Is it possible to boot retail ISO's with BIOS mod?

[segadreamcaster]

Hi all,

I have recently flashed my DC bios to the Dreamshell "boot loader with bios", which loads up fine and loads up the full dreamshell from the SD card. I then go to launch a game (quake III in this case) and it just resets back to the loader.

I can load and run the game ok from the SD card when I boot up with the dreamshell CD but not from the bios...any clues as to why?

I know this was a problem in the past but I though this problem was fixed in RC1?

Thanks for any help

Cheers

[SWAT]

To normal start the games, you need to use the dreamshell_loader_with.bios (or in best case original bios), this bios having all needed syscalls.
But you need (for dreamshell_loader_with.bios) to boot from ip.bin and high memory loader (select this params in iso loader app).

[segadreamcaster]

(23.05.2012 14:22)SWAT писал(а):  To normal start the games, you need to use the dreamshell_loader_with.bios (or in best case original bios), this bios having all needed syscalls.
But you need (for dreamshell_loader_with.bios) to boot from ip.bin and high memory loader (select this params in iso loader app).

Ok, I just tried all that but it still fails to load...I am not having much luck with all this am I

[SWAT]

Take a photo or video of your actions.

[segadreamcaster]

(23.05.2012 18:42)SWAT писал(а):  Take a photo or video of your actions.

Ok, well here is a collection of photos showing each step from flashing to loading.

1



2



3



4



5



6



7



8



9 - This ISO loads when booting with Dreamshell CD



10 - From here it just resets and reloads Dreamshell from SD card




Any help will be appreciated...can you see anything wrong?

[SWAT]

So maybe this game does't work with high memory loader, this can be...
Try another game, example DOA2.

[segadreamcaster]

(24.05.2012 06:57)SWAT писал(а):  So maybe this game does't work with high memory loader, this can be...
Try another game, example DOA2.

Ok, well I just tried DOA2 and got the same result....resets....this is really strange

Thanks for helping me trouble shoot this

[SWAT]

If you boot from original bios, games works?

[segadreamcaster]

(24.05.2012 16:24)SWAT писал(а):  If you boot from original bios, games works?

Yes, if I boot with a Dreamcast Bios (normal) I am able to run both DOA2 and Quake 3 without a problem...the problem only exists when booting from the dreamshell bios

Strange isn't it

[SWAT]

Yep, this is strange... You tried run games with high memory loader and bootstrap 1, if you boot from normal bios?

[segadreamcaster]

(25.05.2012 07:41)SWAT писал(а):  Yep, this is strange... You tried run games with high memory loader and bootstrap 1, if you boot from normal bios?

Just tried it with the normal bios and booting from CD and no, it doesn't work when using high memory and bootstrap 1

[SWAT]

Maybe your iso images not have IP.BIN? You created iso images?

[segadreamcaster]

(25.05.2012 12:27)SWAT писал(а):  Maybe your iso images not have IP.BIN? You created iso images?

No, I downloaded them from here:

http://dcisozone.com/dreamcast-sd-isos.html

Just opened both of them up and both have IP.BIN in them....so doesn't look like thats the cause

[SWAT]

IP.BIN exist in file list (TOC) or boot sector?

[segadreamcaster]

(27.05.2012 19:05)SWAT писал(а):  IP.BIN exist in file list (TOC) or boot sector?

Not sure about that

This is what I get when I open DOA2 in ultra ISO:



or here is Quake 3:

[SWAT]

Open image in hex editor, then you can see on start of image file the ip.bin data or nothing.

[segadreamcaster]

(28.05.2012 07:50)SWAT писал(а):  Open image in hex editor, then you can see on start of image file the ip.bin data or nothing.

Ok, well here is what I get:



That repeats multiple times. So I am assuming this isn't right for a bios boot?

[SWAT]

Repeats multiple times? Hmm it's not normal...
Try to create image by "iso make pack v2", extract all files from your image and create new.

[segadreamcaster]

(28.05.2012 16:40)SWAT писал(а):  Repeats multiple times? Hmm it's not normal...
Try to create image by "iso make pack v2", extract all files from your image and create new.

Ok, have now re-processed both DOA2 and Quake3 using your ISO maker and this is now what I see for Quake 3 in a hex editor:



I have since tried these files and I still cannot get them to boot via the bios but still can via the CD boot up.

I am getting something new when I try Quake 3 though:

"System called exit signal:1"

This is really proving to be awkward

[SWAT]

"System called exit signal:1" - it's normal, BIOS wants to throw us into the menu, but I do not give it to him to do. Previously, it was not, because the image have not IP.BIN. Now all ok. Try to run DOA2 game.