WinUAE - extremely noobish question

[nanogoblin]

Just joined up and got growled at first off for posting a 'Hello' in the wrong place, so let's hope this post is correctly sited.

As I said, my question is so noobish, I hesitate to even pen it. It's this:
Wanting to try Amiga emulation, I found a guide written by the Tweak Guides guy, Koroush Ghazi, which explained that I needed to get a copy of WinUAE first. The WinUAE site was down, so I searched for the latest version I could find, which turned out to be 2.0.0 b17. This brought the first puzzle; Why did the version number suddenly jump from 1.6.2 b7 to 2.0.0 b17? Is v.2.0.0 only an experimental product?

Second puzzle: Both 1.6.2 and 2.0.0 both appear to function as executables, ie, require no Windows installation, as described in the Tweak Guide. I'm assuming that the guide was describing a very old version?

Comments would be appreciated :-)

[NewDeli]

I won't answer to your questions in full, because they cover much ground.
Forget about v1.6.2, v2 beta 17 is the one you want to stick with (until beta 18 is released, and so on).
It's deemed beta but it's a very usable and stable release.

Once you download the beta, you will obtain the executable, plain and simple. Once started, it will create some paths in which you're supposed to store the config. files and the ROMs.

The stable versions comes with an installer, so you might want to setup v1.6.2 on your PC (NOT into program files if you're running Vista or 7) and overwrite the executable with the beta, so that you will have the full package. Download v1.6.2 (it's v1.6.1, but anyway) from here.

The first thing I would ask myself if I were you is whether I want A500 or "beefed-up" Amiga emulation (later AGA enabled Amigas with HDD, typically).

Again, this is a partial reply, others will certainly comment further.

[tero]

Originally Posted by Deleauvive

Download v1.6.2 (it's v1.6.1) from here.

Ähmm....
Why not 'download 1.6.1' (it IS 1.6.1 so...)

@nanogoblin
Toni set the version to 2.x because the new version has a lot of new/improved features
It's much more than an updated 1.6.1, you may want to read the beta thread
for details:
http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=46133

[nanogoblin]

Deleauvive, thanks for your speedy response, much appreciated.

But I'm a tad confused: You said "Forget about v1.6.2, v2 beta 17 is the one you want..." but then you went on to say "The stable versions comes with an installer, so you might want to setup v1.6.2 on your PC (NOT into program files if you're running Vista or 7) and overwrite the executable with the beta, so that you will have the full package. Download v1.6.2 (it's v1.6.1, but anyway) from here"

Sorry, that last went right over my head.

Do I take it that the downloadable file, the WinUAE.exe, IS a combined installer\program? Or are there other versions which have a built-in installer?

Hang on, flash of insight here: Are these rapidfire betas deliberately constructed as instant-play apps, to enable testers to do easy try-outs?

And 1.6.2 (which is really 1.6.1??) contains a full, regular-type installer? Well, I seem to recall that 1.6.2 behaved the same way as 2.0.0 b17, ie, ran from the exe, rather than install.

Re your comment "The first thing I would ask myself if I were you is whether I want A500 or "beefed-up" Amiga emulation (later AGA enabled Amigas with HDD, typically).", I had an A500+, I seem to recall, so I guess all my software would have been for that platform, and what I'm used to, rather than AGA (whatever that is).

[eLowar]

Originally Posted by Deleauvive

(NOT into program files if you're running Vista or 7)

Why not?

[tero]

Originally Posted by nanogoblin

Hang on, flash of insight here: Are these rapidfire betas deliberately constructed as instant-play apps, to enable testers to do easy try-outs?

In short:Yes
it doesn't hurt if you decide to use it
but it's not a must

The installer from Delev's link include some useful stuff
like the contents of the AmigaPrograms folder/ReadMe's
The beta's are the .exe only

With AGA you can have screenmodes with 256 colors
Found on AGA machines like a1200

[NewDeli]

Originally Posted by eLowar

Why not?

These paths are under system scrutinization, so it might give issues if some programs try to write data repeatedly in there.

Originally Posted by GameBase

Note: If you are installing on Vista I advise NOT installing to your Program Files directory, as due to Vista's new security model GameBase might not run as you expect. Instead I recommend installing elsewhere, e.g. "D:\Apps\GameBase".

May be that programmer who issued similar recommendation on his website is not unkown to you .

[eLowar]

Yes, GameBase, which was not developed under or for Vista/7, will indeed cause problems. So what? Should we not install anything at all in Program Files anymore now?

[TCD]

Originally Posted by nanogoblin

And 1.6.2 (which is really 1.6.1??) contains a full, regular-type installer? Well, I seem to recall that 1.6.2 behaved the same way as 2.0.0 b17, ie, ran from the exe, rather than install.

I see that Deleauvive already did a great job confusing you
First of all : The version number was bumped to 2.0.0 during the beta phase (http://eab.abime.net/showpost.php?p=...&postcount=183). Beta 1.6.2 is the same as 2.0.0 (obviously depends on which beta you use). Version 1.6.1 is the current 'stable' version.
So if you want to use the latest beta, I would grab 1.6.1 and the latest beta. First either 'install' using the exe or unzip using the zip version 1.6.1 and then just replace the winuae.exe with the latest beta.

[NewDeli]

@eLowar
I surely wouldn't install any "permanent" (not system dependent) emulation stuff under program files. I guess it should be safe to move all of it to a partition well-differenciated from Windows', if I had started doing so. At worst, you will need to recreate the shortcuts and the uninstaller(s) may not work anymore. I know I can move my MAME folder, and EmuLoader will rescan the roms.
You're the Gamebase specialist, so I shouldn't presume anything concening moving Gamebases.

@TCD
Fortunately, tero disambiguated the points I made in a rush.
Hope we'll hear from kitty today, for more LIVE problem solving

[nanogoblin]

TheCyberDruid, you're right - I'm confused. You just said "Version 1.6.1 is the current 'stable' version. So if you want to use the latest beta, I would grab 1.6.1 and the latest beta. First either 'install' using the exe or unzip using the zip version 1.6.1 and then just replace the winuae.exe with the latest beta."

I must be thick. I thought 1.6.1 was a full ("stable") version. So why do I need "the latest beta"? Is this version available in several betas?

And if I do actually manage to download and install this app (which is looking increasingly unlikely, due to my incapability of understanding the process), I've got to install it, then, additionally, replace a component, winuae.exe, with another one?

[TCD]

You don't need the beta. Just grab 1.6.1 and install that. It's really not rocket science

[tero]

Let's start very basic,
Grab the 1.6.1 from the link in post #2
and install it

[NewDeli]

Once installed, v1.6.1 can be safely updated with the latest beta (just drag & drop the extracted file in there, overwrite when asked). v1.6.1 is "old", the beta bear several critical enhancements over it. Just don't mentally associate WinUAE beta with "unstable release" in this updating scenario.

[eLowar]

For the record (and to correct blatant misinformation in this thread ), WinUAE works just fine when installed in Program Files (would be kind of silly for the installer to default to it otherwise) on both Windows Vista and Windows 7. Just make sure that all Settings | Paths are set to something Vista/7-friendly, i.e. outside the protected directories. This can for example be achieved by simply selecting "WinUAE default (new)" and clicking "Reset to defaults", that is if the paths aren't correct to begin with.

[NewDeli]

One reason I didn't stick with how the installer would setup WinUAE is the config.'s being stored in the user path (C:\users\...) which means : Beware if you don't include it in your backups before reinstalling Windows.

As for the rest, it's a matter of convenience, is it not ?
I don't think warning people about the default paths drawbacks in some situations is misinformation. Also, I was not insisting on the benefits of not using the installer, but pointing out at the possibility of moving WinUAE to a different place, while keeping the paths as they are, smth which would make some sense INMHO (to where one usually stores his emulator ROMs and programs).
Anyway, I knew your "question" was not genuine.

So you finally switched to Se7en, welcome to a world of real OSes !

[eLowar]

Originally Posted by Deleauvive

I don't think warning people about the default paths drawbacks in some situations is misinformation.

Yeah, except that's not what you said. Making up things afterwards doesn't make your original statement any more correct.

[Sigma]

The default paths (in Program Files) may cause problems in Vista/7 because UAC, if enabled, will prevent programs from altering system directories (including Program Files), even if you are logged in as an Administrator. To get around it, you can also disable UAC, run WinUAE as an Adminstrator or you can change the security permissions on the installation folder to allow Users to write to the folder.

[andreas]

Originally Posted by Sigma

The default paths (in Program Files) may cause problems in Vista/7 because UAC, if enabled, will prevent programs from altering system directories (including Program Files), even if you are logged in as an Administrator. To get around it, you can also disable UAC, run WinUAE as an Adminstrator or you can change the security permissions on the installation folder to allow Users to write to the folder.

Hi, I didn't muck about with the permission settings, but the installer did not have any problems in writing to Program Files.

My theory is:

UAC does not seem as ultra-strict in Windows 7 as it was in Vista, so they probably should not be compared. Nor are they apples + oranges because of that, but there are a couple of differences (and easements) nonetheless.
Since the idiotic understanding of "secure Windows experience" has been alleviated a lot in 7, while Vista was rather a nightmare at times in these things (and still is ).

[Kitty]

nanogoblin, I'm also new to WinUAE, so as a noob to noob, here's a simple answer for you.
Download the stable version, there is nothing wrong in using this version, I use it myself, it will do all you need for playing Amiga games the way you used to.
Once you get to grips with it, then maybe consider using a beta version at a later date, have fun