#IBeM Emulator Trouble!
27 messages in this thread
I've just installed the IBeM software emulator in my Amiga 2000, and it
says "can't allocate memory". The documentation does not refer to this
problem. I have 1 meg of RAM, of which 765k is available.
Eric Pinnell
Eric.
When you start up IBeM, yo tell it how much memory to allocate to your DOS
session, like this: IBEM 640. The above would allocate 640k mem. for DOS.
I THINK that the emulator has to use FAST RAM, so even though you have
700+k free, not all of that is FAST. A good portion of it is probably CHIP
ram. Try assigning less memory for IBeM. Start with 256k and work your way
up in chunks of 64 or 128k. Hope this helps.
Scott Horn :',
I'll give it a try. Thanks
Well, it looks like I have to go an edit my MOUNTLIST file and stick all
sorts of ridiculous technical information into it that the author forgot to
include. So I'm just not going to bother. As far as I am concerned, any
program that has to modify the system file should have a little icon called
"INSTALL" that you double click on. I have no idea what the parameters to
fill in are, and it's not in the docs. So much for quality shareware!
Eric Pinnell
Although I agree with you in some points about making shareware as easy to
use as possible, you have to realize that most authors are doing us a favor
by making it shareware in the first place. A LOT of shareware programs
could easily have gone commercial, such as SID, but the author decided it
was more a labor of love than to make profits. Very few shareware authors
get rich with their software, or barely make enough to cover the cost of
their software they used to create the shareware in the first place!
John
I know, but at least the author could have put the neccessary
information to make the thing work. I can't even get in touch with the
author because he lives in New Zealand!!
Has ANYBODY gotten IBem to work? If not, are there any COMMERCIAL
software-only emulators out there? Hellllppp!
Eric (I'm brain damaged) Pinnell
Eric… You should also find out if IBeM will work under KS & WB 1.2. That
version of the system software has outlived it usefullness.
– Whapping from the North Coast Michael
Yep, I've been able to get IBeM working just fine. First thing is, I
believe you are using a 1000 or 500, right? If so, you may be disappointed
in the speed of IBeM because it is a software based emulator. On the 3000,
it just barely matches the speed of a 4mHz XT, so I would hate to see how
slow it crawls on a 500. Another thing, do you happen to have the
commercial program CrossDos? If not, there is a PD program called "MSH"
that also emulates the MS-DOS filesystem, so that will need to be
downloaded also if you don't have CrossDos. I believe MSH is here in the
libraries so you should be able to find the exact filename in the Amiga
Filefinder (GO AMIGAFF) using the keyword MSH or MessyDos as the search
words. If your still interested in getting IBeM to work, let me know and
I'll try to get your started.
John (in beautiful downtown Walla Walla) – via Whap!
John:
Eric is using KS & WB 1.2… will that present any problems for IBeM?
– Whapping from the North Coast Michael
Using 1.2 could cause problems for IBeM. I would suggest Eric upgrade to at
least 1.3, either that or wait until 2.0 becomes available.
John (in beautiful downtown Walla Walla) – via Whap!
Actually, I'm using an amiga 2000. Tell me, what did you insert into
your MOUNTLIST file as parameters? I have no idea how to set this file up
properly.
Eric Pinnell
Eric, IBeM does come with an example Mountlist for the program MSH that I
described earlier. All you have to do is modify your Mountlist by typing in
the example at the end of your Mountlist. And here is a sample mountlist
entry if you are using CrossDos:
IBMA:
Device = mfm.device
Unit = 0
Flags = 1 /* Allow 5 1/4" drives */
Surfaces = 2
BlocksPerTrack = 9
Reserved = 1
Interleave = 0
LowCyl = 0; HighCyl = 79 /* 80 track drive */
FileSystem = L:MSDOSFileSystem
Buffers = 5
BufMemType = 0
Stacksize = 4000
Priority = 5
GlobVec = -1
DosType = 0x4D534400
Mount = 0 #
After you have your mountlist modified, all you have to do is reset your
computer, type in the command:
MOUNT IBMA: <Return>
Next insert your MS-DOS boot disk in drive df0:, and then run the IBeM
emulator. That should get you going. Just to let you know, I will be in
Seattle all next week, so if you have any more questions, please post them
as Email so I can read them when I get back. By the way, if you are using
CrossDos, you must have it installed also before IBeM will work. You don't
have to run CrossDos, but all the support files need to be installed. If
you are trying to use MSH, well then any questions you have for that will
have to wait until I get back, or possibly someone else can help you get
that installed. Have a good week, and don't give up yet!
John (in beautiful downtown Walla Walla) – via Whap!
I shall give your idea a try. Thanks! I'll keep my fingers crossed!
Eric Pinnell
Eric,
I've been using IBeM for some time now on my A3000. I have an IBM
partition set up on the hard drive and IBeM boots up off of that. I run
Word Perfect and many other MS-DOS programs without many problems.
Here is the mountlist entries I use for IBMA: and IBMB:. Note that I am
using CrossDos to do this instead of MSH:
IBMA:
Device = mfm.device
Unit = 0
Flags = 0
Surfaces = 2
BlocksPerTrack = 9
Reserved = 1
Interleave = 0
LowCyl = 0; HighCyl = 79 /* 80 track drive */
FileSystem = L:MSDOSFileSystem
Buffers = 5
BufMemType = 0
Stacsize = 4000
Priority = 5
GlobVec = -1
DosType = 0x4D534400
Mount = 0; #
IBMB:
Device = mfm.device
Unit = 2
Flags = 0
Surfaces = 2
BlocksPerTrack = 9
Reserved = 1
Interleave = 0
LowCyl = 0; HighCyl = 79 /* 80 track drive */
FileSystem = L:MSDOSFileSystem
Buffers = 5
BufMemType = 0
Stacksize = 4000
Priority = 5
GlobVec = -1
DosType = 0x4D534400
Mount = 0; #
This is almost a duplicate of the mountlist that comes with CrossDos. I
mount IBMA: and IBMB: in my start-up sequence. I do not know if this will
work on your system, but it might give you a starting point.
I believe that CI$ has internet mail, in which case you can E-Mail a
letter to the author of IBeM (his E-Mail address is in the docs). I have
done so myself (via usenet) and he responds very rapidly to questions.
JP
Thanks for your MountList listing. I'll give it a try. How do I
access internet and usenet? It would be very useful for my business.
Eric (keeping my fingers crossed) Pinnell
PS: I bought crossdos, so it should work OK.
Well, looks like it don't work on my machine. I replaced the entries
in the Mountlist table (DI0 and DI1) by renaming them IBMA and IBMB, and
then proceding to use MOUNTMF "IBMA" and "IBMB". According to assign, they
come out named "IBMA0" and "IBMB0". Not only does IBEM not run (some
uesless drivel about no bootable disks being found), but I think I've
messed up my startup-sequence file. Sigh! This is beginning to get to the
point where I should just quit!
Eric (I'm annoyed) Pinnell
Eric:
WB & KS 1.2 just ain't gonna cut it for you. You can not boot anything
from your hardrive under 1.2. You can not use the mountlist entries from
someone who is booting from their hard drive… you're using a different
operating system!
– Whapping from the North Coast Michael
ERIC–
You did get it to work! You need a bootable MS-DOS disk in your boot
drive!
Jonathan
Jonathan – from Albany, NY, via whap!
I had a bootable disk in the drive. 720K format, MSDOS 5.0, system
diskette, the whole works. Besides, it gave me that error message without
the floppy drive light coming on!
Eric Pinnell
Eric,
Just type "mount ibma:" or "mount ibmb:", do not use "mountmf". Also
make sure that you are using a colon after IBMA (i.e. IBMA:) in the
mountlist. As a check to see if IBMA: is mounted correctly, open a shell an
"cd IBMA:" to ckeck if the system knows if IBMA: exists. Then try and do a
"dir" to a MS-DOS disk to see if it can be read.
I tried your suggestion. It seems WB 1.2 does not recognizethe
"FileSystem=" parameter. I'm trying to install WB 1.3.2 with no luck. I'm
calling over a friend tonight to try and get help.
Eric Pinnell
eric–
got it to work the first time out, no kidding. Still have the demo
version, but will send in my fees pretty soon. It really does work, albeit
real slowwww….but that's inherent in CPU emulation.
Jonathan
Jonathan – from Albany, NY, via whap!
Since you're a Multiverse playtester, why don't you help a poor old man
figure out what he's doing wrong?! (Whimper!)) The whole reason I've been
after this IBeM thing was so that Amiga users can participate in the
playtest even if the Amiga version isn't ready at that time. IBeM may be
SLOWW, but the Player Assist doesn't take much horsepower to use (if it can
run on and old XT at blindingly fast speeds, it can run on an emulator).
If you thin IBeM is bad, the only emulator for the Atari ST I've found
takes 2 or 3 seconds to update a mouse once it's moved!!
Eric Pinnell
Eric–
Wait–I'm a future Multiverse playtester. Haven't seen anything yet,
but still excited.
Now, lets take this one step at a time. Are you using CrossDos? Do you
have a 720k boot disk (MS-DOS) set up? Is you CrossDos (or other solution)
providing IBM floppy emulation before IBeM is launched? We can take it
from there..
Jonathan
Jonathan – from Albany, NY, via whap!
I'm afraid I've killed my hard disk. I tried to reformat it under WB
1.3.2 but it died halfway through. Now I can't mount anything on DH0:.
BTW, did you go to PBMGAME and download the QSTNAIRE.MUL questionnaire? If
no, could you please do this. If yes, WHERE IS THE QUESTIONNAIRE?? Or do
you prefer I mail you a copy?
Eric (This has been a rough day) Pinnell
Eric–
Give me details on your setup; make of controller, which harddrive
model, etc. Have you tried to reset everything under 1.2, and start at the
beginning?
I can tell you from experience that its sometimes better to chuck the
old setup and start from scratch. I had a Cltd. Kronos setup, and I got
rid of it when GVP offered their trade-in offer. Haven't had a lick of
trouble since. (It may not be a bad idea to give GVP a call, because I've
heard whispers that they will still do the trade in, especially if you can
feed a sympathetic ear there a good sob story). A 1.3 ROM wouldn't be a
bad idea either, since there is no word when 2.0 is coming (and I'm not
holding my breath).
I didn't download the file you mentioned because I didn't know I had to.
I will attempt to do so tonight, although I would appreciate a mailing as a
backup.
Please get me the details of your setup ASAP.
Jonathan
Jonathan – from Albany, NY, via whap!
I agree with you John. If a piece of shareware is too complicated to use,
or doesn't fit your needs, don't buy it!
– Whapping from the North Coast Michael