WHDLoad or GOTek

vrxguy · 15 November 2021, 04:36

Hi All,
I have gotten back into the Amiga after about 10 years. Dusted of the A1200 and A4000 and surprise surprise most floppy disks don't work to well.
newbie question to ask but what is everyone's preference WHDLoad or GoTek for loading games?

Matt_H · 15 November 2021, 05:33

WHDLoad all the way. It bypasses copy protection, improves compatibility, and speeds up loading, often incorporates trainers, and of course there's no disk swapping.

Gotek is good if you don't have a hard drive or for data transfer from PCs if you can't get your Amiga on the network. If you have a hard drive and some RAM WHDLoad is a better choice.

jbenam · 15 November 2021, 11:15

Floppies are very fickle beasts. Either the media goes bad, or the drives start going out. Unless you have a batch of perfectly stored blank DD floppies, these days it's pretty much impossible to use one reliably.

If you wish to re-live the Amiga days to the fullest, the cracktros (and trainers) are an integral part to the experience, imho. For those, go with a Gotek.

On stock machines (with no expansions whatsoever) if you only plan to do some light gaming, I advise to go with a Gotek as well. If you already have a FastRAM expansion for your 1200, then WHDLoad is an option. If you have a 030+, WHDLoad is much preferred and will avoid many headaches.

On the A4000 it's pretty much WHDLoad or bust. Plenty of games will give you trouble because of the 040. With a 030, disabling caches, you might still be able to enjoy plenty of AGA-fixed floppy games.

vrxguy · 16 November 2021, 02:25

Thankyou both!!!

Jami · 16 November 2021, 20:08

Both ! Whdload and Gotek

But start with WHDLoad, it's so convenient !

Should you like to watch demo, you'll need a Gotek to see properly all the recents trackmo like Eon, Hologon, etc...

Even if WHDLoad slave exists for those, glitches are very frequent in thoses slaves.

Nobby_UK · 17 November 2021, 17:10

If it is Multi-disk --- Whdload

One or two disks = Gotek

dreadnought · 17 November 2021, 18:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nobby_UK

One or two disks = Gotek

Try playing King Of Chicago (2 disks) on Gotek...

manossg · 17 November 2021, 18:53

I have a Gotek but I almost never use it since I got my A500 WHDLoad-capable.

nikosidis · 17 November 2021, 19:03

My advice is to start with Gotek.
It is very easy to use.
To set up Whd-load and a HDD for Amiga is quite advanced.
Play with your Amigas and Gotek and if you love it next is whd-load

PDrill · 17 November 2021, 19:18

Imo 1200/4000 don't run all those 1.3 Golden Oldies that well (from floppy nor gotek) so the 'WHDLoad modified' versions are definately more useful.

Styrbjorn · 04 January 2022, 00:24

whdload is way more convenient than loading games via floppy.

I Would absolutely do an install of whdload if it exists.

Typhoon1944 · 05 May 2022, 13:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by manossg

I have a Gotek but I almost never use it since I got my A500 WHDLoad-capable.

Hi manossg, I don't know much about the Amiga scene but I've been looking to pick up an A1200 although they're very expensive. I have the opportunity to get a recapped A500 for a reasonable price. Can I ask what you did to get your A500 WHDLoad capable please?

manossg · 05 May 2022, 15:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Typhoon1944

Hi manossg, I don't know much about the Amiga scene but I've been looking to pick up an A1200 although they're very expensive. I have the opportunity to get a recapped A500 for a reasonable price. Can I ask what you did to get your A500 WHDLoad capable please?

Hello, mate,
I got myself an ACA500+, that is a magical piece of hardware. Please research it.

jotd · 05 May 2022, 15:47

whdload brings more than loading. It also brings a lot of extra features, mainly trainers and joypad controls for a lot of games.

jbenam · 05 May 2022, 16:02

IMHO, if you're looking for the OG Amiga experience, get a 500 with a Gotek.

WHDLoad is awesome, but swapping floppies and skipping cracktros is integral to the experience.

If you want to have modern luxuries like compatibility fixes, bug fixes, CD32 pad support, reduced loading times, no floppy juggling and much more, get an A1200 with an 8MB RAM expansion

fxgogo · 05 May 2022, 22:45

Got a gotek in the 500 to replace the failing floppy disks. It is a decent enough replacement of the feeling of using floppy disks. Not tried WHDLoad yet. Not in a rush.

Tajmaster · 05 May 2022, 23:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Typhoon1944

Hi manossg, I don't know much about the Amiga scene but I've been looking to pick up an A1200 although they're very expensive. I have the opportunity to get a recapped A500 for a reasonable price. Can I ask what you did to get your A500 WHDLoad capable please?

Put one of these in your A500:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164341844258

Then either setup a compact flash card yourself or buy a pre-prepared one, plug in and done

Typhoon1944 · 06 May 2022, 11:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tajmaster

Put one of these in your A500:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164341844258

Then either setup a compact flash card yourself or buy a pre-prepared one, plug in and done

Would I still need one of those if I used the ACA500+ that manossg suggested? It seems to have everything on it including a RAM expansion and mentions A1200 connections. Would there be any benefit to running them in conjunction?

Tajmaster · 06 May 2022, 16:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Typhoon1944

Would I still need one of those if I used the ACA500+ that manossg suggested? It seems to have everything on it including a RAM expansion and mentions A1200 connections. Would there be any benefit to running them in conjunction?

Sorry I missed that! The ACA500+ is probably better. You cant use them in conjunction Im afraid

tommywiz · 25 May 2023, 09:19

Ive got to read up on this stuff. All of it sounds cool but I get a head ache deciding the best option.

15 November 2021, 04:36	#1
vrxguy Registered User Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: Brisbane Posts: 23	WHDLoad or GOTek Hi All, I have gotten back into the Amiga after about 10 years. Dusted of the A1200 and A4000 and surprise surprise most floppy disks don't work to well. newbie question to ask but what is everyone's preference WHDLoad or GoTek for loading games?

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Gotek	Sandancer	MarketPlace	0	07 November 2020 16:25
Gotek	Carrera	support.Hardware	10	07 August 2020 09:34
Help with Gotek	Shatterhand	support.Hardware	7	18 September 2017 22:23
Gotek	XsamX1987	support.Hardware	27	19 April 2017 09:28
Cannot decide which of my Amiga 500s to put the Gotek with Gotek extension board in?	turrican9	Retrogaming General Discussion	5	22 April 2016 10:39

15 November 2021, 05:33	#2
Matt_H Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 943	WHDLoad all the way. It bypasses copy protection, improves compatibility, and speeds up loading, often incorporates trainers, and of course there's no disk swapping. Gotek is good if you don't have a hard drive or for data transfer from PCs if you can't get your Amiga on the network. If you have a hard drive and some RAM WHDLoad is a better choice.

15 November 2021, 11:15	#3
jbenam Italian Amiga Zealot Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Italy Age: 36 Posts: 1,910	Floppies are very fickle beasts. Either the media goes bad, or the drives start going out. Unless you have a batch of perfectly stored blank DD floppies, these days it's pretty much impossible to use one reliably. If you wish to re-live the Amiga days to the fullest, the cracktros (and trainers) are an integral part to the experience, imho. For those, go with a Gotek. On stock machines (with no expansions whatsoever) if you only plan to do some light gaming, I advise to go with a Gotek as well. If you already have a FastRAM expansion for your 1200, then WHDLoad is an option. If you have a 030+, WHDLoad is much preferred and will avoid many headaches. On the A4000 it's pretty much WHDLoad or bust. Plenty of games will give you trouble because of the 040. With a 030, disabling caches, you might still be able to enjoy plenty of AGA-fixed floppy games.

16 November 2021, 02:25	#4
vrxguy Registered User Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: Brisbane Posts: 23	Thankyou both!!!

16 November 2021, 20:08	#5
Jami Bruno Join Date: Aug 2020 Location: Nantes / France Posts: 111	Both ! Whdload and Gotek But start with WHDLoad, it's so convenient ! Should you like to watch demo, you'll need a Gotek to see properly all the recents trackmo like Eon, Hologon, etc... Even if WHDLoad slave exists for those, glitches are very frequent in thoses slaves.

17 November 2021, 17:10	#6
Nobby_UK Registered User Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Liverpool Posts: 2,595	If it is Multi-disk --- Whdload One or two disks = Gotek

17 November 2021, 18:53	#8
manossg Registered User Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Greece Posts: 992	I have a Gotek but I almost never use it since I got my A500 WHDLoad-capable.

17 November 2021, 19:03	#9
nikosidis Registered User Join Date: Jan 2020 Location: oslo/norway Posts: 1,607	My advice is to start with Gotek. It is very easy to use. To set up Whd-load and a HDD for Amiga is quite advanced. Play with your Amigas and Gotek and if you love it next is whd-load

17 November 2021, 19:18	#10
PDrill Registered User Join Date: Feb 2020 Location: Finland Posts: 129	Imo 1200/4000 don't run all those 1.3 Golden Oldies that well (from floppy nor gotek) so the 'WHDLoad modified' versions are definately more useful.

04 January 2022, 00:24	#11
Styrbjorn Registered User Join Date: Jan 2020 Location: Stockholm/Sweden Posts: 18	whdload is way more convenient than loading games via floppy. I Would absolutely do an install of whdload if it exists.

05 May 2022, 15:47	#14
jotd This cat is no more Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: FRANCE Age: 52 Posts: 8,163	whdload brings more than loading. It also brings a lot of extra features, mainly trainers and joypad controls for a lot of games.

05 May 2022, 16:02	#15
jbenam Italian Amiga Zealot Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Italy Age: 36 Posts: 1,910	IMHO, if you're looking for the OG Amiga experience, get a 500 with a Gotek. WHDLoad is awesome, but swapping floppies and skipping cracktros is integral to the experience. If you want to have modern luxuries like compatibility fixes, bug fixes, CD32 pad support, reduced loading times, no floppy juggling and much more, get an A1200 with an 8MB RAM expansion

05 May 2022, 22:45	#16
fxgogo Also known as GarethQ Join Date: May 2019 Location: Twickenham / U.K. Posts: 715	Got a gotek in the 500 to replace the failing floppy disks. It is a decent enough replacement of the feeling of using floppy disks. Not tried WHDLoad yet. Not in a rush.

25 May 2023, 09:19	#20
tommywiz Registered User Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: Pampa/USA Posts: 52	Ive got to read up on this stuff. All of it sounds cool but I get a head ache deciding the best option.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)