Problem with emulators

[Geekyguy]

Hello, I seem to be having some problems with my emulators:

I'm using windows 2000.

 

Stella: When I load the rom it always acts like I'm holding the left arrow key down and sometimes the up arrow key.

I got Stella working fine on a different pc(it also uses windows 2000), but I can only use that computer on the weekend.(it's at a different house)

 

Z26: Works perfectly except after about 5 minutes of playing it always tells me:

"Couldn't lock display surface: DirectDrawSurface3::Lock: Surface was lost

 

Exiting..."

 

Pcae: Can't download it. It says I need Fileplanet subscription. I'm lucky my Mom let me register to AtariAge, and I'd need to pay for it.

 

If you know any other emulators, or how to get around one of these problems please let me know.

 

Thanks.

Edited May 31, 2006 by Geekyguy

[+SpiceWare]

On Stella - is there a joystick plugged in? Try moving it all 4 directions so it'll be calibrated.

 

Not familiar with the others.

[Eckhard Stolberg]

Z26: Works perfectly except after about 5 minutes of playing it always tells me:

"Couldn't lock display surface: DirectDrawSurface3::Lock: Surface was lost

 

Exiting..."

That's an error message from the SDL library using DirectX. I've never seen it before in z26. What version of DirectX and what graphic card do you use? Maybe updating DirectX and your graphic card drivers would help.

 

 

Ciao, Eckhard Stolberg

[vdub_bobby]

Also, PCAE can be downloaded from other places that don't require a registration and/or money. I think the latest version has been posted here on AA in a couple of places. Try searching the forums.

 

Of course, that said, you'll be better off getting Stella or z26 to work - PCAE is pretty outdated and not actively supported anymore.

[Danno]

Are you using a Windowblinds/theme skinning program or a "Dock" shortcut bar like object dock?

 

Some of them don't play nicely with SDL dependant programs like z26.

[+batari]

Z26: Works perfectly except after about 5 minutes of playing it always tells me:

"Couldn't lock display surface: DirectDrawSurface3::Lock: Surface was lost

 

Exiting..."

That's an error message from the SDL library using DirectX. I've never seen it before in z26. What version of DirectX and what graphic card do you use? Maybe updating DirectX and your graphic card drivers would help.

 

 

Ciao, Eckhard Stolberg

I see it all the time.

 

This happens when you press the windows menu shortcut key on your keyboard, which happen to be right next to the CTRL key for firing. Windows then proceeds to go back to the desktop, thinking you wanted to press the "start" button, and z26, which was full-screen, freaks out.

 

If your trigger finger (or thumb) wanders too much as mine does, try first going ALT-ENTER in z26 to run in windowed mode, then the error will not occur.

[Geekyguy]

Thanks for the replies.

On Stella - is there a joystick plugged in? Try moving it all 4 directions so it'll be calibrated.

 

Not familiar with the others.

I didn't even think about checking the joystick. It works now. I'm a little embarassed about that. Thanks.

 

That's an error message from the SDL library using DirectX. I've never seen it before in z26. What version of DirectX and what graphic card do you use? Maybe updating DirectX and your graphic card drivers would help.

 

 

Ciao, Eckhard Stolberg

I have no idea what my graphics card is, but I'm using directX9.0b. I've used other programs that use DirectX and haven't hade any problems. One intersting thing I noticed about it though is it gives me the error at random times even in the same game. I've tried other roms, but it just appears to be random.

Thanks again.

[+batari]

One intersting thing I noticed about it though is it gives me the error at random times even in the same game. I've tried other roms, but it just appears to be random.

Thanks again.

Re-read my response.

[Geekyguy]

One intersting thing I noticed about it though is it gives me the error at random times even in the same game. I've tried other roms, but it just appears to be random.

Thanks again.

Re-read my response.

You see I don't see how that could be, because that key on my computer is WAY too far away from the control key(Key's are arranged differently), and sometimes it gives me the error before the rom even loads.

[+batari]

One intersting thing I noticed about it though is it gives me the error at random times even in the same game. I've tried other roms, but it just appears to be random.

Thanks again.

Re-read my response.

You see I don't see how that could be, because that key on my computer is WAY too far away from the control key(Key's are arranged differently), and sometimes it gives me the error before the rom even loads.

So maybe this isn't the cause, but pressing ALT-ENTER to use windowed mode should solve the problem nonetheless.

[Geekyguy]

So maybe this isn't the cause, but pressing ALT-ENTER to use windowed mode should solve the problem nonetheless.

Well that does seem to solve the problem. As long as the rom manages to load first. Thanks for the help.