Multi-load (multi-part) multiboot/alphaload files to boot disk?

[spacedmonkeys]

Continuing my archiving task, I have come across a few titles that don't appear to be in tosec or elsewhere.

For instance, this version of the Bounty Bob cheat version. However it is on an "Ian K Warp Hi" menu disk, and comprises of 2 parts - first loader which contains the cheat, and the second part immediately afterwards is the Data part. Ran it through sector scanner and it seemed to imply the main part started at sector 8 and was 121 sectors length. The second part started at sector 129 and was 68 sectors length.

Has anyone come across a tool for extracting these multi-part files?

I have done a few single part successfully and saved the files to xex.

See attached.

B01_Side_A_IanKWarpHi_gamesBountyBobCheat.atr

[Beeblebrox]

@spacedmonkeys A good source for game files is also atarionline.pl

 

https://atarionline.pl/v01/index.php?ct=kazip&sub=B&title=+Bounty+Bob+Strikes+Back!#kaz_3f48712b74bf4624ab67109402cabeb7

 

Edited May 30 by Beeblebrox

[spacedmonkeys]

Been through all those, none match the exact version that I have here.

V1.atr is the closest, but not quite the same hack/cheat or crackers.

My thinking is, however obscure these file versions are, someone out there (the original cracker maybe) might be interested in seeing them extracted out.

Edited May 30 by spacedmonkeys

[+DjayBee]

Try the attached file.

 

I could start it in Altirra but did not try any further.

 

Both segments loaded by the original loader are technically dumps of boot disks. The first is also handled this way (JSR to the 7th byte).

The second segment is then loaded to a different address and started via DOSINI which has been set from the first loaded segment.

• From Altirra I saved both blocks to two files, added DOS headers to both of them which reflect the addresses to where they have to be loaded.
• The first block got an INITAD pointing to its 7th byte.
• I added an RTS to the first block at the point where the sectors of the second block get loaded ($D90 in RAM).
• The second block got a RUNAD pointing to where it jumps through DOSINI ($DB2 in RAM).

Since the first block is loaded to $C80 you might have a hard time to find a loader which ends below this address.

BB-SolFile-JonC.xex

[spacedmonkeys]

@DjayBee Fantastic thank you. Tested ok in Altirra at least - played first level - unlimited lives cheat is working. I guess by loader you mean it may not work via a modern storage device?

 

I will update here if there are any more multi-part files that I think may be of interest to people.

[+DjayBee]

25 minutes ago, spacedmonkeys said:

I guess by loader you mean it may not work via a modern storage device?

Nope. To load EXE/COM files on a real Atari you need some sort of DOS.

 

"Normal" DOSes need RAM up to some $2000 and typical Mini- or Game-DOSes need less, say to $1000 or so, but $C80 is very low.

If the DOS goes too high, it will be partially overwritten by the loading game and chances are high that it crashes before the loading ends.

[TGB1718]

15 minutes ago, DjayBee said:

"Normal" DOSes need RAM up to some $2000 and typical Mini- or Game-DOSes need less, say to $1000 or so, but $C80 is very low.

If the DOS goes too high, it will be partially overwritten by the loading game and chances are high that it crashes before the loading ends.

This will probably be the problem for most games on the AlphaLoad Menu as they are generally created

from boot disks which doesn't require any DOS.

[spacedmonkeys]

Hmm, @DjayBee think you are right, although @TGB1718, I've had success converting a single part file from an alphaload to xex and then to bootable atr... 

 

bleecheat - process was: alphaload menu file to bootdisk > bootdisk to dos (detected as overwriting dos, so used option 6/5 in the tool) > resulted in a dos disk > extracted exe from dos disk using altirra. xex works fine. > used dir2atr and xboot.obx to make bootable atr. works ok.

 

bbobcheat - process: used dir2atr and xboot.obx to make bootable atr. loads up until the cheat screen, hangs/crashes after selecting option.

 

Obviously I can't follow the same process for Bounty Bob as there doesn't seem to be a "multi-load multiboot/alphaload to boot disk" tool (that i can find at least).

bbobcheat.atr bleecheat.atr

[+CharlieChaplin]

7 hours ago, DjayBee said:

Nope. To load EXE/COM files on a real Atari you need some sort of DOS.

 

"Normal" DOSes need RAM up to some $2000 and typical Mini- or Game-DOSes need less, say to $1000 or so, but $C80 is very low.

If the DOS goes too high, it will be partially overwritten by the loading game and chances are high that it crashes before the loading ends.

 

Not really. One should avoid $0700-09FF, but for most gamedos versions without any speeders, loading from $0a00 is no problem, e.g. NanoDOs, Micro DOS II, PicoDOS, MyPicoDOS (barebone version) and many others will all load a file with a memlo of $0c80. (Gamedos versions with speeders for Happy, Speedy, Turbo, XF may have problems though.)

 

Just for fun I configured DOS 2.5 for one drive and one buffer and got a memlo of $1Bxx, LiteDOS has a memlo of $1000 and the unknown DOS2XL has a memlo of $0786 but therefore uses the RAM under the OS. There are also 3-sector DOS versions, afair XBootDOS has a memlo of $0980, FoxDOS has a memlo of $0980 and µDOS has a memlo of $0938.

[spacedmonkeys]

Any way at all to make it run from this (mypicodos boot disk)? 

I've tried a few ways, makeatr (ken siders), xboot, tried saving it from an ian-k menu to boot disk .. no joy.

 

BBobCheat.ATR

[TGB1718]

21 minutes ago, spacedmonkeys said:

Any way at all to make it run from this (mypicodos boot disk)? 

Seems to stick reading sector 88 when loading the second part

[+DjayBee]

The first segment overwrites zeropage and thus MyPicodos gets confused.

 

For the first block

1. find an unused page of RAM and some space for 2.
2. add code which saves zeropage, JSRs to $C86 and finally exchanges zeropage and the buffered copy of zeropage before the RTS
3. Point INITAD to the added code instead of the 7th byte (=$C86)

For the second block

1. add code to JSR to the code which exchanges zeropage and its buffered copy before JMPing to $DB2
2. Point RUNADD to the added code instead of $DB2

Finally: Keep your fingers crossed.

[spacedmonkeys]

Thanks @DjayBee but that is unfortunately way above my skill level  I shall have to abandon this, and this version shall forever remain trapped in a multi-part file on an Ian-K menu disk  

 

I now feel the pain that people had whilst trying to navigate around these menu disks in the early days of emulation and trying to convert everything to xex/atr  

I have looked through many utility disks now and it seems there is no "multi-part" Ian-K/Elton/Alphaload to Bootdisk tool, I suppose there was no need for it back in the day.