FlashFloppy - new firmware for Gotek drives, open source

[Keir]

Originally Posted by Shatterhand

Well, don't know what I did, but now I got the device recognized..... trying to flash it now

EDIT: Flashed it allright, that's what I tested so far:

Jaguar XJ 220 - fails to detect the disk swap (It also happened on Cortex)
Sensible World of Soccer 96 - fails to detect disk swap (It happened randomly on Cortex.. sometimes I could make it work, sometimes I couldn't. Only tried once with the FF)
Z-out - Guru at cracktro, and I was nearly sure this worked with Cortex.
Prime Mover - Crashed after crakctro
R-Type 2 - Worked
Wonderboy in Monsterland - Worked.

Now keep in mind the ones that crashed could be problem with the ADF file. I was eager to test stuff that I couldn't make work with the Cortex firmware either.

Thanks for the list, I will try some of these myself when I have time. I would like to fine tune this version of FlashFloppy and make a stable release series before more major rewriting of certain elements (for more reliable write performance, f.ex)

EDIT: I just tried XJ220 in UAE and no success with Disk 2 there either. Do you have some XJ220 ADFs that work for you in, say, some version of UAE?
What I generally need for debugging is a set of disk images which you can state work in some other situation (eg. in UAE, or when running on Cortex/HxC, or when running from a real floppy drive) and which do not work on FlashFloppy. It's very helpful if you can provide the disk images (Zone them or message me to provide them).

[alpine9000]

Originally Posted by kaffer

Glad to hear your other issues are fixed. Regarding cold boot, see my earlier detailed response, and consider these questions:
Your A1200 is stock with Kickstart 3.1 I guess? How many files are in the root of your USB stick? Have you tried another USB stick? Does that very same USB stick with same number of files work on cold boot with Cortex firmware?

I got around to testing my cold boot issues with Cortex and it also fails to cold boot with one of my USB sticks.

[Keir]

Originally Posted by Shatterhand

Sorry for the series of posts, but there has been some time between them

I just found out this firmware WORKS on MSX. Got a 360kb .DSK image, converted to HFE, used the Amiga* selector to select a slot in the file, plug the Gotek in my MSX... AND IT WORKS.

This is GREAT news for me and probably for the MSX scene too.

Now, I tried to boot Aleste 2 on MSX and this one failed.... I guess it's because it's a 720kb disk and the firmware still does not support it?

It should work if 360kB images work because the only difference is that 720kB images are double sided, and of course FlashFloppy supports that. Maybe try some other 720kB MSX disks?

MSX disks are usually DSK images right? Like I need to support for CPC and Spectrum?

[idrougge]

Once FlashFloppy gains support for IMG format, I don't think you even need to convert your DSK files to HFE.

[utri007]

Few questions, if you please.

-Would this be useable without selector image, if I add third button to select image? Adding third button is easy and doesn't require soldering.

-Selector floppy sees all files on usb stick. Would it be possible to make it work with OS? So that I could open it from it's icon and under it has all the files on usb stick? Not just disk images, but also archives etc.? That way it could be "poor man's usb solution for amiga".

[Shatterhand]

I only have one Gotek drive, so anything I am testing now I am going "by memory" to remember if it worked on Cortex or not. I bought another one from China but its taking ages to get here....

But I can test everything using a regular Winuae setup. It was very late at night yesterday so I kinda rushed all tests (including the MSX one ), and I could do a better test with different ADFs for Jaguar XJ220.

Yes, MSX floppy images are .DSK files. I'll try with some other images and I'll let you know the results, but I believe CPC images are identical.

But the 360kb disks are *already* double sided (I believe CPC disks aren't double sided and are just 180kb ,but I may be wrong). The difference is that 360 kb disks have 40 tracks while 720kb have 80 tracks. But yeah, the only 720kb disk I tested was Aleste 2, I'll try with other disks.

Now I am 100% sure Aleste 2 works on MSX emulators for Windows, but my floppy interface failed to find any disk when I tried to boot it using the FF firmware. I can send you disk images if you have any interested. (If needed I could even send 5 1/4 disks with Aleste 2 copied for you ) Again, I tested Aleste 2 because people told me it does not work with the regular Gotek firmware.

Are you interested in more MSX tests ? I personally would be *very* happy if I could make this firmware works 100% with MSX disks, and I bet more people out there would too

EDIT: I Just remembered that back at the time I had two floppy drives for my MSX.. one only read 360 kb disks, the other one had a switch that I could use to change it to either 360kb or 720kb reading. I used both drives with the exact same interface I am using now. Now if this device can read Amiga DD 80 tracks disks, I believe it can do the same with normal DD 80 tracks disks.... I really don't know much of how all of this works, I just remembered some drives couldn't read 720kb disks and then others couldn't read 360kb disks.

[Higgy]

kaffer - I just upgraded the Gotek in my A1200 from 'Cortex' to 'FlashFloppy' and fitted a 1602 LCD on a flying lead as per my A500. I have tested around 5 game .ADF's and it seems fine. Cold boot from Floppy is working for me with CF HD installed. Spec: A1200, FlashFloppy v0.5.0a, 3.0 Kickstart, CF HD & 030 Blizzard Mk2 + Fast RAM Accelerator. P.S. Another Gotek & a OLED are on order for my spare Amstrad 6128. So when that all arrives I can try that

[idrougge]

Originally Posted by kaffer

MSX disks are usually DSK images right? Like I need to support for CPC and Spectrum?

Nope, DSK on MSX is just a plain sector-by-sector image.

[Keir]

Originally Posted by idrougge

Nope, DSK on MSX is just a plain sector-by-sector image.

Lol so it's an IMG with the wrong filename suffix?

[turrican9]

Kaffer, have you experimented with trying to emulate DF0 and DF1 on the Gotek yet?

[Amiga1992]

Originally Posted by Shatterhand

Jaguar XJ 220 - fails to detect the disk swap (It also happened on Cortex)
Sensible World of Soccer 96 - fails to detect disk swap (It happened randomly on Cortex.. sometimes I could make it work, sometimes I couldn't. Only tried once with the FF)
Z-out - Guru at cracktro, and I was nearly sure this worked with Cortex.
Prime Mover - Crashed after crakctro

All these games worked fine for me, even Jaguar XJ-220. I know it sounds stupid but did you press fire after changing disks?
I used the images from Gamebase Amiga (found on the FTP).
If you get a guru I would question the image/cracktro and compatibility with your A600 though.

I found something weird though:
On Sensible World Of Soccer, when you start the game, there are some flickering horizontal ghosty lines on the display on my 1084. As son as I disconnect Gotek's DATA header, they are gone.
Happens when I ma playing the WHDLoad version too if I have the Gotek connected, although less prominently.

A600 with KS 3.1, ACA620 accelerator.

[Shatterhand]

OF COURSE I PRESSED FIRE AFTER CHANGING DISKS. What kind of amiga user you take me for?

Yeah, I must admit I was more inclined to believe the problem was with the ADFs than with the Gotek/Firmware. Or, like you said, compatibility problems with the A600.

I always get my ADFs from Planet Emulation, I'll try the ones at the FTP later at night, thanks for the suggestion.

[Amiga1992]

Originally Posted by Shatterhand

Or, like you said, compatibility problems with the A600.

That's why I tested on my A600 and it all worked great.
Sorry about the fire button, I had to ask. I waited a long while there without it doing anything until I pressed :P

Planetemu is a good temptation for a "quick download" but after going through whole TOSEC sets myself and having to deal with lots of non-working shit, and after someone at EAB recomended me to check Gamebase, I get ADFs from nowhere else but Gamebase for the most part because they are 100% tested working.

Now, if we can figure out this display issue... Is anybody else experiencing it? Can anybody try Sensible World Of Soccer (95-96, 95-96 Euro and 96-97 all showed this behavior) and see if they also get these weird ghosty horizontal lines dancing around the playfield?

[Keir]

Originally Posted by Akira

That's why I tested on my A600 and it all worked great.
Sorry about the fire button, I had to ask. I waited a long while there without it doing anything until I pressed :P

Planetemu is a good temptation for a "quick download" but after going through whole TOSEC sets myself and having to deal with lots of non-working shit, and after someone at EAB recomended me to check Gamebase, I get ADFs from nowhere else but Gamebase for the most part because they are 100% tested working.

Now, if we can figure out this display issue... Is anybody else experiencing it? Can anybody try Sensible World Of Soccer (95-96, 95-96 Euro and 96-97 all showed this behavior) and see if they also get these weird ghosty horizontal lines dancing around the playfield?

Is your A600 recapped? Is your Gotek modded at all (eg LCD mod etc)?

[Keir]

Originally Posted by turrican9

Kaffer, have you experimented with trying to emulate DF0 and DF1 on the Gotek yet?

No, not yet, I have plenty of single-drive emulation todos to keep me busy a while!

[Keir]

Originally Posted by Shatterhand

I only have one Gotek drive, so anything I am testing now I am going "by memory" to remember if it worked on Cortex or not. I bought another one from China but its taking ages to get here....

But I can test everything using a regular Winuae setup. It was very late at night yesterday so I kinda rushed all tests (including the MSX one ), and I could do a better test with different ADFs for Jaguar XJ220.

Yes, MSX floppy images are .DSK files. I'll try with some other images and I'll let you know the results, but I believe CPC images are identical.

But the 360kb disks are *already* double sided (I believe CPC disks aren't double sided and are just 180kb ,but I may be wrong). The difference is that 360 kb disks have 40 tracks while 720kb have 80 tracks. But yeah, the only 720kb disk I tested was Aleste 2, I'll try with other disks.

Now I am 100% sure Aleste 2 works on MSX emulators for Windows, but my floppy interface failed to find any disk when I tried to boot it using the FF firmware. I can send you disk images if you have any interested. (If needed I could even send 5 1/4 disks with Aleste 2 copied for you ) Again, I tested Aleste 2 because people told me it does not work with the regular Gotek firmware.

Are you interested in more MSX tests ? I personally would be *very* happy if I could make this firmware works 100% with MSX disks, and I bet more people out there would too

EDIT: I Just remembered that back at the time I had two floppy drives for my MSX.. one only read 360 kb disks, the other one had a switch that I could use to change it to either 360kb or 720kb reading. I used both drives with the exact same interface I am using now. Now if this device can read Amiga DD 80 tracks disks, I believe it can do the same with normal DD 80 tracks disks.... I really don't know much of how all of this works, I just remembered some drives couldn't read 720kb disks and then others couldn't read 360kb disks.

It might be, since MSX DSKs are basically IMGs, that the image has been misconverted as a single-sided 80 track disk. Because an 80-track single-sided IMG would be the same size as a 40-track double-sided IMG!

Perhaps check that in the HxC software's track analyzer.

If it has been misconverted it can probably be done via "Load Raw Image" in the HxC software and pick some correct values in the multitude of boxes in there!

[Keir]

Originally Posted by utri007

Few questions, if you please.

-Would this be useable without selector image, if I add third button to select image? Adding third button is easy and doesn't require soldering.

It's usable already. If you have no config then buttons cycle through all images in the root folder of the USB stick. Current image is auto-selected after no buttons pressed for 2 seconds.

-Selector floppy sees all files on usb stick. Would it be possible to make it work with OS? So that I could open it from it's icon and under it has all the files on usb stick? Not just disk images, but also archives etc.? That way it could be "poor man's usb solution for amiga".

I think there's already Workbench software that does this for HxC? Sorry I cannot remember its name or locate it right now. But if I'm right there is a fair chance it will just work with FlashFloppy too (since the access mode it likely uses would be the same as I already implemented to support AUTOBOOT.HFE).

[Amiga1992]

Originally Posted by kaffer

Is your A600 recapped? Is your Gotek modded at all (eg LCD mod etc)?

My A600 is recapped, and my Gotek has no modifications at all.
Will try on the A500 when I have some time.

[idrougge]

Originally Posted by kaffer

Lol so it's an IMG with the wrong filename suffix?

There's nothing wrong with that suffix. Both IMG and DSK are stupid suffixes since they don't tell you anything about the contents outside their specific context.

Not to mention that filename suffixes are a stupid 70s invention.

[Keir]

Originally Posted by idrougge

There's nothing wrong with that suffix. Both IMG and DSK are stupid suffixes since they don't tell you anything about the contents outside their specific context.

Not to mention that filename suffixes are a stupid 70s invention.

Everything should be IFF really.