Rom Hunter mkII | MSX Resource Center (Pagina 3/11)

Van mars2000you

Enlighted (6502)

02-07-2019, 15:06

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Van Takamichi

Hero (641)

02-07-2019, 16:11

Jipe wrote:

your zip files need a password !!

I've written the password after "PIN:". Or do you mean some of them weren't password protected? Seems I forgot to password the photo zip. Edit: Tried, the password is "narrowslit" nonetheless

Van gdx

Enlighted (6221)

02-07-2019, 15:55

The RAM in the cartridge should not be used to make a dump but it is used to launch the dump. What is the size of Metal Gear 2 dump?

Do you know what is this mapper type? The dumps could probably work on other cartridges like a MegaSram by modifying a little the launcher. The dumps are CAS files is not.

Van Takamichi

Hero (641)

02-07-2019, 16:27

The size of the Metal Gear 2 failed dump is 33kb, probably 32KB+extra bits (audio noise or something added by Rom Hunter). Here it is PIN: helloimnotvenom
The rom of the Rom Hunter itself is a 8KB nonmegarom. I am half sure it works on rom loader played on a disk but haven't tried yet, I know I can't dump to cassette with a turboR. Anyone?

A properly dumped Rom Hunter mkII will be 3Mb or 4Mb with 256KB (2Mb) being the ram; one of the Generation-MSX release photos shows page map or similar but isn't very legible. I'm interested to know if it works on emu without anything or the emulator has to prepare special configuration. I know dumping with an emu is ridiculous ;) but I'm only curious.

Van Takamichi

Hero (641)

02-07-2019, 17:06

Follow up again; I don't need to "insert cart after bootup" at all! I only had to choose [6] SKIP CARTRIDGE then PUSH ANY KEY. MSX enters the BASIC so if there is the Rom Hunter utility disk (programs are in my initially uploaded archive) in A:, another dumping app boots. Select [5} ROM -> DISK , PUSH ANY KEY, enter a file name without extension, say GOEMON. MSX saves the dump of the cart in slot 2 to the disk with .RHK extension, thus GOEMON.RHK. Rename .RHK to .ROM and voila! you get the rom file. Evidence is here PIN: im2Pnezumikozo

So now we have a powerful dumping tool, right? :) Edit: The rom hunter cartridge might not be necessary to start the utility disk app, but it's probably necessary for going to BASIC screen without booting the rom in the slot 2. Edit again: MG2 cannot be dumped even with the disk app. Failed file PIN: venomhauntsyou

Van Manuel

Ascended (19469)

03-07-2019, 00:33

To emulate this thing, we just need to know how the RAM works, I guess. Is it a normal memory mapper? (Is it detected by memory mapper test software, for instance?)

Van gdx

Enlighted (6221)

03-07-2019, 01:25

I compared your dumps of Zanax Ex (after removing the header and all 1F A6 DE BA CC 13 7D 74) and Gambare Goemon with original dumps. They are same. Zanax is mapped ASCII 16 and Goemon Konami 4. Can ROM Hunter launch these two ROMs? If so, Rom Hunter MKII supports multi-mappers.
MG2 is not the original version. It seens to be a version translated by Bifi (v1.2). Have you tried to copy another SCC cartridge?

The cartridge should not be difficult to open because there are screws and there is no sticker.

Van Manuel

Ascended (19469)

03-07-2019, 11:00

Who can help to reverse engineer the ROM and with that the hardware of the cartridge?

When loading something from tape, it loads 16kB of data into page 2, using the same slot as the cartridge. So apparently it can map RAM into that slot. So far I haven't figured out yet how it is mapping RAM there.

Van gdx

Enlighted (6221)

03-07-2019, 11:04

On the back of the box it's written that the ASCII and Konami mappers are supported. So at least three Rom mappers are supported (ASCII 8k/16k and Konami 4). This cartridge can not be emulated if we do not know how to switch the mapper type.

Van Manuel

Ascended (19469)

03-07-2019, 11:32

Yes, so that's why I was trying to debug the code: it must be writing some memory address or I/O port to change mapper type, but I can't find anything. Who can help to analyze the code? It's less than 8kB!