Strange issue with Flashback Low Density version

[Idge]

Hi all,
I have a very strange problem with Flashback on my physical Archimedes A3010.

I have two copies of Flashback, the low density version and the high density version.

The high density version loads and plays fine without issue, however the low density version gets to the title screen but when I select start game, it just hangs after I enter the copy protection info which I know is correct as I have the original manual.
It is the point where it is supposed to ask you to insert the disk for level 1.

I have tried using Boot floppy and without and the disk images no problem and the physical disk verifies fine.

I have tried copying the data back on to the disk from an ADF file but same problem.

On arculator it works fine and gives the text box asking for me to insert the disk for level 1, but I dont get this box on my physical machine.

Any ideas?

Thanks

[Idge]

UPDATE: I think I have worked it out, I have a ZIDEFS File system, I had to run CONFIGURE FILESYSTEM ADFS, after doing this, it now works. Would it be possible to put something in the boot script to bypass having to do this?

[richw]

It might be enough to run 'ADFS' (to change filesystem temporarily, rather than making it the power-on default).

[Idge]

Cheers Just gave that a go, but unfortunately same issue

[JonAbbott]

UPDATE: I think I have worked it out, I have a ZIDEFS File system, I had to run CONFIGURE FILESYSTEM ADFS, after doing this, it now works. Would it be possible to put something in the boot script to bypass having to do this?

When using Boot Floppy it will switch to ADFS, so if that’s not working, (EDIT: having now checked, this game doesn’t switch to ADFS when Boot Floppy is used because it uses path variables, except in one place = see my next post) the game code probably needs modifying.

A workaround in your case might be to HD install it and put *CONFIGURE FileSystem at the start and end of the !Run.

I’ll see if I can reproduce the issue under Arculator, I think it supports ZIDEFS based hardware.

[JonAbbott]

I've finally got around to looking at this issue and have managed to reproduce it. It's almost certainly an issue in ZIDEFS, which is causing the OS to get into an indefinite loop when Flashback issues *Dismount Flashback

There's two workarounds. Switch to ADFS before running the game (ie *ADFS), or change the game code so the *Dismount is directed at ADFS, not the current filesystem. I'll implement the later of these workaround in the game boot script.

[Idge]

Cheers Jon,
I thought I had tried just running *ADFS before running the game before and had same issue, but will give it another go this week

[Idge]

Switch to ADFS before running the game (ie *ADFS)

I just did this and it does indeed fix the issue, apologies Richw I obviously did something wrong when I tried this when you originally suggested this