Ultimate 1MB, SIDE3 and CAR command

[fasteddy]

I have recently installed an Ultimate 1MB in an Atari 800XL and am using it with a SIDE3 Cartridge. It seems to be mostly working as it should except for an issue I’m having when I attempt to use the CAR command. When I am in SpartaDOS I believe that I should be able to type CAR (enter) and that should take me back to the Loader screen of the SIDE3 cartridge. In XL mode while in SpartaDOS if I type CAR, I get the response “Not present!”. In 800 mode I noticed when going to SpartaDOS from the loader on the top of the SpartaDOS screen I am getting “Config error (179): DEVICE SIDE3” and when I type CAR I get no response, just the D1: prompt.

 

If I boot directly into SpartaDOS in 800 mode (Atari OS B PAL) I do not get this error and I am able to go to the Loader by typing CAR. But if I go back to SpartaDOS at this point I get the “Config error (179): DEVICE SIDE3” and when I type CAR, I am not able to return to the loader.

 

Again, in XL mode if I boot into SpartaDOS I am unable to go to the Loader by typing CAR and get the message “Not present!

 

Also, if I type CAR: I do get a DCAR1: prompt and am able to get a list of files when using the DIR command.

 

I also have an AVG cart, if I boot into SpartaDOS with the AVG cart installed I am able to use the CAR command to return to the AVG cart menu at least once. I am not always able to return to SpartaDOS from AVG.

 

I have disabled the ATR swap button as stated on page 24 of the Ultimate 1MB, Incognito and 1088XEL|U1MB Firmware manual. The Reference to “Side Cart ROM” on this page under “Memory and System ROMS” does not exist, so I cannot enable it as stated in the manual.

 

I have updated the Ultimate 1MB using the “firmware.atr” from “U1MB_Firmware_4.0_070721” with the “U1MBS3.ROM”. I have also updated the SIDE3 cartridge with s3loader.xex version 0.44.

 

Any help in resolving these issues with the Ultimate 1MB, SIDE3 and CAR command would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Beeblebrox]

@fasteddy  Can you post a screenshot of your U1MB's System information screen as well as the first screen (memory and system roms), and maybe the PBI Bios and hard disk screen?

 

 

[flashjazzcat]

CAR will not run the loader in a typical U1MB setup with the PBI HDD enabled (reason being that the cart ROM is suppressed, otherwise few programs would work). Start the loader by going into the U1MB setup menu and pressing L 

[fasteddy]

4 hours ago, Beeblebrox said:

@fasteddy  Can you post a screenshot of your U1MB's System information screen as well as the first screen (memory and system roms), and maybe the PBI Bios and hard disk screen?

 

 

Here are the PICS you asked for.

[fasteddy]

4 hours ago, flashjazzcat said:

CAR will not run the loader in a typical U1MB setup with the PBI HDD enabled (reason being that the cart ROM is suppressed, otherwise few programs would work). Start the loader by going into the U1MB setup menu and pressing L 

Thanks for your reply. In XL mode (XL OS 1.3) with SpartaDOS X enabled and PBI BIOS disabled, booting into SpartaDOS  I can use the CAR command and it will take me to the loader. If I return to SpartaDOS from here and use the CAR command again it will not work a second time. Is this normal behavior?

 

Also, is the option to enable Side Cart ROM under Memory and System ROMS no longer available, or was that referring to another setup?

 

I’m really enjoying the Ultimate 1MB and the SIDE3 Cart and really appreciate your work. I’m just trying to make sure everything is working as it should. Thanks, once again.

[flashjazzcat]

9 hours ago, fasteddy said:

Thanks for your reply. In XL mode (XL OS 1.3) with SpartaDOS X enabled and PBI BIOS disabled, booting into SpartaDOS  I can use the CAR command and it will take me to the loader. If I return to SpartaDOS from here and use the CAR command again it will not work a second time. Is this normal behavior?

It rather depends how you returned to SpartaDOS X. What's happened is that the external cartridge (the loader) has been disabled, which is generally the desired situation on an U1MB system (otherwise cartridge ROM at $A000 will be in the way of disk-based software) unless you explicitly started cartridge emulation.

9 hours ago, fasteddy said:

Also, is the option to enable Side Cart ROM under Memory and System ROMS no longer available, or was that referring to another setup?

Yes; that feature is specific to SIDE/SIDE2 setups. Obviously I failed to make this clear.

 

Such a feature might yet make a comeback on SIDE3 systems, depending on how the new SIDE3 loader handles cartridge 'autorun' on U1MB systems. The autorun facility causes the specified cartridge image to be silently loaded when the OS (or SDX) attempts to start the loader; what the user sees is the desired cartridge booting without the loader appearing at all. Unfortunately, U1MB needs to disable the external cartridge ROM (for the aforementioned reasons of software compatibility) until the user indicates that they want an external cartridge present, so some means will be required to make 'CAR' consistently run the external loader when the user wants an autorun cartridge to boot when they turn the machine on.

 

None of this is an issue on stand-alone SIDE3 systems, since the external cartridge is present by default (behind the SDX ROM on the cartridge itself), and CAR will consistently run the loader (and, therefore, launch an autorun cartridge image).

9 hours ago, fasteddy said:

I’m really enjoying the Ultimate 1MB and the SIDE3 Cart and really appreciate your work. I’m just trying to make sure everything is working as it should. Thanks, once again.

I'm glad to hear it, and thank you. I realise that with flexibility (which is to say, a stand-alone device which enmeshes itself closely with an internal upgrade when the latter is present) comes complexity, but as the loader and the 'theory of operation' of SIDE3 becomes more mature, hopefully the user experience will improve further.

 

[fasteddy]

7 hours ago, flashjazzcat said:

It rather depends how you returned to SpartaDOS X. What's happened is that the external cartridge (the loader) has been disabled, which is generally the desired situation on an U1MB system (otherwise cartridge ROM at $A000 will be in the way of disk-based software) unless you explicitly started cartridge emulation.

Yes; that feature is specific to SIDE/SIDE2 setups. Obviously I failed to make this clear.

 

Such a feature might yet make a comeback on SIDE3 systems, depending on how the new SIDE3 loader handles cartridge 'autorun' on U1MB systems. The autorun facility causes the specified cartridge image to be silently loaded when the OS (or SDX) attempts to start the loader; what the user sees is the desired cartridge booting without the loader appearing at all. Unfortunately, U1MB needs to disable the external cartridge ROM (for the aforementioned reasons of software compatibility) until the user indicates that they want an external cartridge present, so some means will be required to make 'CAR' consistently run the external loader when the user wants an autorun cartridge to boot when they turn the machine on.

 

None of this is an issue on stand-alone SIDE3 systems, since the external cartridge is present by default (behind the SDX ROM on the cartridge itself), and CAR will consistently run the loader (and, therefore, launch an autorun cartridge image).

I'm glad to hear it, and thank you. I realise that with flexibility (which is to say, a stand-alone device which enmeshes itself closely with an internal upgrade when the latter is present) comes complexity, but as the loader and the 'theory of operation' of SIDE3 becomes more mature, hopefully the user experience will improve further.

 

Yes, I appreciate the complexity seeing the software and hardware can be used over a wide variety of hardware. The fact that it works as well as it does is an accomplishment. It's great to see that you are continuing to work to make it better. Thanks again for your helpful input.