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Offline Oldsmobile_Mike

Re: Amiga puzzle - disconnected worlds! help?
« Reply #14 on: August 18, 2015, 10:45:26 AM »
Try writing the .dms image to a disk and then run the "Install" file located in the WHDLoad archive.  It'll be a lot easier for you when you find sites that already have ready-to-go games, just unarchive and click the icon.  Google, man!  I'll take a look at that particular demo tomorrow and see if I can't figure out a walk-through, if you haven't gotten it squared away by then.  ;)
Amiga 500: 2MB Chip|16MB Fast|30MHz 68030+68882|3.9|Indivision ECS|GVP A500HD+|Mechware card reader + 8GB CF|Cocolino|SCSI DVD-RAM
Amiga 2000: 2MB Chip|136MB Fast|50MHz 68060|3.9|Indivision ECS + GVP Spectrum|Mechware card reader + 8GB CF|AD516|X-Surf 100|RapidRoad|Cocolino|SCSI CD-RW
 Amiga videos and other misc. stuff at https://www.youtube.com/CompTechMike/videos
 

Offline Oldsmobile_Mike

Re: Amiga puzzle - disconnected worlds! help?
« Reply #15 on: August 18, 2015, 10:48:58 AM »
Quote from: RedWarrior;794146
It's not about the capacity, it's about saving cash... I have a few microSD cards of about 4 gb capacity... but finding a CF card for a decent price is very hard. Adaptor would be cheaper...

$13.79 for a 4GB CF.  $15.99 for an 8GB CF.  If you have Prime you get free two-day shipping.  That's pricey?

http://www.amazon.com/Transcend-133x-CompactFlash-Memory-TS8GCF133/dp/B000W05O5O

Or, try the adapter.  Let us know how it works out!  ;)

Edit: that adapter is "Item location: Hong Kong".  Have fun waiting a month for it to arrive!  :lol:
« Last Edit: August 18, 2015, 10:51:41 AM by Oldsmobile_Mike »
Amiga 500: 2MB Chip|16MB Fast|30MHz 68030+68882|3.9|Indivision ECS|GVP A500HD+|Mechware card reader + 8GB CF|Cocolino|SCSI DVD-RAM
Amiga 2000: 2MB Chip|136MB Fast|50MHz 68060|3.9|Indivision ECS + GVP Spectrum|Mechware card reader + 8GB CF|AD516|X-Surf 100|RapidRoad|Cocolino|SCSI CD-RW
 Amiga videos and other misc. stuff at https://www.youtube.com/CompTechMike/videos
 

Offline RedWarriorTopic starter

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Re: Amiga puzzle - disconnected worlds! help?
« Reply #16 on: August 18, 2015, 11:00:21 AM »
I tried the installer icon in the WHDload package... "Unable to open your tool "Installer"


"Try writing the .dms image to a disk and then run the "Install" file located in the WHDLoad archive. It'll be a lot easier for you when you find sites that already have ready-to-go games, just unarchive and click the icon. Google, man! I'll take a look at that particular demo tomorrow and see if I can't figure out a walk-through, if you haven't gotten it squared away by then. "


Believe me, I am Googling the hell out of this, and apparently failing miserably so far.
« Last Edit: August 18, 2015, 11:08:07 AM by RedWarrior »
 

Offline RedWarriorTopic starter

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Re: Amiga puzzle - disconnected worlds! help?
« Reply #17 on: August 18, 2015, 11:23:28 AM »
@OldsMobile Mike - thanks for the link. When I tried Amazon earlier it said it wouldn't post to Australia! Some good deals on there! =)

Am looking at reviving about 5 of these 1200s... of a collection of 9. No idea what to do with them all... Maybe I can start some uber-nerdy band ;)
 

Offline Blizz1220

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Re: Amiga puzzle - disconnected worlds! help?
« Reply #18 on: August 18, 2015, 11:26:08 AM »
You need kickstarts with appropriate name in DEVS:Kickstarts
(see WHDLoad manual).Giving you links to those would mean
my execution :rtfm:

You can only install ADFs of original games as far as I know.
Games are out there in pre-installed form (usually in .zip format) to
save you the trouble.
 

Offline RedWarriorTopic starter

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Re: Amiga puzzle - disconnected worlds! help?
« Reply #19 on: August 18, 2015, 11:39:22 AM »
finding adf files and kickstart roms is the easy part... getting WHDLoad to do anything at all is the tricky bit!

Typically, does WHDLoad look for an adf, a dms or something else? Should it be in the SRC folder? Should the name match up with the .slave.asm file? ... These are things I'm trying and failing at. Anyone use Xbench/WhdLoad?
 

Offline Blizz1220

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Re: Amiga puzzle - disconnected worlds! help?
« Reply #20 on: August 18, 2015, 11:45:54 AM »
Whdload looks for .slave file.Some games are unpacked and
have Data directory while others have diskimages but those
are not ADFs.

If I was looking for Whdload games I would Google "whdload games
download".Maybe you can find some games that way :) If anyone
thinks this is a bit too much I won't mind my post being edited.

You are looking for zip files that are mostly about 1-3 Mb large.
 

Offline AmigaBruno

Re: Amiga puzzle - disconnected worlds! help?
« Reply #21 on: August 18, 2015, 12:22:32 PM »
Quote from: RedWarrior;794044
"WHDLoad only reads "slave" files..."

The Megademo2 WHDLoad version that I downloaded has a Megademo2.Slave.asm file in the Install/Src/ folder.... but it's only 6k.

There are no files large enough in that WHDLoad "version" to suggest the whole demo content is there...

what am I missing?


AFAIK, here's what you do, although I haven't actually managed it myself yet, but I hope to achieve it later this week with a PCMCIA CF card reader and a new USB CF card reader.

You are missing the file or files which make up the actual demo itself. You have only got its custom config files written by a WHDload user. You could download the files for the demo by searching for "Amiga downloads" or "Amiga downloads ADF" (without quotes).

The files you've got already just allow the demo to be loaded and run from hard drive, may load a particular Kickstart ROM image, and tell the Amiga how much RAM of what type it should have, as well as which chipset to use.

There are some videos about WHDload on YouTube, but they're mostly about installing a pre prepared HDF image file. These files may be missing particular games or demos you want.  

The easiest way to run most games and demos now seems to be a Gotek USB floppy emulator connected as df0: to an A500.

Once more, the pieces of software to make older software run on an A500 Plus, A600, A1200 or some other model (apart from the Kickstart boot menu) are Skick, Relokick, and Degrader (Amiga Format coverdisk No. 38). My Amiga A1200 has been crashing a lot, as well as displaying corrupted logos, bobs, or sprites, blank red or yellow screens, even after running the boot menu followed by one of these pieces of software.
 

Offline AmigaBruno

Re: Amiga puzzle - disconnected worlds! help?
« Reply #22 on: August 18, 2015, 12:26:37 PM »
Quote from: Blizz1220;794157
Whdload looks for .slave file.Some games are unpacked and
have Data directory while others have diskimages but those
are not ADFs.

If I was looking for Whdload games I would Google "whdload games
download".Maybe you can find some games that way :) If anyone
thinks this is a bit too much I won't mind my post being edited.

You are looking for zip files that are mostly about 1-3 Mb large.


It looks like I accidentally posted my last reply without reloading the page since yesterday!

Thanks for this information.
 

Offline Oldsmobile_Mike

Re: Amiga puzzle - disconnected worlds! help?
« Reply #23 on: August 18, 2015, 04:03:23 PM »
Quote from: RedWarrior;794152
I tried the installer icon in the WHDload package... "Unable to open your tool "Installer"

Gah!  Unfortunately this is a common, common problem.  You need the "Installer" tool to be able to install anything!  Right-click and get the properties of the "Install" file.  Look for a default tool, it should be something like "C:Installer".  If it says something else, change it to that.  Then drop down to a shell prompt and type "version C:Installer".  Sometimes people have Installer stuck in Utilities, or all kinds of other random places.  But generally it should be in C:, that's where most programs look for it.

You should be able to find a copy of Installer on your OS disks or CD, depending on which version of the OS you're running.

Here's a link to one version:  http://aminet.net/package/util/misc/Installer-43_3

Here's a link to another:  http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=21788&styleid=1

Both of these are just ones I googled up real quick, but you want to take that file, Installer, and dump it in C:.  Then you'll be able to point installs to use it, and go from there.  :)
Amiga 500: 2MB Chip|16MB Fast|30MHz 68030+68882|3.9|Indivision ECS|GVP A500HD+|Mechware card reader + 8GB CF|Cocolino|SCSI DVD-RAM
Amiga 2000: 2MB Chip|136MB Fast|50MHz 68060|3.9|Indivision ECS + GVP Spectrum|Mechware card reader + 8GB CF|AD516|X-Surf 100|RapidRoad|Cocolino|SCSI CD-RW
 Amiga videos and other misc. stuff at https://www.youtube.com/CompTechMike/videos
 

Offline Oldsmobile_Mike

Re: Amiga puzzle - disconnected worlds! help?
« Reply #24 on: August 18, 2015, 04:07:29 PM »
Also since you have an A1200, you might want to consider this beautiful little piece of kit:

http://kipper2k.com/cfadapters.html

http://kipper2k.com/cfextender/CFguide.pdf

Great for transferring files between an A1200 and a PC running WinUAE.  Of course there are many other options.  ;)
Amiga 500: 2MB Chip|16MB Fast|30MHz 68030+68882|3.9|Indivision ECS|GVP A500HD+|Mechware card reader + 8GB CF|Cocolino|SCSI DVD-RAM
Amiga 2000: 2MB Chip|136MB Fast|50MHz 68060|3.9|Indivision ECS + GVP Spectrum|Mechware card reader + 8GB CF|AD516|X-Surf 100|RapidRoad|Cocolino|SCSI CD-RW
 Amiga videos and other misc. stuff at https://www.youtube.com/CompTechMike/videos
 

Offline Oldsmobile_Mike

Re: Amiga puzzle - disconnected worlds! help?
« Reply #25 on: August 18, 2015, 09:03:37 PM »
Hey bud!

About that demo.  Got it installed, working great.  Honestly this is the first time I've used an installer for a demo, so it was good practice for me.  Here's what I did:


  • After faffing around with the "part a" and "part b" files available here:  http://ftp://ftp.funet.fi/pub/amiga/demos/Rebels/  I found a better source.  What that is with the A & B, is each is half of the image of a floppy disk.  Part A is tracks 1-40, part B is 41-79.  A really annoying way of distributing something, IMHO.
  • Eventually found a complete DMS copy of that demo, here:  http://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=2742  Use this file, instead.
  • Next use DMS to write a copy of that file onto a blank floppy disk.  If you do not have DMS installed, you can download it here:  http://aminet.net/package/util/arc/dms111   Stick the program file itself ("DMS") into your C:, then use the command "DMS write [filename] to DF0:" (without the quotes) in a shell prompt.  There are GUI-based tools for using DMS, but I use it so infrequently I don't have one installed.
  • Next download the WHDLoad installer from here:  http://www.whdload.de/demos/Rebels_MegaDemo2.html
  • [/URL]
  • Extract the LHA archive of that installer to RAM:.  If you do not have LHA, you can download a copy of it from here:  http://aminet.net/package/util/arc/lha   Same as with DMS, extract the main program file ("LHA") into your C:.  There are also graphical tools for using LHA available.
  • So now you have two things:  a floppy disk with the uncompressed DMS file of the demo, and a directory in RAM: containing a readme and the Install file.  Double-click the install file (you did fix your copy of Installer per my previous comment, right?) and follow the instructions (see screenshots):
(continued in 2nd post)
« Last Edit: August 18, 2015, 09:08:00 PM by Oldsmobile_Mike »
Amiga 500: 2MB Chip|16MB Fast|30MHz 68030+68882|3.9|Indivision ECS|GVP A500HD+|Mechware card reader + 8GB CF|Cocolino|SCSI DVD-RAM
Amiga 2000: 2MB Chip|136MB Fast|50MHz 68060|3.9|Indivision ECS + GVP Spectrum|Mechware card reader + 8GB CF|AD516|X-Surf 100|RapidRoad|Cocolino|SCSI CD-RW
 Amiga videos and other misc. stuff at https://www.youtube.com/CompTechMike/videos
 

Offline Oldsmobile_Mike

Re: Amiga puzzle - disconnected worlds! help?
« Reply #26 on: August 18, 2015, 09:05:49 PM »
...And, done!  Just stick that new directory wherever you plan on keeping your demos.  Double-click the icon whenever you want to watch the demo.  Press F10 to quit.  Works great on my A2000, but I had to reach for that 'quit' key pretty fast, otherwise I'd probably get strange looks from folks walking by my office and hearing the music, haha.  ;)
Amiga 500: 2MB Chip|16MB Fast|30MHz 68030+68882|3.9|Indivision ECS|GVP A500HD+|Mechware card reader + 8GB CF|Cocolino|SCSI DVD-RAM
Amiga 2000: 2MB Chip|136MB Fast|50MHz 68060|3.9|Indivision ECS + GVP Spectrum|Mechware card reader + 8GB CF|AD516|X-Surf 100|RapidRoad|Cocolino|SCSI CD-RW
 Amiga videos and other misc. stuff at https://www.youtube.com/CompTechMike/videos
 

Offline RedWarriorTopic starter

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Re: Amiga puzzle - disconnected worlds! help?
« Reply #27 on: August 19, 2015, 01:08:32 AM »
Thank you very much for that detailed response! Your efforts are much appreciated!

It would seem the missing crucial ingredient for my situation is the "Installer" tool- which still remains elusive.

On my version of workbench 3.x (not sure) there's a tool called "Install" in the C directory... When I modified the .info (icon) file for the Install Megademo2 - to direct to "Install" instead of "installer" - it crashed. :(

So I guess "install" is not the same as "installer".... Many people have said this is a definite feature of the Workbench OS... can you confirm? (which directory & which version does it feature on? I've searched everywhere)

Also- I don't understand why you went to all the trouble with the dms extraction to floppy etc... this demo is available as an adf already (I noticed your Installer gave you an adf option)? I have the adf, the DMS, the WHDLoad files, all the hardware, and determination... but still my efforts are in vain!

Are you allowed to share a copy of "Installer" on here?
Thanks =)
 

Offline Oldsmobile_Mike

Re: Amiga puzzle - disconnected worlds! help?
« Reply #28 on: August 19, 2015, 01:13:43 AM »
Quote from: RedWarrior;794202
It would seem the missing crucial ingredient for my situation is the "Installer" tool- which still remains elusive.

So I guess "install" is not the same as "installer".... Many people have said this is a definite feature of the Workbench OS... can you confirm? (which directory & which version does it feature on? I've searched everywhere)

You missed a post - two different links to download it, here:  http://www.amiga.org/forums/showpost.php?p=794164&postcount=24

Generally I would say "just go with the latest version".  I have 44.10 and have no problems.  But I'm using 3.9.  If you're still using 3.1 you may need the slightly older version from the first link.  But try 44.10 first.  ;)  You need it, it needs to be in your C:, and all your install files need to point to it, and you'll never have this problem again.  :)

Quote from: RedWarrior;794202
Also- I don't understand why you went to all the trouble with the dms extraction to floppy etc... this demo is available as an adf already (I noticed your Installer gave you an adf option)? I have the adf, the DMS, the WHDLoad files, all the hardware, and determination... but still my efforts are in vain!

Because I didn't take the time to find an adf version of the demo.  I found the dms version and went with it.  Obviously you can save yourself a step if you have it as an adf.  ;)
Amiga 500: 2MB Chip|16MB Fast|30MHz 68030+68882|3.9|Indivision ECS|GVP A500HD+|Mechware card reader + 8GB CF|Cocolino|SCSI DVD-RAM
Amiga 2000: 2MB Chip|136MB Fast|50MHz 68060|3.9|Indivision ECS + GVP Spectrum|Mechware card reader + 8GB CF|AD516|X-Surf 100|RapidRoad|Cocolino|SCSI CD-RW
 Amiga videos and other misc. stuff at https://www.youtube.com/CompTechMike/videos
 

Offline AmigaBruno

Re: Amiga puzzle - disconnected worlds! help?
« Reply #29 from previous page: August 19, 2015, 11:30:03 AM »
I hope to do all of this later this week, possibly starting today.

I have used various emulators with CF cards, but I'm worried in case one or another emulator won't read a CF card. I most recently used FS-UAE under Linux on a PC I built which only has Linux installed.

I'm using Workbench 3.1, while Oldsmobile_Mike was using 3.9. I hope it works exactly the same way.

My USB CF card reader didn't seem to work anymore, after trying two CF cards, although I only tried them under FS-UAE, so I bought a new USB CF card reader and a PCMCIA CF card reader from eBay just to make absolutely sure I can get files onto my CF card. I'm waiting for them to arrive. I hope this doesn't prevent me getting ready for a night out. Perhaps I should buy another CF card as well just for copying files from a PC to an Amiga CF hard drive without removing it. I also hope to read my data from a CF card which will no longer boot or be recognised on my A1200.

I also hope all this will enable to finally transfer my artwork onto the Internet. So far, it's all been stuck on Amiga formatted floppy disks and CF cards. I've never connected my Amigas to the Internet, because I feel that if I did, then they could just become more Internet connected terminals, then I might use them for that a large part of the time. When I used Amigas as my only computers, I used to connect to BBSs some of the time, but I never upgraded enough to connect to the Internet. I used to visit cybercafe's where I saved webpages and files to MS-DOS formatted floppy disks, then read them back on my Amiga with CrossDOS, but now I can't even remember how to use CrossDOS anymore! Also, I don't currently have a PC with a floppy drive, but I do own one with a motherboard that supports a floppy drive. USB drives aren't 100% compatible and probably wouldn't work for the purpose of reading DSDD MS-DOS format disks created on an Amiga, while an Amiga floppy drive may not be able to read DSDD MS-DOS disks formatted on a USB drive either.
« Last Edit: August 19, 2015, 11:33:27 AM by AmigaBruno »