Newbie - Dewoo CPC-400s. Memory prevents running MSX software

Paladin (1016)

25-10-2004, 13:02

Hi, everybody,
I'm quite new to MSX, although I played lots of MSX games when I was a kid. Now 20 years later, I decided to get back to this great platform...
I've finally found me an MSX2 computer - a fine Daewoo CPC-400s, took me very long time to find, and I already run into problem.
I can run only very few games of the machine. So far I was able to run only Druid, GallForce and Samurai (Ganbare Goemon), while such great games as Knightmare, Vampire Killer and Zanac 2 cannot run. Sometimes it crashes after title screen, sometimes it says "Out of memory in 1", sometimes jusst hangs up...
I've done some research, and some people said that maybe they could help me on a Russian forum (thanks to dhau), but I also want to ask the community here:

It seems that my Daewoo CPC-400s has RAM in slot that is different from other MSX machines. This is what The Ultimate MSX FAQ says:
www.faq.msxnet.org/msx2.html#msx2spec

Daewoo 400S
128kB RAM/128kB VRAM
Superimposing capabilities
Separate keyboard
2 diskdrives
RAM in slot 0-0, which means lots of software will not work

Well, I have to correct on above that it has 1 diskdrive only and 1 cart slot...

Also, here's what The Machine Room says about my computer's RAM:
http://www.machine-room.org/computers/516/technical.html?MachineRoomSessionID=69a750f65a38e991606bb1ffac396b3e

My question is - do you think I would be able to run original ROM carts? And can anything be done to get my computer to run all MSX/MSX2 software??
I wouldnt want to give up this great computer, it's just so slick ;)

Thank you in advance,
Austin

By flyguille

Prophet (3028)

25-10-2004, 16:10

ram in slot 0-0? where is the ROM?

weird.....

By anonymous

incognito ergo sum (116)

25-10-2004, 18:33

ram in slot 0-0? where is the ROM?

weird.....

I don't know where's ROM, I just quoted MSXFAQ beleiving they know what they write... In reality, my MSX knowledge is near to zero. I have original Daewoo manual, but it doesnt say much about where memory is. I'll try to look up if it mentions anything about memory addresses, (I know it discusses something about memory mapper) don't know it it helps, though...
There is bound to be someone familiar with this machine, I guess, Russia, for one, had thousands and thousands imported back in 80-s...

By mars2000you

Enlighted (6227)

25-10-2004, 18:43

Here's the intern structure of this machine :

Daewoo X-II CPC-400S (MSX2) (Made in 1987)

*ROM : Total 240KB

MSX2.ROM -->> MSX BIOS&BASIC Version 2.0
(Slot No.00 : 0000-7FFF, 32KB)

MSX2EXT.ROM -->> MSX Extended BASIC Version 2.0&Hangul BIOS Version 3.0
(Slot No.03 : 0000-7FFF, 32KB)

MSX2HAN.ROM -->> MSX Hangul Input Software Version 3.0&MSX-Tutor
(Slot No.01 : 4000-BFFF, 32KB)

DISK.ROM -->> MSX Disk BASIC Version 1.0
(Slot No. 2 : 4000-7FFF, 16KB)

KANJI.ROM -->> MSX Kanji&Hangul Font
(I/O Address : &HD8-&HDF, 128KB)

*RAM : Total 256KB

Main : 128KB (Main Program) (Slot No.02 : 0000-FFFF)

Video : 128KB (Video Screen) (I/O Address : &H98-&H9F)

*Cartridge Slot : 1 Slot (Slot No. 1)&1 Extension Bus Slot (No. 3)

By anonymous

incognito ergo sum (116)

25-10-2004, 20:09

So the FAQ is completely wrong regarding this machine? 1 diskdrive, RAM not in slot 0-0 (that would be madness anyway)...
That leaves the question as why so many software doesn't work. :/

By mars2000you

Enlighted (6227)

25-10-2004, 20:25

Some programs (games or demos) were badly written, because at the time of their creation, the programmers only knew machines with RAM generally in slot 3.

This is not the only example. Brazilian MSX 1 machines have the RAM in slot 2, what's source of trouble for some games.

By anonymous

incognito ergo sum (116)

26-10-2004, 08:57

Can I switch the RAM into slot 3? Or does it sound very stupid?

By anonymous

incognito ergo sum (116)

26-10-2004, 16:19

You can insert an external memory mapper in the extension bus slot, but you'll probably need an adapter to turn it into a regular cartridge slot. (Which possibly came with the system already)

By NYYRIKKI

Enlighted (5918)

27-10-2004, 19:48

Can I switch the RAM into slot 3? Or does it sound very stupid?

Not at all, but in worst case you need to modify the ROM's as well. This should be anyway easy to test with OpenMSX.

To get best compatibility, I would put RAM to slot 3, Disk ROM to slot 0-2 and expancion bus to slot 2.

Without service manual this might anyway be very hard...

This is not the only example. Brazilian MSX 1 machines have the RAM in slot 2, what's source of trouble for some games.
Or even more weird solution used in SVI-738... 64K RAM in slot 1!

By Sonic_aka_T

Enlighted (4130)

27-10-2004, 20:45

There's no poke that will solve this?

By flyguille

Prophet (3028)

27-10-2004, 21:07

well my machine has the RAM at slot 1....

so, i normally hacks each european game to run in slot 1.

all konami's works perfect...