Virtualc64: Goonies doesn't run when loaded with the AR 7.5 fast loader.

[dirkwhoffmann]

To reproduce:

1. Install the Action Replay cartridge 7.5.
2. Insert Goonies.D64 into the drive
3. Load "*",8,1 (Goonies is loaded at $0801 to $ACCB)
4. Run

It starts as usual, but it doesn't continue to load the other files.

I checked parts of memory (30 bytes at $1000 + x * $400 for increasing x) after loading the game with and without AR. The memory dumps are equal, so I think it's not related to the fast loader.

Until there is any clue about the cause of this bug, it doesn't make sense to track it down. If somebody has an idea, please post.

[Alessandro1970]

Hi,
there is a strange problem with fastloading.
But If you use the Action replay 4.1 REV 1 with the active fastload (fastload 4.0 - see virtualc64 ver 2.3 beta2), the Goonies game works.
With the other versions of fastloader it does not work, why ?

[Alessandro1970]

This is the cartridge which works with fastloader:
Action_Replay_V4.2_4.0_1988_PAL_v1.crt.zip

This is my copy of the game used:
Goonies, The (1985)(Datasoft).zip

...it would not be a problem to support only Action Replay 4.2 rev 1 .....

[Alessandro1970]

Also this works fine with the fastloader in VirtualC64:

Action_Replay_V4.2_4.0_1988_PAL_v2.crt.zip

[Ottavius]

Hallo, it works for me too the 4.2 rev 1 and 2!!!

[Alessandro1970]

...only fastloader 4.0 !
Fastloader 5.0 or greater hangs...

[Alessandro1970]

Solved ?
...what was the problem about fastloader ?

[dirkwhoffmann]

Not solved. However, it's good to know that the 4.0 fastloader works, because all AR cartridges >= 4.0 use the same hardware.

[puleyo]

Excellent thing would be to support only version 4 and if someone tried to insert the later versions the emulator should warn with the phrase: "Not yet supported try version 4".
I do not know if there is really the need to have superior vesions, already revision 4 has what is necessary.

[Alessandro1970]

Hei, what happened?
In the new version 2.4 beta 2 the AR 7.5 works, the goonies game works!

Great !

[dirkwhoffmann]

There is still an issue. I think we're using different versions of Goonies. This one works with AR 4.0, but hangs with AR 7.5:

GOONIES.D64.zip

[dirkwhoffmann]

"In the new version 2.4 beta 2 the AR 7.5 works, the goonies game works!"

The screenshot shows "Loading $0801 $A133"

When I load the game "Goonies, The (1985)(Datasoft).zip", it shows "Loading $0801 - $BAEB" (like in the second post) and it doesn't run. Strange things are going on.

[Alessandro1970]

The screenshot shows "Loading $0801 $A133"
That is another version of Goonies (maybe a different compressor/cruncher)

GOONIES.D64.zip in HOXS and in VICE with AR 6 work and the loading result is the same, but for that test the disk version was another (_I missed, now I do not have may mac with me_):

[Alessandro1970]

The screenshot shows "Loading $0801 $A133"
That is another version of Goonies (maybe a different compressor/cruncher)

The only version that works is another one (I have missed to explain it before, sorry).
I think that this version is crunched in another way and probably is a "mono"-file version.
Try this:
The Goonies.zip

[dirkwhoffmann]

OK, I see, thanks! It seems like loading a file via "LOAD ... ,8,1" works fine with all AR versions. Issues come up when a programs starts to reload other files.

[dirkwhoffmann]

Same with BruceLee. Hangs when trying to load other files from disk.

[Alessandro1970]

Now I do not have mac to try but a multiload game like Defender of the Crown could be interestg to try:
Defender_of_The_Crown.Cinemaware 9.NOSTALGIA.zip

[dirkwhoffmann]

Works like a charm.

When that game came out for the amiga, I knew: I desperately need such a machine!!! A couple months later (it took quite some time to convince my parents to buy me one), when my Amiga 500 arrived, my C64 was thrown into a box and taken to the attic. It was never seen since then 🤧.

[Alessandro1970]

I still have an Amiga 2000 inside a box, battery gone and HD does not work ...
But the Commodore 64 has remained in the heart and above all I have not digested the fact that I had to sell, at that time, both the c64 and 1541 to buy the Amiga.
I had thought about buying these:
https://icomp.de/shop-icomp/de/shop/product/c64-reloaded-mk2.html
https://shop.pixelwizard.eu/en/commodore-c64/38/c64c-case-sx-64-style?c=12

But I do not know if they are actually good products and if it would be convenient to take out everything every time and stick it to the TV ...
Same thing as for other emulators, I had worn out, died the commodore since 1993, at home I have only Mac, and for my enjoyment these emulators on the mac I was exhausted ...
... then by chance I stumbled, many years ago, on your VirtualC64 from version 1.7 I think, and I liked it more and more.
To date, VirtualC64 is the only emulator I have in my MacBook with about 2GB of Commodore 64 software and manuals.
Thanks and I hope that tomorrow your emulator can also go on other operating systems because it deserves a lot from all points of view.

[Ottavius]

Yep :sob:

[dirkwhoffmann]

Solve #376 before getting back to this issue!

[dirkwhoffmann]

Does somebody have a tool at hand that is able to convert the Goonies D64 file into a G64 file? I would like to try the AR cart on a G64 disk. Background: G64 files contain the real GCR bit stream whereas D64 files only contain a byte stream. Thus, the disk encoder is not applied when reading in G64 images.

[Alessandro1970]

http://markus.brenner.de/mnib/

Use n2g to convert this into a G64 disk image, or n2d to generate a D64 disk image

[dirkwhoffmann]

n2g seems to convert nib to g64 only.

[Alessandro1970]

Sorry I spent some hours last night searching...but none

Have you tried this?
https://ist.uwaterloo.ca/~schepers/personal.html

This 64copy is a good software but it works only in Dos. It seems it can copy a .d64 into a .g64 image.
A conversion to mac os could be a great companion for VirtualC64. Or maybe a side DUAL-panel to handle file stored in .d64 or .g64 image. (Now we have two drive unit)

[dirkwhoffmann]

Thanks for the link, 64copy works (besides the fact that running an ancient DOS app in 64 bit Windows is 😤)!

Findings: The G64 file doesn't work in VirtualC64 with AR 7.5 either (same behavior as loading from the D64 file).

I also tried the other way round. I exported VirtualC64's disk to a file in G64 format and loaded that one in VICE. VICE can load the game without any problem even if AR 7.5 is installed.

Conclusion: The "Goonies bug" is not related to VirtualC64's disk encoder as I hoped yesterday.

[dirkwhoffmann]

Fixed in V2.5 which is online now.

The problem was caused by the nasty ATN interrupt bug that I discovered yesterday. Sorry to have blamed the innocent Goonies for that. Now, I have to see how to get in level 2, I'm still stuck in level 1.