Cannot map RAM: File already exists

About SheepShaver, a PPC Mac emulator for Windows, MacOS X, and Linux that can run System 7.5.3 to MacOS 9.0.4.

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Erik Carlson
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Cannot map RAM: File already exists

Post by Erik Carlson »

Edit From 2009: An updated version of SheepShaver fixes this problem: http://emaculation.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5722

Dear All,

I'm a newbie here so apologies if i say anything dumb.

At the weekend i upgraded two machines to leopard, a dual g5 and powerbook g4. As leopard arbitrarily nixes support for classic on ppc machines, I decided to install sheep shaver to carry on running an old scientific app that my wife doesn't want to lose. So here's the wierd thing. I have got sheepshaver working with what i think is an old world rom and both 7.5.3 and 9.0.4 images on my G5. Yet when I use the exact same setup on the G4 it doesn't work.

The error is "Cannot map RAM: file already exists"; If I launch via the GUI this appears in an X11 like dialog, if I launch the app directly it bounces in the dock then disappears, but the same error shows up in the system console. I can't find this error on the web anywhere.

I have tried both the PPC and UB august builds from this forum, no difference, tried removing and redoing my prefs file, launching the app from different locations, and different ROMS.

Any ideas?

In addition I have observed that Sheepshaver GUI is unstable on both platforms under leopard, I get a beachball when chosing file paths for either ROM, keyboard map, or Volume, but if I type the path it creates the prefs file fine. The new sheepshaver prefs doesn't seem to have the same problem.

Thanks very much.

Erik Carlson

Edit From the Future: An updated version of SheepShaver fixes this problem: http://emaculation.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5722
Erik Carlson
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more data

Post by Erik Carlson »

In case it helps, if I open the app from command line I get slightly different results, though still no launch

$ sudo SheepShaver_UB_22_08_2007.app/Contents/MacOS/SheepShaver
SheepShaver V2.3 by Christian Bauer and Mar"c" Hellwig
Paranoia checks...
[tick_thread] waiting for emul thread to initialize
[emul_thread] waiting for tick thread to initialize
[emul_thread] filling in registers and waiting for interrupt
[tick_thread] trigger interrupt
SIGUSR2 caught
...passed
ERROR: Cannot map RAM: Invalid argument.


my settings file is:
disk /Users/semomaayan/Desktop/Classic/SheepShaver volume.dmg
extfs /Users/semomaayan/Classic/
screen win/1024/855
windowmodes 0
screenmodes 0
seriala
serialb
rom /Users/semomaayan/Desktop/Classic/Mac OS ROM
bootdrive 0
bootdriver 0
ramsize 67108864
frameskip 1
gfxaccel true
nocdrom false
nonet false
nosound false
nogui true
noclipconversion false
ignoresegv false
jit true
jit68k false
keyboardtype 5
ether slirp
keycodes true
keycodefile /Users/semomaaayan/Desktop/Classic/BassiliskII_keycodes.sdl
mousewheelmode 1
mousewheellines 3
dsp /dev/dsp
mixer /dev/mixer
ignoresegv false
idlewait false


Any ideas?
Mac Emu
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Post by Mac Emu »

Hi. Try renaming your ROM file to something with no spaces. i.e. MacOSROM, Mac_OS_ROM, MacOS.rom, etc.
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Cat_7
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Post by Cat_7 »

Hi,

Where did you get the rom file? Is it from an install disk? Or from your G4/G5? Those will not work.
It's best to try the one in the mac os rom update 1.0 from the apple site. You can extract the rom file with a running version of sheepshaver or basiliskII. Or actual Mac OS.

I saw something else in your config file:
"keycodefile /Users/semomaaayan/Desktop/Classic/BassiliskII_keycodes.sdl"
should that not be "BasiliskII" (with one "s" instead of the double "ss")?

Best,
Cat_7
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

Spaces or not in "Mac OS ROM" should not make any difference. A typo in the name of the keycodes file will only make SheepShaver not use the file, but it will not cause the reported error.
You wrote that the exact same setup (I suppose that means also same ROM and same disk image files) works on your G5 but does not work on your G4. That is very strange indeed. Have you checked file permissions on the used files?
Erik Carlson
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Post by Erik Carlson »

Thanks for your time responding, but I'm still no closer. To answer your questions I've tried every rom I can find. In fact i get the same errors even if I do not specify any ROM at all!

Yes there was a spelling error in the name of my keycodes file, but unfortunately it does not seem to be causing this problem.

In terms of permissions I'm not really sure what I'm looking for, but I've tried unpacking everything again from the same files that work on my G5. I've also run a permissions repair in disk utility.

Any more Ideas. I'm really keen for this to work.
Thanks
Erik
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Cat_7
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Post by Cat_7 »

Hi,

Yes, I know, the spelling error doesn't make SheepShaver fail, but while we were at it....

Have you tried the original SheepShaver executable from:
http://gwenole.beauchesne.info/en/proje ... #downloads

I get many hits in Spotlight on the error message you provided, some in the SheepShaver code, but haven't found a real suspect (and maybe never will).

Best,
Cat_7
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

Erik Carlson wrote:In terms of permissions I'm not really sure what I'm looking for, but I've tried unpacking everything again from the same files that work on my G5. I've also run a permissions repair in disk utility.
Permissions repair only 'repairs' permissions on files installed with Apple's Installer application, such as system files, user files are unaffected. You can check permissions in Finder info on the files (select file and choose Get Info... from File menu or hit command-I) under "Ownership & Permissions", more detailed under "Details". You can see whether you (the logged in user) own the files and can use them.
Erik Carlson
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Post by Erik Carlson »

Thanks for your replies, I've looked at the permissions, in fact everyone had read write priviliges for the files.

I've tried the older versions of 2.3 and 2.2 from the site you mention.

I've also tried creating a new system use and redoing the sheepshaver prefs from the start. I've also tried safe boot to disable any extra kernel extensions (holding down shift on startup) all no joy.

Sorry to keep bugging you guys, any more ideas?

Cheers
Erik
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

I have run out of ideas, really. This is very unusual and I cannot recall having heard of this problem before. Can you think of anything about the machine (hardware) or about the system software that is unusual, not Apple-provided?
Erik Carlson
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Post by Erik Carlson »

I really appreciate all your help.

It's a Titanium Powerbook 15" 768MB Ram 160GB hard disk (upgraded from the 80 it shipped with, migrated using carbon copy cloner and an external USB HD caddy then installed internally).

Mac OS 10.5 retail DVD used to install was same as that used on my G5 which works.

Also on the machine is virtual PC, this gave some kernel extension errors in the system console, hence my trying safe boot to disable, although i have also since used diablotin to disable the virtual pc kernel extension properly (I think), along with any other non-apple kernel extensions, all to no effect.

The hard disk is partitioned into two partitions, but i have tried sheepshaver on both.

When i launch sheepshaver from terminal (using sudo for good measure) it says "Cannot map RAM: invalid argument" but the same "Cannot map RAM: file already exists" still shows up in the system console.

Happy to send Apple System Profiler report if you think this would be useful.

Cheers
Erik
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Cat_7
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Post by Cat_7 »

Hi,

You might still try some things:

-For OS 9, use the rom file from the mac os rom update 1.0, (when freshly unpacked, it is called Mac OS ROM Update)

Before you start SheepShaver, use the GUI and:
-Try the "Zap PRAM File" item in the main menu of the SheepShaver preferences editor.

Then start SheepShaver.

(When you are using a ROM file and switching to a different ROM version, you have to zap the PRAM file or SheepShaver might behave very weird.)

Good luck,
Cat_7
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

Yes, right! Trying 'Zap PRAM File' is indeed a good suggestion. The option is not easy to find, it is in the SheepShaverGUI File menu. That File menu is not in the Mac menu bar but in the menubar of the GUI window itself. The option is not available in the newer SheepShaverPrefs.

Instead of using the GUI, you can also delete the file ~/.sheepshaver_nvram (invisible in the Finder) before launching SheepShaver.
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

Maybe the solution here is the same as in this thread
http://www.emaculation.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5099

Set RAM Size not higher than 512 MB.
cybergreg
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resolution

Post by cybergreg »

I had the same problem, MacBook 10.5.1. I was able to resolve the problem by reinstalling the 10.5.1 update (found on another website).

Hope it helps others...
gsammons
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Sheepshaver: Cannot map RAM: File exists.

Post by gsammons »

I'm having the same problem on a 2006 Mac pro after I upgraded to leopard.
I have in new 2008 Mac pro with leopard and it works on it. I believe the problem is with leopard on some machines.

I've also noticed that other people have posted similar comments on the web.
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Cat_7
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Post by Cat_7 »

Hi,

Downloading and reinstalling the stand-alone 10.5.1 update also did the trick for me.

Best,
Cat_7
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Post by prismra »

Hey guys, noob here.

I am getting this same error on a 2008 Mac Pro. RAM is set to 128 megs. I tried multiple different ROM files.

I cannot install the 10.5.1 stand alone update (it refuses).

What else can be done?

Is this something that will require a developer fix?

Thanks in advance.
moxou
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Cannot map RAM: File already exists

Post by moxou »

I got the same problem (first launch) on an intel macbook pro 10.5.2
however basillik II is working fine
but the file ~/.sheepshaver_nvram haven't been created
tks for help if some one get rid of this error
guillaume
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

Did you make sure to give SheepShaver not more than 512MB of RAM?
moxou
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Post by moxou »

Tks for the reply
I tryed all from 16 to 512 MB
but still the same error
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Cat_7
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Post by Cat_7 »

Hi,

For now it seems reinstalling the manually downloaded 10.5.2 update solves the problem.

Best,
Cat_7
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

The 10.5.2 update will not install after the the security updates that came after the 10.5.2 update. You could try a new archive and install of the OS with subsequent updates. But you can also wait for the 10.5.3 update, which is expected in the coming weeks. When that update is released, download the full 10.5.3 combo-updater and apply that one instead of the update that is presented by Software Update.
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Post by spacific »

Hi,

I've struggled with this error message for weeks, and have finally got around it. I'm not sure exactly how but hopefully this may help someone:

I have two MacMinis running 10.5.2. On one, Sheepshaver runs fine. On the other, with the exact same set up in terms of GUI settings, I got the "Cannot map RAM: File already exists" message no matter what I did: I tried 4 ROMS and various memory settings, all to no avail. I decided that it was a permissions problem somewhere, as on that particular Mini I have a few permissions issues elsewhere (which I can't cure!)

I checked all permissions for all Sheepshaver files and directories, but with no success. I moved the whole SS folder to my user home folder (rather than having it in the shared Applications folder) but no success. I then hit on the idea of trying another user account, so I created a new user "Sheep". Reinstalled SS in Sheep's home folder and -- it worked: no error message!

So I thought I might have to start logging-in as "Sheep" whenever I wanted to use SS. However, I went back to my regular log-on account and -- hey presto -- it now worked!!!

So there was definitely a permisions issue involved and somehow by using the new account installation it got cleared. I don't know whether that helps others but worth a try if you are getting this eror message and not making progress. What would be helpful is if anyone with the source code could isolate what generates this message: is it some hidden file somewhere that cannot be written or created (other than the prefs and nvram files)? Incidentally it is the GUI which generates this message.

(I am using the Mac OS ROM update 1.0 and OS 8.5 with 512MB memory.)

Cheers
Spacific
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

Interesting solution.
Incidentally it is the GUI which generates this message.
Do you mean that the message is generated even before SheepShaver is launched? At which point did the message appear? Did you also try the SheepShaverPrefs application instead of the SheepShaverGUI application?

Edit: Reading back this thread, I understand that the message is generated while SheepShaver is launched, it will appear in Console even when the GUI is nou used to launch SheepShaver. Probably the GUI application transfers the message to a dialog window.
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