Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Question: Ok, I got the installer and there are problems with either the installation or the start. I am sure so far that i have done it right. What now?
Answer:
    Such a misbehavior may have different reasons:
  • missing/wrong Tooltypes
    Some fixes won�t run properly (or at all) if you do not set the correct tooltypes for your system. Read the documentation to find out which tooltypes are supported. Example Tooltypes which may help are NoCache, NoVBRMove, NoAutoVec, PAL/NTSC, NoMMU.
  • readme file that comes with the install package
    This often explains some specific problems, keys or tooltypes that have to be set.
  • wrong WHDLoad version
    Most Installs need the latest version of WHDLoad and will not run with a older one. The sure path is to have always the latest version installed.
  • your machine is incompatible
    Especially a 040/060 CPU or some turboboards/other hardware may cause troubles. Try to turn off all extra hardware and try to start the install again.
  • unsupported version
    Many commercial games have been sold in more than one version (full price release/budget re-release/coverdisk release, PAL/NTSC version,...). Of course a install can only work if it has been written especially for a special version of a game. If you have a different version of the same game, it won�t work. In that case, the only way to use the install is to contact the author of the install and ask him to support your version. In most cases the author will help you and patch your version of the game, too, within a few days.
  • old version of the install
    As soon as a bug is discovered and removed, the new version of the fix is made available at the WHDLoad website. Always get the latest version of the install. Please note that the latest version is not always the one in Aminet. Some patches are not released in the Aminet at all, and many are released with a few weeks delay!
  • you discovered a bug
    Although all fixes are tested before release, a bug might have escaped unnoticed. If you think you discovered a bug, write a detailed report of your problem to the author of the patch. For this use the bug report form. Try to report your problem accurate. If we aren't informed about bugs we can't correct them. Note: The right and ONLY right place for problems/bug reports is the bug report form and not comp.sys.amiga.games because not every developer reads it.
Question: I have a game but I don't find an installer for it ?
Answer: Make a list with your wishes. You may also include games installable on HD on their own (copyable files and/or an installer supplied with the game itself) with problems (even with simple degrading problems or no quit), even if it's not that likely that we patch them in near future. Keep in mind that a person is only able to patch about 25 games per year. Indicate with a priority what are your favourites (eg ! and +) and dislikes (-), and inform yourself at first for which games already installs exists.
Question: Is it possible to use WHDLoad to install a demo/game which uses the operating system ?
Answer: In general it is not possible for a demo/game running inside WHDLoad to access any OS stuff. You as the writer of the required Slave program has to patch all of access to the OS. Either you disable such accesses or you have to emulate them appropriate.
Question: If WHDLoad uses the MMU (option NoMMU/S is not set and on a 68030 option MMU/S is set there are short errors in the graphics and/or in the music (e.g. Beast2). A bug ?
Answer: This occurs on loading. The reason is that WHDLoad must switch off the interrupts during loading for a short while if the MMU is used. This behavior cannot be changed.
User asks: Concerning the registration of WHDLoad I think its quite correctly to demand a share but its a kind of loss in my case, because the old WHDLoad Slaves work at last also without registering/remind-requester.
But recently I found cheaply a long wanted original: Shadowlands. I did know, now I may use the appropriate WHDLoad-installer, but only with the registration its possible to save gamepositions. There isn't even a switch back to save to floppies possible. And if I bear in mind that the 30 DM add to the price only to have that game playable (important save option) then I ask myself why I bought that original at all, even if it was that cheaply.
Ok, if I had other originals which would have features only enabled after registering so that it would be rewarding for me to register then I would also do it. But only for that one game...?
Harry answers: The installation work can't anyway be set off rightly, then WHDLoad would have a average registration fee of 150-200 DM.
I work on a game (admitted, I do the rather complicated and tricky things) 15 h averagely on first estimation, likely more. For example I 'roasted' already 40 h into Unreal and its still not finished. But for that the stuff is then completely tested and runs (except for some few odds and ends, sometimes I simply cant see anymore a game if I pottered about it long enough - e.g. Masterblazer & its highscore).
If I quote 20 DM per h (a quite cheap price for that kind of work in Germany) that would be 300 DM per install and at 35 installs totally 10 kDM. *As a matter of fact* I also could make money in the industry with program support in that time.
Im not after the money, therefore my installs work always with the lowest possible version but dont complain yourself if an install *really* needs (at my ones) a higher version... Simply see the registration also as a reward for the already done installs.