Creating a Self-Booting CD32 CD (Here we go again...)
 

Hi guys - I've just become the proud owner of a PAL CD32 (for the second time). I used to have both a CD32 and a A1200 back in the day, and am really interested in creating some one-off CD32 ports of some of my favourite Amiga games.

I've read this : http://acdldp.emuunlim.com/bootablecdr.shtml and it makes perfect sense. I'm not a RomzKiddie n00b, and I've been looking at the various CD32 unofficial ports and compilations to see how they work (and understand the use of scripts/startup sequences, etc.). My intention is to use some of these game files to create some auto-booting single-game CD's for my collection (complete with self made CD art/cases/etc. - the early work by Vision/Acid, etc. is high on my priority list as these were some of my favourites back in the 90's). I know this may sound pointless to you guys - but it's for my own enjoyment :)

HOWEVER, I'm currently lacking a copy of the CD32 Developers CD... I need the CD32.TM and CDTV.TM files, MakeCD, etc. I'm using the latest AmigaForever version of the Kick Roms with a virtual hard disc set up on my PC.

I also don't understand the last bit about .RAW files... How do I convert this to an ISO? None of the burning software I have (or Daemon Tools) appears to support the RAW format. Is there a free way to do this? I prefer to write CD's via Nero so I can verify my burns.

Please could someone upload the bits and pieces I need in the Zone? Or provide me with a download link that works?

Many thanks,

James.

I think the .TMs etc are in the archive on this page:

http://www.cd32-allianz.de/entwickler/entwickler?

Can't check it at the moment as I'm at work.

Yup musashi5150, everything you need for making botable CD32 CD's can be found there.

@Heavy Stylus
You don't need to mess around with RAW files. ISOCD makes normal ISO image file that you can burn in Nero. And BTW CD32 is very picky about burned CD's, so burn them at lowest speed, maybe try a few different brands of CD to see which works the best.

Thanks guys!

I've read about the reasons for burning at low speed, etc. and although I currently use Imation CDR's in the office I'll definitely experiment with other brands if I have any problems with them.

I'm really looking forward to getting this up and running now :)

Ah. Sorry for being dense here, but the guide that I linked to above doesn't mention this program (ISOCD) - it just explains how to create a RAW image using MakeCD. Should I use ISOCD instead of MakeCD? Is there a basic guide to this tool?

I don't know of a guide. But you shouldn't need one - it's really easy to use.

Just make a folder on your HD and put all the files/drawers you want to be burnt inside it.

Start the ISOCD program.

Point it to the folder you made.

Add the CD32.TM file into the CD (there is a menu option for this somewhere I think).

Make the ISO.

Burn it with your burning program :)


My CD32 isn't fussy with discs at all. Any brand and any speed - it doesn't seem to care.

Am I right in thinking I should actually use the CDTV.TM file (and not CD32.TM)?

Not unless you want to make CDTV compatible discs...

Hmm. Thats odd. All the sites I've read guides from say not to use the CD32.TM file because it doesn't work...?

Look here: http://translate.google.co.uk/transl...hl=en&ie=UTF-8

See the instructions for ISOCD? It says clearly "VERY IMPORTANT! This not forget, because without tm-file starts the CD will not! And STILL IMPORTANT: NOT THE CD32.TM choose, even if it is a game-CD32 want to do! If you do that, the CD32 crashes as soon as it tries to rmtm to start."

RMTM apparently is necessary to remove the spinning CD32 logo. But hey, this is all new to me! :)

I've made a couple of ISO's but haven't received my CD32 yet (it's on it's way).

My first port, Microbes (Vision) is a non-aga game. Therefore I've used the CDTV.TM file and put RMTM at the start of the startup-sequence (as prompted in the above guide).

For an AGA game I've read that I need to use 'Setpatch'. What is this and how does it work? Should I not use RMTM when I use Setpatch? Some discs I've looked at use the CD32 control 'FreeAnim' instead. Should I use the CD32.TM file instead for AGA games? I want to load a small AGA game (PD), I've tested it from HD and it runs fine, so I guess all I need to put in the startup-sequence is:

freeanim
setpatch QUIET
MonstersOfTerror

Will this potentially work?

If my memory serves me right, if you put cdtv.tm you won't have spinning logo. I used cdtv.tm for cd's that I made for myself. And yes you need setpatch to enable AGA chipset. This startup-sequence you posted should work.

Yes, use the CDTV.TM file, it will work every time.

Dont bother RMTM, i never use and games work fine. with the freeanim and setpatch, you dont always have to use em, I left them out on loads of CD32 discs I have made and things work fine.

If your running it from HD, how do you mean, as it should be with its own HD with its own startup-sequence or workbench hd launched?

I normally setup my disc on a blank HD as I want them on disc, then tell WinUAE hd config, that the HD is CD0: and then let it boot from that. If it all works, then I burn it to disc and then test in CD32.

As for burning speeds, im not sure on this, cause I have always burnt at max speed and never ever had a problem.

@Heavy Stylus
I just tried your microbes ISO and it doesn't work. It reboots CD32 and says : Unknown command. But if then I just type microbes it works, this RMTM makes some problems. I know I never used it, remove it and all should be fine.
I also suggest that you copy from some compilation disc Devs/System-Configuration to have black workbench screen.

Same here (in UAE)... I'll remove that rmtm rubbish and use CDTV.TM instead. Not sure what you mean by the Devs bit above, but I'll guess I'll see what you mean when I get my CD32 later this week...

Edit - Oh dear, how embarrasing. The reason the startup-sequence failed is because I wrote it in windows, and it saved loads of extra [] characters after the program name. Now I know better - write the startup-sequence on the Amiga (under UAE)!

Oh, and the sys-config file... I remember what this is now... :)

OK - used the CDTV.TM file and just put 'microbes' in the startup-sequence on it's own.

When I mount this as a booting CD0: in UAE it works, but will it work on a CD32? Anyone who doesn't mind another coaster is welcome to try ;)

EDITED 08.08.08 - New optimised ISO posted :)

Right - I've build a CDTV.TM ISO using this startup-sequence and all is fine... well, almost. The game autoboots from CD0 but I've got an unwanted mouse cursor floating around, and the disk drive is still clicking intermittedly (which will piss me off if I ever get an SX32). Are there any C programs I need to clear up these little defects?

To prevent drive clicking use NoClick or similar. To black out the screen and pointer completely add a suitable system-configuration file to the devs directory, I've attached a blacked-out version below.

Thanks! That's exactly what I was looking for :)

SX32's are fairly hard to come by now, :(. I was after 1 for ages. So I went with an A1200 and modified it with extra ram and internal cdrom drive, and a compact flash HDD.

Ah. That system-configuration file didn't do what I wanted to do... I can still see the mouse cursor!

Is there a small startup program that kills the cursor?