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MS800

387 bytes added, 00:19, 20 October 2014
MS800 was among the simplest of the high-capacity 3.5in disc operating systems.
The "MS" stood for [[Microstyle]], the company (run by [[Phil Craven]]) that sold it. The program provided a small number of RSXs which selected formats for each drive, simply by copying values into the [[XDPB]]. As with [[S-DOS]] and [[400K/S]], this meant that double-sided formats were not supported, so the user needed a [[side switch]] to use each disc to its full capacity.
One unusual design feature, which had both advantages and disadvantages, was the presence of a "boot loader"-type The program on certain formats. This was provided a short BASIC program small number of RSXs which was saved on selected formats for each MS800 disc. Running this program would set up drive, simply by copying values into the format for the disc, even if you didn't own MS800[[XDPB]].
However, the downside of this approach is that this meant the sector numbers had to be limited to the standard set used by the 'Data' [[disc format]] (&C1-&C9). Consequently even those programs capable of automatic format detection (such as As with [[S-DOS]] 2 and [[ParaDOS400K/S]]) could , this meant that double-sided formats were not auto-detect supported, so the MS800 formatuser needed a [[Side Select Switch|side switch]] to use each disc to its full capacity.
MS800 was bundled with drives sold by Microstyle One unusual design feature, which had both advantages and disadvantages, was also available separatelythe presence of a "boot loader"-type program on certain formats.
This was a short BASIC program which was saved on each MS800 disc. Running this program would set up the format for the disc, even if you didn't own MS800. However, the downside of this approach is that this meant the sector numbers had to be limited to the standard set used by the 'Data' [[Categorydisc format]] (&C1-&C9). Consequently even those programs capable of automatic format detection (such as [[S-DOS]] 2 and [[ParaDOS]]) could not auto-detect the MS800 format. MS800 was bundled with drives sold by [[Microstyle]] and was also available separately. == Pictures == <gallery caption="MS800 Screenshots">Image:Expansion ROMMS800.gif|MS800 v1.11</gallery> == Disc == <gallery caption="MS800"> Image:MS800 Disc.jpg|The ProgramImage:MS800 - Disc.jpg|Another version </gallery> == Download == * [[Media:MS800.zip|MS800.zip]] (DSK for Emulators) * [[Media:MS800_v1.11.ZIP|MS800 v1.11 (Rom)]] (ROM for Emulators) [[Category:Disc Operating System]] [[Category:Expansion ROM]]
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