Posts tagged upgrade

How to install PARADOS into the Amstrad DDI-1 disk interface.

11 months ago

by Andy in Andys Retro Computers

Upgrading your DDI-1 to PARADOS is quite straight forward. You will need :-

Amstrad DDI-1 disk interface
Philips screwdriver
27(C)128 EPROM containing PARADOS

And here is how to do the upgrade.

Open the DDI-1 by removing the 2 screws.
Carefully remove the AMSDOS ROM chip
Insert the PARADOS EPROM
Re-assemble the DDI-1 box

Thats it. The hardest part is getting PARADOS onto a EPROM. You will know if the EPROM is working when you turn the CPC on – you will see the PARADOS banner on the start screen. To enter the PARADOS utility, run

|drive

Amstrad CPC464 upgraded to a CPC6128 (How to)

11 months ago

by Andy in Andys Retro Computers

Over the weekend, I upgraded one of my spare Amstrad CPC464 machines to the same specification as the CPC6128. I have been wanting to do this for years! There are 3 things you need to do to upgrade your CPC464.

1. Replace the OS and BASIC ROM. I took the OS and BASIC ROM files from the WinAPE emulator ROM folder. There is only 1 ROM chip in the 464, so you have to merge the OS and BASIC rom files together. I used the following MS-DOS command to merge the files. You can use the cat command in linux to merge files too.

copy /b OS.ROM+BASIC.ROM 6128.ROM

Once you have the ROM file, burn this to a 27(C)256 EPROM. I removed the original ROM chip, put in a IC socket and them popped in the EPROM.

2. Add and additional 64k RAM. I had a dk’tronics 64K RAM pack. If you are luckly enough to have a RAM pack that has the removable RAM chips, you can upgrade it to 256K.

3. Add a disk drive. Either a 3″ or 3.5″ drive via a DDI-1 disk interface.

Thats it – my CPC464 now works like a CPC6128. It even has the same startup information page. It will say 128k even if you dont have the RAM pack attached. The 128k text is hard coded into the OS ROM.

464 6128 Amstrad cap computer copy cpc ddi-1 disk drive EPROM retro rom upgrade vintage

Action Replay Mk 4.1 to 6.0 upgrade (C64)

1 year ago

by Andy in Andys Retro Computers

This is a very easy upgrade for your Action Replay 4.1 device. With version 6 of the software you get a few updates to the original software, and a few bugs are also fixed.

You will need :

8 x 32k SRAM Chip (I used a UMC UM62256A I removed from a BBC Model B SRAM mod)
28 pin DIL socket (You dont need this, but its a good idea)
27C256 EPROM or equivalent EEPROM
Action Replay 6.0 ROM image (Available here.)
Soldering iron, solder etc
EPROM programmer

What you need to do.

Program your EPROM/EEPROM with version 6 of the Action Replay software.
Dismantle the Action Replay. Mine was held together with 1 screw.
Take the PCB out of the case.
Carefully remove the large PROM at the bottom of the PCB near the edge connector.
Solder in the 28 pin DIL socket.
On the underside of the PCB, under where you just installed the DIL socket, you will see 3 solder pads. Join the 2 pads that are closed to the 2 buttons at the top. Photo here.
Insert the SRAM chip in the new socket.
Insert the EPROM you just programmed into the ROM socket.

Once you have finished, your board should look like this.