GUIDE: How to extract Kickstart ROM from Amiga Forever Value vs Plus / Premium

Hello everyone! First post on this forum and I'd like to share the steps for extracting the Kickstart ROM files that come with Amiga Forever.

Note the following restrictions:

AF Value:

- Costs only $10
- Doesn't include all Kickstart ROMs, but 1.3 is included
- Does not use rom.key, but a DLL for decrypting
- Process of extracting rom files is more work

AF Plus / Premium:

- Costs $30/$40 or $20/$30 as an upgrade
- Includes all Kickstart ROMs
- Uses rom.key, which UAE based emulators can easily import
- Process of extracting rom is extremely simple

Process for extracting the Kickstart ROM from AF Value:

- Start AF
- Go to systems
- Edit Workbench 1.3 profile
- Go to Media tab
- Add a directory somewhere on your computer (I'm going with amiga as folder name)
- Go to C:\Users\Public\Documents\Amiga Files\Shared\amiga_utilities
- Copy transrom to your amiga directory (the one that you added previously)
- Start Workbench 1.3 emulation
- Double click on Amiga Workbench 1.3 icon
- Double click on Shell
- Type the following command:

amiga:transrom > amiga:kickrom.rom

- Done! Kickrom.rom is the decrypted Kickstart Rom version 1.3 and can be found in the amiga folder we created previously

Process for extracting the Kickstart ROM from AF Plus / Premium:

Option 1: Create an ISO image

- Run AF Plus
- Go tools > Build Image
- Choose destination folder and press Build
- Burn the ISO to a DVD, mount in a virtual drive, or unzip with 7-zip or similar
- Open FS-UAE (that's what I used)
- Go to Main Menu
- Amiga Forever import
- Point it to the DVD and click Import
- Done

Option 2: Copy ROM files from installation folder
- Go to C:\Users\Public\Documents\Amiga Files\Shared\rom
- Copy these files somewhere else on the PC, for example the directory that your emulator monitors for ROM files
- Run FS-UAE (that's what I used)
- Go to Main Menu
- Amiga Forever import
- Point it to the folder with ROM files
- Done

YouTube versions of these steps

If you prefer a visual overview of the steps, I created these two videos:

[ Show youtube player ]

[ Show youtube player ]

[waltc]

Very informative...! Was curious as I noted that the version of WinUAE you were using is an old one, and that your original file dates in the video are ~2009, so just wondering why this is your first post here...? (I know, I'm nosy...)

Originally Posted by waltc

Very informative...! Was curious as I noted that the version of WinUAE you were using is an old one, and that your original file dates in the video are ~2009, so just wondering why this is your first post here...? (I know, I'm nosy...)

I was using an old version? Oh dear, I thought I got the newest one. I got it form here:

http://fs-uae.net/download#windows

I had a look at the video and the files are dated 2015, so I'm confused now

[Retro-Nerd]

A kickstart 1.3 with 512kB? You dumped somehow a wrong file in the first video. All Kick 1.x files are 256KB. Unless Amiga Forever has a 512KB file (overdumped?) in their Value Pack.

[prowler]

Originally Posted by Phil

Note the following restrictions:

AF Value:

- Costs only $10
- Doesn't include all Kickstart ROMs, but 1.3 is included
- Does not use rom.key, but a DLL for decrypting
- Process of extracting rom files is more work

Thanks Phil, I didn't know that.

Originally Posted by Retro-Nerd

A kickstart 1.3 with 512kB? You dumped somehow a wrong file in the first video. All Kick 1.x files are 256KB. Unless Amiga Forever has a 512KB file (overdumped?) in their Value Pack.

Is that right? That's odd to say the least. Well, FS-UAE accepts the ROM without complaints and when you launch the emulator you get the Kickstart screen. So not sure what's going on.

Originally Posted by prowler

Thanks Phil, I didn't know that.

I was s bit annoyed when I got the cheap version and found out. The information is somewhat tucked away deep in the FAQ of the AF website It wouldn't have been a problem to clearly state "if you want to buy AF to get the ROM files for emulators you should buy the Plus Edition". Or something like that.

[FrodeSolheim]

Yes, FS-UAE (and WinUAE) will recognize an overdumped 1.3 kickstart ROM - it is also catalogued in TOSEC (the emulator will just use the relevant 256 KB and ignore the rest).

Originally Posted by FrodeSolheim

Yes, FS-UAE (and WinUAE) will recognize an overdumped 1.3 kickstart ROM - it is also catalogued in TOSEC (the emulator will just use the relevant 256 KB and ignore the rest).

That explains it, thank you!

Is there anything that can be done? Meaning how does one dump the kickstart ROM files so they can be used on a real Amiga or FPGA Mist of example? Is there another dump tool that doesn't overdump?

EDIT: Nice! The Mist takes the encrypted ROM as long as key.rom is also on the SD card. Very happy with that