256 Color Mode

About Qemu-system-ppc, a PPC Mac emulator for Windows, macOS and Linux that can run Mac OS 9.0 up to Mac OS X 10.5

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dmcblue
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Joined: Wed Nov 01, 2017 11:54 pm

256 Color Mode

Post by dmcblue »

Hi, I'm new to Qemu.

I loaded Mac OS 9.2.2 with Qemu (Sept. 16 2017 release), trying to play a game. When I clicked on the game, it gave the message:

"Monitor cannot be set to 256 colors. Requires 256 colors to run."

I tried cutting the color depth with the -g option with:
-g 1024x768x8
But that just forced everything to grey scale.

In the Monitors Control Panel / VGA Display panel, the only color option is 'Millions'.

I am working on Windows 10.

I saw this post: http://www.emaculation.com/forum/viewto ... 775#p53469 but I cannot figure out what I would be missing. Seems like all the changes listed there should be in the current release.

Here is my command:

qemu-system-ppc.exe -L pc-bios -boot c -m 256 -M mac99 -prom-env "auto-boot?=true" -prom-env "boot-args=-v" -prom-env "vga-ndrv?=true" -drive file=MacOS9.2.img,format=raw,media=disk -device usb-mouse -device usb-kbd -sdl

There are some warnings:
(In the emulator)
MacOS: unable to find a usable NVRAM partition - using offset 0x1400
(Terminal)
Trying to write invalid spr 0 (0x000) at 00f113c0
Trying to read invalid spr 0 (0x000) at 00f113c8
Trying to write privileged spr 955 (0x3bb) at 00f168c8
Trying to write invalid spr 959 (0x3bf) at 00f16930
Trying to read invalid spr 959 (0x3bf) at 00f16938
Trying to write privileged spr 955 (0x3bb) at 00f168c8
Trying to write invalid spr 959 (0x3bf) at 00f16930
Trying to read invalid spr 959 (0x3bf) at 00f16938

Any ideas to get 256 color support?

Edit: Oh yes, using OpenBIOS v1.1
dmcblue
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Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Nov 01, 2017 11:54 pm

Re: 256 Color Mode

Post by dmcblue »

Figured it out.

First, had some files from another qemu source mixed in.

1. Deleted the Qemu installation. Reinstalled the official source. Closed all terminals.
2. In the command "-L pc-bios" => '-L "C:/absolute/path/to/qemu/pc-bios" -bios openbios-ppc'
3. Read the readme in the 'vga-driver' folder. Delete qemu_vga.ndrv in 'pc-bios'. Copy 'qemu_vga_256.ndrv' from 'vga-driver' into 'pc-bios' and rename 'qemu_vga.ndrv'.
Programmingkid
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Re: 256 Color Mode

Post by Programmingkid »

Where can I find the qemu_vga_256.ndrv file?
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adespoton
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Re: 256 Color Mode

Post by adespoton »

Qemu-64Bit_211Pre-MountainLion-16092017/vga-driver/qemu_vga_256.ndrv
dmcblue
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Re: 256 Color Mode

Post by dmcblue »

Despite all this, the game runs extremely quickly. Nothing else in the emulation seems off, even the game menu. Not sure if there's any fix for this.
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adespoton
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Re: 256 Color Mode

Post by adespoton »

If the game requires 256 colors and doesn't have speed regulation, that means it's probably a 24-bit application, and would run better in Mini vMac II with System 7.5.
Programmingkid
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Re: 256 Color Mode

Post by Programmingkid »

dmcblue wrote:Despite all this, the game runs extremely quickly. Nothing else in the emulation seems off, even the game menu. Not sure if there's any fix for this.
Which game is it?
Programmingkid
Apple Corer
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Re: 256 Color Mode

Post by Programmingkid »

adespoton wrote:Qemu-64Bit_211Pre-MountainLion-16092017/vga-driver/qemu_vga_256.ndrv
I see, you mean this file: http://www.open.ou.nl/hsp/downloads3/Qe ... 092017.zip

Thank you :)
dmcblue
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Re: 256 Color Mode

Post by dmcblue »

Power Pete / Mighty Mike...I'll the Mini vMac II as adespoton suggested when I get the chance.
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adespoton
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Re: 256 Color Mode

Post by adespoton »

Ah; Mighty Mike should run fine under OS 9; Power Pete won't run correctly under 32-bit clean Macs. I think I've got something about that on a different thread on here.
Programmingkid
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Re: 256 Color Mode

Post by Programmingkid »

dmcblue wrote:Despite all this, the game runs extremely quickly. Nothing else in the emulation seems off, even the game menu. Not sure if there's any fix for this.
I had a game that ran too quickly in QEMU. To fix this problem I simply set the speed to 50% from the Speed menu.
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