Depricated.

[WILL1384]

OK here is were I am at now, I went to a lot of trouble testing the SD card yesterday, and all of the tests finished without errors, I tested the "MiSTer AO486 Top 300 DOS Games Pack" archives that I downloaded, all they tested just fine, I reformatted everything and started from scratch, and I still have the problem, here are the steps I took:

I decided to extract the files from the "MiSTer AO486 Top 300 DOS Games Pack" to the SD card and try again but then I ran into problems extracting the files from the "MiSTer AO486 Top 300 DOS Games Pack" to the MiSTer SD card under Linux, so then I tested the archive, and the archive tested good, I then tested the downloaded archive with "Archive Manager" under Linux and with the Torrent client I downloaded the archive with, and found no problems.

Next I tested the SD card on my Windows based PC using "Error Checking" under the drives properties in "File Explorer", and Windows said it found a problem and could not fix it, unfortunately it gave no details on what was wrong, so then I took the SD card back over to my Linux desktop and deleted all it's partitions using "GParted" and put the card back into my Windows based PC to format it to exFAT with "Default allocation size" and un-check the "Preform a quick format" box so the SD card would get a long format, and the format took around 2 hours and finished with out problems.

I then tested with the program "FAKEFLASHTEST" and that test passed, I then used the Windows based PC to format it to exFAT again with "Default allocation size" and again used the long format, that took another few hours and finished without errors, I then ran the program "H2testw", that took just over 4 hours, and the test finished without errors.

I then used "Win32 Disk Imager" to write the "mr-fusion-v2.2.img" onto the SD card, and then booted the MiSTer FPGA with the SD card, after it finished setting up the SD card I ran the "update" script, I then extracted the files from the eXoFlynn Top 300 DOS Pack to the "/games/AO486/" folder on the SD card, this time I used the "ARK" program under Linux to extract the files, I noticed that "ARK" looked finished extracting the files because the pop up window it makes when it extracts files disappeared, unfortunately when I tried to eject the SD Linux warned me not to remove the SD card because it was still in use and it allowed me to cancel the ejection of the SD card, so I left the SD card plugged into the computer until morning to let it finish extracting the files.

The next morning I ejected the SD card from the computer then placed the SD card into the MiSTer FPGA and booted it, I then tested "MiSTer AO486 Top 300 DOS Games Pack" and it worked, I then went to:

https://github.com/flynnsbit/Top300_updates

and downloaded "AO486_Update_Top300_Pack.sh" and "AO486_Update_Top300_Pack.ini" to the "Scripts" folder, I changed the contents of "AO486_Update_Top300_Pack.ini" to "BASE_PATH=/media/fat/games" and then ran "AO486_Update_Top300_Pack.sh", the update finished without problems, and then I tested "MiSTer AO486 Top 300 DOS Games Pack" and it seems to work now, but unfortunately after I shutdown the MiSTer FPGA and restarted it I started getting "Secondary VHD not mounted!" and "Please mount a games VHD to the "Mount Secondary HDD *.VHD" on your MiSTer and reset.".

[flynnsbit]

And now you can't mount the two VHDs to IDE 0-0 and IDE 0-1? Can you run a dir on E:\. What happens if you type TDL and hit enter on E:\

[WILL1384]

And now you can't mount the two VHDs to IDE 0-0 and IDE 0-1? Can you run a dir on E:\. What happens if you type TDL and hit enter on E:\

AO486 always starts with the "MiSTer A0486 Startup Menu" I then hit enter on the keyboard, it then takes me to the "MiSTerr AO486 Launcher" then when I try a game is when it goes to a blank screen with text showing "Secondary VHD not mounted!" and "Please mount a games VHD to the "Mount Secondary HDD *.VHD" on your MiSTer and reset.".

BTW I just tried it, and now it's working again, what would cause it to work on one boot and fail on another, and then go back to working?

Has a test I changed the "Joystick Type" to 4 button and then saved the settings and and did a "Reset and apply HDD" when I did that it went back to showing "Secondary VHD not mounted!" and "Please mount a games VHD to the "Mount Secondary HDD *.VHD" on your MiSTer and reset." when I tried to play a game, but after a shutdown and restart of the MiSTer FPGA it went back to working again.

Hopefully it keep going back to a working state after a restart of the MiSTer FPGA, before it would stay in a non-working state.

[WILL1384]

And now you can't mount the two VHDs to IDE 0-0 and IDE 0-1? Can you run a dir on E:\. What happens if you type TDL and hit enter on E:\

I got it to mess up again has a test by changing the joystick settings, were goes to a blank screen with text showing "Secondary VHD not mounted!" and "Please mount a games VHD to the "Mount Secondary HDD *.VHD" on your MiSTer and reset." when I try an run a game, and tried DIR at the DOS prompt, and that worked, I then ran TDL and that worked, it took me back to the "MiSTerr AO486 Launcher", and then when I tried a game it worked, yep that's strange.

[flynnsbit]

There IS a joystick button that will exit the launcher. You might be a perfect candidate for the AO486 Launcher to be set to Kiosk mode which will prevent dropping to dos from the menu. Try it and see if you like it.

drop to dos
e:
cd\
edit tdl.ini
find this line: userlevel=regular
change to: userlevel=kiosk
file - Save
File - Exit
reboot

If you don't like it, select "Clean" on the startup menu, and revert the same way.

[WILL1384]

There IS a joystick button that will exit the launcher. You might be a perfect candidate for the AO486 Launcher to be set to Kiosk mode which will prevent dropping to dos from the menu. Try it and see if you like it.

drop to dos
e:
cd\
edit tdl.ini
find this line: userlevel=regular
change to: userlevel=kiosk
file - Save
File - Exit
reboot

If you don't like it, select "Clean" on the startup menu, and revert the same way.

I use a "8Bitdo Wireless USB Adapter" and a Xbox controller, and when I unplugged the "8Bitdo Wireless USB Adapter" I no longer had the problem, then I tried "kiosk" mode, the problem also went away, BTW I updated the firmware on the "8Bitdo Wireless USB Adapter" right after I got it about a week ago.

THANKS for the help!!

[Gazprom]

I hope it's not too late to request Sid Meier's Colonization for the next update..
Its a masterpiece

[homek]

Dear All,

I am trying to update the pack but I am getting the following error no matter what I do:

Code: Select all

 inflating: /tmp/dos_extract/E/utils/RUN_EMM.BAT
  inflating: /tmp/dos_extract/E/utils/RUN_EXT.BAT
  inflating: /tmp/dos_extract/E/utils/RUN_HI.BAT
  inflating: /tmp/dos_extract/E/utils/RUN_QMM.BAT
 extracting: /tmp/dos_extract/E/utils/TDL.BAT
   creating: /tmp/dos_extract/E/utils/WBAT/
  inflating: /tmp/dos_extract/E/utils/WBAT/COLORS.BAT
  inflating: /tmp/dos_extract/E/utils/WBAT/D-COMM.BAT
  inflating: /tmp/dos_extract/E/utils/WBAT/D-CONTRL.BAT
  inflating: /tmp/dos_extract/E/utils/WBAT/D-HANDLE.BAT
  inflating: /tmp/dos_extract/E/utils/WBAT/D-LAYOUT.BAT
  inflating: /tmp/dos_extract/E/utils/WBAT/D-SETUP.BAT
  inflating: /tmp/dos_extract/E/utils/WBAT/D-TOUR.BAT
  inflating: /tmp/dos_extract/E/utils/WBAT/DEMO.BAT
  inflating: /tmp/dos_extract/E/utils/WBAT/ECHECK.BAT
  inflating: /tmp/dos_extract/E/utils/WBAT/NTCOLORS.BAT
  inflating: /tmp/dos_extract/E/utils/WBAT/PAL.INI
 extracting: /tmp/dos_extract/E/utils/WBAT/W.BAT
  inflating: /tmp/dos_extract/E/utils/WBAT/WBAT.INI
Archive:  /tmp/FastDoom_0.8.zip
  End-of-central-directory signature not found.  Either this file is not
  a zipfile, or it constitutes one disk of a multi-part archive.  In the
  latter case the central directory and zipfile comment will be found on
  the last disk(s) of this archive.
unzip:  cannot find zipfile directory in one of /tmp/FastDoom_0.8.zip or
        /tmp/FastDoom_0.8.zip.zip, and cannot find /tmp/FastDoom_0.8.zip.ZIP, period.
 

Indeed when I try to open FastDoom_0.8.zip with mc, it says the file is corrupted.

[iainjh]

hi Sorry to bump, but if anyone could please answer all my dreams would be fulfilled

Hi

Thanks so much for all your hard work, hugely enjoying the collection and fruits of your labour

300 games is too many for my needs or present usb space. I'd like to whittle that list down.

When I'd (previous to your great work) used exodosconverter and TDL, it indexed my collection on boot, I'm hoping thats still possible.

so 2 q's please!

1. How can I best remove games from the cd folder and update TDL's index?

2. I cant seem open the VHD in windows 10 btw (opening the vhd fails with an error) so assume I'd need to make any changes on the mister itself? [EDIT -opening in windows disk tools works, not just double clicking on the vhd for some reason. Answered!]

TIA

[flynnsbit]

hi Sorry to bump, but if anyone could please answer all my dreams would be fulfilled

Hi

Thanks so much for all your hard work, hugely enjoying the collection and fruits of your labour

300 games is too many for my needs or present usb space. I'd like to whittle that list down.

When I'd (previous to your great work) used exodosconverter and TDL, it indexed my collection on boot, I'm hoping thats still possible.

so 2 q's please!

1. How can I best remove games from the cd folder and update TDL's index?

2. I cant seem open the VHD in windows 10 btw (opening the vhd fails with an error) so assume I'd need to make any changes on the mister itself? [EDIT -opening in windows disk tools works, not just double clicking on the vhd for some reason. Answered!]

TIA

Just don't copy those games over to your ao486/cd/ folder for the CD games you are not going to play. Storage problem solved.

[Ross_Jolet]

Forgive me if someone already answered this, but is there something somewhere explaining how to manually add your own games to this pack?

[flynnsbit]

Install your game to the existing VHD or a new one that is attached, in the Launcher menu, select -Manually Added Games, which will load Launchbox for DOS, add your game to that menu and play. It wont add it to the main menu but it is at least one click away. There are examples in the Manual Games menu for you to use as an example or your can reference the Launchbox for DOS documentation.

[pbsk8]

I only use a microsd 16gb in my mister which I put console roms.

in case I download the MiSTer AO486 Top 300 DOS Games Pack and put them in an external hdd, what do I have to configure on mister to recognize the games?

[flynnsbit]

I only use a microsd 16gb in my mister which I put console roms.

in case I download the MiSTer AO486 Top 300 DOS Games Pack and put them in an external hdd, what do I have to configure on mister to recognize the games?

Nothing, just follow the directions on the pack description and the ao486 github page like any other core.

[deltax0]

Having a issue. It was working just fine the other day. Went to play it today and this.
I have it on the second drive under games. I have the updater script set to the second drive. It all worked before.
I think it boots the first image fine. as it allows me to pick the ram type. I ran the updater again and still.
I even deleted the config files and set it again and still.
Is there a setting i changed by mistake?
Is top 300 file corrupt? I think i got a backup.
The image is after i pick hispeed mode.

IMG_20210501_202532.png (815.16 KiB) Viewed 11405 times

[flynnsbit]

Type "DIR" there, do you see IDX files there? If not, I threw the original IDX files here, just drop them on your vhd or copy using misterfs: https://github.com/flynnsbit/scripts/co ... 87f47417c1

It is concerning that those would be missing as you could have other issues. If I were you I would go back to the original .vhds and then just run the Top300 update script.

[deltax0]

which vdh? the dos one drive one or top 300? I don't see those files in ether. from opening them via winrar.

[deltax0]

I ended up just looking for my backup drive. man i had to dig in the closet. Put the files from before and it worked and updated. Prob got currupt. I didn't want to dl it again. it's so pain slow on archive.
I didn't understand how to put the files in the file anyways.
I thank myself for buying that big drive for my roms
I gotta get one of those mt-32 pi things. I got some nice speakers set up. When things get better of cource.

[Zawa]

Having a issue. It was working just fine the other day. Went to play it today and this.
I have it on the second drive under games. I have the updater script set to the second drive. It all worked before.
I think it boots the first image fine. as it allows me to pick the ram type. I ran the updater again and still.
I even deleted the config files and set it again and still.
Is there a setting i changed by mistake?
Is top 300 file corrupt? I think i got a backup.
The image is after i pick hispeed mode.
IMG_20210501_202532.png

Having the same issue after a couple of days of not playing. Just booted it up now and no game will load after selecting it. Tried replacing the top300 files from the archive download but it did not fix it.

[deltax0]

Having a issue. It was working just fine the other day. Went to play it today and this.
I have it on the second drive under games. I have the updater script set to the second drive. It all worked before.
I think it boots the first image fine. as it allows me to pick the ram type. I ran the updater again and still.
I even deleted the config files and set it again and still.
Is there a setting i changed by mistake?
Is top 300 file corrupt? I think i got a backup.
The image is after i pick hispeed mode.
IMG_20210501_202532.png

Having the same issue after a couple of days of not playing. Just booted it up now and no game will load after selecting it. Tried replacing the top300 files from the archive download but it did not fix it.

Try deleting the files for ao486 in the config folder of mister. It will make new one's after you run ao486 again. Then load the files again in ode.
If a fresh copy of of the images don't work. if all fails make a new image of mister.

[deltax0]

it just did it again. I booted up starwars xwing and it said drive failer. rebooted and that happen.
I have a hunch that it's prob that i use another usb splitter for keyboard and mouse. when i boot up the game it said harddrive failer.
Or maybe cuz there is 2 keyboards the rii and the one on the usb slitter. i have a blister if that makes any difference.
this problem started when i tried the USB splitter with the keyboard and mouse. (legitech g502 and Microsoft sidewinder.)
I fixed it again via putting new files on.
Also using a external wd passport also if that makes a difference. non powered. plugged in a blister
Edit: it could be a power issue for the harddrive because i was using another usb splitter. and didn't have enough power to power the drive as well.
It works fine now thou without the splitter.
I guess everything needs it's own power supply these days. gotta invest in a bigger power strip.

[flynnsbit]

it just did it again. I booted up starwars xwing and it said driver failer. rebooted and that happen.
I have a hunch that it's prob that i use another usb splitter for keyboard and mouse. when i boot up the game it said harddrive failer.
Or maybe cuz there is 2 keyboards the rii and the one on the usb slitter. i have a blister if that makes any difference.
this problem started when i tried the USB splitter with the keyboard and mouse. (legitech g502 and Microsoft sidewinder.)
I fixed it again via putting new files on.
Also using a external wd passport also if that makes a difference. non powered. plugged in a blister

You have already worked out the answer. If it is a spinning disk then it needs power (I would try a powered USB hub). I'm sorry, I know nothing about the blister.

[Beeble]

Might be related or not, but I had issues with external HDD going to sleep mode and not spinning up fast enough again when needed.
(Mostly Amiga Demos)

Swapped the HDD for an SSD and no issues since.

[jca]

For HDD spinning down see:
viewtopic.php?p=14964#p14964

[Nemesis2k]

I have been having some random issues with this pack. I cannot save a game in Discworld and it has randomly crashed on me throwing up the "secondary VHD not mounted error". Also when I run Fast DOOM, I can browse the menu but when I start a game it freezes and my core needs to be rebooted. When I try and run Fast DOOM II it just kicks me back to the 300 menu.

Any ideas?

[flynnsbit]

I have been having some random issues with this pack. I cannot save a game in Discworld and it has randomly crashed on me throwing up the "secondary VHD not mounted error". Also when I run Fast DOOM, I can browse the menu but when I start a game it freezes and my core needs to be rebooted. When I try and run Fast DOOM II it just kicks me back to the 300 menu.

Any ideas?

Failing to the dos prompt is something I need to dig into. That secondary error message is a dump message that is basically the last thing listed in the autoexec.bat and it is to catch people that don't mount anything to IDE 0-1 in the core. So in your case it means nothing. if you are sitting on E:\ when that fails and you can DIR and get a directory structure, the VHD is mounted.

For Fast Doom, have you run the update script lately? I had to move some things around to make it work, but it should work with HIRAM. You can also try using EMM. I haven't had time to really sit down and play but I know others have.

For Discworld, It's probably memory related, so mess with the other options on boot and see if it makes a difference (EMM or QEMM) I've played a good 30- hour of discworld 1 just fine, Discword 2 has a terrible audio bug that is for sure a core issue.

[Nemesis2k]

I have only built my MiSTer this weekend and everything is freshly installed and updated with current scripts.

I have tried to play DW for an hour approx with no crash however, I will save the game, type in a filename, then when I go to load there is nothing there.

See video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_iMk4Ve5O4

[martini2]

I assume the 'ao486 top 300 pack' from archive.org is the same as the 'eXoFlynn Top 300 DOS Pack'. I have installed the former but can not get the update script to work. The vhds ('IDE 0-0 BOOT-DOS98.vhd' 'IDE 0-1 Top 300 DOS Games.vhd') are in /media/fat/games/AO486/vhd and this is the path i have set in the "AO486_Update_Top300_Pack.ini" file but when i run "AO486_Update_Top300_Pack.sh" it shows this error

Code: Select all

This script updates the (flynnsbit AO486 - Top 300 DOS Games pack) VHD to fix games and add features that were not 
included in the original version.  This script directly mounts and modifies the VHD in one step. If the script fails
to find your VHD you will need to edit the script and change the User options at the top to fit your setup and re-run.
Please backup any changes you have made to the pack before running this update.

Script version v.0.9
Press any key to continue . . .
Downloading and executing
AO486_Update_Top300_updater.sh

Couldn't find disk image in "/media/fat/games/AO486/vhd/games/AO486".

The script appends /games/AO486 to the path and this obviously fails. I can not find this 'User options' that have to be changed in the script. Can anyone give me a hint how to solve this?

[flynnsbit]

I assume the 'ao486 top 300 pack' from archive.org is the same as the 'eXoFlynn Top 300 DOS Pack'. I have installed the former but can not get the update script to work. The vhds ('IDE 0-0 BOOT-DOS98.vhd' 'IDE 0-1 Top 300 DOS Games.vhd') are in /media/fat/games/AO486/vhd and this is the path i have set in the "AO486_Update_Top300_Pack.ini" file but when i run "AO486_Update_Top300_Pack.sh" it shows this error

Code: Select all

This script updates the (flynnsbit AO486 - Top 300 DOS Games pack) VHD to fix games and add features that were not 
included in the original version.  This script directly mounts and modifies the VHD in one step. If the script fails
to find your VHD you will need to edit the script and change the User options at the top to fit your setup and re-run.
Please backup any changes you have made to the pack before running this update.

Script version v.0.9
Press any key to continue . . .
Downloading and executing
AO486_Update_Top300_updater.sh

Couldn't find disk image in "/media/fat/games/AO486/vhd/games/AO486".

The script appends /games/AO486 to the path and this obviously fails. I can not find this 'User options' that have to be changed in the script. Can anyone give me a hint how to solve this?

simply move your vhds to AO486 instead of a vhd directory...

[twonunpackmule]

Anyone have any recommend settings for Duke Nukem 3D? I've been having some terrible frame rates and then it usually crashes.