WHDLoad for Beginners Guide?

[nathanm1991]

Can anybody Explain to me How to use WHD Load, How to Install Games to WHD Load and how to Configure WHD Load Correctly

Cheers

[Amiga1992]

You don't need to install anything, just download the pre-installed packs from Retroplay.
Read this thread: http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?...ight=retroplay

Info on how to get into the FTP:
http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=43633

I've seen you posted many questions that have been answered before, you should use EAB's Search function to look for your queries before posting. Chances are someone already went through your situation and you can find solutions already, or you can add up to their threads and continue the conversation.

[orphan264]

Please add me to the list of people who want to know How to use WHD Load, How to Install Games to WHD Load and how to Configure WHD Load Correctly.

I have been looking for answers to this question in many places. Nine out of ten times the answer is to download some preconfigured package where it is all done for you. But that wasn't what I wanted to do.

I can't speak for nathanm, but I can say this - I have downloaded the latest version of WHDLoad direct from the website. I installed it (placing all the commands in my C using the provided install script. I ripped my own roms using Amiga I have on hand, and placed those in the appropriate places. I installed the "Install" packages that ask for my original disks (THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO USE) and the process finishes without error. However after several attempts with several different games, all I get after the splash screen is a BLACK screen. No error message, nothing else.

So now I want to troubleshoot the process, but there is no details about this process. Only the answer - just use the pre-made packs. But this is not the answer to the question I NATHANM asked.

respectfully, and hopefully HELPFULLY

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by orphan264

<snip>

I have downloaded the latest version of WHDLoad direct from the website. I installed it (placing all the commands in my C using the provided install script. I ripped my own roms using Amiga I have on hand, and placed those in the appropriate places. I installed the "Install" packages that ask for my original disks (THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO USE) and the process finishes without error.

<snip>

Heya orphan264,

You've mastered all the required steps

...not sure about why you're getting a black screen; more details are needed.

Anyway, I would then just use the pre-installed packages; no point having to use your originals / find .IPFs as this has already been done with these.

[jotd]

Strange indeed. How many games did you try? Have you tried with NICACHE ? Have you got PRELOAD set? Some games will hang without preload from what I saw or at least load forever.

Have you tried using JST 6 on the slaves?

[Amiga1992]

Originally Posted by orphan264

So now I want to troubleshoot the process, but there is no details about this process. Only the answer - just use the pre-made packs. But this is not the answer to the question I NATHANM asked.

Wait are you nathanm? Confusing last sentence

This question is different and the answer is "use the pre-made packs" usually because
1) Most people just want to play the games
2) The pre-made packs are known tested and assured to work
I assumed these were the intentions of the OP as he is a NEW Amiga user so I provided that. No harm.

If you are trying to install from your originals, there could be stuff that goes wrong, like a slight fail on your disk drive, or floppies, rendering the images made with RawDIC invalid. Even if your install goes to plan, usually, your image is 1:1 to whatever image floating around the net. Usual exceptions are stuff like saved highscores or saved games that you want to keep, but in those cases, I am NOT sure if WHDLoad can work with modified images.

Would be good to know more info about your setup, which games give you this issue, why you are bent on using your own disks, and maybe you should also make your own thread about it as this is a different query.

[daxb]

Compare your self installed game with the same pre-installed game. If you still get the black screen your self installed game seems to be ok and the problem is somewhere else.

[DrBong]

Originally Posted by nathanm1991

Can anybody Explain to me How to use WHD Load, How to Install Games to WHD Load and how to Configure WHD Load Correctly

Originally Posted by orphan264

I have been looking for answers to this question in many places. Nine out of ten times the answer is to download some preconfigured package where it is all done for you. But that wasn't what I wanted to do.

Yep, the pre-configured games for WHDLoad etc. won't necessarily work on any given Amiga configuration and don't give any clues as to how to adjust tooltypes for a particular game to get it to run properly. Here are some links that hopefully will help with the ins-and-outs of WHDLoad.

http://www.whdload.de/docs/WHDLoad.html (WHDLoad manual from the support webpage; see HERE specifically for configuring WHDLoad and the games installed)

http://www.whdload.de/ (see the "If the install does not work?" section by Codetapper towards the bottom of the webpage)

http://wiki.abime.net/games/whdload/advanced (CodyJarrett's WHDLoad FAQ; the link for the 'installer' tool in the FAQ is dead, so download from HERE)

http://guide.abime.net/wb3.1/chap10.htm (installing WHDLoad under emulation)

http://guide.abime.net/wb3.1/chap11.htm (installing games under emulation using the WHDLoad installers)

Originally Posted by orphan264

I have downloaded the latest version of WHDLoad direct from the website. I installed it (placing all the commands in my C using the provided install script. I ripped my own roms using Amiga I have on hand, and placed those in the appropriate places. I installed the "Install" packages that ask for my original disks (THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO USE) and the process finishes without error. However after several attempts with several different games, all I get after the splash screen is a BLACK screen. No error message, nothing else.

It's quite strange that you're getting no error messages whatsoever and just a black screen. Can you provide details of your Amiga set-up?

Also, by any chance, do you have a WHDLoad keyfile (named 'whdload.key') installed in your c: or s: directory? Blacklisted or illegal keyfiles that were floating around on the net a few years back used to cause black screens when running games under WHDLoad.

Finally, are you running a TCP/IP stack or got any of the known problem accelerators attached? These are detailed in the WHDLoad manual here:

http://www.whdload.de/docs/en/bugs.html

[orphan264]

Originally Posted by DamienD

Anyway, I would then just use the pre-installed packages; no point having to use your originals / find .IPFs as this has already been done with these.

Thanks for the help. I am not sure what an IPF is, but I will do some digging.

[orphan264]

Originally Posted by jotd

How many games did you try? Have you tried with NICACHE ? Have you got PRELOAD set? Some games will hang without preload from what I saw or at least load forever.

Have you tried using JST 6 on the slaves?

Thanks for the help, I have tried 6 or 7 games to this point. I have played with the tool types (NOCACHE, NOMMU, etc) I do not know about PRELOAD. I will see if that gets me any further.

Not sure what JST 6 is, I will look into it. Thanks!

[orphan264]

Originally Posted by Akira

Wait are you nathanm? Confusing last sentence

Sorry, should be NathanM and I. Keyboard malfunction.

Originally Posted by Akira

If you are trying to install from your originals, there could be stuff that goes wrong, like a slight fail on your disk drive, or floppies, rendering the images made with RawDIC invalid. Even if your install goes to plan, usually, your image is 1:1 to whatever image floating around the net. Usual exceptions are stuff like saved highscores or saved games that you want to keep, but in those cases, I am NOT sure if WHDLoad can work with modified images.

Great! you have given me a bunch of things to investigate. I will better examine my disk drive, the images I create and compare to some downloadable images. I really appreciate the information!

Originally Posted by Akira

Would be good to know more info about your setup, which games give you this issue, why you are bent on using your own disks, and maybe you should also make your own thread about it as this is a different query.

I am trying to make it work on an Amiga 4000/040, A2065 Ethernet card and Roadshow on Amiga OS3.5

Thanks for your help!

[orphan264]

Originally Posted by daxb

Compare your self installed game with the same pre-installed game. If you still get the black screen your self installed game seems to be ok and the problem is somewhere else.

Thanks for the help, I will give it a try tonight.

[orphan264]

Originally Posted by DrBong

It's quite strange that you're getting no error messages whatsoever and just a black screen. Can you provide details of your Amiga set-up?

Also, by any chance, do you have a WHDLoad keyfile (named 'whdload.key') installed in your c: or s: directory? Blacklisted or illegal keyfiles that were floating around on the net a few years back used to cause black screens when running games under WHDLoad.

Finally, are you running a TCP/IP stack or got any of the known problem accelerators attached? These are detailed in the WHDLoad manual here:

http://www.whdload.de/docs/en/bugs.html

Thanks for all the links... I will dig into them and see if there is any further information I can find.

My Amiga 4000/040 IS running a TCP/IP stack - RoadShow (which I highly recommend) using an A2065 Ethernet card. No other hardware. I don't think the keyfile would be an issue as I just downloaded the software from the website for the first time this week. I will double check though. Thanks for all the suggestions, I really appreciate the help!

[orphan264]

Just a follow-up (sorry, I seem to have hijacked this thread)

Turning off ROADSHOW did the trick!

The same games that locked at a black screen are now working, more or less.

Now to figure out how to cleanly shut down network before playing a game. I see there are scripts in WHDLoad for this. However, shutting down roadshow doesn't seem to work as cleanly as it should - many times just locks up the Amiga.

Ah, well, I think I am over the bump now.. Thanks again for the suggestions.

[wongojack]

I have been trying to figure this out for years now (in emulation). I've mostly been avoiding WHD Load as I don't understand it, so I've been flipping disks and finding random pre-installed packs. In this latest spasm of Amiga emulation, I tried FS-UAE which has WHDLoad included, but I am getting mixed results, and I think I just need to buckle down and do the steps to install and understand what is going on. Does any one have updated information for going through this process in 2022? I thought FS-UAE was the answer, but if there is something else, I want to know

I also found the directory above from @Retroplay, but I don't see any pre-installed packs (I think). All of those files available for downloads are .lha's and (I assume) require an install of WHDLoad to play. And no, I don't have an FTP capable browser so if the pre-installed files are on the FTP then that would be good to know.

[jotd]

To get access to FTP, just install FileZilla. Pre-installed packs don't need any installation except installing whdload (copy whdload in C: => done)

There are subtleties about whdload.prefs file (in S: ). It works without it.

[TCD]

Originally Posted by wongojack

I thought FS-UAE was the answer, but if there is something else, I want to know

If I remember correctly with FS-UAE you can just mount the WHDLoad preinstalled archive in the first disk drive and it'll work. No install needed.

[wongojack]

Originally Posted by jotd

To get access to FTP, just install FileZilla. Pre-installed packs don't need any installation except installing whdload (copy whdload in C: => done)

There are subtleties about whdload.prefs file (in S: ). It works without it.

Originally Posted by TCD

If I remember correctly with FS-UAE you can just mount the WHDLoad preinstalled archive in the first disk drive and it'll work. No install needed.

Thank you for helping. I'm not the kinda guy who comes to a site and says "Show me your Romz," but in this case, I think I'm having trouble actually recognizing what to look for. This thread references this post as a place with the pre-installed packs: http://eab.abime.net/showpost.php?p=776946&postcount=1. Are they really there? I can browse Retroplay's MEGA stash, but how do I know which are pre-installed?

Yes, I have been using FS-UAE to mount preinstalled archives in .zip format, but of course there is a problem with one of them, and I started to troubleshoot it. I don't remember where I got these pre-installed zips, they were just downloaded in a folder caled WHDLoad (rev'd). I guess I need to update them which is what led me here.

[TCD]

Everything in 'Retroplay WHDLoad Packs' on the FTP is pre-installed.

[wongojack]

Originally Posted by jotd

To get access to FTP, just install FileZilla. Pre-installed packs don't need any installation except installing whdload (copy whdload in C: => done)

There are subtleties about whdload.prefs file (in S: ). It works without it.

But I don't have a C: drive in Win UAE, do I? Can I just specify any folder as C: and start the Amiga emulation? I've got to install something or do something else first, right?