Running PCUAE 3.0.4 on THEA500 Mini(Updated)

This post will cover everything you will need to install PCUAE and its Modes, plus any files it needs to get a Mode working like Pandory A500, AGS A500 and AMiNIMiga.


PCUAE on THEA500 Mini has changed, you can now put mods for it in PCUAEUSB://THEA500-USB-MENU folder on the root of the USB Drive and then run them from the USB Media Menu in THEA500 carousel.


I be adding a video soon showing how to Activate Autoboot Mode and copying its Startup script to the firmware.


Loading PCUAE to Enable Autoboot Mode.
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PLEASE READ
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I just updated PCUAE so hopefully it should work with no problems now.

If your on Firmware v1.0.0 then you can run the PCUAE_StartUp(Firmware_v1.0.0).ahl OK cause it uses Host-Run.

You can now boot PCUAE with PCUAE_StartUp(Firmware_v1.1.1).ahl cause it now includes host-rum.adf from pandory.

You can now use PCUAE_StartUp(Firmware_v1.1.1).ahl to start PCUAE on Firmware v1.1.1.

Pandory is here -
github.com/emuchicken/pandory-a500/releases

Go to the USB Media Menu and PCUAE_Startup folder, and then highlight PCUAE_StartUp(Firmware_v1.1.1).LHA and press home button to load it and then the blue screen will come up and check Autoboot  and see if it needs updating or if you want to install it with a Autoboot Activation Screen Yes or No screen and then PCUAE should then boot from starting up THEA500 Mini after its installed Autoboot Mode, it will then ask you to reboot THEA500 Mini manually so just pull out the power cable when it say so for 5 seconds and plug it back in and it will restart.


If your on Firmware v1.0.0 then start THEA500 Mini and once the carousel has loaded put the PCUAEUSB in THEA500 Mini and go to the USB Media Menu and PCUAE_Startup folder, and then highlight PCUAE_StartUp(Firmware_v1.0.0).LHA and press home button to load it and then the blue screen will come up and check Autoboot Mode and see if it needs updating or if you want to install it with a Yes or No screen and then PCUAE should then boot from starting up THEA500 Mini after its installed Autoboot Modeand then PCUAE should then boot from starting up THEA500 Mini, it will ask you to reboot THEA500 Mini manually so just pull out the power cable for 5 seconds and plug it back in and it will restart.


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Installing PCUAE and Modes on THEA500 Mini
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1. You will need PCUAE, It can be downloaded from GitHub from here - github.com/CommodoreOS/PCUAE/releases

2. Once you have downloaded the latest version, now install it to a USB Stick or drive you want to use as the PCUAEUSB Drive by clicking on its exe file.

3. Now you can install the Modes available on GitHub now, like AMIGA, ATARI, Retroarch and VICE Main Modes, install them the same way as PCUAE.


Install Pandory A500
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4. Now if you want Pandory A500 you will have to install RA Mode from above first and then you can download Pandory A500 from here too - github.com/emuchicken/pandory-a500/releases

5. Now after you installed RA Mode, open the pandory500-v2-20220905.zip file so you see its file inside it.

6. If you have installed RA Mode you should have a Pandory_Mode folder in Modes folder now, you will need it to run it from starting up THEA500 Mini, now copy the files from Pandory folder from the zip file to the PCUAEUSB://THEA500-USB-MENU folder.

7. Now Pandory Mode should now work, you can enable it so it loads from Starting up THEA500 Mini or you can run it from the USB Media Menu.


Install AGS A500
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8. To install AGS A500 Game Selector v1.5, you will need its files too, you can download them form here, might take a while, they are like 8GB, I think - ftp.grandis.nu/turran/FTP/~Uploads/mrv2k/AGS_V1.5/ or mega.nz/file/7R9mTJII#ljfVPw9WoNbWaACAeyrkkKaRxTOwAJXtYhDrMnbFI3o  

9. Once you downloaded it copy the AGS folder to PCUAEUSB://THEA500-USB-MENU folder and thats it, you can enable AGS in The Carousel Changer so it loads from starting up THEA500 Mini instead of the carousel or you can run it from the USB Media Menu now... . 


Install AMiNIMiga A500
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10. You can now add AMiNIMiga to PCUAE very easy now too, first you will need its files so goto www.aminimiga.com and download AMiNIMiga_v101-final.zip, might take a while.

11. Once its downloaded open the AMiNIMiga_v101-final.zip file and copy all its files inside it to PCUAEUSB://THEA500-USB-MENU/AMiNIMiga folder and wait for it to complete, when its finished copying to the PCUAEUSB Drive, thats it, you do not need to do anything else now, if you want to enable it so it loads from starting up THEA500 Mini instead of the carousel, then load up The Mode Changer and go into Amiga Mode and enable it so it loads from starting up THEA500 Mini instead of the carousel or you can run it from the Carousel USB Media Menu now...

and thats it...

Enjoy PCUAE

Spanner...

P.S I will be changing AMiNIMiga by added a folder for it in the PCUAEUSB://THEA500-USB-MENU folder so it has its own folder like Pandory and AGS and the THEA500-USB-MENU folder looks more  clean so files are not all over the place in it, so look out for a update soon, hopefully today.
Done it now.