A600 KS3.1 Will Not Boot PAL from Early Startup Control

[paul1981]

I recommend Degrader if trying to run games, or to force the Amiga into either PAL or NTSC:

http://aminet.net/package/util/misc/Degrader

TUDE has more options and abilities. But for 50/60Hz switching, nothing beats Degrader.

http://aminet.net/package/util/misc/TUDE

[paul1981]

Just to clarify, from Early Startup, when I enable PAL and click Boot, the change reverts back to NTSC before the Floppy Drive or HDD is accessed.

Further, I removed the HDD to take WB out of the picture. Still, clicking "Boot" from Early Startup switches 50Hz to 60Hz upon click. Maybe a buggy KS?

Genuine Kickstart roms? When you say you removed the HDD, do you mean you physically removed the drive? Also, I'm assuming you have no floppy in the drive too...which should take you to the purple screen / tick logo - which you're saying is reverted back to NTSC yes?

[paul1981]

Probably a dumb question, but how can you tell?  Just tested it on my Amiga's, when I click PAL and then click Boot, I get a black screen until the OS is almost loaded.  At which point it comes up with a NTSC screenmode, because that's what I have specified in my ScreenMode prefs, but if I run SysInfo I can tell the system is operating at 50Hz (see attached screenshot).

Are you running a straight 3.1?  Not anything like 3.9 or any of the "LoadModule" or "LoadResident"-type commands that can trigger a double-reboot, correct?  (in which case you would have to select PAL on the second reboot)

Remind us again what it is you're trying to do?  Specifically, what software are you trying to force into PAL mode?

I was thinking this too, but he states in the original post that he can see the display change when he presses a key in the Amiga Early Startup Control.

[paul1981]

My apologies for all the confusion!  I first noticed this Boot Pal issue when I brought the Amiga to work to display.  In my excitement to take up less space, I purchased a Gotek Floppy Emulator. The machine is running a real Kickstart 3.1 version. Also WB 3.1 is the OS installed (to continue testing, I disconnected the HDD to test this issue)

But yes, with no floppy inserted (original floppy drive), and I boot PAL, it boots to the purple KS "Insert Disk" screen, still in PAL (awesome!).

Not using any loaders - I physically removed the HDD. Just trying to boot disks and disk images.

I'm using a CRT, so it is much easier to tell when PAL is enabled (attached). I adjusted my CRT's V-Height so that NTSC has black bars, and when switched to PAL, it will fill the screen.

However, I am now thinking it is the particular software being booted. Using the Early Startup method, the Amiga stays in PAL to run Gem'X.

When I try something else, like Kefren's Desert Dream, (among certain others) it forces back to NTSC. Almost like my telling it to switch to PAL was just overwritten by the demo/intro/trackloader.

It's a bummer because most everything I want to run (Scene demos, games) simply will not run or run correctly in NTSC. On my A500 I began using an impossible to find command called Palcon by Nico Francis (If I remember correctly?) before installing a hard switch. Can't find that app anymore.

I may just have to try a different disk release when I see this happening (or find a sweet hookup on a PAL machine! )

Again, sorry for all the confusion! I just wanted to boot some games/megademos in the proper refresh/resolution.

Some of your disks may be using the 'system-configuration' file. Have a look on your disks for this file. It usually resides in the root directory, but could be in L or Devs. You could edit them with a 1.3 Preferences editor (to change screen position, interlaced or not, colours, printer prefs, mouse prefs etc). I'm not sure whether pal/ntsc is anything to do with it, but it just may be.

Also, I recommend you start to use degrader to force pal or to force ntsc.