybe something not so popular - reading README.TXT for game 🙂

    Opening game's DIR is essential because state saves, which must be done in that DIR, and sometimes there are multiple launchers.

     

    • Like 1

  13. Posted

    Glad to hear that made it.  I never needed folder 100 or like. At least not with usual TOS 1.04 and later.  Find little strange that on small partitions of some 30 MB it popped up, and with TOS 2.06 (Mega STE) .

    I added folder 100 code only in driver with image with 1000 games, special for TOS 1.00-1.02 - and actually more benefit was from going on more smaller partitions than it.

    And I think that it's not only depth of folders but their total count on partition what makes problem too.

    But in this case, I guess that cause was that 2 different drivers were active.   I made some special driver versions for Mega STE, but it needs to set internal drive target to 3, UltraSatan to 0-1 . Then all it is accessed with single driver.

  15. Posted

    You need to run direct runnable driver, what is part of US driver SW package: US10R.PRG - from floppy (simplest), or from C after it autoboots from internal drive (for that you need to copy it there from floppy). Then will have those partitions H-M (if G is last on internal) on UltraSatan and can copy complete content of internal drive to SD card.

  16. Posted

    Patience, pls. Since internal drive is 0, it autoboots from it. But that driver most likely just can not handle partitions on US.

    And TOS 2.06 prevents additional autoboots from other hard disks (with good reason). So, you need to run UltraSatan driver manually.

    And depending on driver, that can be not so simple too. Hddriver tends to kill driver already active - so you may loose internal drive.

    Pls. write here which driver is on internal drive, and what is installed on first card of US .

  18. Posted

    14 hours ago, RetromaniaPT said:

    Hi,

     

    Thanks for your replies ;)

    If i buy one of those chips with a newer version of TOS, is there any soldering required? or i can easily remove them because they are installed in sockets?

     

    Btw whats the last version of tos? 2.06?

     

    @anzac

    Whats the advantage of that dual solution you told me about?

     

    Thanks!

    In case of STE it is in sockets, 99.9% . You can open it and look. 2x 32 pin chips, or less chance 2x 28 pin chips, but sockets are 32 pin always.

    TOS 2.06 is last one good for ST, STE . But it is not so good for gaming. Has some advantages over 1.62 - better Desktop for instance.

    Dual TOS is good because you can set one, what is better for your current session.  I used even quad TOS in STE - still 2x 32 pin EPROMs, so goes in original sockets, needs couple switches, resistors. Then can go on 1.62, 2.06 and some modded TOS, or other languages .

     

    And now comes a question: which language, since there is no Portugal TOS v. ?

     

    Btw. I solved multilingual TOS 1.04 (very similar to 1.62) . Can select UK, De, Fr, ES after reset. And it is complete - not only text (messages) are what changes, but keyboard mapping/tables, special code for each lang. in keyboard reading part. Only thing I couldn't do are that keyboard caps changing too 😄  And all it fits in original space thanks to packing and optimizing.  Can do same with 1.62 .

     

    • Like 1

  21. Posted

    That 50 Hz in Eu and 60 Hz in US for TV half picture scan freq. is certainly because of frequencies of electric power, which are established much earlier.

    And the reason was, as is said here too to avoid some rolling bars, rolling edges left and right. It was in time of early tube based TV-s, before transistor is invented. Those TVs just did not have so good voltage filtering, and no internal voltage stabilizer. It was common practice to use external voltage "stabilizators" - as it was called here - box with some special transformers, larger condenzator (capacitor) what gave stable 220V voltage to TV while input voltage was in range of some 180-240 V.  

    Later TVs, which were manufactured in 70-es were in big part transistor and even IC based. And there were voltage stabilizers too. Which gave pretty stable and wave less output voltage. So, whole thing with matching freq. of power and video was not interesting anymore. Especially when people started to watch satellite TV - in 80-es. And same is with computers, monitors.  How on Earth SM124 with it's 71 Hz video freq has no 'rolling bars' in America ?

     

    Now, back to topic. That SC1224 monitor was for longer time out of usage, as is told in first post here. That self is bad thing. And it is over 30 years old now. So, expecting it to work well is too optimistic.  I had cases when TV what was not so young, but not older than 30 years was out of usage over years.

    They turned it off and saw unstable picture, waving. Typical case of bad voltage filtering - classic electrolyte capacitor weakening. So, brought to my service, and I told them that needs some repair, and little more test time - like 5 days. And with reason - some components broke during test time. Once even one larger electrolyte capacitor exploded near to my head, and aluminium case hit my ceiling. And some transistors, diodes, and probably worst thing: high voltage transformers broke. Latest was hard to find even when TVs, monitors were not so old - now impossible. And even if find, that will cost plenty.

    That was something like worst case, as example.  And please stop with ideas like "What about changing the VHOLD and HOLD controls in the back of the monitor" .  There are hundreds of components inside monitor/TV, and any of it can broke. Older one - any of it certainly breaks. Or more of them.

    As much time was spent with this thread, I think that is worth to remind: "time is money" . And new TVs are cheap now.

  24. Posted

    Sorry, but Hatari is not criteria. I tested all it on real HW. 

    To give answer need more details about Hatari settings .  There are some which need little better knowledge - like CPU settings etc.

    And I recommend to go with good old Steem 3.2 (not Steem SSE). Much better for beginners, and by me better overall. If nothing else, less hard things for setting.

     

  25. Posted

    I made special image for TOS 1.00 and 1.02 couple couples of months ago.  https://www.mediafire.com/file/hgkdnnwym334ilg/1000GamesT02.zip/file

    Which is btw. most downloaded one . So, most of Atari ST users is still on those pre-neandertal TOS versions ?  😄

    Why would showing TOS version mean that it must work under it ? It is noted in README.TXT normally. But things are that practically all it works under TOS 1.00 and 1.02 too. However, not from that 1000 games on 1 GB image, that's made with TOS 1.04 min in mind.  Some things need to be set different in hard disk partitions for TOS 1.00 and 1.02 - and not only keeping partition size under 256 MB.

     

    And when it is popped out, I must say that got some bad experiences in e-mails . Problems with ST machines, better with STE . And not because TOS version.

    The worst part is bunch of total inaccurate claims. And worse is that there are some things which are very easy to check. Still, incorrect writes.

    Then, they use my SW, my images without consultation, and I don't see that are aware about many mass storage on Atari relevant things.

    Plus, there are indications that some people spreads copyrighted driver SW too. Yeah, that's easier than spending time with collecting facts, doing tests, SW ...

     

     

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