Real hardware UAE state file loader

[Leander]

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

Yes, simply insert correct floppy(ies) when ussload asks to press return.
Ussload can't magically insert or emulate disks.

Perfect, thanks for info Toni

[kremiso]

just to share a picky find about Uridium 2
i had success in reloading whatever state using a previous ussload version
no luck using the latest 2.0 or 2.1 with this one

apart this single case, all fine with a lot of tries i'm doing atm

[Toni Wilen]

I did check it quickly and it is some kind of interrupt problem.

[kremiso]

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

I did check it quickly and it is some kind of interrupt problem.

do you think it's just a randomly thing that the saves works with the previous release?

apart this, let me say that finally i can reload any Graftgold games state on real hardware
i remember it was almost impossible to freeze correctly that games, back in the day

[Toni Wilen]

Fixed. I think this game has NTSC protection (or perhaps it is some anti-action replay trick). Beginning of copper list sets copper list pointer to bogus address and at the very end correct address is restored.

Because ussload enabled DMA early (to support "pause mode"), copper list executed far enough to set bogus pointer but not far enough to restore it.

Now DMA enable is restored late to prevent this problem. If pause mode is enabled, DMA is enabled earlier like previously. EDIT: pause mode accuracy improved.

Link in first post updated. Please confirm.

[kremiso]

Thanks for the update Toni, all fine now

one of the last Amiga games that can be precached completely in memory ++
i'm uploading into the zone the precached state file (got it with a default A1200), maybe can be useful for future memory tests?

[kremiso]

Toni, i have something new for you

i am trying Final Odyssey OCS atm, loaded via HD and saved ingame;
i got this debug error trying to reload the state :
EDIT removed

[Toni Wilen]

HD is not supported but I guess UAE HD can be allowed because UAE HD can't exist in real world and if OS is re-enabled it would "only" cause a crash instead of corrupting the HD in worst case.

Test statefile required.

[kremiso]

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

HD is not supported but I guess UAE HD can be allowed because UAE HD can't exist in real world and if OS is re-enabled it would "only" cause a crash instead of corrupting the HD in worst case.

Test statefile required.

oh i see, seems i got wrongly the 'HD compatible' note on the ussload info;
sure, i'll add the .adf with the statefile in the zone;
if can be useful, consider that the game (level 1) is already in memory, preloaded

i forgot to test again this cool game through CD instead of Hard Disk, that could be another possibility?

EDIT statefile zoned

[Toni Wilen]

Sorry, it can't work. Game keeps AmigaOS system running which means instant crash because UAE expansions obviously can't be "restored" from statefile.

[kremiso]

no problem, thank you
i'm having a lot of fun with this tool, exploring also some extreme possibilities

i got correctly that so is not an hd issue, but just OS related one?
or the two things combined?

---
oh, i have another picky request
i know that the .uss are already compressed, but sadly some states+ loader do not fit in a 880KB disk;
wondering if in future could be implemented some strong cruncher compatibility?
i can wait a bit longer when decompacting
or maybe the possibility to split the .uss in another disk too?

[Toni Wilen]

Originally Posted by kremiso

no problem, thank you
i'm having a lot of fun with this tool, exploring also some extreme possibilities

i got correctly that so is not an hd issue, but just OS related one?
or the two things combined?

Yes and no. You can't load any statefile that has OS active without having 100% identical hardware config (Driver running without hardware or hardware not in state that driver expects it to be: hang or crash). Which is not possible with harddrives. (Ok, it is technically possible if you have HD and WinUAE can emulate same HD controller but restoring HD hardware 100% fully is not worth the trouble. )

oh, i have another picky request
i know that the .uss are already compressed, but sadly some states+ loader do not fit in a 880KB disk;
wondering if in future could be implemented some strong cruncher compatibility?
i can wait a bit longer when decompacting
or maybe the possibility to split the .uss in another disk too?

I am not going to change compression method (just buy ACA500plus or something). It is normal gzip.

But split files can be supported, something simple like: file can be manually split in as many pieces as you want and when command line is normally "ussload <path/filename.uss>", it will become "ussload <path/filename_part1.uss> <path/filename_part2.uss> etc.

[kremiso]

Many thanks for your time Toni, as always

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

...But split files can be supported, something simple like: file can be manually split in as many pieces as you want and when command line is normally "ussload <path/filename.uss>", it will become "ussload <path/filename_part1.uss> <path/filename_part2.uss> etc.

yes please