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Author Topic: NeoWidEx 0.4: now your Widget doesn't need to pass the self test  (Read 4179 times)

stepleton

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Hi everyone,

A lot of people seem to be repairing their Widgets these days  :D
For that reason, I've finally got round to fixing an important shortcoming in NeoWidEx. Now you can force it to believe that a working Widget is attached to the Lisa even when the Widget refuses to let you read block $FFFFFF. It only took me about three years...

Background: Before executing a Widget-specific command, the prior version of NeoWidEx checks to see whether a Widget is attached to your Lisa. It does this by reading the "virtual block" $FFFFFF, which Apple parallel port hard drives fill with useful information about the drive (size, type, etc.). If the drive claims to be a Widget, NeoWidEx goes ahead with the command, otherwise it says "YOU NEED A WIDGET TO DO THAT" and stops.

This behaviour is not so useful if you're trying to troubleshoot a broken Widget, since a Widget will only fulfill an ordinary read request to $FFFFFF if it passes its power-on self test. NeoWidEx could still be helpful for diagnosing such a Widget by reading status information and so forth, but instead it would simply refuse to operate.

In the new version, NeoWidEx still tries to read $FFFFFF, but if it fails to collect evidence of a Widget, it gives you the option of overriding the failed detection. A screenshot of the process in LisaEm 1.2.6.2 is attached.

Of course LisaEm 1.2.6.2 doesn't emulate a Widget, so the operation fails. Other Widget commands cause NeoWidEx to crash in emulation. It's probably best only to pretend you have a Widget when you actually have a Widget.

More information appears in the manual. Code and a new .dc42 disk image are available now on GitHub.
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mactjaap

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Re: NeoWidEx 0.4: now your Widget doesn't need to pass the self test
« Reply #1 on: April 18, 2020, 12:45:24 pm »

Thank you very much for this update! This was on my wish list for a long time. I will download the image and try this weekend!
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mactjaap

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Re: NeoWidEx 0.4: now your Widget doesn't need to pass the self test
« Reply #2 on: April 18, 2020, 01:37:08 pm »

I tested it on my unwilling Widget B.

See what is going wrong on this video. It seems to try to get ready...but it doesn't seems to get ready.... Than it gives up and the lower light is on ( not flashing anymore)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxfhVd_s9kk


With prior versions of NeoWidEx their was no possibilty to see the widget information. Now there is information!!!!

See picture 1

Also the Last Status give some information

see Picture 2

Also the message that NeoWidEx is willing to act like it is a widget is now visible.

see Picture 3
« Last Edit: April 18, 2020, 01:46:29 pm by mactjaap »
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rayarachelian

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Re: NeoWidEx 0.4: now your Widget doesn't need to pass the self test
« Reply #3 on: April 18, 2020, 04:54:25 pm »

Yeay!
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You don't know what it's like, you don't have a clue, if you did you'd find yourselves doing the same thing, too, Writing the code, Writing the code

compu_85

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Re: NeoWidEx 0.4: now your Widget doesn't need to pass the self test
« Reply #4 on: May 26, 2020, 11:06:58 am »

Sweet! I'll have to update my software collection  8)
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aplmak

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Re: NeoWidEx 0.4: now your Widget doesn't need to pass the self test
« Reply #5 on: July 11, 2020, 10:47:08 pm »

I receive the same error code on my widget... I think the drive is ok... but I get the same status... anyone know how to fix this particular error?

Thanks in advance!
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mactjaap

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Re: NeoWidEx 0.4: now your Widget doesn't need to pass the self test
« Reply #6 on: July 12, 2020, 05:41:30 am »

Lots of errors. 0052 0055 etc.
But your disk seems to do all kind of things. Like soft reset, release brake, squeak, head moving, etc.

Maybe an idea to post here how far you came until now? I hope it is possible to format the disk.
« Last Edit: July 12, 2020, 05:50:39 am by mactjaap »
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