How to use SD Mapper / Megaram 512K

Supporter (15)

24-05-2019, 13:16

Dear All,
I have just bought SD Mapper / Megaram 512K card, inserted it.
I see `Slot 1: SDV1 - (26) PQI, Slot 2: Vazio` on the screen, after that it goes to Basic.
Please help me to understand, what files should I have put on SD card to play games.
The only one command that i remember from MSX Basic was `files`, but it shows nothing
My SD card was formatted under Win10 with `FAT` option, I placed there several *.rom and *.dsk files. But how to play games?

Also I'm a little bit confused about 2 switches on top of the card and how they affect Mapper/Megaram:
Off Off - Mapper/megaram desativada
Off On - Mapper/megaram desativada
On Off - Megaram ativada
On On - Mapper ativada
I am confused with such strange combinations - can't understand the meaning of each switch...

I wasn't able to find on Google any crash course of how to use SD Mapper, only info about some memory addresses, etc.

Any help appreciated.

By Pentarou

Hero (524)

25-05-2019, 10:56

You need to format the card on the MSX, and put DOS (Nextor) in it, then it will boot to DOS.
Afterwards you copy the games and a loader (sofarun) to use them.

Quote:

I wasn't able to find on Google any crash course of how to use SD Mapper

The search function here sucks, read this thread:
About the switches: the one on the left disables the 512K.
When the RAM is enabled, the switch on the right changes between Mapper or Megaram.

By _EF_

Supporter (15)

25-05-2019, 19:38

Thank you so much!
Your instructions in the linked thread are the wisest text about SD card mapper.

By Grauw

Ascended (10772)

25-05-2019, 21:36

It would be good service if buyers of these carts were provided with a manual and a getting-started disk image.

By OeiOeiVogeltje

Paragon (1433)

26-05-2019, 21:35

indeed

By OeiOeiVogeltje

Paragon (1433)

26-05-2019, 21:35

indeed

By _EF_

Supporter (15)

27-05-2019, 06:44

No matter how i tried, i 'm still unable to do call fdisk. Actually it shows me the first screen:

Nextor disk partitioning tool
-----------------------------------
1. SDMaper Driver
    v1.0.4 on slot 2-1
ESC. Exit

I select 1
Then it goes

Nextor disk partitioning tool
-----------------------------------
SDMapper Driver on slot 2-1

and nothing more...

Does anyone have working SD card image to share?

I tried everything - changing slots, switches positions, deleting SD partitions, formatting them FAT16, even FAT12 under linux, writing NEXTOR.SYS, COMMAND2.COM. Tried SD cards 512M, 2GB, 4GB - no luck

Appreciate any help

By Pentarou

Hero (524)

27-05-2019, 15:00

Nextor won't let you format the device you booted from.
There are two solutions to this problem:

1) Boot from other media (other cartridge or floppy disk)
2) At boot keep key "1" pressed until the basic prompt

Then do to the call fdisk.

By _EF_

Supporter (15)

27-05-2019, 19:14

Pentarou wrote:

2) At boot keep key "1" pressed until the basic prompt
Then do to the call fdisk.

Thank you so very much! You saved my life again!

By MajorTOM

Master (221)

05-10-2020, 11:51

indeed! I also have this mapper+megaram, can´t understand how it comes WITHOUT a Manual !!!
any link to download it from the internet?

Thanks community!

By Grauw

Ascended (10772)

05-10-2020, 12:06

Out of principle the first responsible for this is the seller. Only if the customers indicate the lack of manual and starter disk image, will they consider providing it in the future, avoiding this confusion.

So although it should also be online somewhere, you should ask the seller .