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CPCEMU - Installation

  1. Installation of CPCEMU
    2.1 Files which comprise the CPCEMU package
    2.2 Requirements and installation
    2.3 Hints about memory and soundcards
    2.3.1 Using EMS Memory
    2.3.2 Defining the BLASTER environment
    2.3.3 Defining the ULTRASND environment

 

 

2. Installation of CPCEMU

In this chapter you will learn, how to install and start CPCEMU. Section 2.3 lists some points on why you should be using EMS memory and how to set up the Soundblaster environment.

Full user defined installation with the configuration file is described later in chapter 4 (Changing the Configuration).

 

2.1 Files which comprise the CPCEMU package

You have received the CPCEMUxx.xxx package with the following files:

(I have put the directories in brackets where you will find the files after the installation.)

COPYMATE.ROM
ROM with a copy program (ROM)
CPC464.BAT
CPC 464 startup file
CPC464.ROM
ROM (firmware+BASIC) of a CPC 464 (ROM)
CPC6128.BAT
ditto, but for CPC 6128
CPC6128.ROM
(ROM)
CPC6128P.BAT
ditto, but for CPC 6128 plus
CPC664.BAT
ditto, but for CPC 664
CPC664.ROM
(ROM)
CPCADOS.ROM
AMSDOS for all CPCs (ROM)
CPCEMU.CFG
the configuration file for all CPCs (or CPCEMU0.CFG)
CPCEMU.DAT
data file for CPCEMU
CPCEMU.DBF
database with pokes
CPCEMU.EXE
the emulator
CPCEMU.HLP
the online help, try pressing F1...
CPCEMU.MSG
the message file (required)
CPCEMU_D_e.txt
German documentation
CPCEMU_E_e.txt
English documentation (this one)
CPCEMU_F_e.txt
French documentation
CPCEMU_S_e.txt
Spanish documentation
CPCPARA.BAS
Locomotive-BASIC program for the parallel adapter (UTILITY)
CPCPD1.DSK
disk image with some example Public Domain programs (DISC)
CPCREC.BAS
Locomotive-BASIC program to receive programs (UTILITY)
CPCT0.BAT
batch file for CPCTRANS.EXE (example) (UTILITY)
CPCTRANS.CFG
configuration file for CPCTRANS (UTILITY)
CPCTRANS.EXE
transfer program for disk images (UTILITY)
CPMDISKS.DEF
format definitions for 22DISK (UTILITY)
DESCRIPT.ION
description file for 4DOS
FILE_ID.DIZ
archive description for BBSes
INSTALL.BAT
batch file for installation
KCC.BAT
KC compact startup file
PCPARA.EXE
PC side of the parallel adapter (UTILITY)
README_D_e.txt
German Readme
README_E_e.txt
English Readme
README_F_e.txt
French Readme
README_S_e.txt
Spanish Readme
ROMGET.BAS
Locomotive-BASIC program for saving ROMs (UTILITY)
SNA2GIF.EXE
a snapshot to GIF converter: grab your CPC screens...

The original Amstrad ROMs are included.

The Firmware is copyright by Locomotive Software; the BASIC is copyright by Amstrad.

Amstrad and Locomotive have given me permission to distribute the ROMs with CPCEMU

 

2.2 Requirements and Installation

You will need at least (there is no upper limit of course)

  • PC AT 386 with VGA graphics
  • MS-DOS, possibly with EMS, or
    • Novell DOS (DRDOS) or
    • Windows 95 (or 3.1) DOS box or
    • OS/2 2.x DOS box.
  • If you want to start programs from within ZIP archives you will need the program PKUNZIP in your DOS searchpath for extraction.

The installation itself is very simple:

Copy the CPCEMUxx.ZIP archive onto your hard disc and decompress it with PKUNZIP CPCEMUxx.ZIP. Run INSTALL.BAT to create the necessary subdirectories. Start CPC464.BAT, CPC664.BAT or CPC6128.BAT depending on what CPC you would like to emulate. When starting it the first time, select your language by pressing 0 for English or choose another one.

(The configuration is saved in the TMP directory as CPCEMU.CFG.) After the configuration has been shown, the well-known yellow and blue CPC opening screen appears.

You can see the online help with F1 and quit the emulator with F12.

It is best to try that now, before reading any further...

 

If some errors occur during the configuration, you will be put into the so-called debug-menu, which you can exit with q <RETURN>.

In such cases, it is sometimes useful to redirect the start-up messages into a file, e.g. with CPCEMU > INIT_e.txt. Then you are able to analyze the problem later.

 

2.3 Hints about memory and soundcards

The following will help you if you desire a particularly fast emulation or if your soundcard is not recognized correctly.

If you use Windows 95 without special settings, you do not need to worry about that. Windows 95 supports EMS for DOS boxes and sets the BLASTER environment automatically, if you have a Soundblaster card.

 

2.3.1 Using EMS Memory

You should have hardware or emulated EMS on your PC (EMS=Expanded Memory System). This speeds up the emulation in a significant way, especially with BASIC. Simulated EMS is too slow. All you need is EMM (Expanded Memory Manager) supporting the LIM 4.0 standard (LIM EMS 4.0).

If EMS usage is possible, a memory count "EMS xxx Bytes ok." will appear during initialization. Otherwise you will see "Sorry, using conventional memory".

Example under OS/2 2.x (settings for the window):

  EMS_FRAME_LOCATION = auto
  EMS_HIGH_OS_MAP_REGION = 32     (or more)
  EMS_LOW_OS_MAP_REGION = 0       (or more)

Example under DOS in the CONFIG.SYS file:

  DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS
  DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE 1024
  ...

 

2.3.2 Defining the BLASTER environment

In order to hear sound from your Soundblaster you must set the BLASTER environment variable properly. Either use the program SET-ENV.EXE (or SBTEST.EXE) included with your soundcard or modify AUTOEXEC.BAT directly. In AUTOEXEC.BAT, you should have a line similar to the following:

  SET BLASTER=A220 I7 D1 T3

Where:

  • A specifies the base address (0x220)
  • I specifies the IRQ (7)
  • D specifies the DMA channel (1)
  • T specifies the type of the soundcard:
    • 1 : Soundblaster 1.0/1.5
    • 2 : Soundblaster Pro
    • 3 : Soundblaster 2.0/2.5
    • 4 : Soundblaster Pro 3/Pro 4.0
    • 5 : Soundblaster Pro (Microchannel)
    • 6 : Soundblaster 16
    For version 2,4,5 & 6 stereo sound is enabled.
There are also some more parameters which will be ignored:
  • H specifies the 16 bit DMA channel for 16 bit cards (5)
  • M specifies the base address of the soundblaster mixer (224)
  • P specifies the port address for MIDI (330)

If you hear no sound, use A388 (instead of A220). This works for Media Vision Pro Audio Spectrum 16 and possibly other sound cards with SB emulation. It may also work with an Adlib Card. (Joe Cotroneo)

 

2.3.3 Defining the ULTRASND environment

In order to get sound with your GUS (Gravis Ultrasound Classic/ MAX/ ACE), you must have the ULTRASND environment variable defined.

Your AUTOEXEC.BAT file should contain the following line:

  SET ULTRASND=220,1,1,11,7

Where the meaning of the numbers is (in the order shown):

  • 220 is the base address (0x220)
  • 1 is the GUS DMA channel
  • 1 is the SoundBlaster DMA channel
  • 11 is the GUS IRQ
  • 7 is the SoundBlaster IRQ

Important are the base address and the GUS IRQ. All other values must be specified in order for the emulation to work properly.

 

Chapter 3. Differences between CPC and CPCEMU

 

© Marco Vieth, Mai 1998


MV, 04.03.2006 20:51:46