JagChris Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 (edited) I bought an SD Max card for my 64k 600XL and I may have inadvertently corrupted the files on the card right out of the gate. The way it initially came was the SD card wasn't seated in there fully and there was plastic from the case over the opening not letting me get it out or in more and it was wobbly. So I thought that was just the way it was and the SD card was sealed in there. Funny but whatever. The Max unit kept throwing up io errors in its ready prompt. Any bumping and the unit would stop responding or the file name would scramble on the LCD screen. After a while I realized the errant piece of plastic over the SD opening wasn't supposed to be there. I removed it and removed the SD card checked it then reseated it firmly. It responded with no more errors but won't load anything. When I start it the little square flashes for a moment over top left of the filename on the LCD like it wants to load then I get a 600XL ready prompt. The LCD ready prompt says nothing. No errors etc. Holding option on 600XL just sends me to the self diagnosis. Any help/suggestions? Edited May 27, 2020 by JagChris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 Take the sd card to a wintel or linux box and see if the sd card is corrupted, if it is, chances are checkdisk/repair will no be successful. So you would reformat the sd card and set up the proper files and directories you want and such... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JagChris Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 Thanks. I'll check this against a mother Atari as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JagChris Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 SIO ports needed resoldering and problem solved. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JagChris Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 Now that I'm up and running Alternste Reality wants a game disk inserted. How do I handle that on the SD max? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DrVenkman Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 5 hours ago, JagChris said: Now that I'm up and running Alternste Reality wants a game disk inserted. How do I handle that on the SD max? Just tap the disk icon for the slot you want (probably D1:) to eject the disk image and select the next one you want to load into the D1: slot. Alternatively, you could start with the first disk image in D1: and the second in D2:. When the game prompts you to insert the the next disk, just tap the filename you have inserted into the D2: slot and they will swap places. https://atari8bit.net/everything-sdrive-max/#Controlling_the_SDrive-Max_from_the_touchscreen. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 (edited) When using multi disk games and save disks on the sdrive-max, load them into their respective slots, disk 1-drive 1...disk 3-drive 3, putting the save disk in the last slot. After that use the 'tap the name of disk area' swap with Drive 1 function. You will see whatever name you touch becomes drive 1 and the best part is, nothing rotates, not the names in the slot nor the drive numbers, they get their original drive number back when you touch another... none of that round-robin rotational swap stuff. eject and load is a pain in the *ss but some games have many more disks... and you may have to do it.... to make life easier, put multi-disk games in their own specifically named folders. Edited May 28, 2020 by _The Doctor__ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JagChris Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 Game disk is just a blank disk. How do I point it to a 'blank' disk on the SD card? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 (edited) @JagChris create a blank atr with the tool of your choice, whether it is the sdrive-max, or in APE, RespeQT, etc, then copied to the SD card... select NEW, it puts >NEW< in the D1: then format the drive number you set new in if the game format it's own player disk, use that... otherwise any DOS should do. hmmm https://atari8bit.net/everything-sdrive-max/ Edited May 28, 2020 by _The Doctor__ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JagChris Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 Ok I'll take time to read that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DrVenkman Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 23 minutes ago, JagChris said: Game disk is just a blank disk. How do I point it to a 'blank' disk on the SD card? The site I linked above has good general instructions on SDrive-MAX usage but basically there are two ways to do this, depending on if the game formats your “game disk” or not. If it does, just tap the “NEW” button to create a new image and put that “NEW” icon into the D1: slot. When the game goes to format the disk, the SDrive-MAX firmware will create the correct-sized ATR for you. The second way is to put your SD card into a card reader plugged into your computer, create a new blank formatted ATR (there are lots of tools for this - search the forum if you need help). and then use that blank ATR as your game disk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JagChris Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 (edited) I'll try this first option. Yes it formats its own game disk apparently. I don't know if it asks which drive or not yet. I'll follow these directions. The second set of directions implies I will be swapping SD cards during gameplay. I wouldn't mind avoiding that. I burned out my 1050 back in the day playing Phantasie and A.R. Then got an xf551 but was leery of drive intensive games after that. I was hoping when they had learned how Atari would put these on cartridge and use the DD just for game saves but they never did. Missed opportunity. Especially with the release of the XEGS. Edited May 28, 2020 by JagChris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 2 minutes ago, JagChris said: I burned out my 1050 back in the day playing Phantasie I loved that game. I sure wish I still had my notebook where I wrote down maps and spells. I never got that close to finishing the game - did you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DrVenkman Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 (edited) 4 minutes ago, JagChris said: The second set of directions implies I will be swapping SD cards during gameplay Not quite. What I meant was, before you boot up the game, create a new empty ATR on your computer to use as your game save disk, then move that to the SD card. Reinsert the SD card into your SDrive-MAX, boot your Atari and start up the game, and just use that new empty one as your game save disk. Edited May 28, 2020 by DrVenkman Clarity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JagChris Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 Yes I finished first one, started on second and A.R. and 1050 died out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JagChris Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 Oh yeah Ultima IV was also partly to blame for my 1050s demise. I never got far in that game. Mostly just thrashed around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 (edited) @JagChris https://github.com/kbr-net/sdrive-max/blob/v13/README you would never swap SD cards while the device is on or during gameplay... just use the touch screen as I described. if you need to rename created ATR's shut off the SDRIVE after the caches has emptied (write light out) and rename it in your wintel box.... if you still have your dead 1050, it more than likely is repairable.... just pick someone close to you with some skill, or if you have some, I'm sure a great group will help talk you through it. Edited May 28, 2020 by _The Doctor__ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JagChris Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 Ok thanks doc. This is new to me I'll learn all this. Hopefully there is a way I can have it write to D2 for gamedisc and not have to worry about anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 (edited) @JagChris D1: hit new touch D2: name area D2:new should now be in top slot...with new listed D1:for game should be in second slot... If I remember correctly alt way touch D2: touch new touch first slot first slot game should now be in D1: or you can load it in... second slot should now have - >New< in D2: last I knew it worked that way, if it doesn't, we'll bug report to KBR... but you can always use D1: to create a new atr.. as I am certain it's always worked as such... I'd read all three resources, and get feel for how it works, then experiment... once you're comfortable, load the thing to the gills! Edited May 28, 2020 by _The Doctor__ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JagChris Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 3 hours ago, _The Doctor__ said: @JagChris if you still have your dead 1050, it more than likely is repairable.... just pick someone close to you with some skill, or if you have some, I'm sure a great group will help talk you through it. Atari took the 1050 in partial swap for the XF551 if I remember correctly. And the xf551 got stolen in a move Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JagChris Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 I have bought my SD Max from The brewing Academy. I'm going to have to get an SD writer or whatever and go through the card that came with it. It came loaded with tons of games and I've been looking through it. Is there an online list somewhere if what's on here? Both Alternate Realities are here though miles apart. I'll have to organize these directories better. Notable misses in the collection as far as I can tell: Phantasie(Phantasie II is on here). Kaboom. Goonies. Atari Planetarium. I'll have to add them. I am very happy with my purchase Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JagChris Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 10 hours ago, _The Doctor__ said: @JagChris D1: hit new touch D2: name area D2:new should now be in top slot...with new listed D1:for game should be in second slot... If I remember correctly alt way touch D2: touch new touch first slot first slot game should now be in D1: or you can load it in... second slot should now have - >New< in D2: last I knew it worked that way, if it doesn't, we'll bug report to KBR... but you can always use D1: to create a new atr.. as I am certain it's always worked as such... I'd read all three resources, and get feel for how it works, then experiment... once you're comfortable, load the thing to the gills! I haven't tried that yet but have dealt with multiple disc games. It's not clear cut to me still after using the multi disc functionality how it works. When think I got it, it(the 600XL) barks at me resulting in me just tapping the disc directories until it stops complaining and takes it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 some games want you to flip the disk or swap the disk into D1: that's easy, when it asks just touch the disk name it's looking for. some games are capable of 2 drives, or four... normally you just fill the slots in order and it simply works, no need to touch or swap a thing. some games are weird in that you have to move the disks about, omnitrends universe titles etc... alternate reality handles multiple drive pretty well though... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DrVenkman Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 5 hours ago, JagChris said: I haven't tried that yet but have dealt with multiple disc games. It's not clear cut to me still after using the multi disc functionality how it works. Sometimes a video is easier than words. Swapping disks is just this simple: 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JagChris Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 It seems my 600XL is a little cold blooded in it's old age. It needs to warm up before it will read the SD max it seems. So I pop in donkey Kong and let it go through its paces then it's fine. When I replace the SIO port hopefully this will clear up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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