Apologies for cross-posting. I've added a few new bits and pieces to the
Dick Smith System 80 site. If anyone is interested, take a look at the
first three entries under this link.
https://www.classic-computers.org.nz/system-80/whats_new.htm
Incidentally, this month is somewhat of a milestone. I
>>On Apr 1, 2019, at 7:11 PM, Kevin Parker via cctalk
wrote:
>>
>>This will mostly interest TRS-80 enthusiasts on this list.
>>
>> Check it out at theretrosearch.com
>>
>Thank you for this, Kevin!
This is awesome Kevin!
Terry
Hi,
Merry Xmas and Happy New Year (or Happy Holidays if that is your flavour),
Just to note to those interested in the Exidy Sorcerer. I've added 18 more
programs to the Sorcerer archive at
https://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2017-01-23-software-for-real-sorcerers.htm
. To see what they a
This won't be of interest to everyone, but if you want to hear what it was
like to open and run a microcomputer store in New Zealand back in the early
1980s, it's captured here.
https://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2018-08-23-viscount-electronics.htm
Terry (Tez)
Steve,
If you find this software, (and it's not in any other obvious place), I'd
be happy to host it here.
https://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2017-01-23-software-for-real-sorcerers.htm
Terry
On Tue, Aug 7, 2018 at 2:52 PM, Steven Stengel via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
> Hi,
Just my experience, I once did a trial where I took two identical 5,25
inch disks of the same batch from the same manufacturer. These were clean
disks which both formatted and verified just fine, but I wanted to see if
IPA did indeed damage the disk.
One I swabbed one with 75% IPA, the other wit
Thanks for those replies guys. It was as I suspected.
Terry (Tez)
Hi,
The PAL vrs NTSC TV standard complicated things when collecting home
computers from other countries.
In New Zealand we are on PAL. PAL Atari 800s are rarer in the world that
NTSC ones. That being the case I recently settled on an NTSC one for my
collection. Hooking it up to a couple of my
>Sure. Neither would I. But how is this relevant to the CHWiki question?
>> If I had to go to that extent of writing it as a robust, referenced,
>> refereed, definitive technical article, I probably wouldn't bother.
If I was writing an article as a contributor for a reference wiki, I
wouldn't wa
Given that my article started this discussion, I should add my 2 cents
worth.
I’ll continue to do what I’m doing rather than putting this stuff on CHWiki.
Grant’s motivations and explanations for posting on his site are pretty
much the same as mine. I document these things largely for myself as
>That link mentions ExittoDOS.pif, and searches for it turn up related
information about dosstart.bat.
>I'd suggest digging around for them and some web searches.
Hmm..interesting.
>From a brief search and a test it seems using these files (or at least ones
similar to those described) may have a
>I recall using these drivers several years ago.
>As I recall, the problem is that they're not amenable to hot-swapping.
>That is, is you're using a USB flash drive with them, there was no code
>that allowed you to remove the drive and substitute another without
>rebooting.
>Has this situation ch
I needed an MS-DOS 7.1 environment to give me FAT 32 hence the
config.sys "menu" system.
Terry (Tez)
On Thu, Feb 8, 2018 at 4:20 PM, Grant Taylor via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
> On 02/06/2018 12:58 PM, Terry Stewart via cctalk wrote:
>
>> The titl
On Thu, Feb 8, 2018 at 9:28 AM, Curious Marc wrote:
> Thanks Terry, I need to get my DOS7.1/Win98 Dolch to speak USB, that will
> be helpful, particularly the DOS portion. I got my Win98 networked to Win7,
> it's not that hard *once you know* and works really well. You have to
> change one entry
The title might suggest to topic is not vintage, but the reason I did this
myself was to facilitate classic computer disk imaging.
I’ve recently given USB drive capability to the MS-DOS 7.1 environment in a
Windows 98SE computer I use for the purpose above. It was a bit of work
configuring the mac
>
>
> But, you have to tread very carefully. Because SOMETIMES [now rarely],
> they could mean the PRE-5150 definition where "IBM compatible" meant
> 3740/SSSD 8" with 128 byte sectors.
> 5150 really was a danger to itself and/or others; it totally destroyed the
> meaning ot "IBM compatible" disks
>but dbit.com offers an adapter called an
>FDADAP that
>lets you connect a 50 pin 8" disk to the PC controller. I have a couple
>and they work great.
I second that. I've got one and works just as it should.
Terry (Tez)
>
>
> DOS/Windoze will have absolutely no idea how to understand what is on the
> disk.
>
> Makes me thinks of the time a few months ago when a lab on our campus
wanted me to read some 8 inch disks in the archives for them. The IT
manager said "I think they are IBM-compatible" (and by that he mean
Hi folks,
On the weekend I rescued some old software. It gave me an excuse to get my
first micro out of its box and stretch its legs.
Accounting packages hardly set the world alight but being a Dick Smith
release for the System 80, it does have its place in Australasian computer
history. Anyway
Hi,
My apologies for cross-posting. I’m putting this on a few of the forums
I have a third party TRS-80 Model 1 expansion unit that I used with my
System 80 when I first got disk drives. I’ve decided I should add some
pics and info to the System 80 website as I know they were used here in New
It looks very much like the Vic-20 one I have.
Terry (Tez)
>
> >IBM service manuals (certainly for PCs, PS/2s etc) did not normally
> contain
> >schematics. They were for repairs at the FRU (Field Replaceable Unit)
> level,
> >which is probably the complete monitor!.
>
I think you are right. Thanks Tony. It might have to remain an ornament.
Terry
(Note: Also posted to VCF)
Hi Guys,
It's a long shot but I’m searching for a manual, which hopefully someone
has scanned somewhere.
In my latest “check-my-gear-works” audit, an IBM PS/2 monitor failed. It
worked initially although brightness and contrast needed to be almost fully
up to see anyth
?Anadisk tells me the disks are Single Sided, Single Density.
> It can see ID marks as it tracks a disk but that is all. It can't see
any data.
>Could be an RX02 disk as people say
Oh, and sector size is 128 bytes.
On Sat, May 6, 2017 at 9:58 AM, Terry Stewart
wrote:
> >In case not everyo
>In case not everyone noticed, but Terry's already given up on this
Lol, true. The disks will be given back on Monday. It's no big deal. The
owners can decided what they want to do. Even if I can't read it the
disks, however, pondering just what the format might be is fun. I'm
certainly learnin
>First if they are DEC its one of two formats either FM aka RX01 or FM2
>aka RX02.
>(..an in-depth explanation)
>How do I know. I have PDP-8, PDP11 (with RX02) and VAX (qbus uVAX,
>uVAX2000, and 3100 family).
>I used to and still do exchange between RT-11 and CP/M using RX01 mode
>and a CP/M utili
>The 'RX02' format used by PUTR is actually IBM System 34 format,
>since DEC's 8" DD disks use a strange combination of SD headers
>with non-standard ID marks, and DD data fields, that can't be
>accessed with a standard PC FDC regardless of the software used."
Right. It's definitely a possibility
; On 05/04/2017 04:30 PM, js--- via cctalk wrote:
>
> > On 5/4/2017 6:16 PM, Terry Stewart via cctalk wrote:
> >>> If these are from a VAX, could they be microcode disks for a
> >>> 11/780?
> >> There was a RX01 attached via a LSI-11 as console.
> >
>
>And yet, if there were an RX02 somewhere on this VAX, I don't believe
you'd be able to read them at all... RX02 seeming more likely with a VAX.
Interestingly PUTR, does seem to accommodate this, and the kind of system I
have set up (i.e. 1.2 MB 5.25 inch in CMOS even though it's an 8 inch
drive).
> Jerry Weiss
> j...@ieee.org
>
>
> > On May 4, 2017, at 4:41 PM, Terry Stewart via cctalk <
> cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
> >
> > Hi guys,
> >
> > Just tying up some unfinished business. Right at the beginning of this
> > thread I said...
&g
>Is your 8 inch setup capable of FM/single density?
>I think that Dave has a utility to test that.
Yes, quite capable. It passes Dave's test and I have read/written in
single density when archiving other stuff. Archiving my FM/single density
POLY and Panasonic stuff was no problem.
http://www.cl
>Does your system handle single density? (some FDCs do; some don't)
Oh, yes it does.
>Using IMD, or other tools, can you determine the density, bytes per
sector, and sectors per track of the disks (try at least 2)
>Also, is the data recorded single sided, or both sides?
>If you can read it with IMD, then you can start wading through content
within sectors to get more clues about w
Hi guys,
Just tying up some unfinished business. Right at the beginning of this
thread I said...
>Guys in the building next door to me (a Science lab) have found some 8
inch floppy disks.
>They want to see what’s on them, or at least to archive them.
>They have no idea what machine these disks w
>
>
> My guess on the symptoms described is a scratch or spill. Sometimes
> these floppies can be brought back by a simple cleaning of the cookie.
>
> --Chuck
>
>
Guys, you were on the right track. I looked carefully the disk surface
while rotating it. It's subtle but there is a radial kink/dist
Hi guys,
Ive been extracting data off a 3.5 inch windows XP-formatted floppy disk
with many bad sectors. The odd thing is it's always the same bad sectors
on every track. Such a 3, 8, 12 and 17. Once or twice it might be just 3,
8 and 17. Or occasionally 3, 8, 9 12, 17. This patten is the sam
>If you can find an old registered copy of FORMATQM, it allowed very
>flexible formatting. So, you could format a DMF floppy by defining a
>format in the FORMATS.CFG file thus:
Reminds me of NEWDOS/80 V2 on the TRS-80 Mod 1/III. The PDRIVE command let
you define your very own disk format!
No o
>>It may also be that is just doesn't support 77 and can only do 80 tracks.
>I don't think it is this. I can format it fine with 77 tracks using 22DSK
and IMD. It has no problem reading or >writing to 77 track formatted disks.
Oh sorry Dwight, I thought you meant the drive here. You mean MS-DO
>It may also be that is just doesn't support 77 and can only do 80 tracks.
I don't think it is this. I can format it fine with 77 tracks using 22DSK
and IMD. It has no problem reading or writing to 77 track formatted disks.
Terry
>Here's a writeup for those interested:
>http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2017-04-15-
adventures-with-an-8-inch-disk-drive-part1.htm
One thing in this project puzzled me. Initially when I was testing the
drive I tried to format it for 77-tracks. I used the command FORMAT B: /u
/T:77 /N:1
Hi,
Just an update on this. I still haven't got those 8' floppies of unknown
origin to play with but I HAVE made a lot of progress with my own disks.
Thanks to everyone who gave me help with this.
Here's a writeup for those interested:
http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2017-04-15-adventur
Re NEC 8201a...
This is a machine I have a lot if fondness for. Wrote many article
drafts and crunched a lot of numbers on that little unit.
Terry (Tez)
>I'll add one more note that an 8" drive supports 77 tracks/cylinders,
>where a 5.25" high-density drive supports 80. So be careful.
Noted. Everything is now ready waiting for those bits and pieces to arrive
from the U.S.
Last night I spent some time going deeper into IMD118, 22DISK and ANADIS
One other question regarding using this MS-DOS 486 to run an 8 inch floppy
drive when attempting to read/imaging etc.of a god-knows-what format.
What should I set the BIOS to? Should it be the 1.2MB 5.25 setting? Do I
need to even worry about the bios if I don't want to boot off the 8 inch
disk
>For what it's worth, unless you're intent on *writing* 8" single-density
>floppies on the PC, the interconnect between the 8" drive 50-conductor
>cable and the PC 34-conductor one is pretty straightforward. You don't
>need a FDADAP board for that, although it's very convenient.
Yes, and I'm all
>Let's start with determining the hardware aspects to see whether Terry's
machines are capable of reading the disks.
Yes, this is the first step for me. Last night I pulled out an MS-DOS 486
that seems capable. It can read/write single density according to TESTFDC.
This is the machine I'll use.
>Tez,
>Here's what I would do in your situation.
Excellent, thanks.
Terry (Tez)
On Thu, Mar 23, 2017 at 8:17 PM, Jay Jaeger via cctech <
cct...@classiccmp.org> wrote:
>
> > On Mar 22, 2017, at 23:08, Chuck Guzis via cctech
> wrote:
> >
> >> On 0
Thanks Guys,
Now I'm intimidated (-:
Just kiddingthat's useful stuff Fred. Thanks for taking the time to
type all that out.
I'll give it a go...and see what I can see. If anything it's a good excuse
for me to wire the drive up. I'd like to image those Panasonic disks one
day for posterity
Hi,
I’ve posted this to the VCF too…apologies for cross-posting.
I’d be grateful for any guidance or comments anyone could give me on this
problem.
Guys in the building next door to me (a Science lab) have found some 8 inch
floppy disks. They want to see what’s on them, or at least to archi
I've been scanning some user group newsletters. Reading them today reveals
just how important they were for orphan machines home computers like the
EACA Colour Genie. Even if you're not interested in that model, they are
worth a look as they do reflect the "user club" scene of the day. I'm
assuming
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