AGA core for mist

[mahen]

Yes, but with it you are stuck to a specific directories hierarchy and it only supports whdload games. Not sure it detects automatically new entries ? You have to install the full whdload set and are stuck to an old version of it ? But it's indeed very handy to browse efficiently a whole set !

[Amedia]

@Mahen:
It uses 'A-Games:' and 'A-Demos:' directories which can be used for Tiny Launcher too.
And it integrates a big list of WHDLoad games.
For new entries, since it uses multiview, you can add it manually.

Thanks, Laurent and Franck
Amedia Computer

[mahen]

Indeed. Last updates is 5 years old so it'll require more and more work

[Fenio]

Latest version of X-Bench is not bad. I noticed only one bug with a black screen after quit program but it is nothing serious. Much faster is use X-Bench and reset core after quit than run game manualy from WB. Advantage of X-Bench is support directories and subdirectories for WHDLoad games, easy to use game list and their updated.

p.s.
For those who missed the recent information... WHDLoad is free from version 18.2. No need registration to normal operate without limits.

[AmigOS2]

You need to both update the core.rbf file and the firmware. Instructions are in the wiki (so check details) but to summarize:
1) upgrade firmware from inside the old core (via OSD menu)
2) (optionally) copy the old core file in your SD card as a backup
3) replace with new core file on the SD

I did this over the weekend and everything worked as I left it (it should keep the old config)

Reviewed - I figured this out after I found this link https://github.com/mist-devel/mist-boar ... ingStarted

Now my system shows rev 1.2

[Fenio]

https://github.com/mist-devel/mist-board/wiki
http://somuch.guru/minimig/minimig-mist/#usage

[AmigOS2]

My bad. The random messages that I am getting with the new core and firmware upg are back. I thought that I had done a bad update, but it turned out that what I have done to update to v1.2 was fine.

So I am getting random Workbench error messages (mostly System errors). When i restored the old core (v1.1) the errors go away and the MIST works fine.

Is anyone experiencing this?

[vebxenon]

My bad. The random messages that I am getting with the new core and firmware upg are back. I thought that I had done a bad update, but it turned out that what I have done to update to v1.2 was fine.

So I am getting random Workbench error messages (mostly System errors). When i restored the old core (v1.1) the errors go away and the MIST works fine.

Is anyone experiencing this?

I don't get any errors... except in some few incompatible games (Super Off Road using WHDLoad, for example)

Regards,

Salva

[Fenio]

So I am getting random Workbench error messages (mostly System errors). When i restored the old core (v1.1) the errors go away and the MIST works fine.

Try use ECS settings for video chipset or second version v1.2 with slower chipram for AGA http://meditation.somuch.guru/minimig/f ... 160224.zip

[vebxenon]

I must try iGame http://winterland.no-ip.org/igame/news.html It didn't work in previous cores and I haven't tested it using the new one.

Regards,

Salva

[AmigOS2]

My bad. The random messages that I am getting with the new core and firmware upg are back. I thought that I had done a bad update, but it turned out that what I have done to update to v1.2 was fine.

So I am getting random Workbench error messages (mostly System errors). When i restored the old core (v1.1) the errors go away and the MIST works fine.

Is anyone experiencing this?

I don't get any errors... except in some few incompatible games (Super Off Road using WHDLoad, for example)

Regards,

Salva

EDITED: I hope I can get somebody's attention. As reported before, I'm having problems using the new core (v1.2) and firmware update. The system boots fine only at times, but most of the time it gives all kind of random Workbench errors, Guru messages and red flashing screens.

When it boots and things seem OK, trying to play any games would give all kind of messages and freeze the system.

I have another SD card in which I still use core v1.1 and everything works perfectly, well I still have to reboot to be able to get any memory recognized, but everything works fine. I have tried core v1.2 with different brands of cards and memory size, yet with the same results....error messages galore.

I'm using firmware VER ATH160221, core_1.2 and firmware.upg file of February 21.

Could anybody help me to trouble shoot this issue? Is this a known issue? Thank you.

[AmigOS2]

Since I haven't received any replies, I am adding some extra information, hoping that someone comes to my rescue.

CHIPSET : cpu 68020, turbo none, video pal, chipset AGA, cd32 off
MEMORY : CHIP 2.0, slow NONE, FAST 24 MB (try also with 4 MB), ROM
kick3.1, HRTMON disabled
VIDEO : lores / hires none, scanlines dim, dither SPT
Hardfile Workbench 3.9

And yes, firmware says ATH160221. I am using the file firmaware.bin and firmware.upg posted on February 21 in the Atari Forum. I have copied those two files, plus the new core.rbf to the root of my SD card. Then from the OSD menu I navigated to the Firmware & Core option and Update.

After booting it shows that I'm running v1.2.

Honestly, I am not so sure that I am doing the upgrade process correctly. This is the first time since I bought the MiST that I am doing an update.

[Newsdee]

The firmware revision should be displayed in the OSD so presumably that has worked correctly.

The core 1.2 works fine for me for the few things I've tried. You can try to run OCS games from disks first to rule out a system install problem, then add options e.g. ECS, hdd, etc. until you hit the same issue.

If the problem is in the system and you have to reinstall, you can transfer files in an emulator on your PC.

[vebxenon]

@AmigOS2 have you tried this version? http://meditation.somuch.guru/minimig/f ... 160224.zip

Also, try to create a new HDF, it seems to be also a storage problem.

Regards,

Salva

[Fenio]

@AmigOS2
Do you set "max transfer" to 0x1fe00 ?

Honestly, I am not so sure that I am doing the upgrade process correctly.

ARM s/w version - firmware version on you MiST in flash memory
FILE s/w version - firmware version file on SD card
If after updating both numbers are the same means that the update was successful.


ps.
DoomAttack working great on v1.2

[mahen]

Hi ! We exchanged quite a few emails with AmigOS2.

Actually, his hardfiles / settings / kickstart and firmware versions are good : no problem on my MiST. So the issue might be due to some hardware discrepancies (sdram timing, SD card compatibility...).

It DID happen in the past (I experienced it) that a core was completely unstable on my machine due to different sdram timing. It was fixed by Rok in a further version. It also DID happen (distinct issue) to me to get random black screens at boot time due to my SD card. It worked around it by changing my SD card

AmigaOS2 : please try a different SD card with the exact content of the one I sent to you. And double check the actual F/W version with the screenshot sent above.

I everything fails, get in touch with Chaos Or ask for a replacement board ? Don't give up, it's pretty awesome

[Fenio]

Maybe try use another power supply with minimum current 800mA. Test with only keyboard and mouse connect to USB.

[AmigOS2]

Hi ! We exchanged quite a few emails with AmigOS2.

Actually, his hardfiles / settings / kickstart and firmware versions are good : no problem on my MiST. So the issue might be due to some hardware discrepancies (sdram timing, SD card compatibility...).

It DID happen in the past (I experienced it) that a core was completely unstable on my machine due to different sdram timing. It was fixed by Rok in a further version. It also DID happen (distinct issue) to me to get random black screens at boot time due to my SD card. It worked around it by changing my SD card

AmigaOS2 : please try a different SD card with the exact content of the one I sent to you. And double check the actual F/W version with the screenshot sent above.

I everything fails, get in touch with Chaos Or ask for a replacement board ? Don't give up, it's pretty awesome

@mahen

I have tried different brand and storage size cards, with exactly the same results. Constant crashes.

Epsilon answered to me in amiga.org and guided me to change C:SetPatch to NOROMUPDATE Quiet and now I can at least boot. I still have some games that don't work and use to work well with v1.1; i.e StreetFighter2CD32AGA, Subwar2050, Desert Strike in ECS mode, etc.







I will definitely follow the advice give here by you and others.

[MasterOfGizmo]

I everything fails, get in touch with Chaos Or ask for a replacement board ? Don't give up, it's pretty awesome

Getting in touch with chaos is the way to go. If the V1.1 core worked then your board definitely is fine.

Also all boards are the same. There are no different hardware revisions or the like.

Implementing hardware has some pitfalls and it's definitely possible to build a core that only works on certain FPGAs if you exceed the timing. It's like overclocking CPUs. Some work and some don't. Rok probably might be able to adjust the timing a little bit here and there ...

[AmigOS2]

I everything fails, get in touch with Chaos Or ask for a replacement board ? Don't give up, it's pretty awesome

Getting in touch with chaos is the way to go. If the V1.1 core worked then your board definitely is fine.

Also all boards are the same. There are no different hardware revisions or the like.

Implementing hardware has some pitfalls and it's definitely possible to build a core that only works on certain FPGAs if you exceed the timing. It's like overclocking CPUs. Some work and some don't. Rok probably might be able to adjust the timing a little bit here and there ...

Following Epsilon's advice in another forum, I edited C: SetPatch NOROMUPDATE in the startup-sequence, I can now at least boot up.

System still crashes with a few games, but what it's worse, the system comes down with an unrecoverable crash when attempting to change from AGA to ECS core.

In other words, this MiST is not usable at all with v1.2.

Could someone please take a look at this issue and advise?

[Newsdee]

Try switching to 1.1 to change the config to ECS, then save the config files on a PC so you can reconfigure by changing INI files

[AmigOS2]

Try switching to 1.1 to change the config to ECS, then save the config files on a PC so you can reconfigure by changing INI files

I don't know how to do this" "reconfigure by changing INI files." I have never messed around with the INI files in the MiST.

[Newsdee]

When you save a config, it records it to a file e.g. MINIMIG.INI.
If you copy that file to a PC (renaming it slightly so you remember which version it was) you can have some kind of "profiles" and switch them when needed.

You can probably also remove the file to go back to basic settings, though.

[chaos]

Hi AmigOS2,

I'm not really sure what the source of your problems could be. Of course, the v1.2 core could be problematic, but it works just fine for me and lots of other people.

The v1.2 core is actually the fist one that supports loading of ROM updates modules & libraries, this didn't work on the previous cores. Your problem could simply be an incompatible module or library in your OS. Do you see any lines in your startup containing "Loadmodule"? The scsi.device from the ROM update could be problematic, it has problems working even on real Amiga hardware.

What is the current status, does using NOROMUPDATE fix your problems? Some games still don't work on the v1.2 core, there are even some regressions, but a lot more games work that didn't with the v1.1 release. Can you make a list of games that don't work for you, possibly including which WHDload version you are using and the game slave version?

Can you try a clean installation of AmigaOS 3.1 and report any problems? What does the 'unrecoverable crash' when switching from AGA to ECS core look like? And what do you mean with 'switching from AGA to ECS core' - do you actually load the old minimig ECS core or do you mean switching the chipset from AGA to ECS and then rebooting? A screenshot of the crash would be nice.

Please be more detailed when describing your problems, at least write which games you tried and didn't work and which do now that you disabled the ROM updates.

[mahen]

Hi Chaos,
Sorry for insisting, but AmigOS2's hardfile works perfectly on my MiST. I'm sure this is a clue!