"Agony" under CD32.

[olesio]

Hello.

I got old computer bought in February 2004 (AMD Athlon 2500+, 512 MB RAM
and Windowx SP Home SP2 PL) so I use early versions od WinUAE to allow games
work faster and for hdf hardfiles or HDD Games under WHDLoad everything is fine.
But I interested in CD32 emulation and creating game iso images under MakeCD
and WinUAE. I got problem with Agony downloaded from http://whdownload.com
I used normal WHDLoad 16.8 (because I got the same problems under 16.4) and
my own keyfile. Game do not work under WHDLoadCD32 so I used normal version.
Game works fine under WinUAE version 1.6.1, but under latest available WinUAE
(2.2.0) I got following error showed on png image. Also I attached a log file. The
error popup wnen I press Fire (Right Ctrl) before owl show on screen. I do not own
real CD32 to check burned iso image under real hardware. I only made for myself
to test few things and give a clue for person who asked for help with floppy games
under CD32 on one polish language emulation forum. Please tell me is that error
can be fixed in new version? Or is is slave file fault? I used latest slave available.
And other strange thing is it WinUAE (no matter 1.6.1 or 2.2.0) respond for any cursor
keys or right Ctrl as fire button very, very slowly (after few seconds). Is it slow and
old CPU in my PC fault? Because in hdf emulation and Classic WB under 1.6.1 games
work a bit slower and sometime I have sounds desynchronisation, but generally work
fine, but anyway in most cases until I do not buy new hardware I use 1.1 version.
Ofcourse under WinUAE 1.5.1 I mount image under Daemon Tools Pro, because that
version of emulator do not have mounting iso file feature, but game runs fine anyway
under that version like I said. Only problem with very slow keyboard reaction problem.
That is all. I'm waiting for answer and sorrry for my very bad english (as always ).

[Toni Wilen]

Probably slave issue or timing issue or both

Input lag: make sure Priority panel setting is not higher than normal (try both normal and below normal), make sure http://support.microsoft.com/kb/895980 is done (old AMD CPU powersaving issue)

[olesio]

Thanks for tips. Setting Priority to Below Normal helps. And difference in speed
is very big. Now games works fine ("Agony" under version 1.6.1 - too). I also
add this parameter from microsoft support to my boot.ini - maybe it also speed
up emulation a bit. But please, try to change a future version code in that way
like version 1.6.1 works with "Agony" Also interested thing Reset program,
from SilkWorm + SWIV compilation at http://www.rgcd.co.uk/cd32 woks only
in latest version. In 1.6.1 it changs CD32 emulation and I must restart whole
WinUAE after quit from games by quitkey, because screen is still black and led
on screen do not blink and nothing happend. But probable some parts of code
from WinUAE version 1.6.1 are better and allow work Agony in perfect way

[Retro1234]

Gibs was having problems with Agony so can recomend using WHDLoad 16.8 -Whats the problem with WHDloadCD32?

I very weary of unofficial CD32 stuff if you take a good look your be surprised at how many contain Keys.

[Toni Wilen]

You have to find easier way to duplicate this, no one is going to create cd images just to test one game

[olesio]

I made CD32 iso image for two games which was asked by one person on
polish emulation forum. I tried WHDLoadCD32, but it also show errors even
latest version of WHDLoadCD32 and even on WinUAE 1.6.1, so I decide to
use a normal version of WHDLoad, but under 2.2.0 version "Agony" crash.

[Toni Wilen]

It does not crash in any normal Workbench setup here = "not a problem unless it can be duplicated easily".

[olesio]

Yes - under Workbench configuration game works fine only problems with CD32
emulation and latest version of WinUAE (but not in a 1.6.1) like I wrote above.

[Toni Wilen]

Exactly. No one is going to care about this without access to non-working CD image. (WITHOUT whdload key!)

[Retro1234]

Try adding ReadDelay=50 to WHDload.Prefs or try the ISO in the Zone

[olesio]

Boo Boo: thank you ReadDelay help and also for SWIV undet WHDLoadCD32 I must
run it in following way, because when slave file was in Slaves Directory the directory
was not visible by WinUAE and when SWIV.slave file was in the same dir as a Disk.1
file - WHDLoadCD32 reports error about cannot find Disk.1 file, but in following way
everything is ok, also with "Agony", but when playing in it - a CPU Screen Led was
blinkin in yellow color and incrase to a 99% even with "below normal" priority set.

WHDLoadCD32 CD0:A/SWIV.slave DATA=CD0:SWIV/ PRELOAD

[Toni Wilen]

Thanks for the hint, delay is most likely required (on real CD32 too) because CD32 CD driver always prefetches next max 16 CD sectors.

Each sector fetch creates an interrupt and machine hangs if WHDLoad kills the system before prefetching is complete.

Older WinUAE versions didn't emulate hardware fully which caused driver to stop prefetching early = delay was not needed

[olesio]

Toni: but I seen one more bug under 2.2.0 version and I do not know it is
caused by my computer or everybody have the same issue. When I load the
configuration named !_a_wb.uae and ClassicWB is loaded and even if I later
press Restart button and/or load configuration !_cd32.uae CD32 don't want
to start. LEDs do not blink and CD32 startup screen don't show. I must quit
WinUAE and run it again, and then loading !_cd32.uae configuration end ok
and successful loaded. Both configuration was saved by 2.2.0 version and a
test.iso ofcourse is valid. I attached both configurations. So can you fix this
bug, ofcourse if it is a bug? Or loading clean instance of WinUAE is needed.

[Toni Wilen]

Logs please, misc panel and enable logging, winuaelog.txt and winuaebootlog.txt, wait 10 seconds after selecting cd32 config and then quit winuae (and no wall-o-text posts please )

[olesio]

I attached both logs. To be precise, a CD on screen led only blink two times after
loading a configuration !_cd32 but very "weak light". I hope you can figure out
what is wrong. And one more strange thing if D:\test.iso will not exists and I load
!_a_wb and !_cd32 after it CD32 logo will be shown, but if D:\test.iso file exists
and a !_cd32 was not loaded, as first configuration after start of WinUAE - screen
is empty, like I wrote before. My PC hardware configuration was described above.

[Toni Wilen]

Try latest beta first.

[olesio]

I tried and the same results. A screen is empty, but CD LED blink normal only one
time and that was all. Loading !_cd32 as first - works fine. Updated logs attached.