skeezix
Internal Development
* skeezix crosses his fingers
jeff
jeff
Damnit, I'm going to flash some new firmware..
- Thread starter skeezix
- Start date
Axeman
Axemeister
I'm still not sure whether to do it...
What are the real disadvantages?
What are the real disadvantages?
Loonie
Active Member
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2003
- Messages
- 753
Well, I bit the bullet and did it as well. I must say, I like this one second boot time into WindUps from power on.
Haven't noticed it being any more or less compatible than the standard firmware.
The only hiccup I had was that after flashing, that dumb idiot Windows had forgotten what the GP32 was. Once the drivers were crowbarred back in, all was well again.
...and I didn't even use fresh batteries. Oooooh slap-wrist.
Haven't noticed it being any more or less compatible than the standard firmware.
The only hiccup I had was that after flashing, that dumb idiot Windows had forgotten what the GP32 was. Once the drivers were crowbarred back in, all was well again.
...and I didn't even use fresh batteries. Oooooh slap-wrist.
phoda
Member
Disadvantages: there is always a risk involved in flashing firmware - your GP-32 will get screwed if the FW burn process is not completed. To avoid this use fresh batteries and wait until the FW burning process completes (which is quite fast - takes less than a minute).
Advantages: Multifw contains the original FW without the startup animation. If you use windups, you can access your FXEs directly from it without having to wait for startup animations on the Feeloader. The GP-32 boots instantly either on the original FW or Windups or Pacrom. You can customize the icons, and backgrouns as much as you want on Windups. Summing up, it makes the GP-32 experience even cooler.
Bottom line: multifw rocks.
Advantages: Multifw contains the original FW without the startup animation. If you use windups, you can access your FXEs directly from it without having to wait for startup animations on the Feeloader. The GP-32 boots instantly either on the original FW or Windups or Pacrom. You can customize the icons, and backgrouns as much as you want on Windups. Summing up, it makes the GP-32 experience even cooler.
Bottom line: multifw rocks.
phoda
Member
This is the catch right now. Windups can't run commercial games - it has no support for GXE loading (differently than Pacrom, which has).
An alternative then is to just boot up on the original FW - which goes straight to the GAME menum BTW - and selecting your game from there.
If Windups had GXE support it would be perfect - maybe this will be added someday
An alternative then is to just boot up on the original FW - which goes straight to the GAME menum BTW - and selecting your game from there.
If Windups had GXE support it would be perfect - maybe this will be added someday
Well, I suppose there is always the possibility of screwing up, but honestly this is pretty rare. So I wouldn't worry much about it. That is if you do things correctly (pretty easy, really). Plus the fact that someone found way to rescue a GP32 in case of bad flashing makes it pretty much 100% reliable.
The advantages are numerous, even more so for a developper with the debug screen. Honestly I don't regret a single second flashing the multi firmware.
Good luck,
Loic
The advantages are numerous, even more so for a developper with the debug screen. Honestly I don't regret a single second flashing the multi firmware.
Good luck,
Loic
skeezix
Internal Development
Yeah, it was really quite painless; follow the faq on www.gp32emu.com and easy.
I was worried abotu side effecvts, but looks good.
My only complaint is that Windups has a mouse cursor thing.. I think it woudl've been cooler to have you push right and it picks the next icon on the right, rather than have to mouse over to start up apps..
But slick; turn the unit on and bam, theres your stuff. Wicked
jeff
I was worried abotu side effecvts, but looks good.
My only complaint is that Windups has a mouse cursor thing.. I think it woudl've been cooler to have you push right and it picks the next icon on the right, rather than have to mouse over to start up apps..
But slick; turn the unit on and bam, theres your stuff. Wicked
jeff
I am really glad I flashed my firmware. I went to v2 of multifw - boy is it ever nice. I boot into pacrom by default and turn on the 'remember last program' function so I don't have to go digging around for whatever I was playing with / testing next time I turn it on. Then, I always have the option to go into original firmware if I have to, though I haven't found a compelling reason to do it too often. Mostly I stick to the free games and self developed code. The PC link host bootup option has worked well enough for me so far for installing .fpk files too.
This setup is alot better for me than waiting for the bootup ani to finish, clicking start on games, going to free launcher, finding my program, and running it.. with pacrom, it is right on the program I went to last and I can just hit A to run it within a second or two of booting.
This setup is alot better for me than waiting for the bootup ani to finish, clicking start on games, going to free launcher, finding my program, and running it.. with pacrom, it is right on the program I went to last and I can just hit A to run it within a second or two of booting.
stickofjoy
Active Member
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2003
- Messages
- 542
- Age
- 47
anybody care to explain the differences and choices in alternative firmware?
skeezix
Internal Development
Hey Spivvy,
killer job on the firmware. Not nearly as painful as I'd thoguht -- I guess all the paranoid posts on the forums get to ya. Really nice stuff.
(and woowoo, gdb stub built in!)
How did you get around to hacking on the firmware?
jeff
killer job on the firmware. Not nearly as painful as I'd thoguht -- I guess all the paranoid posts on the forums get to ya. Really nice stuff.
(and woowoo, gdb stub built in!)
How did you get around to hacking on the firmware?
jeff
skeezix
Internal Development
Firmware.. well, you can go straight to PacRom, or use the multifw which lets you chose a boot time which firmware to use (or use a default you set). PacRom is a simple text launcher.. it lists the games in the current directory, and you pick one. You can go browsing directories, etc, as well. WindUps you know about already.. the simple GUI desktop. Very rpetty. PCLink for transferring files. And the normal firmware that comes with the unit (minus the jingle at the front).stickofjoy posted on May 14 2003 said:
So really, its not that many choices.. you've already got the built in firmware and a pclink; so all your'e really adding is pacrom (simple and clean) and windups (pretty), and more to point.. fast startup, and the choice of which to use.
I'm using Windups right now. Turnt he unit on, wait just a moment, and Windups is on the screen. No messing around. Cool
jeff
Last edited by a moderator:
Rico
Certified Guru
Almost dead set on flashing now, just a few Q's:
If you have a choice of Wind-ups, Pacrom, or the original fw going straight to the GAME menu, can you access the MP3 player easily?
Is it a choice in the menu, or do you have to back out of GAME then choose MP3?
Is Pacrom/Darkfader's link program fully compatible with the modified firely XP drivers?
Thanks, Rico
If you have a choice of Wind-ups, Pacrom, or the original fw going straight to the GAME menu, can you access the MP3 player easily?
Is it a choice in the menu, or do you have to back out of GAME then choose MP3?
Is Pacrom/Darkfader's link program fully compatible with the modified firely XP drivers?
Thanks, Rico
skeezix
Internal Development
The original firmware isn't much tweaked; I don't have any commercial games on me now, but with my normal emu SMC I booted the original firmware and it had the rotating options to pick gamer, mp3, etc.
So it appears that booting an original or mp3 is the same as always, barring that (in my case) I have to hold down select while booting to get the original firmware back.
Its sort of annoying that the pc-link (dark faders) doesn't have an option to exit it (reboot the gp32 woudl be ideal); so you have to physically turn off/on to get out of pc-link. I think.
I'm using normal XP drivers.
jeff
So it appears that booting an original or mp3 is the same as always, barring that (in my case) I have to hold down select while booting to get the original firmware back.
Its sort of annoying that the pc-link (dark faders) doesn't have an option to exit it (reboot the gp32 woudl be ideal); so you have to physically turn off/on to get out of pc-link. I think.
I'm using normal XP drivers.
jeff
To clarify, the original FW choice doesn't go INTO the game section, but, as Skeezix just said, goes into the selection mode between Game/MP3/PC-Link, defaulting to Game just like before.
The last note is that if you ever have to register or re-register anywhere, just to be safe don't use the Multi-FW or Pacrom PC-Link option... one or both of those doesn't work 100% by returning the wrong ID. Its easy enough to just go to the original FW and select PC-Link there. For normal day to day use, I do use the PC-Link built into the Multi-FW though... its just so convenient!
The last note is that if you ever have to register or re-register anywhere, just to be safe don't use the Multi-FW or Pacrom PC-Link option... one or both of those doesn't work 100% by returning the wrong ID. Its easy enough to just go to the original FW and select PC-Link there. For normal day to day use, I do use the PC-Link built into the Multi-FW though... its just so convenient!
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