HstWB Installer - Making preinstalled HDF legal for sharing

[cyberhead97]

HstWB Installer v1.6.3 is now released at https://hstwb.firstrealize.com

Please take a look latest post http://eab.abime.net/showpost.php?p=...&postcount=657 for more details.

For users wanting to get started with self install images, please take a look at following HstWB Installer wiki pages:

• https://github.com/henrikstengaard/h...-install-image
• https://github.com/henrikstengaard/h...stall-tutorial
• https://github.com/henrikstengaard/h...stall-tutorial

For help using HstWB Installer, please start at https://github.com/henrikstengaard/h...stWB-Installer and then browse this thread. If this doesn't help you, then please create a new post here describing your issue.

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During the last 6 months, I have been working on a HDF image, which has Whdload games and demoes preinstalled and ready to use. It is greatly inspired by Bloodwych ClassicWB with Workbench and startup sequence is done from scratch. Both iGame and MagerValp’s Arcade Game Selector 2 is installed can be used to start Whdload and hd-games. Each game and demo has screenshot and details extracted from data sources like Lemon Amiga, Open Amiga Game Database, Pouët and Janeway Amiga Scene Demo Database. AGS2 is combined with EasyMod to play music while browsing games and demos. To make it easy to use I have added a configure setup menu, which can be launched from Workbench or by holding down right mouse button during boot. This configure setup allows customizing use of accelerators, OS patches, patched scsi.device, change boot sequence and tweaking Whdload settings. Right click during boot also can also be used to revert or reset settings, if they should result in OS not booting.

Now I would like to share this image with other fellow Amiga users, who might be interested in such a setup. So, in order to release this I, know I have to remove Workbench and kickstart files. But is that enough or do I need to remove additional licensed parts?

I plan to do a similar approach as Bloodwych has done with ClassicWB, where Workbench and kickstart roms installation will be automated. Legal Workbench and kickstart roms just needs to be provided.

To give some insight into what this is, here are some screenshots.

Bootmenu.


Configure setup main.


Configure setup hardware.


Configure setup device and library.


Configure setup scsi.device.


Configure setup boot sequence.


Configure setup whdload.


Configure setup whdload quit key.


AGS 2 Demos.


AGS 2 Games browsing.


AGS 2 Games settings.


AGS 2 Games main.


Workbench.

[Zetr0]

@cyberhead97

One could make a very simple stripped down Workbench that uses none of the copyrighted files that loads into a Game Launcher and could run from a hard disk or floppy as boot.

However you could look at licensing Workbench 3.x from Cloanto and develop a good upgraded and honed 3.x Workbench for people to buy.

WHDLoad games however are still under copyright for the most part - as such including them in any distro (without permission from the IP holders) would be illegal as such you could start a crusade to contact as many authors and IP holders as possible for inclusion of their Amiga games - some might be interested others will decline but I think it would be a valiant use of ones time =)

[cyberhead97]

Thanks for the input Zetr0. It sounds like the simple way is to remove all copyrighted material. Then make scripted installation of Workbench and whdload games and demos. I have already created a ton of powershell scripts to build the screenshots and details for the game launcher. One of them is able to download, unzip whdload games and demos from the zone and afterwards apply update packs in ascending order. Other scripts handle converting screenshots for AGS2, AMS and iGame. My goal is to have a hdf with as much preinstalled as possible without Workbench, kickstarts and whdload games/demos and other licensed parts. Then add scripts to make it easy for amiga fans "complete" with an automated approach.

[cyberhead97]

So I have started an installer project and created a public github repository to host it.

Readme has been added and contains my thoughts, functionality and process I currently have running in a very basic proof-of-concept state.

Powershell scripts and files for this are not committed yet. I still need some code changes to have a version working performing automated installation of Workbench and Kickstart roms.

First version is Windows only, but the process developed will support writing Bash scripts for Mac/Linux to have a cross platform solution.

Have a look at github here and let me know know what you think. Any feedback is welcome!
https://github.com/henrikstengaard/hstwb-installer

Screenshots of proof-of-concept version.

[ransom1122]

[cyberhead97]

I now have both setup and run scripts working and in a good working state. So they have been committed to github repository along with updated readme describing usage either by menu or manually without menu.

Note that im currently working on the packages part now and selecting configure packages in the menu currently doesn't do anything since it is work-in-progress.

Anyone can now download and have a try running the scripts to test what this is.

Please give feedback, if you try the scripts.

[jbl007]

I really like the idea of a full featured game HDF.

However the whole process looks a bit over-complicated to me. Typing path names in a terminal is a no-no (especially for windows users ). And performing "only" 27 steps to get basic things done, err... no thanks.

Why not sharing a complete .hdf without the copyrighted files? Use a single directory where the user can throw stuff in, like kickstart, wb-adfs, rom-key etc. and the installer script. The script could identify the required files and create s:startup-sequence with "copy kickstart-name TO dh1:devs/kickstarts/whatever" and also create/extend .uae config e.g. "floppy_0=/path/to/wb.adf"

If things would be a little easier, I'd like to make a bash- or python-installer for linux.

[cyberhead97]

Thanks, I know 27 steps seems quite a lot, but a complete detailed description of how to configure settings needed unfortunately requires these steps. But then again, this is most likely something you do once then you have a settings file that suits your environment.

The alternative you could do it the manual way and create the settings file your self. Then there would only be 2 steps:
1. Edit hstwb-installer-settings.ini.
2. Double click hstwb-installer-run.cmd or run hstwb-installer-run.ps1 through powershell.

The main idea behind setup script with 27 steps was to make configuration easy for non technical users.

I must admit I will be editing settings file with notepad and run hstwb-installer-run.cmd most of the time.

[ransom1122]

What jbl007 says

It does seem a little complicated. Hdf without copyright material would be ideal.

[cyberhead97]

Well, I can sweep the existing image I have for copyrighted material and share that.

But it will still require either a manual or automated installation of Workbench and kickstart roms and extracting the HstWB System Package afterwards as it updates startup sequence, icons and files on system drive, so it needs to overwrite some Workbench files in order to work.

The image could be change, so it required Workbench and Kickstart directories to be added as directories for automated installation extracting/copying files from there. Then it would be a games/demos prepared image without Workbench, Kickstart roms and WHDLoad packs and setup should be fairly simple using WinUAE/FS-UAE only.

I will however still continue to work on the installer as I like an automated way of preinstalling an HDF image with only what I want.

[cyberhead97]

I now have prepared BetterWB and HstWB as packages. The installer has also been updated to handle installing packages, which can be added and removed using setup script or manual editing of settings.ini file. Current version of the installer supporting this is committed to github for anyone to test. Also, note the number of steps has been drastically reduced from 27 to 9 using the installer to create a new HDF image for user with Cloanto Amiga Forever installed.

These packages and the process being developed is required for me to build the preinstalled HDF handling auto installation of it-self.

Installing Workbench and Kickstart rom into the preinstalled HDF will require the following manual steps without using of the installer:
1. Make a copy of Workbench 3.1 Workbench disk and patch offset 12 to 00 using a hex editor.
2. Launch WinUAE and add a directory containing Workbench adf and a directory containing Kickstart roms.
3. Mount patched Workbench 3.1 Workbench disk in DF0:.
4. Start WinUAE and wait for installation to complete.
5. Unmount DF0 and remove Workbench and Kickstart directories.
6. Reset to try image.

I’m still actively developing and using the installer to test my package development and it speeds up the process of trying different approaches and ensuring the setup works from a blank or existing image.

My current status is building AGS2/iGame games and demos menu packages with screenshots and details for every game that currently exists in EAB WHDLoad Packs and updates 2.6. This comes in 2 variants to support AGA and OCS only users to cover A500, A2000, A600, A1200 and more. After these menu packages are build, the installer will have these packages and can create an HDF image tailed for your needs.

The preinstalled HDF images will afterwards be build in 2 variants for AGA and OCS only users.

[pixSCN]

Thanks! Been looking for something like this.

[jbl007]

Originally Posted by cyberhead97

1. Make a copy of Workbench 3.1 Workbench disk and patch offset 12 to 00 using a hex editor.

You don't need to do this. You can change boot priority of hd0 to 6 or just use df1 instead of df0 to boot from first hdd.

[cyberhead97]

Originally Posted by jbl007

You don't need to do this. You can change boot priority of hd0 to 6 or just use df1 instead of df0 to boot from first hdd.

Thanks for the tip. That will make the process a bit simpler. I will update installer to avoid patching Workbench adf and update install.uae config file used with boot priority.

I didn't invest enough time figuring out if that was possible. I guess I'm still learning all the wonderful settings WinUAE offers

[pixSCN]

Would love to use this on my MIST. How would I go about creating a HDF-file half the size, which I can use with FAT32? Is the HDF-file included in the package, so that I can just replace it with a smaller one? Or does your script create the files on the fly with WinUAE?

[cyberhead97]

Originally Posted by pixSCN

Would love to use this on my MIST. How would I go about creating a HDF-file half the size, which I can use with FAT32? Is the HDF-file included in the package, so that I can just replace it with a smaller one? Or does your script create the files on the fly with WinUAE?

The installer script can't create HDF file with different partition sizes. These blank/empty images have to be prepared manually and put in images directory. I can create a 4GB image you can use with the installer, which will install all but actual games and demos.

[cyberhead97]

I have done a lot of updates the last 5 days and the installer can now build a new hdf image file with AGS2 and iGame menus installed for all games and demos in EAB WHDLoad packs.

Here a brief overview of installer updates:
- Replaced entering paths in console with open/save/browse dialogs for easier use.
- Changed boot priority to prevent patching Workbench disk. Thanks, jbl007.
- Added test image option in setup script to launch hdf image in winuae for testing.
- Removed packages, these must be downloaded separately.

For packages, I have built and published EAB whdload games and demos aga menu packages which contains generated menus for Arcade Game Selector 2 and iGame with screenshots and details.

I have updated hstwb installer github repository with installation and package download details https://github.com/henrikstengaard/hstwb-installer.

For a quick installation guide:
1. Download or clone hstwb-installer.
2. Download packages described under packages section here https://github.com/henrikstengaard/hstwb-installer and put them in hstwb-installer packages directory.

Run setup script:
1. Select new image.
2. Configure and add all packages.
3. Run installer.
4. Test image.

Since no actual whdload games or demos are installed, these must manually be installed afterwards by downloading them from EAB ftp server, unzip and copy them into the image using winuae add directory.

Next up is building EAB whdload games and demos ocs packages for A500/A600 users.

I would like to avoid building and maintaining the preinstalled HDF image files as it seems I might be facing 4 different versions: 8GB AGA, 8GB OCS, 4GB AGA and 4GB OCS.

Phew, lot of stuff going on. Hope some of you can help test the installer and packages

[pixSCN]

Originally Posted by cyberhead97

The installer script can't create HDF file with different partition sizes. These blank/empty images have to be prepared manually and put in images directory. I can create a 4GB image you can use with the installer, which will install all but actual games and demos.

I don't want to create more work for you. I can always make the HDF myself.

Originally Posted by cyberhead97

[...]
- Removed packages, these must be downloaded separately.

For packages, I have built and published EAB whdload games and demos aga menu packages which contains generated menus for Arcade Game Selector 2 and iGame with screenshots and details.
[...]

Downloaded by using these scripts: https://github.com/henrikstengaard/a...-game-scripts? Or are there some premade packs somewhere? Sorry if I missed something blindingly obvious. Just read through the HstWB Installer readme.

Originally Posted by cyberhead97

[...]
Phew, lot of stuff going on. Hope some of you can help test the installer and packages

Everything works flawlessly when installing to the included 8GB HDF. I've only tried with the two included packages, BetterWB.4.0.0.zip and HstWB.1.0.0.zip, though. Will give a full install a go soon.

[idrougge]

Originally Posted by jbl007

You don't need to do this. You can change boot priority of hd0 to 6 or just use df1 instead of df0 to boot from first hdd.

Totally dependent on your boot priorities.

[cyberhead97]

Downloaded by using these scripts: https://github.com/henrikstengaard/a...-game-scripts? Or are there some premade packs somewhere? Sorry if I missed something blindingly obvious. Just read through the HstWB Installer readme.

The github repository https://github.com/henrikstengaard/a...d-game-scripts contains powershell scripts and data files I developed to find matching screenshots/details, convert screenshots to AGS2/AMS/iGame screenshot formats. Note that readme for this repository has not been updated for a while. To have something real to work with I did develop a script download_aeb_whdload_packs.ps1 to download, unzip and combine whdload and update packs. You can use this to get whdload games and demos and note it will most probably take 1-2 hours to complete depending on your internet connection speed. It requires 7-zip installed in program files. The script will produce directories "aeb_whdload_packs\demos_whdload\combined\", "aeb_whdload_packs\games_whdload\combined\" and "aeb_whdload_packs\games_whdload_aga\combined\" containing all games and demos with update packs applied.

You can give that a try if you want an automated download of eab whdload games and demos from eab ftp server.

I plan to make a special version of that script to build the output as package, which can be used by hstwb installer.