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90 lines
4.1 KiB
90 lines
4.1 KiB
Using the MAKEDOS utility.
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In an ideal world, MAKEDOS would not be required as every
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computer manufacturer would have provided the source code for
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your BIOS and the GENCPM.COM utility. This however is not an
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ideal world.
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If you have all the appropriate files, use GENCPM with the new
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ZPM3 BNKBDOS3.SPR and RESBDOS3.SPR to make a new CP/M system. If
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you only have your CP/M 3.0 system file, then read on to learn
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how to use MAKEDOS.COM to convert it from CP/M 3.0 to ZPM3.
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You CP/M 3.0 system file could be called one of a number of
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things. Ideally it will be called CPM3.SYS. But it might have
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another name such as J14CPM3.EMS (Amstrad computers). Even if you
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find it, you must know how the system uses it. For example does
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it load it from A0: when you boot your computer? If it does then
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you are going to have to return your modified file to A0:. Or
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does it keep the file hidden in system tracks of your disk? If
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that is the case you will have to find out how to change the
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system tracks. Chances are though that the file is read from A0:
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on each cold boot.
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Before continuing, make sure you have a backup bootable disk. If
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you overwrite your only system file and it fails to work you are
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going to be pretty unhappy... so don't let it happen!
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Put your system file, MAKEDOS.COM, BNKBDOS3.SPR and RESBDOS3.SPR
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onto the same disk and user area. Note that you must do this ON
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THE SAME COMPUTER RUNNING CP/M 3.0 as the system is intended for.
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This is most important because MAKEDOS gets information from its
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host computer, and if the computer is different from the one the
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system is intended for, it will get the wrong information.
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Type MAKEDOS SYSTEM.FIL at the prompt (replacing the SYSTEM.FIL
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in the above command with the actual name of your system file
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(such as MAKEDOS CPM3.SYS)). MAKEDOS will churn away for a while
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and tell you some information. If it doesn't come up with an
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error message, all is well and you can proceed.
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MAKEDOS makes three files. RES.DAT, BNK.DAT and another file with
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the same name as your original but with the tail .NEW (eg
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CPM3.SYS becomes CPM3.NEW). Your original file has not been
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touched. Obviously, you have to rename the .NEW file so that it
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has the correct name as the system. MAKEDOS doesn't do this for
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you just in case something goes wrong... until you rename the new
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file, you will still have a copy of the original. So, rename the
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new file, put it where it needs to be for it to become the
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system, and reboot the computer. All being well, you will come up
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running ZPM3.
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Possible problems:
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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A few things may cause a failure and should be checked if you get
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an error message.
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You must have enough disk space for all the files. Figure on
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having enough for the new system (same size as the old system),
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plus about another 16k.
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Another problem is that your serial number gets overwritten.
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MAKEDOS uses your CP/M 3.0 serial number to find the BDOS in your
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system file. It checks the serial number in the file against the
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serial number on the host machine. However, it is possible for
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your serial number to become corrupted. In such a case you should
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reboot and try again.
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It is unlikely to affect anyone, but MAKEDOS may fail with
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system files larger than 48k. If you need to convert such a file,
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please contact me.
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Be aware that running MAKEDOS on a machine different from the
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machine that the system file is intended for may not result in
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any error messages, but will most likely cause the file to not be
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converted properly. Always use the host computer, and make sure
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you are running CP/M 3.0 or ZPM3.
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Once you have successfully installed ZPM3, it may not be obvious
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that it is running. ZPM3 will act just like CP/M 3.0 for the most
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part. The easiest way to check is to enter a few commands, then
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press control-W a few times. Unlike CP/M 3.0, ZPM3 remembers more
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than one previous command, and you should see them presented to
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you with control-W.
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If you have any further trouble, all you can really do is talk to
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me, via Z-Node 62 in Perth, Western Australia (09 450 0200). Good
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luck.
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