Strange problem

Железо, связанное с TS-Conf

Postby zboszor » Mon, 02.06.2014 15:05:04

Recently I used exclusively the TSconf side of my ZXEVO and I wanted to see what changes were added to ERS 0.55d.
I am facing these problems in ERS with and without the NeoGS plugged in:
- games loaded from TAP files (e.g. Manic Miner, Bruce Lee and Aquaplane) that worked before now reset the machine so it ends up returning to 48K BASIC
- games loaded from TRD (Target Renegade GS version, ATM TRD version of XNX) that worked before now stop after loading some parts with a Basic error

It's even stranger that when I flash back the plain BaseConf + ERS, I get the same problems as in BaseConf mode from Base+TSconf using the latest files.
I tried the latest versions of the firmware (r662) and the ROM (0.55d). I tried a previously working combination, too: ERS 0.54d and firmware from r644, the same problem occurs.

However, these games work fine in TSconf, except the ATM version of XNX of course. (I have the TS version of it, so I can play it.)
Also, the Arnhem snapshot I created in ProfROM after loading it from tape still loads and starts fine using GOTO "filename"CODE both in the EVO's ProfROM and in TSconf.

Any idea what may cause this? I don't think it's an electrical problem, because TSconf and ProfROM seems to work. I am asking here because the NedoPC group doesn't support other configurations. :morse:
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Postby TS-Labs » Mon, 02.06.2014 16:41:43

I want to clarify: does this problem occur even if you flash plain 'official' firmware and full 'official' ROM?
If yes, it means that ERS has some bug (go to official support =) or there's some problem in h/w.
Can you find an older ERS version that works fine?
Have you an idea when this problem occured at the first time and in what circumstances?
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Postby zboszor » Mon, 02.06.2014 18:13:58

I am currently trying to find an older ERS ROM and firmware combo that works in this regard.
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Postby zboszor » Mon, 02.06.2014 18:15:05

BTW, I don't think it's a hardware problem, since the same TAP and TRD files using the same SD card work in TSconf. So it might turn out to be a bug in ERS after all.
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Postby TS-Labs » Mon, 02.06.2014 18:48:52

Most likely. Can you plz put files that work wrong here? I'll test them myself.
---
Ah, you can also check them in Unreal Speccy.
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Postby zboszor » Mon, 02.06.2014 18:54:37

Latest versions work wrong for me. I just tested ROMs r638 and r639 and FW from r641 , they work wrong. Going to earlier versions.
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Postby zboszor » Mon, 02.06.2014 19:20:50

I just tried ROM 0.54b from r631 and firnware from r621 , they worked wrong.

Then I tried a different game using a TRD file. It started loading then switched to loading from tape??? The "Bytes:" lines showed a completely different game. This gave me an idea and it turned out that it was a hardware bug, after all, or a timing difference between BaseConf and TSconf in SD card handling which confuses the card.

At this point I replaced this aging 1GB SD card with a new 8GB one and extracted the same files on it. Manic Miner from TAP and Bruce Lee GS conversion from SCL loaded just fine.

Sorry for the noise. :bang:
Last edited by zboszor on Tue, 03.06.2014 10:23:48, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby TS-Labs » Mon, 02.06.2014 20:23:25

Oh, no problem at all. Thanks for curious info )
I bet, you might tell this to the ERS developer, he's gonna laugh at you saying - "buy a new card instead" )) Just an assumption though.
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Postby zboszor » Mon, 02.06.2014 20:38:23

It was an interesting experience. AData 1GB SD card. It seems it couldn't deal with bad cells anymore and gave back wrong data at times. I didn't know a flash disk does that, I had a few going wrong between my hands, all have just stopped working at some point instead of sneaking in bad data. :-)
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Postby TS-Labs » Mon, 02.06.2014 22:04:10

I would recommend applying the Force Erase Command to the SD card (https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/pls/si ... t1_410.pdf - chapter 4.3.7.3.1).
It is possible to send a necessary instruction sequence via Z-Controller using an own homebrew program.
This command makes SD card internal controller mark out its NAND chip from the scratch.
This really helps in seemingly hopeless cases.
Also, it's a good experience :)
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