8-bit and more Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 I am trying to use Basic XL as the selected ROM when booting SIDE2. Everything works fine when entering BASIC XL but when I press the reset key it seems to do a COLD restart in ROM mode (no sparta dos loaded). If you type DOS after this reboot it takes you to the self test (on my 130XE). Any ideas why reset key is cold booting the cart? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 Is any DOS present at all? If not, DOS will invoke the self-test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 For clarity typing DOS from basic when no DOS is loaded or active jumps to the self test the same as typing BYE. The difference being the amount of available ram if any is taken up by the cartridge itself. Double check the BASICXL rom you are using in the SIDE2's rom slot. Is it modified in any way for use in other devices or the SIDE? Is it just a plain copy of the ROM as it's found in the real Cartridge? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 4 hours ago, _The Doctor__ said: Is it just a plain copy of the ROM as it's found in the real Cartridge? It is patched (by ebiguy) to run on the SIDE2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8-bit and more Posted January 19, 2021 Author Share Posted January 19, 2021 9 hours ago, flashjazzcat said: Is any DOS present at all? If not, DOS will invoke the self-test. I boot the SIDE2 with Sparta and having Basic XL as the selected ROM. When I enter CAR it goes to BasicXL. If I hit the "Reset" key, the system COLD boots to BASICXL without DOS present anymore. #1, hitting reset should just bring me back to Basic XL, not a cold boot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8-bit and more Posted January 19, 2021 Author Share Posted January 19, 2021 8 hours ago, _The Doctor__ said: For clarity typing DOS from basic when no DOS is loaded or active jumps to the self test the same as typing BYE. The difference being the amount of available ram if any is taken up by the cartridge itself. Double check the BASICXL rom you are using in the SIDE2's rom slot. Is it modified in any way for use in other devices or the SIDE? Is it just a plain copy of the ROM as it's found in the real Cartridge? I am using the Basic XL that is selected with the sidecfg.xex that comes with the Side2 version of Sparta DOS thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 9 minutes ago, 8-bit and more said: I boot the SIDE2 with Sparta and having Basic XL as the selected ROM. OK. I was (am) confused, since in your initial post, you write 'no sparta dos loaded'. There are two generations of SpartaDOS: disk-based (SpartaDOS 3.x, etc), and SDX. So you are saying that SpartaDOS X is active and you are invoking BASIC XL with the 'CAR' command? If this is the case, I cannot reproduce it here. I boot SDX on from the SIDE2 on a 1MB machine (no U1MB), type CAR, and BASIC XL starts. I press reset, it takes me to the 'Ready' prompt. I type 'DOS', it takes me back to the SDX prompt. How much RAM is on the machine? Are there any other configuration details we need to know about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8-bit and more Posted January 19, 2021 Author Share Posted January 19, 2021 1 minute ago, flashjazzcat said: OK. I was (am) confused, since in your initial post, you write 'no sparta dos loaded'. There are two generations of SpartaDOS: disk-based (SpartaDOS 3.x, etc), and SDX. So you are saying that SpartaDOS X is active and you are invoking BASIC XL with the 'CAR' command? If this is the case, I cannot reproduce it here. I boot SDX on from the SIDE2 on a 1MB machine (no U1MB), type CAR, and BASIC XL starts. I press reset, it takes me to the 'Ready' prompt. I type 'DOS', it takes me back to the SDX prompt. How much RAM is on the machine? Are there any other configuration details we need to know about? Yes, correct. SIDE2 configured with SpartaDOSX 4.49 with Basic XL chosen through sidecfg.xex Stock config.sys from CAR: Stock 130XE The exact steps to reproduce the problem(at least on my machine) #1 boot into SpartaDOSX from Side2 (switch down position) #2 enter CAR (Basic XML chosen thru sidecfg.xex) #3 as soon as BASIC XL Version 1.03 appears, press "RESET" #4 machine COLD boots and enters Basic XL (as if SIDE2 switch is in the UP position, which it is not ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8-bit and more Posted January 19, 2021 Author Share Posted January 19, 2021 14 minutes ago, flashjazzcat said: OK. I was (am) confused, since in your initial post, you write 'no sparta dos loaded'. There are two generations of SpartaDOS: disk-based (SpartaDOS 3.x, etc), and SDX. So you are saying that SpartaDOS X is active and you are invoking BASIC XL with the 'CAR' command? If this is the case, I cannot reproduce it here. I boot SDX on from the SIDE2 on a 1MB machine (no U1MB), type CAR, and BASIC XL starts. I press reset, it takes me to the 'Ready' prompt. I type 'DOS', it takes me back to the SDX prompt. How much RAM is on the machine? Are there any other configuration details we need to know about? The strange thing is if I enter BASIC XL and then immediately return to DOS and then go back to CAR, everything works fine from then on. It only has the issue if I press "RESET" on entering BASIC XL the first time and do nothing else. It's as if maybe something in DOS memory is getting whacked the first time I enter CAR and press RESET... weired Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 Tried a 128K machine: still works. Be sure you have the latest ROMs from my website, and use the corresponding SIDECFG.XEX (i.e. the most recent, on the toolkit disk). Eric's OSS patches are a black box as far as I'm concerned, although if I could actually duplicate the issue, I'd be happy to at least look into it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8-bit and more Posted January 19, 2021 Author Share Posted January 19, 2021 2 minutes ago, flashjazzcat said: Tried a 128K machine: still works. Be sure you have the latest ROMs from my website, and use the corresponding SIDECFG.XEX (i.e. the most recent, on the toolkit disk). Eric's OSS patches are a black box as far as I'm concerned, although if I could actually duplicate the issue, I'd be happy to at least look into it. Thanks... I just tried on a stock 800xl and it does the same behavior. Well for now I will just enter the CAR, then immediately return to DOS, then go back to CAR! whatever is happening this will work around it until further investigation. I do have the latest firmware and files loaded although I may re-flash them today just in case something is corrupt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinadan67 Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 23 hours ago, 8-bit and more said: The strange thing is if I enter BASIC XL and then immediately return to DOS and then go back to CAR, everything works fine from then on. It only has the issue if I press "RESET" on entering BASIC XL the first time and do nothing else. It's as if maybe something in DOS memory is getting whacked the first time I enter CAR and press RESET... weired My Side2 shows the exact same behavior, i tested on my 800XL with U1MB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinadan67 Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 It is the same on my 800XL with Compyshop 320 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark2008 Posted February 7, 2021 Share Posted February 7, 2021 (edited) @8-bit and more Love your videos! I also use a side2 as my "hdd" because it has that slider where you can turn off the game loader and use it in sdx mode. I carefully avoid any device that turns my computer into a game system with loader. It's probably a popular retro hobby to play games, but it just isn't mine. Anyway, so your recent video was of particular interest, because my side2 does prevent the use of mac/65 (both take the cartridge port), and this tool to select mac/65 as an onboard rom, seemed quite interesting. I didn't quite understand from the video where you get the software, but after googling for a while, I eventually found this: https://atari8.co.uk/apt/toolkit/ downloaded toolkit.atr And when running SIDECFG.XEX it will just say "no cartridge present" and doesn't work. Your video in the description, does already show this link, so hmmm....guess I missed it: https://atari8.co.uk/apt/side/ Revisiting the download "side2_full_oss_carts.atr" is part of the zip and seems like the correct choice for me. I only mention this for folks, that may stumble on this very thread, like I did. For those folks - get to flashing baby....anyway, Now that it is flashed, I choose sidecfg.xex, selected mac/65, it says "Changes saved". Then I used the B option to reboot. It initially had the same issue, just using B option to reboot. Anyway, the shortest path to repeat now: Turn on machine ---> At this point at SDX prompt TYPE CAR --> At this point in Mac/65 Hit reset --> comes back to Mac/65 Type DOS -> At this point in SELF TEST Also confirmed the workaround is the same for me. Turn on machine TYPE CAR TYPE DOS TYPE CAR Hit reset TYPE DOS --> returns to SDX btw, in an earlier edit of this thread, I had mentioned that BYE also takes you to self test. Because I never used this back in the day, that didn't seem intuitive to me, but turns out that part is completely normal. From the docs "BYE will send you to the Atari Memo computer's built in diagnostics, which model of computer you have." well smm Edited February 7, 2021 by Mark2008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark2008 Posted February 7, 2021 Share Posted February 7, 2021 (edited) Tried it on my 1200XL without side2. That setup is U1MB providing SDX, with Mac/65 cart providing Mac/65. Turn on machine --->SDX prompt TYPE CAR --> in Mac/65 Hit Reset --> in Mac/65 still TYPE DOS --> Returns to SDX So it does work differently there. edit: typo Edited February 7, 2021 by Mark2008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8-bit and more Posted April 12, 2021 Author Share Posted April 12, 2021 Now I am finding that when "assembling" code under the Side2 setup if I hit the "break" key to stop assembling everything locks up.... ARGH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8-bit and more Posted April 12, 2021 Author Share Posted April 12, 2021 SO maybe I am beating a dead horse here but still looking to solve the problem of using Mac/65 with Side2 cart. I really like the setup (if it worked). Still dealing with the problem: 1) Boot computer with Side2 cart and Mac/65 ROM enabled 2) At SDX prompt type CAR 3) Hit reset after Mac/65 loads computer reboots! (arghh) If I DONT hit reset and load a source file and try assembling it works ok but If I try to stop the assembling midstream using the "break" key computer freezes Is it possible to replace the .rom code for Mac65 in the setup to try a diff version? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted April 12, 2021 Share Posted April 12, 2021 22 minutes ago, 8-bit and more said: Is it possible to replace the .rom code for Mac65 in the setup to try a diff version? @ebiguy created the patched OSS ROMs specially for SIDE2, so if any changes are required, he'd need to implement them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bee Posted April 12, 2021 Share Posted April 12, 2021 @8-bit and moreDo you have a Windows 8 or 10 PC? Have you used Altera? If yes can you or anyone else seeing this on their hardware reproduce it in the emulator? If so, can you give the steps to get to your setup in Altera. Let's eliminate the use from a specific Atari or set of Ataris with a common issue only certain hardware reproduces. This may be a order of operations problem. Just my 2 cents. Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8-bit and more Posted April 13, 2021 Author Share Posted April 13, 2021 You mean Altirra? Is there a SIDE 2 rom image to use with that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazzspeed Posted April 13, 2021 Share Posted April 13, 2021 51 minutes ago, 8-bit and more said: You mean Altirra? Is there a SIDE 2 rom image to use with that? Last time I set up SIDE2 under Altirra I just used the standard ROM image. https://atari8.co.uk/firmware/side/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bee Posted April 13, 2021 Share Posted April 13, 2021 @8-bit and more Yes Altirra, my bad, fat fingered it. In the current Altirra install it's configurable - You would use the same file you are using for your Side2. Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinadan67 Posted April 13, 2021 Share Posted April 13, 2021 (edited) I tried the same on my 576XE with Side2 cartridge. If i try to interrupt assembly with the break key, the computer hangs. Reset does not reboot the computer, instead takes me back to Mac/65. But SpartaDOS is then gone, no loading from CF is possible, typing "DOS" takes me to self test. On the other hand, doing the same with my Side3 cartridge works flawlessly, break and reset behave as expected. It seems Side2 is not ideal for Mac/65 development, maybe you should sell the Side2 and get a Side3 instead. Edited April 13, 2021 by Dinadan67 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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