Amstrad CPC configs

[TomGun7]

Hi.
I made a request on github to include more system configurations to the otherwise excellent Amstrad CPC core, and I was told this could be done by utilising the «load expansion» function. What I want to achieve is to be able to set the core to run as any of the original CPC variants:

CPC464 (464 Basic ROM)
CPC464 + DDI-1 (464 Basic ROM + AMSDOS)
CPC472 (664 Basic ROM)
CPC472 + DDI-1 (664 Basic ROM + AMSDOS)
CPC664 (664 Basic ROM + AMSDOS)
CPC6128 (6128 Basic ROM + AMSDOS)
And ultimately also localized setups with french, spanish etc. ROMS where applicable, at least spanish versions of the 472 setups, as this model was unique to Spain and first came with the standard english 664 Basic Rom, and later with a localized spanish 664 Basic ROM.

The problem is that I have absolutely no idea how to do this. I read in the CPC core read.me at github that it also was possible to assemble a custom boot.rom file, and I was thinking this could be a way to do it. But how do I merge the various roms into this one file? As you understand, I need help here...

The reason I want to do this is for preservation, so every CPC model could be enjoyed. I know the differences are minimal, and that the included configs of the 664 and 6128 covers 98.3% of all existing software, but nevertheless I find value in having all systems available, and I frankly see it as a wasted opportunity not to have these options, given how little effort it actually would take for someone with the knowledge and the skills. The core is there, all the different known ROMS are dumped, it just has to be put together the right way.

Anyone up for the challenge?

Peace,
Tom

[breiztiger]

that what i use

fr and uk

if you want another i can make another config

472 is just a 464 with sp rom of 464 no 664 (basic 1.0 not 1.1 i think) and 8ko that are disable

edit : Therefore, the commercial chronology in Spain of these CPCs was as follows:

CPC 464 with British keyboard and Basic 1.0
CPC 472 with British keyboard and Basic 1.1
CPC 472 with Spanish keyboard and Basic 1.0
CPC 464 with Spanish keyboard and Basic 1.0

[TomGun7]

Thanks, I’ll have a look at that

The 472 I have is the later version with a Spanish keyboard, so it probably has the 464 ROM, then. I haven’t powered it up in years. I need to fix it (it’s not working anymore) and check. They used the 664 ROM as an excuse for the extra 8k of «fake» RAM not showing up, stating it was needed for the 664 Basic ROM to work. This was of course just BS as the 664 used the ROM without the extra RAM. It was just said to cover up that the extra 8k of RAM wasn’t actually connected to anything.

C32170D4-2BAE-4EC9-AA41-B3C2E1EE922A.jpeg (1.5 MiB) Viewed 6796 times

[TomGun7]

You’re absolutely right. My 472 with spanish keyboard has the spanish 464 ROM (40037). I had to open it and check

So it’s only the 472 with english kb that has the 664 ROM, and it’s an english 664 ROM. The spanish kb version of the 472 has a spanish 464 ROM.

Thanks for clearing that up!

9FF295C3-A7EE-40E4-8A5E-C84AC1AEFB4D.jpeg (360.87 KiB) Viewed 6794 times

[breiztiger]

new with FR, UK and SP (with 472)

[TomGun7]

Thanks again Breiztiger. I did answer your other post, but as I’m a new user here, all my posts must be approved by an admin, so that’s why I seem to have gone silent..... I can’t PM you to thank you either, for the same reason.

[TomGun7]

Great! I have now tested the configs you posted @breiztiger and wow! that was just what I wanted. Thank you, thank you, thank you! The only of the configs I didn't get to work were the 472 configs, which started but just immideately started scrolling, like if the return key was pressed. I couldn't stop it either. I have no idea what could cause this.... All the other configs worked as a charm.

There are a couple of other configs I would like to have when you have the time to do it, and that's the Danish/Norwegian 464 and 6128. They are only listed as Danish, but they are in fact both for Denmark and Norway. I used to work at an Amstrad dealer, and I remember we had those ROMs as options to use with some of the translated Tasman programs. There is also a (hack) Finnish/Swedish 6128 ROM it would be great to have a config for.

The various ROMs could be found at http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/ROM_List but you probably know that.

Once again, thank you!
Tom

[breiztiger]

AMSTRAD ROM DK 464, 464 + DDI1 and 6128

AMSTRAD ROM FINNISH SWEDISH HACK (6128 OS HACK + BASIC 6128 UK)

yes sorry 472 look not good and i didn't understand why ;-(

[breiztiger]

can you please run on your 472

https://www.cpc-power.com/index.php?pag ... l&num=4664

and send me the dump ?

[TomGun7]

Thanks again, buddy!
Unfortunately my real 472 is “dead”, so I can’t run anything on it at the moment. I must try to figure out what’s wrong with it, or maybe get some help from a friend who is more knowledgeable than me with electronics.

Tom

[breiztiger]

perhaps 464 sp os is not good ?

[breiztiger]

another one to try

472SP and 472SP with keyboard uk

[TomGun7]

Thanks breiztiger.
I think you put the wrong danish/norwegian 464 and 464+DDI1 files in the zip. They are the UK ROMs that doesn't show the danish/norwegian characters. The 6128 file shows the correct characters.

I actually never knew the danish/norwegian 464 ROMs existed "out in the open" before I saw it on cpcwiki. I only knew of the 6128 ROMs. As I said before, I worked at an Amstrad dealer in Norway, and every now and then we got visits from the Norwegian distributor. It was a guy named Pål, but I can't remember his last name. On one of the trips he brought with him a 464 prototype with the danish/norwegian 464 ROM that was done by a company called Kellydata, the same company that did all the norwegian translations of the Amsoft products. It had printed labels with the norwegian characters on the keyboard. He demonstrated it for us and took it back with him when he left. Then when it was released we were told that they had dropped the 464 ROM's, and decided to only release the 6128 ROMs. I never saw or heard about that 464 ROM after that...

A funny side note: On another visit he had brought a sample version of the Sorcery+ disk, telling us we safely could buy tons of these as they were safe from pirating and totally impossible to copy. I borrowed the disk from him and took it home to try out the game. A couple of days later, when he was leaving, I gave him the disk back, but he said I could keep it. I said I didn't need it, and took another disk from my pocket and put it into our display CPC, and booted up Sorcery+. I used to remind him of that, every time he visited

[breiztiger]

just check, i have take the good one for 464 DK ...

i don't know what keyboard key are impact as i'm french ?