Does GoTek support copy-protected HFE images?

HxC Floppy Emulator on IBM PC and compatible support
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keenerb
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Re: Does GoTek support copy-protected HFE images?

Post by keenerb »

The HXC display flashes between RA and WA pretty rapidly while saving, not sure if that's normal behaviour or not.

Jeff
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Re: Does GoTek support copy-protected HFE images?

Post by Jeff »

keenerb wrote:
Tue May 05, 2020 9:33 pm
The HXC display flashes between RA and WA pretty rapidly while saving, not sure if that's normal behaviour or not.
Yes it's normal.
I will provide you a debug version to capture the raw stream values.

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Re: Does GoTek support copy-protected HFE images?

Post by Jeff »

Attached the debug firmware. Update to this firmware, copy the .BIN file to the stick (root folder).
Write something to the image, eject or change the image (push the gotek right button.)
Send me the .BIN and the HFE files (zipped)
dbg_fw.zip
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keenerb
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Re: Does GoTek support copy-protected HFE images?

Post by keenerb »

Cool. I'll hit this up after dinner.

keenerb
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Re: Does GoTek support copy-protected HFE images?

Post by keenerb »

No go, this seems pretty broken.

I updated the firmware, it stayed .2a in the firmware version screen.

When I insert the usb stick it flashed DEBUG MODE but no images work, even the trackstar hfe copy-protected disk that's worked just fine so far gives an error and can't be read from DOS.

So I can't load the software to run the emulator, and can't get any useful data from debug.

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Re: Does GoTek support copy-protected HFE images?

Post by Jeff »

And with this one ?
(tried and working on a pc)
dbg_fw2.zip
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keenerb
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Re: Does GoTek support copy-protected HFE images?

Post by keenerb »

Worked better. Attached are the two disk images and the bin file.
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telengard orig.zip
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Jeff
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Re: Does GoTek support copy-protected HFE images?

Post by Jeff »

keenerb wrote:
Wed May 06, 2020 1:49 am
Worked better. Attached are the two disk images and the bin file.
Thanks. So it appears that the firmware is working as it should : the shifted bit is really what the machine wrote... Maybe the error is coming from something else ? This may be finally an encoder/conversion tool issue ? -> The sync words i use with the hxc tool is maybe not exactly the right one and in this case this is "just" an image issue... (i will check this)

Anyway can you retry a write attempt with the attached firmware ? (share the before/after files)

Can you try to format the image with the machine ? (send me the formatted hfe, even if it failed).
Attachments
HxCUSBFE.UPD.zip
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keenerb
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Re: Does GoTek support copy-protected HFE images?

Post by keenerb »

It seems to be working now, and I think I might have been contributing to the malfunction (again) by my lack of Apple familiarity.

Using the latest firmware, Telengard once again reports illegal version character loading a saved game under the Trackstar.

However, I finally figured out how to get into Apple Basic for some testing, and saved/loaded a simple HELLO WORLD two line basic program, and it saved and loaded perfectly.

I poked around in the Trackstar manual and realized that "basic" compatibility and "high" compatiblity on the Trackstar involves loading a skeleton Trackstar BASIC Interpreter vs. the full FPBASIC apple basic interpreter, and that Telengard is a BASIC app. I figured out how to switch to FPBASIC with high compatibility mode and now Telengard works perfectly as well for an initial test.

I expect the versions after you fixed the byte issue were probably all good, and I cost you a fair amount of time looking at something that wasn't broken. Sorry about that!

Images are attached. I"ll proceed with some more testing soon.
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IMAGES.zip
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Jeff
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Re: Does GoTek support copy-protected HFE images?

Post by Jeff »

keenerb wrote:
Wed May 06, 2020 2:42 pm
I expect the versions after you fixed the byte issue were probably all good, and I cost you a fair amount of time looking at something that wasn't broken. Sorry about that!

Images are attached. I"ll proceed with some more testing soon.
Ok fine ! Can you test the "older" fw version to confirm this ?

keenerb
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Re: Does GoTek support copy-protected HFE images?

Post by keenerb »

Sure. It'll be a little bit, have to spend some time actually doing my job today :(

keenerb
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Re: Does GoTek support copy-protected HFE images?

Post by keenerb »

Your initial .2a firmware release yesterday seems to work fine. The debug firmware and all that was unnecessary it seems.

I attached the successfully written image files for reference in case you notice anything wrong, I forgot to add them initially.

Seems to be working quite well.
Attachments
MASTER.zip
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Jeff
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Re: Does GoTek support copy-protected HFE images?

Post by Jeff »

A last thing : Can you check that all is working fine with the firmware you will received by email ?
Thanks !

keenerb
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Re: Does GoTek support copy-protected HFE images?

Post by keenerb »

Looks good. I created a simple basic app, saved and reloaded it no problems. I also saved and resotored a Telengard file and magic.candle 4 file.

keenerb
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Re: Does GoTek support copy-protected HFE images?

Post by keenerb »

Just as an update, it seems to still be working fairly well.

Since the HFE software defaults to HFE v1 for conversion, I sometimes find myself trying to load v1 disk images if I don't pay attention closely during conversion, and v1 works just well enough to boot but the games themselves inevitably fail to work properly.

I've received a few occasional errors when some games attempt to format a save disk, but retrying usually fixes it. I've spent some time with various games and software apps and I've had great luck with them, I'm now about 25% through Bard's Tale 3.

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