Problem Naomi Dimm firmware

[jerryspaghetti]

I currently have a Net Dimm in my Initial D cab which runs ID1, 2 & 3 from a GD ROM drive.

I'd rather use the Net Dimm in my Universal cab with Netbooter etc. As far as i'm aware the GD ROM drive only needs a standard Dimm for connection to the motherboard but what firmware revision or Memory (128Mb/256Mb etc.) will I need to maintain the ability to run ID1, 2 & 3? Or does firmware/Memory even come into it with a GD ROM/Standard Dimm set up?

 

[CMYKhazi-Dan]

Do you know how to upgrade the firmware correctly? Any wisdom from you would be very welcome and much appreciated. I think I have firmware 2 point something on my Vrtua Golf Net Dimm and am not comfortable updating after reading about the possibility of bricking the thing if done incorrectly.

 

[jerryspaghetti]

Do you know how to upgrade the firmware correctly? Any wisdom from you would be very welcome and much appreciated. I think I have firmware 2 point something on my Vrtua Golf Net Dimm and am not comfortable updating after reading about the possibility of bricking the thing if done incorrectly.

Not a clue!!!

I did read that updating firmware on the standard Dimm requires open heart surgery of the thing!

 

[Retroman839]

I can update them if you like from pi loader

Or if you have pi loader firm ware on sd card. Then select it from options on the pi loader

 

[jerryspaghetti]

I can update them if you like from pi loader

Or if you have pi loader firm ware on sd card. Then select it from options on the pi loader

Through the serial port on a standard Dimm??

 

[eliotcole]

Is there a *good* resource for making one's *own* pi loader and/or Pi-Force?
I feel like with the 18 SBCs I have (and always on machines that I currently run) that I have the resources and can setup a linux OS to 'do stuff' adequately ...

I've found a few in the past, but nothing that just laid it all out there.

Plenty of folks happy to shaft unsuspectings on eBay ... would prefer to build the knowledge, tbh.

Obviously with the Pi-Force I would just be using the images for the games that I currently own, of course.

 

[Ace`]

Don't quote me on this but I think 3.03 or there abouts firmware and 256mb ram is enough, the newer firmware 3.17 I think was just needed for Virtual Fighter 4 FT and maybe some other later games. The latest firmwares 4.01-4.03 are only needed for compact flash adapters.

 

[Retroman839]

Through the serial port on a standard Dimm??

I don’t have a serial port connec

Through the serial port on a standard Dimm??

I don’t have a serial port to cat 5 connector but I guess that is the way ?

 

[eliotcole]

I am not saying this as a correction (as I'm dumby mc dumbster ...) but I didn't even know there was a serial port ... I thought they just had the SCSI connector!

 

[richmal]

Not a clue!!!

I did read that updating firmware on the standard Dimm requires open heart surgery of the thing!

If you want to update the firmware past 4.01(Sega’s last official update) then yes you will need to remove the chip holding the firmware.
This documents how to do this:

Upgrading Naomi DIMM F/W upgrade from 1.02 to 4.02 – Things Geek

thingsgeek.net

You can also do as the above to update from 1.02 or higher straight to 4.02 or 4.03

 

[Mc-Q]

you upgrade a net-dim using a python program, thats what the sbc's use
the upgrade is packaged like a game so you push it like a game and when it goes to run, it does the flashing
all by ethernet btw.

a non-net dim can only officially be upgraded with a gd-rom containing the upgrade and the correct keychip
in theory if a gdrom-emulator was working you could run wild over this boards, but i dont think the dreamcast ones are 100% compatable

 

[richmal]

you upgrade a net-dim using a python program, thats what the sbc's use
the upgrade is packaged like a game so you push it like a game and when it goes to run, it does the flashing
all by ethernet btw.

a non-net dim can only officially be upgraded with a gd-rom containing the upgrade and the correct keychip
in theory if a gdrom-emulator was working you could run wild over this boards, but i dont think the dreamcast ones are 100% compatable

Unfortunately the Dreamcast ones are not compatible.I’m sure quite a few people have tried and can’t get the Dreamcast emulator to work with Naomi hardware.

 

[richmal]

This is a really old video on YouTube

 

[Fantazia2]

If you want to update the firmware past 4.01(Sega’s last official update) then yes you will need to remove the chip holding the firmware.
This documents how to do this:

Upgrading Naomi DIMM F/W upgrade from 1.02 to 4.02 – Things Geek

thingsgeek.net

You can also do as the above to update from 1.02 or higher straight to 4.02 or 4.03

Not correct, pretty sure you can upgrade to the 4.02 via a PiLoader if you are on a high enough version to netboot, you only need to remove the chip to upgrade if the DIMM is on a firmware that doesnt support netboot.

There was also talk of a certain game or special GD-ROM that would update the firmware from 1.xx to a version that supports netboot so it could then be upgraded higher with a Piloader.

The BIN files on the Piloaders for firmware upgrades we dumped themselves from the GD-Roms in the first place, so back in the day the firmware upgrades were always done by GD-ROM.

 

[Mc-Q]

the special rom your talking about is in mame - there are a few of them.
not really speciall, just sega update discs supplied with some game upgrades.
unfortunatly it wont help if you cant write gd-roms

 

[jerryspaghetti]

All I really need to know really is what firmware would a standard dimm need to run Initial D 1, 2 and 3 discs through my Naomi 2 board?

 

[richmal]

All I really need to know really is what firmware would a standard dimm need to run Initial D 1, 2 and 3 discs through my Naomi 2 board?

I’m pretty sure any 3.01-3.17 firmware would run all your versions of Initial D

 

[Mc-Q]

any should be fine, i think the updates only related to the network interface and possibly the ability to put a gig of ram in one
you can probably find an update disc for sale online if you really wanted it - maybe ask Andy Geezer