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HDCPM - boot and run CP/M plus from hard disk

Started by d_kef, 16:48, 30 December 21

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GUNHED

http://futureos.de --> Get the revolutionary FutureOS (Update: 2023.11.30)
http://futureos.cpc-live.com/files/LambdaSpeak_RSX_by_TFM.zip --> Get the RSX-ROM for LambdaSpeak :-) (Updated: 2021.12.26)

d_kef

Quote from: Mark_wllms on 15:48, 24 June 22My physical 3" disc drive is playing up, so I love having a virtual CP/M disk drive I can load all my infocom games onto. However, I can't work out how to copy anything into the CP/M hard drives without using the physical drive. Is there a way of adding files to the drives, either on the Amstrad or via a PC?
You can use cpmtools. Full functionality only on Linux I'm afraid.
On a Linux machine you can install them like a normal install package from the main software repository.
eg. on Ubuntu:
sudo apt install cpmtools


You only need to insert the following  record in the /etc/cpmtools/diskdefs file:

diskdef hdcpm
  seclen 512
  tracks 65
  sectrk 256
  blocksize 8192
  maxdir 1024
  skew 0 
  boottrk 1
  os 3
end

Then you can copy files to and from the CP/M disk image with simple commands:
cpmcp -f hdcpm CPMDSK01.IMG myapp.com 1:myapp.com

d_kef


Mark_wllms

Quote from: d_kef on 16:33, 24 June 22You can use cpmtools. Full functionality only on Linux I'm afraid.

It seems the Wild Turkey distribution of cpmtools works pretty well on Windows, so I can add files to the CPM hard drive now. Works well.

d_kef

#103
It seems that they have updated the binaries.
IIRC the previous version had some limitations.
Nice!!!

d_kef

d_kef

#104
New release coming soon....You cannot view this attachment.

d_kef

d_kef

And here is the new HDCPM v1.05.
.dsk file attached in the first post as usual.

The main change in this version is support for the almighty Symbiface III of @TMTLOGIC .
Both SF3 and RSF3 are supported.
Special thanks to @HAL6128 for beta testing v1.05 as I don't own a SF3.

I hope all you hardcore CP/M users enjoy his version :P

d_kef


angelcaio

HI. seems to be a new batch of Real Time Clock Board cards
https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/amstrad-cpc-hardware/real-time-clock-board/250/

Does anyone know if it works with HDCPM?
Thanks

GUNHED

Quote from: angelcaio on 16:46, 20 November 22HI. seems to be a new batch of Real Time Clock Board cards
https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/amstrad-cpc-hardware/real-time-clock-board/250/

Does anyone know if it works with HDCPM?
Thanks
Of course it does! The software fully supports CP/M Plus and also CP/M 2.2 with 63 KB TPA.
This way it's even supported with the Z-System (that's Z3Plus for CP/M Plus and ZCPR 3.3 for CP/M 2.2 - 63KB).  :)
But it remains to be decided if a new batch is made, if dxs want't to do it, or if somebody else would like to make a batch of the most supported RTC for the CPC.  :)

However HDCPM was made for the Symbiface, and the SF2 already has an RTC.
http://futureos.de --> Get the revolutionary FutureOS (Update: 2023.11.30)
http://futureos.cpc-live.com/files/LambdaSpeak_RSX_by_TFM.zip --> Get the RSX-ROM for LambdaSpeak :-) (Updated: 2021.12.26)

d_kef

Quote from: angelcaio on 16:46, 20 November 22Does anyone know if it works with HDCPM?
Yes and no!
The HDCPM ROM only supports the SF2 RTC. You can boot CP/M with RTC support giving |HDCPMT. This means that if the RTC is detected then the RTC driver will be injected in the CP/M Plus BIOS and DATE.COM will then operate on the hardware clock reading or setting the date and time. And any program that reads the CP/M date and time will get it from the hardware clock. This of course means that 540 bytes of RAM will be occupied by the RTC driver.
The HDCPM.BIN does not support any hardware RTC. Instead you can use the provided utility RTC.COM to set or read the time from the SF2 RTC. This is what I use. I have the command 'RTC -G' in my PROFILE.SUB so the CP/M date and time is set at boot time. If I want to set the RTC date and time then I change the CP/M date and time with the DATE.COM and then give 'RTC -S' to also synchronize the RTC.
So only SF2 RTC is supported at the moment. I'm working on a new version of RTC.COM that will support the M4 (read only) and SF3 RTC.

I suppose TIMEROM.COM works similar to the RTC.COM but for the Dobbertin SmartWatch.

So HDCPM doesn't have driver support for the Dobbertin SmartWatch but you can boot CP/M with HDCPM and then use Dobbertin's utility to manage it.


d_kef

GUNHED

TIMEROM#.COM does read the dxs / Dobbertin RTCs and set time and date of CP/M Plus. That's completely independent of the version of CP/M Plus.  :)
http://futureos.de --> Get the revolutionary FutureOS (Update: 2023.11.30)
http://futureos.cpc-live.com/files/LambdaSpeak_RSX_by_TFM.zip --> Get the RSX-ROM for LambdaSpeak :-) (Updated: 2021.12.26)

d_kef

#111
The all new version 1.06 of HDCPM is out!

The new version supports the good old Albireo of @PulkoMandy. Save your CP/M Plus image files in the root directory of the SD card and way you go!

Also a new version of the RTC.COM utility comes bundled in the distribution disk.
The new RTC.COM supports the Symbiface 3 and M4 board RTCs. Special thanks to @HAL6128 for testing the new version.

You can find more info and download the new .dsk file at the HDCPM wiki page.

d_kef

GUNHED

Take my RTC to support Dobbertin / dxs / and LambdaSpeak too. (Source on my hp or somewhere here).
http://futureos.de --> Get the revolutionary FutureOS (Update: 2023.11.30)
http://futureos.cpc-live.com/files/LambdaSpeak_RSX_by_TFM.zip --> Get the RSX-ROM for LambdaSpeak :-) (Updated: 2021.12.26)

d_kef

Since there is some discussions about Z3Plus/Z-System taking place lately, I've uploaded a Z3Plus disk image at the HDCPM wiki page.
If you use it don't change its drive letter (A:) as this is hard-coded in the ZCCP and it will make the system unbootable.

You might need some documentation in order to take advantage of all the advanced features of Z3Plus but you can easily find everything on-line.

d_kef

HAL6128

Thank you for uploading the image. I'll give it a try. I don't know much about Z-System and it's major changes under the CPM core.
I have seen that Samarux here (Samarux FloppySoftware) enables CPM to work like a Unix shell. Maybe a little bit easier to install and enhance the system within the given structure of HDCPM.
...proudly supported Schnapps Demo, Pentomino and NQ-Music-Disc with GFX

GUNHED

Sorry, but you can't compare a shell to Z3Plus, which even has a shell stack.  :)
http://futureos.de --> Get the revolutionary FutureOS (Update: 2023.11.30)
http://futureos.cpc-live.com/files/LambdaSpeak_RSX_by_TFM.zip --> Get the RSX-ROM for LambdaSpeak :-) (Updated: 2021.12.26)

m_dr_m

Fantastic work, thanks!

Let me know if I understood the limitations correctly:
  • The ROM itself isn't a complete CP/M system, you'll need the EMS file on the disk image.
  • You access the disc image by direct sector access (so potentially corrupting the host FAT file-system in case of fragmentation or bug).
  •  You can copy from floppy to the virtual hard-drive, but there are no options to populate the disk image from the host FAT file-system.

Even with the current constraints that would be quite handy.

HAL6128

In case of point 2:
I have an albireo and xmass in parallel on a mx4 board. Xmass is formatted with 4 partitions with CP/M file system. Booting the alirero SD card and running from there hdcpm.bin (no rom installed). So the routine accesses (assuming) directly the xmass first partition after booting.
point 3:
attaching the xmass onto a pc let me access the filesystem with cpmtools under linux.
Works fine.
...proudly supported Schnapps Demo, Pentomino and NQ-Music-Disc with GFX

d_kef

#118
Quote from: m_dr_m on 12:49, 27 April 23Fantastic work, thanks!

Let me know if I understood the limitations correctly:
  • The ROM itself isn't a complete CP/M system, you'll need the EMS file on the disk image.
  • You access the disc image by direct sector access (so potentially corrupting the host FAT file-system in case of fragmentation or bug).
  • You can copy from floppy to the virtual hard-drive, but there are no options to populate the disk image from the host FAT file-system.

Even with the current constraints that would be quite handy.

Thanks for the support!

Regarding point 1, I believe that being able to change the .ems file you boot CP/M from is more of a convenient feature rather than a limitation. But you are correct. The rom doesn't contain a complete CP/M system.
Regarding point 2, since v1.01 iirc, the fragmentation test and also a file length test is automatically performed at boot time preventing the use of a fragmented or small CP/M image and thus the corruption of the file system. Also the driver for Albireo uses the built in file access system so there is no problem with fragmented files.
Until now, I've never experienced a file system corruption nor have I ever received any complaints from others, but you never know.
Regarding point 3, cpmtools is indeed the recommended method to copy files from the CP/M image files to a physical file system and vice versa.
I had some thoughts on building some CP/M utilities to handle browsing and coping files from the container FAT file system but they never went beyond the flow diagram stage.

d_kef

Takis Kalatzis

Hello,

I'm trying to install HDCPM in ULIFAC board (which is practically using a USIFAC II mass storage) and I'm facing problems.

Steps I have done:
1. Created an Image file with the MakeImg utility (took around 7 hours to complete)
2. Had to give IDIS RSX command to disable Direct Access and be able to access the Disk Drive
3. Loaded CPM from Disk Drive with ICPM
4. Executed the HDMGR.COM utility from Disk Drive

And now the strange things:
1. In "CPM Disk Image Information", the Image is listed but with the mention of "UNFORMATTED"
2. The image is not shown in "Log Disk" option, only the Drive 1 is shown there

So, I cannot log the Image and I cannot format it.

Any idea on how to get out of this situation?

Best regards,

Takis

d_kef

#120
Wow!!!
You really waited for 7 hours????

You could use the readily provided images from the HDCPM wiki page or use hexed.it to make an image in seconds.

Anyway the condition you describe should not have happened. You might have found a bug.
I suppose you use the latest version v1.06 of HDCPM?
I'll try to reproduce your problem with my USIfAC and report back.

Edit: what is the size of your usb flash disk? Has it been partitioned or formatted with some kind of utility?

D_kef.

d_kef

OK. I tried to reproduce your probleb with my USIfAC but it works as it should.

1. made an empty CPMDSK01.IMG (with hexed.it ;) )
2. gave |DIS to disable Direct Mode
3. started CP/M from floppy with |CPM
4 run HDMGR.COM from floppy

see pics.

The 'CP/M disk image information' shows '*** UNFORMATTED ***' because, you know... it is unformatted
The 'Log Disk' shows '2. CPMDSK01.IMG' as the only available option
I was able to format the image and transfer the system file from the floppy to the image to make it bootable.
Then I power-cycled the CPC and I was able to boot CP/M from the newly created image with RUN"HDCPM

d_kef


Takis Kalatzis

Hi d_kef,

I'm using HDCPM v1.5. My USB stick is 1GB, FAT formatted (with Windows 10 Disk Manager if I remember correctly).

I'm sharing my screenshots just for comparison. What I see as major difference is that in the "Log Disk" screen, you only have the Image while I have only the "Disk 1".

I will try again with the ready made images provided in the Wiki page.

Thanks a lot for the testing!

Takis

d_kef

Before trying anything else, please upgrade HDCPM.BIN and HDMGR.COM to v1.06.
I don't think the problem is related to the image file.

If the problem persist then it's probably a bug in HDMGR.COM.

d_kef

Takis Kalatzis

Nope, same behavior with v1.06.

I also replaced the image file with the second image provided in the Wiki page (changed the name to 01). Same behavior there as well.


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