Problem loading updates via SD and EAR

[kjones]

I am a proud new owner of a ZX-uno 4.1 (T21-05052016, BIOS v0.328) and I was hoping someone could please advise on some problems I having loading some of the latest firmware and core updates.

I have downloaded the latest FIRMWARE.ZX1 and SPECTRUM.ZX1 files and TAPs from the ZX-uno site and have been attempting upgrade my ZX-uno with these lastest versions. I first tried to load via SD card with the file in the root directory, but I get a repeated message 'SD or partition error'. I know this SD card is readable by the ZX-uno as I have been using it to run games for the BBC Micro and Spectrum and I have tried different SD cards I believe are okay.

As an alternate approach I have also tried to load via the EAR input the TAP file. When I use this approach, I can see and hear the TAP playback and initially some black and grey bars - but after a couple of seconds the message 'Loading Error Any key to return'. I have checked the volume level via the Tape test menu and it appears okay (in the centre level), and have successfully loaded a number of ZX Spectrum games TAP files via the EAR input the same way.

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[antoniovillena]

Hello kjones. EAR loading has bug in this version and doesn't work. I think SD loading will work with another SD card. But don't try to upgrade firmware or spectrum core separately. Download FLASH.ZX1 and upgrade all the flash.

[kjones]

Thank you Antonio. After trying a number of other different SD cards, I found an old 0.5 GB Kingston SD card which I was able to use to upgrade all the flash. I am not sure why the other cards have not worked - perhaps to do with the way these have been formatted (all the newer ones I used were formatted either FAT16 or FAT32 in Windows 7). Since upgrading the bios to v0.42 I have been able to load another ZX Spectrum ROM via EAR input.

If someone could also please advise, I would like to also try and load a new ZX GAME rom into the ROMs menu also - is this possible via the EAR input and if a special TAP file appropriate for loading a ROM needs to be created? Note I can load ZX Spectrum games normally via the ear input and LOAD "", and via the NMI - what I am looking at doing is adding an entry into the ROMs list. Many thanks in advance.

[antoniovillena]

Hello kjones. Really the ROM list is for ROMs, not for games. But there were some games (10 officially) published or cartridge, that from a hardware point of view are the same as a 16K ROM.. This 10 game list was extended with another cartridge games that were not launched, and also I've converted some games to cartridge using compression.

However, I'll try to make an automatic tool to transform SNA files into 64K ROM files. Be aware next days.