What are the ROM files?

[SkaFan]

hi Folks,

I just found out about PCem.. well an hour ago.
Just setting up my 1st "VM".
Ofcourse at first I didnt had any of the ROM files. Found some and add them. It works. Very nice. Im hoping for a better Windows 98 System then VirtualBox and VM Workstation.

Now.. the ROM files.. are that "just" dumps of BIOSs? Would it be possible to add any hardware if I have a BIOS files?
Im thinking about Adaptec AHA-2940 SCSI controller or an old NVidia VGA card. On the manucature sites you can still find BIOS updates. Could these be used in PCem?

[SarahWalker]

Now.. the ROM files.. are that "just" dumps of BIOSs? Would it be possible to add any hardware if I have a BIOS files?
Im thinking about Adaptec AHA-2940 SCSI controller or an old NVidia VGA card. On the manucature sites you can still find BIOS updates. Could these be used in PCem?

No, because there is no code to emulate those cards in the emulator.

[SkaFan]

OK... but in general am I right that the ROMs are like BIOS dumps?
So you must have a "layer" in PCem that takes the hardware adresses from the PCem BIOS/ROM and "maps" them to the real hardware, right?

[tk421]

PCem is the best way to run most Win9x games and programs. The same goes for Win 3.1 and DOS. PCem will run almost any of the old programs for these old operating systems without the need for any compatibility fixes or patches. The Pentium, Pentium MMX, 386, 486, even K6-2 machines can be emulated in PCem. With the Voodoo 2 graphics card the experience is that much better.

I do not recommend using the update BIOSs you find on some of those websites, like gigabyte, ASUS and so forth. These tend to complicate matters.

You need the ROMs for the machines, video, sound and other PC cards just as if you are building a full vintage computer. With PCem, the job of building your dream Win98 PC is made that much easier.

When you obtain your ROMs, for example those for the 430vx, 386, 486 machines, you can simply place them in the ROMs folder in PCem. ROMs are much easier to obtain today than they were some years ago when you really needed to know where to obtain them. It should not take you long to find these ROMs.

[SkaFan]

hi tk421,

got you message - but i cant answer. thx. but like i wrote above i found roms, and PCem is running.

i would like to know now more how this roms work and how to get new working.
sure mainboards does have a bios i can read and write, vga cards has too or nics. but soundcards? cpus?
maybe im blind... but i havent found and FAQ for PCem.

i also played around whit a matrox rom file... count not get it to work!
the most possible answer i can guess... its not supported by PCem... or maybe its need to have a specaial file extension or name or needs to be in a directory.
i would like to know a little bit more about how it works. sorry i cant read c or any other code. well i can read it.. but it dosent make sense for me LOL

[SarahWalker]

ROM files won't do anything if there isn't code in the emulator to emulate whatever hardware the code in the ROM is trying to access. Your Matrox ROM won't work because PCem doesn't emulate any Matrox hardware.

[SkaFan]

OK so at least there i was right *g*
Is there a list of ROMs we can use?

[SarahWalker]

Yes, in the readme file that comes with the emulator.