Ultimate 1mb - uploading os, basic and roms

[Magic Knight]

Hi

 

I've been using U1mb and side2 for about a month now with no issues. I've even managed to update the firmware on the u1mb board without issue.

 

Problem is that I'm trying to upload new os's cart roms and basic into the slot. But every time I try this, the program (UFLASH.XEX) tells me the file size is wrong.

 

Example - If I try loading keystone kapers (which is 8k) it says it's expecting a 8k file. Problem is that the files I'm loading are the same size as what its expecting. Seem to do this with os's, basics and 8k Roms alike.

 

Is there a step by step way to keep me right or should I be doing something different?

 

Details may be of use are:

 

Loading from side2 on c.f.

Loading from U1mb loader (L from bootscreen)

(Seems to do same with Spartados on or off in bios)

Roms in root of c.f. card and showing up on uflash directory.

 

If loading from usb2pc using one of the pc loader is better is be up for trying that also.

 

I've tried looking on the forums but can't seem to find anything specific on this part. Appreciate any assistance on this brilliant hardware.

[flashjazzcat]

UFLASH version? At least one version of the original SIDE loader's FAT FMS had an off-by-one error regarding the reported CIO buffer size and would always cause this error, but if you've updated U1MB and have my loader on both devices (U1MB and SIDE), this cannot be the issue.

 

If however you haven't updated the stand-alone loader on the SIDE cart itself, I'm concerned you may be inadvertently launching that instead of the new loader on the U1MB. Be sure the SIDE2 switch is in the upper (loader) position and that the PBI HDD is enabled (with ATR Swap Button enabled) in the BIOS settings. This will ensure the SIDE cart's ROM is suppressed.

 

Running UFLASH from the SDX prompt via SIO2PC would work around the issue, but I'm very interested to know if the initial theory outlined above is correct.

[Magic Knight]

Yeah side 2 cart is not updated. Had issues updating this (hence) but the u1mb was no problem.

 

I'll try the bios settings suggested and report back.

 

Thanks

[flashjazzcat]

To update the SIDE2's loader:

1. Disable SDX and PBI HDD in BIOS setup (make sure 1088K is available)
2. Move the SIDE's switch into the lower (SDX) position
3. Reboot the system
4. SDX should boot from the cartridge (you will see the SIDE driver install)
5. Run UFLASH.XEX and flash the loader to the 'External Cartridge' slot

Similar process to update SDX on the SIDE, but targeting the 'SDX' slot instead.

[_The Doctor__]

I really wish he would include a paper note to all buying the u1m and side carts to advise how to update them and links to where to get the updates... the first thing that happens with almost anything you buy today- cell phone, tv, video player, you name it, is updating them... same goes for all the goodies today.

[Magic Knight]

To update the SIDE2's loader:

 

• Disable SDX and PBI HDD in BIOS setup (make sure 1088K is available)
• Move the SIDE's switch into the lower (SDX) position
• Reboot the system
• SDX should boot from the cartridge (you will see the SIDE driver install)
• Run UFLASH.XEX and flash the loader to the 'External Cartridge' slot

Similar process to update SDX on the SIDE, but targeting the 'SDX' slot instead.

Thanks Jon, looking forward to trying that out!

[Magic Knight]

Seem to get device issues. See screenshots

 

I've attached some settings examples, maybe they are wrong somewhere.

 

I see something about partition tables, is this needing done also?

 

The step by step thing was carried out with switch down etc.

 

 

 

[flashjazzcat]

Type CAR and then run UFLASH.XEX from the loader. We'll get into partitioning later when I'm at the PC. I'm working on some quick start video guides as well.

[_The Doctor__]

Look, I'm all for more videos, but I haven't seen the guest star in a while... where is the CAT!

[Kyle22]

RTFM

[Magic Knight]

Type CAR and then run UFLASH.XEX from the loader. We'll get into partitioning later when I'm at the PC. I'm working on some quick start video guides as well.

First of all Jon, thanks for your patience!

 

When I load uflash from the old side2 menu (after loading car from sdx) I get the 3 ateas popping up and it appears to lock up when I try and get a side2 rom to appear :

 

 

 

 

Keypresses don't work on last screen.

[flashjazzcat]

Urgh... at this point I'd recommend setting up your SIO2PC in order to perform the cart update (put UFLASH.XEX and the ROMs in a virtual folder using RespeQt or similar and run UFLASH from the SDX prompt).

 

Not that it makes any difference which loader is on the cartridge itself unless you propose to use the SIDE2 on a non-U1MB machine.

[Magic Knight]

Yeah tried that and uflash locks also..

 

Calling up directory and running uflash from the virtual side2 loader, rom folder on Respeqt works ok. But same lockup/keypress no-effect thing.

 

Bizzare - Have you seen this before?

[flashjazzcat]

I've seen the lock-up occur on a machine where the CPLD had 'faded' such that selecting a bank of extended RAM would immediately cause an issue. Reprogramming the CPLD completely fixed it. I trust and hope that's not the issue here, and if it were, I guess the same lock-up would have occurred previously. But the problem does not seem to be related to the underlying file system, loader, etc.

 

Help->About in UFLASH will give you the version number, BTW. It'll be worth checking.

 

PS: I see the Samsung Galaxy S7's camera has the same overenthusiastic barrel distortion correction designed to compensate for the wide-angle lens. I was horrified to discover the same warping of straight objects in photographs taken with my Moto G6 Plus the other week. I took a picture of a 130XE I had recently restored and genuinely believed I had melted the keyboard when drying it.

 

EDIT: Looks like both phones have a similar dual-pixel Sony sensor.

 

[/OT]

Edited February 3, 2019 by flashjazzcat

[Magic Knight]

Help>about just shows the uflash version (.3.02) ?

 

 

Very astute on the phone detail :0) Yeah galaxy s7 can take some good photos but distortion doesnt bring the best out in shots like these.

[flashjazzcat]

Help>about just shows the uflash version (.3.02) ?

That should present no issues at all, but for the sake of it, here's the most current version I'll be putting out with the next firmware update in a week or so:

 

uflash.xex

 

Simply opening opening the directory for read appears to be locking up the entire system, which is rather puzzling. These flash updates have been completely routine for the longest time, so I struggle to see what the problem is. What with this and the original issue you described, it seems like there is a lot wrong with the setup.

 

Very astute on the phone detail :0) Yeah galaxy s7 can take some good photos but distortion doesnt bring the best out in shots like these.

My previous phone (the Moto G4) didn't really suffer from the issue at all and the G6 camera is something of a regression for my purposes. I'm tempted to start using my wife's old phone (the Honor 8 ) for photographs, since it has hands down the best camera of any phone I have ever used.

Edited February 3, 2019 by flashjazzcat

[Magic Knight]

Thanks Jon, appreciate the advance.

 

Tried this and same thing. Am I correct that this issue is with the side2 cart alone?

 

I might have to accept that my config has unique issues which may never be resolved but knowing at what components is helpful.

[flashjazzcat]

Tried this and same thing. Am I correct that this issue is with the side2 cart alone?

Very hard to say, since I have no idea what the issue is and you're also having an inexplicable issue with file sizes when flashing slots using the new loader on U1MB. None of it makes much sense.

 

I might have to accept that my config has unique issues which may never be resolved but knowing at what components is helpful.

I don't think any configuration could cause these issues. At least now that I know the original loader is on the SIDE cartridge, perhaps we'd have more luck trying to diagnose the original problem. Put the SIDE cart's switch back in the upper (loader) position, re-enable the PBI HDD in the BIOS configuration menu (ensuring that 'ATR swap button' is also enabled), then start the loader. You should see my loader and be able to run UFLASH as before.

[Magic Knight]

I've went back to attempting to flash an OS or two, basic and xegs games.

 

Managed to do this by deactivating the requirement for both signed Roms and rejecting short files in the menu. Seems to work fine. I've had to do this via pc on virtual folder but is straightforward to do.

If either protections are on - then the file size glitch appears I've noticed.

 

So far so good, I'll try the same with flashing side2 with same method later when I get the chance. Least now I can do this type of thing provided I'm careful on the slot size required before flashing.

[flashjazzcat]

This is bizarre. No signature checks are performed on OS and BASIC slots regardless of whether that setting is on or off. It simply does not happen in any version of the software.

Signature checks are performed on the SDX slot and all the firmware slots.

This is observable behaviour and has been for years. I don't know what's going on over there.

 

EDIT: Double-checked OS flashing using the same UFLASH version I uploaded here just in case I was losing my mind, and it works.

Edited February 5, 2019 by flashjazzcat

[Magic Knight]

This is bizarre. No signature checks are performed on OS and BASIC slots regardless of whether that setting is on or off. It simply does not happen in any version of the software.

 

Signature checks are performed on the SDX slot and all the firmware slots.

 

This is observable behaviour and has been for years. I don't know what's going on over there.

 

EDIT: Double-checked OS flashing using the same UFLASH version I uploaded here just in case I was losing my mind, and it works.

 

Originally last week i disabled the rom size reject feature alone and didnt make any difference. (didnt assume it would need other things disabled) i then went thought last night WTF - ill disable the drop downs and try and dump the rom anyway possible..

only when i disabled the signed aspect in addition to the size did it behave and accept the rom images.

 

ill experiment with combination and report back as im sure this is perplexing/interesting from your perspective as the programmer!

 

ill try and see if the side2 will flash ok in a similar manner. From what ive seen the weirdness is down to the U1mb board. The side2 (so far) hasnt had a chance to do its thing. It merely lockups when attempted to load roms which presumably is because of the U1mb thing.

 

 

(EDIT: ill try and re-attempt this with checks back in and back and forth etc- i reflashed U1mb and maybe this did something and me toggling permissions is just conincidence?)

 

 

Note to myself: Need to brushup on Spartados X commands....

Edited February 5, 2019 by Magic Knight

[flashjazzcat]

Originally last week i disabled the rom size reject feature alone and didnt make any difference. (didnt assume it would need other things disabled) i then went thought last night WTF - ill disable the drop downs and try and dump the rom anyway possible..

only when i disabled the signed aspect in addition to the size did it behave and accept the rom images.

The OS slots need nothing disabled at all. Here I've just flashed the primary OS slot (highlighted) and pulled the options menu down afterwards:

 

 

After that, since I rarely use the XEGS slots, I dumped the primary XEGS slot and flashed Missile Command back again, without problems.

 

Since an issue such as you describe has never once been reported in UFLASH's five year history and the problem is impossible to reproduce now (at least here), I am concerned there's an elementary usage error, undiscovered bug or catastophic hardware issue. It's not something we can just overlook and say 'Oh well - I'll just make it accept short, unsigned files'. A short OS ROM file is unlikely to allow the machine to even boot, since it is likely to be missing the machine vectors at $FFFA-FFFF.

 

ill experiment with combination and report back as im sure this is perplexing/interesting from your perspective as the programmer!

Most certainly!

[Magic Knight]

Understood Jon, particularly on the apprehension aspect. The coding etc is a well oiled machine. Only thing I know for 100% being sure is that it would not accept the same roms as it does happily now (for 8k carts, OS's and basics alike) and as well as the Side2 rom. That said its fair to reason that its very feasable that something else has cleared this for the unit to suddenly accept the roms now. (something ive adjusted elsewhere like the bios perhaps)

 

Looking from the other perpsective Jon - on a prefect setup system like one you would have - would it be possible to tweak a typical setup using only the bios/uflash to make the flashing behave so that it doesnt accept roms?

if theres a way of doing that then its possible may have done that inadvertently.

 

Maybe the bug thing from previous builds (with the files issue) is still there or ive configured it in such a way that it doesnt accept the roms? - if it was the original bug thing then not sure how i could have cleared it.

 

 

my musings aside, I think i should take some steps back and replicate the original situation as its getting a little muddy on whats established and to be more helpful going forward.

 

Ill try and repeat the issue i got in the first place. If it still comes up with rom size issues then repeating the process to the point of what ive been doing may alleviate this. Although my reporting isnt exactly ideal and structured, surmising this properly when i know or can figure out whats changed ill be helkpful im sure.

 

Ill try it this evening at some point to know either way.

Edited February 5, 2019 by Magic Knight

[_The Doctor__]

Perhaps it's time to reprogram the cpld, do firmware updates on all devices. Then flash it all from the ground up. I think Jon mentions 'fade'. In weird cases like this, I've noticed making sure to refresh/updates of that nature seems to be the course folks have had success with. The other issues were double checking the install and finding a dodgy connection / picking a new connection point etc. Power supply issues or timing issues on your machine been checked or observed at all?

Edited February 5, 2019 by _The Doctor__

[Magic Knight]

Perhaps it's time to reprogram the cpld, do firmware updates on all devices. Then flash it all from the ground up. I think Jon mentions 'fade'. In weird cases like this, I've noticed making sure to refresh/update of that nature seems to be the course folks have had success with. The other issues were double checking the install and finding a dodgy connection / picking a new connection point etc.

 

Yeah at the moment the capability to flash the peripheral roms is definitely now do-able on the setup i have. I did re-flash the U1mb again last night and it may be because of this that its ok now and the above is only circumstantial. I guess ill know soon enough :0)