GP32 - 1 Day In, Still Sitting There!


Shirohagen

Brutal Deluxe
Joined
Jan 12, 2004
Messages
750
Location
London
Website
richardho.lt
Hi

I got my GP32 this morning after a lot of careful thought and research here on gp32x.de. I knew they were more complex than most consoles, and I consider myself pretty computer literate, but I was genuinely unprepared for just how baffling the thing is to get to work.

Here is what I have:
1 GP32, Batteries, 16MB SMC, USB cable.
1 CD from GBAX with all the files on.
1 Macintosh running OSX (10.2.8) & Virtual PC to run Windows XP.
1 Olympus Digital Camera to use as a SMC reader stand-in.

I have installed the PC Link software in Windows XP, and 'installed' the drivers, although there was no sign of anything happening, I just right-clicked 'install' on the file.

I can set the GP32 to 'Link' mode in either GP's fw157e++, Pacrom v0.31b or PC-Link v1.01 through the multi-firmware GBAX installed for me, but whenever I try to use the PC Link app on WinXP it "fails to open the USB port" and I'm left clueless! The GP32 is not present in the Windows Device Manager and did not prompt any Windows message when it was first plugged in.

I tried using my Digital Camera to put files onto the card in the correct structure manually in OSX, but In the GP Firmware, it doesn't recognise any games or MP3s which I have been using to test. I wondered if it disrupts the structure or format somehow as it does create a digital pics folder on the SMC...

Basically I'm totally lost now and getting more pissed off by the moment, there was a note on this site's homepage also stating that the GP32 was now recognised via USB in Mac OSX 10.2.8, but I can't get the SMC to appear on the desktop like it does with the camera.

Can anyone help me? I spent a considerable amount of money on this thing and have nothing but an amusingly shaped paperweight at the moment!

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Have you formatted the card? Do you have the correct folder structure? I can email a zipped version of waht it should look like if taht will help..
 
i'm not sure, but try creating folders on your SMC... GAME, GPMM, MP3, GPETC, (maybe one more i've forgotten)

if you're using european firmware your emulators go in GPMM and the roms go in subdirectories in gpmm generally... (euro firmware negates the need for freelauncher, which can be a major hassle)

that's all i can think to try at the moment. there are others on this board more technical than me...
 
Ok did you register your GP32 with game park. You must do this first or you won't be playing anything. Second you need to use pc-link to format your smc which will set up the correct folders. Then you need to install free launcher which will allow you to see the programs you have upladed to the system and launch them. From there you shloud be all set.
 
Hi,

Sorry to hear you are really annoyed, we have all been there and can entirely appreciate your frustration.

I have to admit I am not a mac user and not too familiar with Virtual PC, so this may be a complete stab in the dark.
Anyway, if possible can you check that the file:

GP32USB.sys

is in the directory:

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS

Or your drive letter/path equivalent. I think this file is supposed to be installed when you right click on the .inf file and click INSTALL as you mentioned above.
 
Have you installed the GP32 drivers in virtual WinXP? You'll find some modified ones at firefly's site (search Google; I don't know where it is, I'm afraid) if I remember correctly. With any *luck* that'll sort out your problems. If not, use your camera as the tranfer device, reformat the smc with 8kb cluser size, create the directories "GPMM", "GAME", "GPSYS", "GPETC" and "MP3" (You can try 2kb cluster size, but I found that that doesn't work with OS9x - although that COULD have been a directory problem; i.e. no GPSYS folder). Then just send over the files using that based on where the readmes say they ought to be. Generally everything goes in the GPMM dir, but for roms there are often special requirements.

It'd be better if the drivers sort you out for XP though, since that way you'd also get the ability to buy stuff; the Entware registration wizard only works in windows, iirc, and requires the GP32 to be connected via USB...
 
Hi

Thanks guys for all the suggestions, I've spent some time outdoors now and put my feet up with a drink in hand so I'm going to go back to it and see what I can do. I may go out tomorrow and get a new SMC or a reader to just get around the USB thing if I'm still getting nowhere.

I'll try some of the things you have suggested and let you know how I get on.

Oh, and a BIG thankyou to the poeple at GBAX, especially Jacqueline who tracked down the Royal Mail delivery of my GP32 for me which I thought had gone AWOL to my local sorting Office and called me so I could rescue my weekend!

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To keep it simple. Forget about connecting to GP32 from Virtual PC. No chance. I've tried to do it some time ago and it didnt work. virtual pc doesnt see any usb stuff connected to computer.
 
I don't think you were supposed to right click and install to install the drivers. You should have tried plugging it in and waiting for Windows to recognize and new device and go through the device wizard.
 
1 CD from GBAX with all the files on.
1 Macintosh running OSX (10.2.8) & Virtual PC to run Windows XP.

Basically I'm totally lost now and getting more pissed off by the moment, there was a note on this site's homepage also stating that the GP32 was now recognised via USB in Mac OSX 10.2.8, but I can't get the SMC to appear on the desktop like it does with the camera.
Get the maclink program from you CD that was shipped with the GP32 (Craigix's).
That thing should find your GP32 and communicate with it. GP32 is not a mass storage
device or such so it won't appear to your desktop.
btw. maclink is a commandline tool so you need to open a terminal and run it
from there.
 
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Hang in there!

I still haven't got the gp32 working on my computer.

I think i must of had the mother of ordeals.

just check the other thread 'the infamous USB port'.

My computer tech mate got it working on his, so at least i got some games.
 
Hi everyone,

I'm about to call it a day and go to bed, but I can report some success!

I gave up with WindowsXP and used my digital camera to mount the SMC on my OSX desktop to copy files like an SMC reader.

I have tried a few, but have had mixed results. Some EMUs or games just go white, while others display a BIOS screen with a load of code. This is happening with Pinball Dreams, Frodo, Darts & Elite Newkind amongst others, but so far Rick Dangerous and OSnes9x have worked so at least I know the thing isn't faulty!

I'm pretty sure though that there should be a much higher success rate and so I am going to get a new SMC and perhaps a dedicated reader tomorrow as the SMC I have is very old now and only 16Mb, also I'm still suspicious of the way the camera deals with the SMC, and I think a proper reader may improve my chances of perfect data transfer.

My ultimate goal is to get Frodo working, so far it just goes blank on me but as soon as I'm sat down playing Stunt Car Racer I'll be much happier!

I'll keep you posted...

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Took me a few hours to get everything working too, pretty much a few hours or more for everyone who has one. Stay with it, I hope you'll like it once you get it working
 
Had a few problems setting up the usb on my win xp system, trick is, as most usb devices is to plug in device - wait for new hardware detection then point it to your drivers when asked.

Not to sure if a card reader will work will it?, I know there is a mass starage driver available somewhere for the gp32, but as the gp32 uses 8:3 filenames on a fat12 formatted smc, winxp will not recognise it (i dont think so anyway).

once you have the drivers installed, start pacrom, choose link mode, start your pc link software and press ok. next goto file / format to get the correct file structure, from there just copy / install your software and away you go.

If in any doubt, give craig or jaqui an email or call, they should be able to help you out quickly.
 
STUNT CAR RACER LIVES!!

Ahem..

Yes, it's working! I went out and got a fresh SMC and a reader so now I have been playing loads of C64 classics etc...

Very Happy!

Only thing is that Castaway is still throwing up BIOS error screens and the roms I am loading all work with My Mac emulator, so I'm a bit lost there...

Anyway, I'm still discovering stuff, so thanks for all the help and advice guys!

Lesson Learned #1: USB Link is more trouble than it's worth.
Lesson Learned #2: Digital Cameras don't make good SMC Readers.
Lesson Learned #3: The GP32 Community is great - Thanks again!

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