N64 Core

[vibes]

Edit: The issue has been resolved, thanks everyone for your help! Original post below:

I apologize for bringing up a weird issue I'm seeing, but I updated the N64 core and things are no longer working. I did delete the configuration file, but it didn't work.

Below is everything I remember doing:

Before:

• My N64 core worked perfectly.

In the middle (updating):

• I installed a MiSTer USB hub board.
• I copied my MicroSD card to a new larger MicroSD card -- I used the MiSTer installer on the new SD card to set up the partitions, then copied all old files from my old SD card's FAT partition to the new SD card.
• I added some new N64 games to my SD card, including Super Mario 64 and Zelda OoT.
• I used update_all (with the N64 addition in the config file) to update the N64 core.

Symptoms start:

• The N64 core wouldn't start any games I tried. I used the error overlay to see what errors were showing up; they were always either 0080000 or 0080005.

Troubleshooting steps:

• I went to delete N64.CFG from the SD card through my Windows computer, but the file wasn't there. I deleted every other N64-related .cfg file, though, including volume and controller mappings. I even tried manually creating an empty N64.cfg file. Nothing worked.
• I later went on the MiSTer command prompt with F9 and saw that according to Linux, N64.CFG was actually on the SD card! So I deleted it from there.
• In Windows I scanned the SD card for errors, just in case. No errors found.

Symptoms continue:

• I noticed the N64 core would actually play my newly added games! But it wouldn't play games I've played before, always showing the 0080000 or 0080005 errors.
• I played Mario 64 (a newly added game I've not played on MiSTer), got 15 stars, saved the game, reset the game, and the save was gone! Autosave was enabled in the core, but it didn't show the "Saving..." prompt whenever I went into the menu.
• I played Mario 64 and tried manually saving with the option in the menu, the save still disappeared upon reset.
• I played Zelda OoT (a newly added game I've not played before on MiSTer) and it didn't boot at all, but curiously it didn't even show an error.
• All other games I've newly added worked fine, minus the saving.

Last troubleshooting step:

• I deleted all N64 saves from my SD card. I figured that was causing the issue with games I've played before, but I noticed not all games I've previously played had saves and they weren't working.

Final test:

• Sadly, nothing is working still.

My guesses:

• Is there a file that contains a list of recently opened files, or any other configuration files i don't know of? I don't know where that would be, though, but it might be why only old games don't work.
• Maybe my SD card is corrupted? Windows didn't show any issues with the scan, and I'm seeing no other issues with any other cores, so I doubt it's that.

Any ideas? Thanks!

[edr]

...The newly added games I've never booted before are working fine, with Zelda OoT as an exception (it hangs without displaying an error code), but those newly added games don't save. (I only tried this with Mario 64.)

Try manually downloading the latest core and replacing it in /media/fat/_Console

N64_20231208.rbf

(3.61 MiB) Downloaded 293 times

Maybe a storage/sd card issue? There are many fake sd cards out there that report more storage than they have, causing issues down the line.

Look at $ dmesg for any error messages.

Try other cores and games for them to see if it's only N64 or some more general storage or MiSTer install issue.

Try some other sd card w fresh MiSTer install, copy only the N64 core and a few games to it, not all the other FAT files.

[pbsk8]

try using unstable mister file for this latest core version released

[vibes]

@edr thanks for the troubleshooting tips! Coincidentally, I edited my post to add more info in the middle of you writing your response (hopefully my post isn't too wordy).

I followed your advice, and unfortunately, I've not figured out the cause of the problem, but the old SD card I copied everything from works fine after updating the N64 core manually. The problem is on my new SD card.

A couple thoughts, though:

• I was concerned about the fake SD card thing, but I don't think that's the issue -- file system checks all pass correctly, dmesg doesn't show anything unusual, etc.

• the old SD card that works doesn't have an N64.CFG file on it at all. Where is the config being saved to, then?

• I tried other cores on the new SD card, they all run without any issues. I tried saving in a couple of new games using different cores, and there were no issues. The N64 core is the only core that seems to have issues.

Ultimately I think I can get by with the old SD card, and I'll keep working on the new SD card on my own time -- it might resolve itself with copying everything over again. Thanks for the help!

Edit:

try using unstable mister file for this latest core version released

That worked!

When I copied everything to the new SD card, it didn't install the unstable build. That was the issue, thanks very much!

[Longtime4321]

OoT redux won't boot. Any methods?

[edr]

Make sure you patched the correct file, Legend of Zelda, The - Ocarina of Time (USA).z64, and you checked the sha-1 sum of this file before you patched it as listed by the patch, ad69c91157f6705e8ab06c79fe08aad47bb57ba7. There are multiple revisions of the OOT, you need the one with this sha-1 sum (not for ex. the rev1 or rev2 oot).

To do the patching you can use the simple method (beat) https://www.romhacking.net/utilities/893/, or the complex tool that lets you select which patch features to apply (patcher64+) https://github.com/Admentus64/Patcher64 ... l/releases

After you patch it, the patched game should have a sha-1 sum of be88a72e623a8c9d16a561d8880469392229424a

Same process for Majora Redux .

If you already know all this, and OOT works but OOT Redux doesn't work, I don't have other ideas because Redux works great for me. And make sure to map only the d-pad in N64 core config.

OoT redux won't boot. Any methods?

[Longtime4321]

I used patcher64++ to dink around and customize it. The rom boots on Project64 but not on MiSTer. Standard OoT and other games work fine

[edr]

I used patcher64++ to dink around and customize it. The rom boots on Project64 but not on MiSTer. Standard OoT and other games work fine

If you're able to do a straight un-dinked patch of the indicated oot file with the beat tool to get a patched game w/ be88a72e623a8c9d16a561d8880469392229424a sum, and that doesn't boot, then hmmm. Because this has been working fine for me with all recent N64 cores.

Also something that boots on Proj64 but not the latest N64 core might be of interest to the N64 core developer on Discord as it might reveal some existing issues with the core. Try turning on the debug error display on the n64 core and see if anything shows up.

[Longtime4321]

I got the error E008000, which from my understanding is when the game tries to write to ram where there is none. Upon enabling the expansion pak, the problem is fixed.

[FPGA64]

I got the error E008000, which from my understanding is when the game tries to write to ram where there is none. Upon enabling the expansion pak, the problem is fixed.

That probably means you dont have a database entry for your adjusted rom so the Mister defaults and doesnt have an expansion pack

[Longtime4321]

Correct. I'm running MiSTer stable, so the database file can't be read. I've been setting things manually for each game.
OoT redux isn't in the database file anyways since it's a romhack. Evidently it uses the expansion pak.

[Tulius]

With the recent 23.12.18 update with a CRT monitor at 640x480 res it gives a OUT OF SCAN RANGE message so only a black screen appears... =( The 23.12.15 update is working right with 640x480 resolution.

[FPGAzumSpass]

I put a new version on discord that should fix it, you might want to test.

[deadlocked]

Since the new fast ROM load feature was enabled, I have noticed that I can no longer chain load games. With the slow ROM loader, I was able to load a game, play it, then load another game, play it, etc. Now I can fast load the first game but when I try to load a second game, the screen freezes and no amount of reloading the ROM or any other ROM will work. The only way to recover is to reload the core and then I can load one ROM and the second ROM I try to load will freeze the core again.

I am currently using the latest N64 core (12/20) and the latest MiSTer unstable (12/20), and I have tried every N64 and MiSTer unstable since fast ROM loading was enabled with the same results.

[edr]

I am currently using the latest N64 core (12/20) and the latest MiSTer unstable (12/20), and I have tried every N64 and MiSTer unstable since fast ROM loading was enabled with the same results.

I don't know if any of the MiSTer unstables include the req changes, I'm using specifically the one from test builds in the discord that was listed next to the N64 core that added the fast load feature, try this one also and power cycle off/on (not just soft reboot) the system https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/ ... 540/MiSTer

Code: Select all

[root@mst1 /media/fat]# sha1sum MiSTer
9566a54525ac7d8bce5ba842d65b8e6a61252fff  MiSTer

Also the N64 config file layout changed some days back and it requires deleting the previous one. So try deleting or moving/renaming /media/fat/config/N64.CFG and then restart the N64 core and you'll need to review again the N64 menu settings since they will all reset to defaults.

[deadlocked]

I don't know if any of the MiSTer unstables include the req changes, I'm using specifically the one from test builds in the discord that was listed next to the N64 core that added the fast load feature, try this one also and power cycle off/on (not just soft reboot) the system

Code: Select all

Also the N64 config file layout changed some days back and it requires deleting the previous one. So try deleting or moving/renaming /media/fat/config/N64.CFG and then restart the N64 core and you'll need to review again the N64 menu settings since they will all reset to defaults.

I deleted and re-created the N64.cfg file and I have also tried the original MiSTer file that came with the N64 core that added the fast load feature. I tried the MiSTer file from your link but I am still only able to load the first game and, after I am done playing and try to load another game, the core hangs until I restart the core. I did a full power off as I needed to take the SD card out of the MiSTer to load the MiSTer file from your link.

[edr]

I am still only able to load the first game and, after I am done playing and try to load another game, the core hangs until I restart the core.

It's a weird issue, regarding n64 issues I haven't seen this or heard of any reports of this particular issue where the 1st game load works and 2nd doesn't. Wonder if it could be a hardware issue such as w/your memory module somehow. You could wait for future core and MiSTer updates and see if it somehow resolves.

You could also try grabbing the latest ini from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/MiSTer-devel/Main_MiSTer/master/MiSTer.ini and reviewing your settings against it. For ex. if you're using vsync_adjust=2 you could try 1 or 0 instead in case you're having a sync issue w/ your monitor when you try to load the second game (the screen blinking on and off at random times could indicate the monitor doesn't support the Hz the MiSTer puts out with certain vsync values).

[FPGAzumSpass]

I have also run into this yesterday when i made further changes. I don't understand why it's sometimes there and mostly not.
As my new build has this 100% of the time, i can easily research it and i will fix it.
I don't have a solution ready, but i can promise you to look into it after the christmas days.

[andrewkendall]

For me, something changed on the 15th December build. Now nothing loads, just a black screen. Same for build on the 20th. Rolling back to another version and games load again. I've tried deleting the config file. Obviously these things happen while developing, so let me know if I can provide any info that could help. To echo everyone else, just astounding work on this core FPGAzumSpass .

[gegmaster]

testbuild_2023_12_15

fast rom loading implemented -> needs new mister main (by markun)

The last update core N64 needs new mister main. How to update it?

[deadlocked]

I have also run into this yesterday when i made further changes. I don't understand why it's sometimes there and mostly not.
As my new build has this 100% of the time, i can easily research it and i will fix it.
I don't have a solution ready, but i can promise you to look into it after the christmas days.

Thank you, Robert!

I have downloaded the latest "fast clocked core" (12/22) and latest MiSTer unstable (12/21) and that seems to have fixed the fast loader; I can now load multiple games, one after another, without having to reload the core in between. I still have issues with Turok 3 loading but that has never worked fine for me anyway and it's not a big deal.

For the record, I have set DDR3 Delay to "40" in debug settings to clear up graphic glitches in Indiana Jones and I am going through a bit of overall testing to see if there are secondary effects to having a faster clocked CPU, but so far things look good on the few games I have tried.

Here are the links to the files that I used.
https://discord.com/channels/6479093974 ... 5863012393
https://discord.com/channels/6479093974 ... 7689830452

[Link83]

Apologies if this is the incorrect section, but i'm running the N64 core on an iPad screen, and noticed that when using vscale_mode=4 and vscale_mode=5 the output resolution doesn't seem to match what I expected? With most other cores I have tested they appear to be integer scaled to the maximum output resolution, as described here:-
https://mister-devel.github.io/MkDocs_M ... video-mode
Then the screen scales that resolution to fill the full screen.

However with the N64 core (and PSX core?) the output resolution for vscale_mode=5 appears to be the full 2048x1536 with black borders around the image (So it appears to be integer scaled the same as vscale_mode=1) and with vscale_mode-4 running Super Mario 64 it shows 1936x1440, which doesn't seem to make sense as an integer resolution of 640x240?

Is there anyway to get vscale_mode_4 and vscale_mode=5 to output the integer resolution like other cores? So 640x240 would be integer scaled and output as 1920x1440 with the screen doing the rest? Basically i'm just trying to get the image to fill the screen without obvious black borders all the way round, whilst still using integer scaling (As opposed to vscale_mode=0) I hope that makes sense!

[FoxbatStargazer]

Dunno about the N64 core but the PSX core had different cuts. I think it defaulted to 240 vertical, that means 240 is treated as the vertical resolution even if its empty black space on most games. 216 vertical was also an option, that should result in less than 1440p with those vscale modes.

If I'm understanding how it works, vscale_mode=0 probably wouldn't eliminate the black border either. There's just some amount of border baked into the core right now. You might try it and see what happens just to understand better.

[MrsBison]

Hi there

is there no repositories archive for N64 previously released cores like all the other cores ?
Cant find it in the database...

Kind regards

[FPGAzumSpass]

Old cores are here: https://github.com/RobertPeip/Mister64/releases

However with the N64 core (and PSX core?) the output resolution for vscale_mode=5 appears to be the full 2048x1536 with black borders around the image (So it appears to be integer scaled the same as vscale_mode=1) and with vscale_mode-4 running Super Mario 64 it shows 1936x1440, which doesn't seem to make sense as an integer resolution of 640x240?

Disable "Fixed Video Blanks" and you get the original resolution in both cores.

However, Aspect ratio might be wrong and games playing with display properties might cause a resync on the screen.

[MrsBison]

Hey great. Thanx alot !

Ill try the "fixed video blanks" too.

Kind regards

[misterrocks]

The N64 core was working for me a week or two ago but when I try it now I get a black screen after loading a ROM. I tried updating to the latest core from 12/20 but it's the same. All I did to get it working originally was add the db_url line to downloader.ini and run update_all. I don't have a N64.CFG file in /media/fat/config.

[edr]

The N64 core was working for me a week or two ago but when I try it now I get a black screen after loading a ROM.

Try with a recent MiSTer unstable binary overwriting the default one in /media/fat and power cycle the system. https://github.com/MiSTer-unstable-nigh ... ble-builds

Also make sure your db is updated recently, /media/fat/games/N64/N64-database.txt, if not you can grab the latest from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/MiSTe ... tabase.txt

[misterrocks]

It worked! Thank you!

[Ikefix]

Try with a recent MiSTer unstable binary overwriting the default one in /media/fat and power cycle the system. https://github.com/MiSTer-unstable-nigh ... ble-builds

Also make sure your db is updated recently, /media/fat/games/N64/N64-database.txt, if not you can grab the latest from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/MiSTe ... tabase.txt

Wow, so difficult to find this info, so if I want the database to work I do need to replace my mister file for the file called MiSTer_unstable_20210606_fb1f (2021 that is old!) and rename it to MiSTer.

The last N64-database.txt (1306 lines (1297 loc) · 85.8 KB) goes in N64 folder

Is that all?
Thanks

EDIT: now it does not even boot
EDIT: found the solution:

https://github.com/MiSTer-unstable-nigh ... 222_236a04

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/MiSTe ... tabase.txt

I hate github