Re: Cartridge question
To get the cartridge working close the switch and call the boot. Something like (in Basic) def usr=0 : u=usr(0) will do a boot. poke hf346,1 _system also works very often. and it doesn't reboot first. and ofcourse you can put vdp(10)=0 first... ~Grauw -- For info, see http://www.stack.nl/~wynke/MSX/listinfo.html
Re: Cartridge question
On Tue, Mar 13, 2001 at 08:21:31AM +0100, Hans Otten wrote: Please excuse this possibly-stupid question; I'm new to MSX. ^.^;; Is it possible to boot from MSX-Basic or MSX-DOS 1 to cartridge, if the cartridge is interted after the boot/has a switch and is switched on after boot? NEVER insert a cartridge in a powered running MSX. Power off and then insert it. The chance of destroying the video chip that way is about 100%. I've done it for years now, nothing gone wrong here. Make sure you sure you insert it straight and fast. Howver there is a chance. :/ afaik it depends on the MSX type you use. I think it's more dangerous on Sony computers. Anyway, I suggest you just don't do it. I have accidentally pulled out or put in some cartridges a few times, and it went ok sometimes but I have also blown up 1 Contra game and 2 slotexpanders this way (one of the latter could be repaired fortunately). ~Grauw -- For info, see http://www.stack.nl/~wynke/MSX/listinfo.html
Re: Cartridge question
To get the cartridge working close the switch and call the boot. Something like (in Basic) def usr=0 : u=usr(0) will do a boot. poke hf346,1 _system also works very often. and it doesn't reboot first. Will CALL SYSTEM start a cartridge? hmmm maybe it was disks... haha yes ofcourse. anyways I used that trick quite often to play games like Ys at 60Hz. Start computer, switch to 60Hz, pokehf346,1, _system. However I got tired of it soon enough so then I just modified the boot sector. ~Grauw -- For info, see http://www.stack.nl/~wynke/MSX/listinfo.html
Re: Cartridge question
From: "Brendan Cross" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Cartridge question Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2001 22:12:22 -0400 Please excuse this possibly-stupid question; I'm new to MSX. ^.^;; Is it possible to boot from MSX-Basic or MSX-DOS 1 to cartridge, if the cartridge is interted after the boot/has a switch and is switched on after boot? Well you don´t tell me clear enough what you have in mind? If a cartridge is inserted it will default to the cartridge = start up the software in the cartridge. The only way to get out is usually to turn off the msx. If you want to dump a cartridge and thus want to go to basic / dos while the cartridge is inserted you have to hot plug it when the msx is turned on. It can be done by inserting the cartridge in one fast push, but It can cause permanent damage though to your msx computer. Then, yes it is possible to work around the ROM form BASIC or DOS. Greetings from Bjørn How to contact me? http://www.geocities.com/msxtrd/data.html To access my MSX homepage: http://www.trd.msxnet.org ICQ: 20449307 _ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. -- For info, see http://www.stack.nl/~wynke/MSX/listinfo.html
RE: Cartridge question
Unfortunately, that command doesn't help me much here. The problem is that cartridges use whatever video mode is active when they are booted. Therefore, even though the cartridges were written for NTSC televisions, they boot in PAL on my NTSC television. I was hoping for a way to boot directly to cartridge after I've done vdp(10)=0, so that the 60Hz mode would be conserved; in the softboot, the screen merely returns to 50Hz as it boots up again. Original Message Follows From: Hans Otten [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: "'[EMAIL PROTECTED]'" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: Cartridge question Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2001 08:21:31 +0100 Hi Brendan, NEVER insert a cartridge in a powered running MSX. Power off and then insert it. The chance of destroying the video chip that way is about 100%. If you disable the cartridge with a switch (which means opening the cartridge, soldering a switch betweeen the ROM select signal and the connector) then what you want is possible. The MSX will not see the cartridge, boot in its normal. To get the cartridge working close the switch and call the boot. Something like (in Basic) def usr=0 : u=usr(0) will do a boot. More details on booting in the MSX Red book (see the faq where it is) Hans -Original Message- From: Brendan Cross [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2001 03:12 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Cartridge question Please excuse this possibly-stupid question; I'm new to MSX. ^.^;; Is it possible to boot from MSX-Basic or MSX-DOS 1 to cartridge, if the cartridge is interted after the boot/has a switch and is switched on after boot? _ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. -- For info, see http://www.stack.nl/~wynke/MSX/listinfo.html -- For info, see http://www.stack.nl/~wynke/MSX/listinfo.html _ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. -- For info, see http://www.stack.nl/~wynke/MSX/listinfo.html
Re: Cartridge question
Which brings me to my next question; how is a ROM dumped? Although I know that one of my two games, Nemesis II, has already been dumped, I've never seen a ROM of Super Triton anywhere. Original Message Follows From: "Bjorn Boye Skjoldhammer" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: Cartridge question Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2001 11:27:32 - From: "Brendan Cross" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Cartridge question Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2001 22:12:22 -0400 Please excuse this possibly-stupid question; I'm new to MSX. ^.^;; Is it possible to boot from MSX-Basic or MSX-DOS 1 to cartridge, if the cartridge is interted after the boot/has a switch and is switched on after boot? Well you don´t tell me clear enough what you have in mind? If a cartridge is inserted it will default to the cartridge = start up the software in the cartridge. The only way to get out is usually to turn off the msx. If you want to dump a cartridge and thus want to go to basic / dos while the cartridge is inserted you have to hot plug it when the msx is turned on. It can be done by inserting the cartridge in one fast push, but It can cause permanent damage though to your msx computer. Then, yes it is possible to work around the ROM form BASIC or DOS. Greetings from Bjørn How to contact me? http://www.geocities.com/msxtrd/data.html To access my MSX homepage: http://www.trd.msxnet.org ICQ: 20449307 _ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. -- For info, see http://www.stack.nl/~wynke/MSX/listinfo.html _ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. -- For info, see http://www.stack.nl/~wynke/MSX/listinfo.html
Re: Cartridge question
On Tuesday 13 March 2001 13:07, you wrote: Unfortunately, that command doesn't help me much here. The problem is that cartridges use whatever video mode is active when they are booted. Therefore, even though the cartridges were written for NTSC televisions, they boot in PAL on my NTSC television. I was hoping for a way to boot directly to cartridge after I've done vdp(10)=0, so that the 60Hz mode would be conserved; in the softboot, the screen merely returns to 50Hz as it boots up again. Maybe you can modify the BIOS ROM to boot in 60Hz by default. Does anyone know how easy/hard it is to replace the 8250 BIOS by an EPROM? It was done for MSX2 to MSX2+ expansions, so it's possible. Another option is to build a switch on your cartridge port, to enable/disable slot select. Although an 8250 is pretty resilient against inserting cartridges when power is on, it's not something you should do on a regular basis. Using a small machine code program, it's possible to boot most cartridges (only cartridges that use the disk drive fail, like King's Valley 2 and Metal Gear 2). The program looks like this: (programmers, please verify it) SLOT: equ 1 ; Cartridge slot containing ROM org #C000 ; SCREEN 2 - avoid display problems on MSX1 ROMs ld a,2 call#005F ; select ROM in page 1 and 2 ld a,SLOT ld h,#40 call#0024 ld a,SLOT ld h,#80 call#0024 ; get start address and jump there ld hl,(#4002) jp (hl) Bye, Maarten -- For info, see http://www.stack.nl/~wynke/MSX/listinfo.html
Re: Cartridge question
Brendan Cross wrote: Which brings me to my next question; how is a ROM dumped? Although I know that one of my two games, Nemesis II, has already been dumped, I've never seen a ROM of Super Triton anywhere. There are many ways. Out of the blue, I can think on two safe ways but there's probably more: 1. Dump the EPROM ICs inside the cartridge; 2. Use a patched BIOS in a way it doesn't initialize the cartridge. The first option is the only 'real' solution, though. Some ROMs can only be dumped that way, or else you could be deceived by some strange effects caused by some uncommon mappers (insi- de the real cartridges). I bet R-Type is one of those. []s, -Parn (ICQ#1693182) /| | | |\ \| ___ |/ http://parn.overclocked.org/ \/ - \/ Parn's Music Station | | Game Music XMs and more! -- --Izati Aba Mehinam Eto Kafe Nan -- For info, see http://www.stack.nl/~wynke/MSX/listinfo.html
Re: Cartridge question
On Tue, Mar 13, 2001 at 08:21:31AM +0100, Hans Otten wrote: Please excuse this possibly-stupid question; I'm new to MSX. ^.^;; Is it possible to boot from MSX-Basic or MSX-DOS 1 to cartridge, if the cartridge is interted after the boot/has a switch and is switched on after boot? NEVER insert a cartridge in a powered running MSX. Power off and then insert it. The chance of destroying the video chip that way is about 100%. I've done it for years now, nothing gone wrong here. Make sure you sure you insert it straight and fast. Howver there is a chance. :/ -snip- The MSX will not see the cartridge, boot in its normal. To get the cartridge working close the switch and call the boot. Something like (in Basic) def usr=0 : u=usr(0) will do a boot. Another option is this: defusr=h7d75:a=usr(0) I'm not sure how standard this is, but it seems to work on all machines I've tried it on. This doesn't work for cartridges that wait for the disk controller to initialize (like Metal Gear 2, Game Master 1 2, Kings Valley 2 -- any game that uses the diskdrive basically). Sean -- For info, see http://www.stack.nl/~wynke/MSX/listinfo.html
Re: Cartridge question
] The MSX will not see the cartridge, boot in its normal. ] To get the cartridge working close the switch and call the boot. ] Something like (in Basic) ] def usr=0 : u=usr(0) ] will do a boot. ] ] Another option is this: ] ] defusr=h7d75:a=usr(0) ] I'm not sure how standard this is, but it seems to work on all machines ] I've tried it on. According to the MSX redbook, this entry is used by the initialization routine to find all cartridges. And to start the initialization code of the cardridges that have some initialisation code. Although these entries are not official (only the BIOS jump table is official), Microsoft has gone through some efforts to keep all these addresses the same in newer versions of the MSX. Even if the MSX BASIC for example was modified (extended from MSX1 to MSX2 or higher). ]This doesn't work for cartridges that wait for the ] disk controller to initialize (like Metal Gear 2, Game Master 1 2, ] Kings Valley 2 -- any game that uses the diskdrive basically). I have not tried this, but I think the following solution helps: 1) Reset all diskrom related variables in the MSX workarea 2) defusr=h7d75:a=user(0) Kind regards, Alex Wulms -- Visit The MSX Plaza (http://www.inter.nl.net/users/A.P.Wulms) for info on XelaSoft, Merlasoft, Quadrivium, SD-Snatcher on fMSX, the MSX Hardware list, XSA Disk images, documentation, Japanese MSX news from Ikeda and lots more. -- For info, see http://www.stack.nl/~wynke/MSX/listinfo.html
Re: Cartridge question
] On Tuesday 13 March 2001 13:07, you wrote: ] ] Unfortunately, that command doesn't help me much here. The problem is that ] cartridges use whatever video mode is active when they are booted. ] Therefore, even though the cartridges were written for NTSC televisions, ] they boot in PAL on my NTSC television. I was hoping for a way to boot ] directly to cartridge after I've done vdp(10)=0, so that the 60Hz mode ] would be conserved; in the softboot, the screen merely returns to 50Hz as ] it boots up again. ] ] Maybe you can modify the BIOS ROM to boot in 60Hz by default. Does anyone ] know how easy/hard it is to replace the 8250 BIOS by an EPROM? It was done ] for MSX2 to MSX2+ expansions, so it's possible. This is indeed the best option. It's a bit in the BIOS ROM that decides if the computer must start in 50 or 60 Hz mode. Though, I do not remember the address. ] basis. Using a small machine code program, it's possible to boot most ] cartridges (only cartridges that use the disk drive fail, like King's Valley ] 2 and Metal Gear 2). ] ] The program looks like this: ] (programmers, please verify it) OK, Here I go ] ] SLOT: equ 1 ; Cartridge slot containing ROM ] org #C000 OK ] ; SCREEN 2 - avoid display problems on MSX1 ROMs ] ld a,2 ] call#005F Not correct. Should be screen 1. MSX is normally in screen 1 when starting a cartridge. And to be entirely save, screen 0 should first be switched to 40 column mode. Just in case that it is a MSX1 cartridge that switches to screen 0 but does not modify the width of the screen. ] ; select ROM in page 1 and 2 ] ld a,SLOT ] ld h,#40 ] call#0024 OK ] ld a,SLOT ] ld h,#80 ] call#0024 Not needed. Cartridge will select ROM in page 2 itself if necesary. Otherwise, cartridge may expect RAM to be present in page 2 (at least, MSX2 cartridges). ] ; get start address and jump there Too early. You must first reset variables in workarea related to floppy work area. E.g. the interrupt hook pointing to diskrom should be reset. There are also a few other variables to be reset in workarea but I do not recall them by heart. However, they can be found in any disk version of games that where originally published on cartridge. ] ld hl,(#4002) ] jp (hl) OK Kind regards, Alex Wulms -- Visit The MSX Plaza (http://www.inter.nl.net/users/A.P.Wulms) for info on XelaSoft, Merlasoft, Quadrivium, SD-Snatcher on fMSX, the MSX Hardware list, XSA Disk images, documentation, Japanese MSX news from Ikeda and lots more. -- For info, see http://www.stack.nl/~wynke/MSX/listinfo.html
Re: Cartridge question
Classical! It works great, booting directly to cartridge! Thank you very much! Nemesis II is fun to play, even in black-and-white. ^.^ Original Message Follows From: Sean Young [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: Cartridge question Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2001 15:07:13 +0100 -snip- Another option is this: defusr=h7d75:a=usr(0) I'm not sure how standard this is, but it seems to work on all machines I've tried it on. This doesn't work for cartridges that wait for the disk controller to initialize (like Metal Gear 2, Game Master 1 2, Kings Valley 2 -- any game that uses the diskdrive basically). Sean _ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. -- For info, see http://www.stack.nl/~wynke/MSX/listinfo.html
Re: Cartridge question
At 15:07 13-3-01 +0100, you wrote: Another option is this: defusr=h7d75:a=usr(0) I'm not sure how standard this is, but it seems to work on all machines I've tried it on. This doesn't work for cartridges that wait for the disk controller to initialize (like Metal Gear 2, Game Master 1 2, Kings Valley 2 -- any game that uses the diskdrive basically). I don't know IF it's mentioned in the MSX standard, but it does work on every MSX machine. GreeTz, BiFi Visit my Home Page at www.bifi.msxnet.org mail me at: [EMAIL PROTECTED] FTP: ftp.bifi.msxnet.org ICQ #36126979 -- For info, see http://www.stack.nl/~wynke/MSX/listinfo.html
Cartridge question
Please excuse this possibly-stupid question; I'm new to MSX. ^.^;; Is it possible to boot from MSX-Basic or MSX-DOS 1 to cartridge, if the cartridge is interted after the boot/has a switch and is switched on after boot? _ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. -- For info, see http://www.stack.nl/~wynke/MSX/listinfo.html
RE: Cartridge question
Hi Brendan, NEVER insert a cartridge in a powered running MSX. Power off and then insert it. The chance of destroying the video chip that way is about 100%. If you disable the cartridge with a switch (which means opening the cartridge, soldering a switch betweeen the ROM select signal and the connector) then what you want is possible. The MSX will not see the cartridge, boot in its normal. To get the cartridge working close the switch and call the boot. Something like (in Basic) def usr=0 : u=usr(0) will do a boot. More details on booting in the MSX Red book (see the faq where it is) Hans -Original Message- From: Brendan Cross [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2001 03:12 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Cartridge question Please excuse this possibly-stupid question; I'm new to MSX. ^.^;; Is it possible to boot from MSX-Basic or MSX-DOS 1 to cartridge, if the cartridge is interted after the boot/has a switch and is switched on after boot? _ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. -- For info, see http://www.stack.nl/~wynke/MSX/listinfo.html -- For info, see http://www.stack.nl/~wynke/MSX/listinfo.html
