- Back to: Sega Mega-CD.
The original Japanese Mega-CD boot ROM, version 1.00.
All variants of the Sega Mega-CD come pre-installed with a boot ROM - a menu interface which appears when the console is given power. While a Sega Mega Drive cartridge can boot almost instantaneously, CD-ROMs require verification and loading, which depending on the quality of the disc or drive, can take several seconds. In addition to help drive the CD-ROM, the Mega-CD's boot ROM informs the user that console is in Mega-CD mode, and cruically gives them something more interesting to look at than a blank screen.
Over time, many slightly different boot ROMs were developed by Sega (or its partners), either for localisation purposes, bug fixes or due to changes in hardware. The Wondermega for example has a different style of boot ROM to a standard Mega-CD, while the LaserActive has to accommodate the Mega LD format.
Functions
Most Mega-CD boot ROMs offer the same functionality - principly to run Mega-CD games. Most models can also play music CDs and Japanese models accept CD+G discs. As the Mega-CD also contains on-board memory for save games, the boot ROM allows users to manage data, either by removing save data they no longer need, or by transferring it to a CD BackUp RAM Cart. Later boot ROMs and the LaserActive cull some of these features, possibly as a cost-saving measure or limitations with the hardware.
On the Mega-CD, boot ROMs typically play a music track, while colourful Mega-CD and/or Sega logos dance around, demonstrating the system's rotation and scaling abilities. Boot ROM versions 2.00 and later support use of the Sega Mouse in control port 2, should users what to use that device to navigate the menus.
All of these features (and more) were also made available in the Sega Saturn and Sega Dreamcast, as well as most rival disc-based consoles.
Screenshots
Main screen
CD-ROM playback
Storage information
ROM dump status
System |
Hash |
Size |
Build Date |
Source |
Comments |
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?
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1993-03-29
|
LaserActive (NA) (0.98)
|
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("Us lsr 930329.zip" does not exist) (info)
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?
|
|
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1993-03-29
|
LaserActive (Asia) (0.98)
|
|
|
("Jp lsr 930329.zip" does not exist) (info)
|
|
?
|
|
|
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Sega Mega-CD (Asia, NTSC) (1.00g)
|
|
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("BIOS Mega CD Japan 1.00g.7z" does not exist) (info)
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|
?
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|
|
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Sega Mega-CD (Asia, NTSC) (1.00l)
|
|
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("BIOS Mega CD Japan 1.00l.md.zip" does not exist) (info)
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|
?
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|
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Sega Mega-CD (Asia, NTSC) (1.00o)
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|
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("BIOS Mega CD Japan v1.00o.7z" does not exist) (info)
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|
?
|
|
|
1991-12-17
|
Sega Mega-CD (Asia, NTSC) (1.00p)
|
|
|
("Jp mcd1 911217.zip" does not exist) (info)
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|
?
|
|
|
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Sega Mega-CD (Asia, NTSC) (1.00s)
|
|
|
("BIOS Mega CD Japan 1.00S.md.zip" does not exist) (info)
|
|
?
|
|
|
1991-12-28
|
Sega Mega-CD (Asia, PAL) (1.00s)
|
|
|
("Jp mcd1 911228.zip" does not exist) (info)
|
|
?
|
|
|
1992-02-06
|
Wondermega (Asia) (1.00w)
|
|
|
("Jp wmg 920206.zip" does not exist) (info)
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|
?
|
|
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Sega CD (NA) (1.00)
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|
("BIOS Sega CD USA 1.00.md.zip" does not exist) (info)
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|
?
|
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|
1992-10-27
|
Sega Mega-CD (EU) (1.00)
|
|
|
("Eu mcd1 921027.zip" does not exist) (info)
|
|
?
|
|
|
1993-09-22
|
LaserActive (NA) (1.04)
|
|
|
("Us mld 930922.zip" does not exist) (info)
|
|
?
|
|
|
1993-08-10
|
LaserActive (Asia) (1.05)
|
|
|
("Jp lsr 930810.zip" does not exist) (info)
|
|
?
|
|
|
1992-10-11
|
Sega CD (NA) (1.10)
|
|
|
("Us scd1 921011.zip" does not exist) (info)
|
|
?
|
|
|
1992-05-01
|
Sega Mega-CD 2 (Asia) (1.11)
|
Japanese sample/prototype
|
|
("Jp mcd2 920501.zip" does not exist) (info)
|
Page
|
?
|
|
|
1993-03-14
|
Sega CD (second model) (NA) (2.00)
|
|
|
("Us scd2 930314.zip" does not exist) (info)
|
|
?
|
|
|
1993-06-01
|
Sega CD (second model) (NA) (2.00w)
|
|
|
("Us scd2 930601.zip" does not exist) (info)
|
|
?
|
|
|
1992-12-22
|
Sega Mega-CD 2 (Asia) (2.00c)
|
|
|
("Jp mcd2 921222.zip" does not exist) (info)
|
|
?
|
|
|
1993-03-30
|
Sega Mega-CD II (EU) (2.00)
|
|
|
("Eu mcd2 930330.zip" does not exist) (info)
|
|
?
|
|
|
1993-06-01
|
Sega Mega-CD II (EU) (2.00w)
|
|
|
("Eu mcd2 930601.zip" does not exist) (info)
|
|
?
|
|
|
1993-12-27
|
X-Eye (NA) (2.00)
|
|
|
("Us xeye 931227.zip" does not exist) (info)
|
|
?
|
|
|
|
Wondermega (Asia) (2.00)
|
[n 1]
|
|
("Wondermega 2.00 Bios.zip" does not exist) (info)
|
|
?
|
|
|
1993-06-21
|
Sega Mega-CD (second model) (NA) (2.11)
|
|
|
("Us scd2 930621.zip" does not exist) (info)
|
|
?
|
|
|
|
CSD-G1M (JP) (2.11c)
|
|
|
("Aiwa_CSD_GM1_Bios.zip" does not exist) (info)
|
|
?
|
|
|
1993-09-16
|
Sega Multi-Mega (EU) (2.21x)
|
|
|
("Eu mmg 930916.zip" does not exist) (info)
|
|
?
|
|
|
1993-09-07
|
Sega Genesis CDX (NA) (2.21x)
|
|
|
("Us cdx 930907.zip" does not exist) (info)
|
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Notes
- ↑ [The ZIP file contains two dumps, a "good" dump and a "bad" dump. The "bad" dump has an incorrect HINT vector, but is otherwise identical to the "good" dump. The CRC32 listed here is for the "good" dump. The ZIP file contains two dumps, a "good" dump and a "bad" dump. The "bad" dump has an incorrect HINT vector, but is otherwise identical to the "good" dump. The CRC32 listed here is for the "good" dump.]
References