Setting Up WHDLoad

[scrapser]

I just finished setting up the latest version of WinUAE and AIAB (the new 10.6r version) on my PC. I would like to install WHDLoad but having trouble understanding what to do and need some help. I want WHDLoad so I can use the WHDLoad game files that have been made available on their site.

But first let me say I am not that familiar with the Amiga in emulation. I know how to point to and load an ADF file (essentially the same as booting an Amiga with a disk in the floppy drive) and setting up a Hard Drive file (similar to using a floppy).

I would appreciate getting help from someone who will not assume I know all the basics and buzz words when describing what I need to do. I used to own an Amiga 500 and have not touched AIAB for maybe 4 years or so. I tried AmiKit but found it really is not needed for games and cannot emulate the 500.

The WHDLoad website has documentation but I cannot make any sense out of what each document is discussing. There is no "how to" file or installation instructions other than mentioning a script, which is useless since the site doesn't tell you where to find it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I hope to get up to speed on using this emulation quickly. I'm not a stranger to computers. I build my own and also work as a systems analyst (programming using PowerBuilder) for the past 10 years.

Thanks

[Graham Humphrey]

Have you downloaded the WHDLoad archive on the site? Extract it and run the installer script, simple as that.

You can get pre-installed games from WHDownload, which is far more convenient than downloading the installers and installing the games manually.

Also if you used the ClassicWB setup it already comes pre-installed with that.

[scrapser]

Originally Posted by Graham Humphrey

Have you downloaded the WHDLoad archive on the site? Extract it and run the installer script, simple as that.

You can get pre-installed games from WHDownload, which is far more convenient than downloading the installers and installing the games manually.

Also if you used the ClassicWB setup it already comes pre-installed with that.

Thanks for offering some help. I do appreciate it.

I've been trying to do this Amiga emulation now for a couple weeks and getting pretty burned out. Spent all day today with no progress.

What do you mean by the "WHDLoad archive"? If it's a file, can you refer to it by name so I know what file you're talking about?

I tried the ClassicWB (UAE version v22). After unzipping it and going to the "Instructions" folder, I found all it contains is a link back to the home page...WTF? Does anyone bother writing instructions to use these programs or not? It's really frustrating.

So I tried to grope my way through installing it anyway but it doesn't work right. I checked the unzipped ClassicWB folder and see it contains a nice "Hard Drive" folder but from within the Amiga WB I don't see it. on the website it says WHDLoad is already included but I can't find that either (not that it matters...just another example of how vague everything is with these emulator programs).

Like I said, I'm getting pretty burned out trying to do all these things without any real instructions. I just can't understand why people develop software and ignore making it clear how to use it. What's the point?

[Retro-Nerd]

Welcome on EAB, scrapser. Please calm down a bit, wait some minutes and then check the installing instructions for CWB.

http://classicwb.abime.net/classicweb/instructions.htm

Here's a good WHDLoad tutorial:

http://wiki.abime.net/amiga:whdload_faq_by_codyjarrett

[scrapser]

Thanks for helping out here. I tried the instructions but stopped because the files it specifies are not in the zip package.

Here's part of the instructions....
Instructions

1. Place the "ClassicWB.UAE" file into the WinUAE configurations directory.
2. Start WinUAE and load the ClassicWB config. image
3. Select a relevant ROM file in the ROMS tab. image
4. Add the "System.hdf" file to the Hard Drives tab using "Add Hardfile" - make sure it's listed as being device DH0: image
5. Save the configuration. image
6. Boot and follow the on-screen instructions. image

There is no "ClassicWB.UAE" config file or "System.hdf" hard drive file but there are variations of these.

My goal is to emulate the A500 since that's what most of the classic Amiga games worked on but I suppose I could try the "A1200.uae" until I can find what emulates the A500 best.

I don't think I want to use "System_P96.hdf" for the hard drive setup and I'm not sure about "System_ADVSP.hdf" as I have no idea what either of these are referring to.

[Retro-Nerd]

Use a A1200 config for CWB. It's was mainly packaged for this computer and WHDLoad makes ALL old games compatible for this machine.

You could try the Lite or Full packages. There should be System.hdf and ClassicWB.uae files inside the zip archive.

Start the ClassicWB.uae file, add the HDF as DH0 under the WinUAE "Hard Drives" tab and start the emulator.

[scrapser]

Thanks...I'll give your suggestions a try. It's getting late here so I'll pick this up tomorrow after work.

I really appreciate your help!!!

[Retro-Nerd]

No problem. Try it tomorrow again and it will work.

btw: This is the content of the LITE zip archive:

Instructions\
Version.txt
System.hdf
ClassicWB.uae
Real_Amiga_Install.zip

All you need is a ADF disk image of Workbench 3.0/3.1 for the install, after you've started WinUAE with the CWB HDF.

[scrapser]

Okay...after several attempts, I have the ClassicWB "Full" version running. For some reason, I can't get the ClassicWB "WinUAE" package to work right, so I dropped down a notch.

I installed a copy of WinUAE to its defaults and then followed the instructions for the "Full" version you provided the link to.

I also could not enable Copper and don't know what it is. When I did try, the Workbench appeared but with weird colors and no text under each icon or in any message boxes or buttons. So I deleted everything and started again...this time without Copper.

So...I have lots of WBLoad zipped game files but cannot figure out how to get them into the hard drive. I set up ClassicWB with the System.HDF file and set it as (DH0) but when I look in the directory using my regular Windows Explorer, I cannot see it or any of its sub-folders (like A-Z).

Making some progress though.

[Retro-Nerd]

You can add a Windows folder as an Amiga hdd to your A1200 config.

1.Select Hard Drives --> Add Directory or Archive.
2. Now enter the device name DH1: and choose a Volume Label
3. browse a Windows folder and press ok, save the config.
4. Copy some zipped WHDLoad games into the mounted Windows folder and then start your A1200 config with WinUAE.

5. Now start DirOpus (it's CWB file manager, rightclick mouse -->Disk --> Dopus ) and unzip the WHDLoad games wherever you want.

If DirOpus don't show the DH1 drive:

rightclick in DirOpus and select Configure --> Drives --> Get Drives --> Save

[scrapser]

Well...making more progress. I did all that you described and got the WHDLoad game "Zoom" into the "Z" drawer in the Games drawer.

The game starts after the WHDLoad message appears first. But it will not go past the startup screen which I should be able to do by pressing F1. Instead, the only thing I can do is hit the ESC key and then I get a message that says I need to register WHDLoad before I can go further.

I haven't seen this with other WHDLoad games I have managed to start. Is this something I need to do? Sorry to get off on a tangent.

[Retro-Nerd]

Yeah, WHDLoad is shareware. But it is worth the 30 US $, that's for sure. You can start app. 90% without registering WHDLoad, but the rest needs a WHDLoad.key in s: of your CWB HDF.

Some of the working games can't use the game-save or highscore-save features though.

[scrapser]

Thanks for letting me know. I will get a registered copy as I want as many games on HD without the reminder message popping up.

I just checked the count of game files I have (66 in all). I had all of those games and a real Amiga A500 with 1 meg of RAM and a 40 meg SCSI external hard drive. I sold it for $400 to a teenager so he could do reports for school back in 1994. I gave him all the game disks too.

Sometimes I wonder if I should have kept it.

[Retro-Nerd]

Originally Posted by scrapser

Sometimes I wonder if I should have kept it.

These days it's better you have an A1200+enough Fastram. WHDLoad is very memory hungry. I have 1500+ WHDLoad games on my real A1200 and i don't need disks anymore.