x68000:installing_games_to_hard_drive
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x68000:installing_games_to_hard_drive [2011/02/15 05:00] – created eidis | x68000:installing_games_to_hard_drive [2014/05/30 18:26] – eidis | ||
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How to install games to hard drive and make them run. | How to install games to hard drive and make them run. | ||
- | Chapter 1: The Fundamentals | + | ==== Chapter 1: The Fundamentals |
- | You will need an X68000 with 2MB of ram and a keyboard. It is possible to run some small games with 1MB as well, but the majority of them require 2MB. Download the latest English version of DiskExplorer here: | + | You will need X68000 with 2MB of ram and a keyboard. It is possible to run some small games with 1MB as well, but the majority of them require 2MB. Download the latest English version of DiskExplorer here: |
http:// | http:// | ||
Line 13: | Line 13: | ||
This will save you the trouble of setting up a working environment. Open the downloaded image with DiskExplorer, | This will save you the trouble of setting up a working environment. Open the downloaded image with DiskExplorer, | ||
- | Chapter 2: HumanOS vs MS-DOS | + | ==== Chapter 2: HumanOS vs MS-DOS |
- | Lucky for us the HumanOS is very much like ye good old MS-DOS. | + | Lucky for us the HumanOS is very much like ye good old MS-DOS. |
- | * Checks | + | |
- | * Tries to execute HUMAN.SYS, COMMAND.X These files are mandatory for X68000 to boot into command prompt; | + | * Tries to execute HUMAN.SYS, COMMAND.X These files are mandatory for X68000 to boot into command prompt |
- | * Executes scripts from CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT | + | * Executes scripts from CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT. They perform a chain of DOS commands and execute files. |
+ | * Files with extension *.R and *.X are executable. Just type the name of file in command prompt and press enter to execute it or highlight it in file commander and press enter. | ||
- | Every game disk which has there files boots in the same manner. There are some very rare exotic games which use trackloaders, | + | Every game disk which has these files boots in the same manner. There are some very rare exotic games which use trackloaders, |
+ | You can do it with Virtual Floppy Image Converter. Grab it from here: | ||
+ | http:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Chapter 3: Writing !Start.bat files ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Upon booting, the X68000 executes files from config.sys and usually they have X or SYS extensions. | ||
+ | |||
+ | * *.X files, which are required for the game to run, in almost all cases can be executed from *.BAT files or command line. | ||
+ | * *.SYS files and some rare *.X files need ADDDRV (Example #4). ADDDRV is very picky and most of the times incompatible. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | **Combining lines from Config.sys and Autoexec.bat** | ||
+ | |||
+ | **Crystal Tower** is used to illustrate this example: | ||
+ | |||
+ | Original Config.sys | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | FILES = 15 | ||
+ | BUFFERS = 20 1024 | ||
+ | LASTDRIVE = Z | ||
+ | BREAK = KILL | ||
+ | VERIFY = ON | ||
+ | TITLE = \CONFIG\TITLE.SYS | ||
+ | KEY = \KEY.SYS | ||
+ | USKCG = \USKCG.SYS | ||
+ | BELL = \CONFIG\BEEP.SYS | ||
+ | DEVICE = \SYS\OPMDRV3.X | ||
+ | DEVICE = \SYS\FLOAT2.X | ||
+ | DEVICE = \SYS\IOCS.X | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | Here we can see drivers being loaded and environmental variables being set up. | ||
+ | *The mandatory variables and drivers like **USKCG.SYS** and **FLOAT2.X** are being set up each time when booting from HDD so most of these lines can be safely ignored. | ||
+ | *Drivers are usually loaded from **SYS** and **BIN** directories. | ||
+ | |||
+ | In this example **OPMDRV3.X** and **IOCS.X** are the ones which interest us. First we must check if they can be executed after the system has fully booted. If yes, then there is a good chance that the game can be installed to HDD. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Original Autoexec.bat | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | echo off | ||
+ | PATH A: | ||
+ | tone3.x | ||
+ | chdir ct | ||
+ | ctmain | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | Here we can see another environmental variable called **PATH** being set up. In this case we can go with the lazy method and **SUBST** to the directory (Example #2) where we have copied the game or we can change the paths so that we don't have to do **SUBST**. Please note that there are games which still need **SUBST** even after modifying the **PATH** variable. | ||
+ | *Remove references to **\** **A:\** **B:\** if they are present | ||
+ | *Write **OPMDRV3.X** and **IOCS.X** after the line which defines **PATH** | ||
+ | *Rename autoexec.bat to !Start.bat. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The resulting !Start.bat should look like this: | ||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | echo off | ||
+ | PATH SHELL; | ||
+ | OPMDRV3.X | ||
+ | IOCS.X | ||
+ | tone3.x | ||
+ | chdir ct | ||
+ | ctmain | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Example #1 - Installing Fantasy Zone and running it from Hard Drive ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | * Make a directory in Games2 and call it FantasyZone | ||
+ | * Copy the contents of floppy to created directory | ||
+ | * Delete HUMAN.SYS and COMMAND.X from directory FantasyZone | ||
+ | * Rename AUTOEXEC.BAT to !Start.bat | ||
+ | * Run !Start.bat | ||
+ | |||
+ | This method should work with the majority of one floppy games. If for some reason it refuses to load, try the SUBST A: A: | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Example #2 - Installing Star Cruiser and running it from Hard Drive ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | * Make a directory in Games2 and call it StarCruiser | ||
+ | * Copy the contents of both floppies to created directory | ||
+ | * Delete HUMAN.SYS and COMMAND.X from directory StarCruiser | ||
+ | * Rename AUTOEXEC.BAT to !Start.bat and add the following two lines at the very beginning: | ||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | SUBST B: A: | ||
+ | SUBST A: A: | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | The resulting !Start.bat should look like this: | ||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | SUBST B: A: | ||
+ | SUBST A: A: | ||
+ | CRUISER | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | * Run !Start.bat | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Example #3 - Installing Dragon Buster and running it from Hard Drive ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | * Make a directory in Games2 and call it DragonBuster | ||
+ | * Copy the contents of floppy to created directory | ||
+ | * Delete HUMAN.SYS and COMMAND.X from directory DragonBuster | ||
+ | |||
+ | Please note that there is no CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT. Now search for files with *.R or *.X file extension. Those files are executable. Most of the times the names of those files give hints on which one of them is the main. If in doubt, try to execute them one by one until you find the right one. Then create a new !Start.bat file and write the name of the file which launches game. In this case !Start.bat should look like this: | ||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | BOOT.X | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Example #4 - Installing Namachuukei 68 and running it from Hard Drive ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Download ADDDRV.X from here: | ||
+ | http:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | * Make a directory in Games2 and call it Nama68 | ||
+ | * Copy ADDDRV.X and the contents of both floppies to created directory | ||
+ | * Delete HUMAN.SYS and COMMAND.X from directory Nama68 | ||
+ | * Rename config.sys to !Start.bat | ||
+ | * Use SUBST, as mentioned in Exapmle #2, to map both drives to Nama68 directory | ||
+ | * Use ADDDRV.X to load OPMXDRV.X | ||
+ | |||
+ | ADDDRV.X is very useful for games which load drivers from config.sys. The syntax for ADDDRV.X is exactly the same as in config.sys, just replace the " | ||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | SUBST B: A: | ||
+ | SUBST A: A: | ||
+ | ADDDRV.X OPMXDRV.X | ||
+ | NAMA68.X | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Example #5 - Installing Pipe Dream and running it from Hard Drive ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | This method uses 2HDSIM.X to mount XDF floppy image files and DRIVE.X to assign drive letters A and B for them. It was discovered by Caius and is the next preferred method after SUBST. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Download 2HDSIM.X and DRIVE.X from here: | ||
+ | http:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | * Make a directory in Games and call it PipeDream | ||
+ | * Rename first XDF floppy image file to Disk1 and second to Disk2 | ||
+ | * Copy 2HDSIM.X DRIVE.X and both renamed XDF image files to the created directory | ||
+ | * Create new !Start.bat file and write the following lines: | ||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | drive a: c: | ||
+ | drive a: b: | ||
+ | 2hdsim 0: Disk1 | ||
+ | 2hdsim 1: Disk2 | ||
+ | a: | ||
+ | autoexec | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | The first four lines arrange the following drive mappings: | ||
+ | |||
+ | *A: = Disk1 | ||
+ | *B: = Disk2 | ||
+ | *C: = Hard Disk | ||
+ | |||
+ | The same principle applies to one disk games as well, just omit the fourth line. After the drives have been mapped and image files mounted, !Start.bat changes to drive A: and executes autoexec.bat. Please note that every game is individual and sometimes requires combining lines from config.sys and autoexec.bat files. | ||
+ | |||
+ | **The following rules must be met for image files to mount:** | ||
+ | |||
+ | |All image files must be defragmented (one continuous block).| | ||
+ | |Use [[http:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | Syntax example: | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | liner disk1 | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | |Image files must be 1261568 bytes long. Sometimes while copying them with DiskExplorer their original size changes to 1263616.| | ||
+ | |Use [[http:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Example #6 - Installing Undeadline and running it from Hard Drive ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | This method is similar to Example #5, was also discovered by Caius and can be very efficient with three or more floppy games which are immune to SUBST. In this example the first floppy disk is mounted as floppy drive 0:, the second and third as floppy drive 1:. The game rotates disk two and three automatically when needed. | ||
+ | |||
+ | * Make a directory in Games2 and call it Undeadline | ||
+ | * Rename first XDF floppy image file to Disk1, second to Disk2 and third to Disk3 | ||
+ | * Copy 2HDSIM.X DRIVE.X and three renamed XDF image files to the created directory | ||
+ | * Create new !Start.bat file and write the following lines: | ||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | drive a: c: | ||
+ | drive a: b: | ||
+ | 2hdsim 0: Disk1 | ||
+ | 2hdsim 1: Disk2 | ||
+ | 2hdsim 1: Disk3 | ||
+ | a: | ||
+ | mxdrv.x | ||
+ | loader.x | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | | ||
+ | |||
+ | Keep the scene alive ! | ||
+ | |||
+ | Eidis |
x68000/installing_games_to_hard_drive.txt · Last modified: 2019/08/27 20:45 by 127.0.0.1