Hello! First post on the forum and a rather big noob to the whole PCW lineup. I managed to pick a collection of older computer hardware up for free about 1-2 months ago, and one item happened to be the PCW9512+. Looked like a rather interesting item, and my interest in older hardware such as this really sparked me to attempt to get the machine working.
The problem I have is, I don't have the original boot discs for the machine, and attempts to make any have failed. Again, not entirely sure what I am doing around this type of hardware as I have really only had experience in 386 era hardware and software.
Any help on getting the machine booted would be helpful.
Thanks
Hello,
Is it a 9512+ that you have, this is basically a normal 9512 (with the 720k 3" floppy) but with a 3.5" disk instead?
I might be able to help. I have a 3.5" drive attached to my PCW, also I have a 9512 boot disk (which I cannot read directly as my PCW is an 8125 and 3" disks only. However, I have all the data off the 9512 disk, and I have the details of the boot sector, and I could prob create a complete boot disk. For CP/M only, I'm not sure I could do the same for Locoscript.
Any of that any help?
Geoff, Guisborough, UK
Quote from: GeoffB17 on 22:04, 10 May 16
Hello,
Is it a 9512+ that you have, this is basically a normal 9512 (with the 720k 3" floppy) but with a 3.5" disk instead?
I might be able to help. I have a 3.5" drive attached to my PCW, also I have a 9512 boot disk (which I cannot read directly as my PCW is an 8125 and 3" disks only. However, I have all the data off the 9512 disk, and I have the details of the boot sector, and I could prob create a complete boot disk. For CP/M only, I'm not sure I could do the same for Locoscript.
Any of that any help?
Geoff, Guisborough, UK
Hello Geoff,
If you could make a boot disk that would be excellent. At the moment, I really want to test to check if the machine works before I start attempting to look around for software for the machine.
Thanks greatly for the help!
Well, I could try, if you would clarify re my question.
IS it a 3.5" boot disk that you need? As opposed to a 3".
When you referred to 'previous attempts', what actually happened? What - in effect - didn't work before.
Do you have any means of doing anything with a disk image file? It would be no problem to create a 720k format 3.5" disk, put an appropriate boot sector on, put the rest of the files from the 9512 boot disk I have (3") and see where you can get. I'll have to send you the disk via mail. Please PM address.
Cannot guarantee how first attempt will work, but once the machine is trying, how far it does get will give hints as to what to do next! I have another contact who was booting a 9512 from a 3.5" disk, but this was a commercial re-fit machine (i.e. the original 3" disk A: had been replaced with a 3.5" drive) so it wasn't totally the same.
Geoff
I have various boot disk images for the 9512 if they are any help.
Quote from: JonB on 12:16, 24 July 16
I have various boot disk images for the 9512 if they are any help.
Would you please, share? ;D
Sure, see attached.
..and right after getting these into a zip file, my 9512 died. >:(
I've downloaded the .ZIP file, so far I've only tried to do something with the CPM system disks.
However, when I look inside the .DSK files, I find that they look like .DSK files (although Extended), however the disk data inside looks strange, in particular, there seems to be NO DIRECTORY.
I see file data, and I see bits that look like the sort of thing I would expect, i.e. text inside the HELP data, normal looking messages in what I assume are standard utilities (like say PIP or SUBMIT) but there OUGHT to be a directory area?
What's gone wrong??
The boot sector code looks OK, I see it should be loading an .EMT file. But with no directory, it will not find one??
Thants for the thought, though???
Geoff
Oh, sorry to hear your 9512 died. Hope it's just taking a 'rest'??
Just double checked in my Joyce emulator directory.
The 9512 should use a DSDD boot disk, which means a boot disk should be 778,496 .DSK size.
Your .DSK files are 194,816, which means they are SSSD disks (like for the PCW 8256,8512).
The normal size for these images is less than 194,816. However, I do have some .DSK images, usually for games disks, that ARE 194,816. If I look inside these, they DO show a directory area in an expected place.
Your images do NOT appear to be boot disks, and they do not appear to be 9512 disks.
Something gone wrong with the process to create them? I'd guess it's thinking they are SS disks, when they are in fact DS. That could well explain what data is showing, and what is not.
Geoff
Hi Geoff
I used CPCDisk to create the images, with default settings (SS, 40 tracks). What settings would you expect here? I'm guessing DS, 80 tracks.
Happy to re-image them if you can confirm the settings. Sadly I can't test an image (read from disk, write to new disk, test in PCW) because my 9512 has just died (as in, power switch has no effect).
Cheers
JonB
Actually, try this one (attached). CP/M 3.5" Locomotive Drive Kit boot disk. DS, 80 tracks. Let me know if it works for you.
Yes, SS 40T is certainly wrong for 9512 disks.
Should be DS 80T.
Better NOT to use 'Extended' mode if you can turn that off, it certainly makes things more awkward for me. If that's NOT an option, then OK, just have to work around it.
The resultant .DSK file will be bigger that any normal file even a 9512 can cope with? Do you have a way to get around that?
Is your 9512 working again?
Thanks again.
Geoff
Yes, Thanks.
Just unpacked the new version, and looked inside it.
File size now looks OK, looking inside file, now looks normal. Directory data in the correct place, etc.
I see the system file is J25CPM3.EMT. I see all the normal CP/M files, I see the .FIB files, which tweak the system to activate A: as 3.5" and disable B:, there are two other .FIBs currently not active as they've been renamed as .XXX (B35 and B180).
I'll try to load the file under Joyce emulator, although it may cause problems as the .FIB settings will conflict with the system settings as 8256/8512. Also, loading is more complicated when it's an 'Extended' .DSK file
Thanks again.
Oh, is your 9512 OK now? Was it just 'resting' (after a long squawk)??
Geoff
Hello,
Just tested.
Joyce accesses the disk image fine, although I've not tried to boot from it. I think that WILL cause Joyce problems, as the .FIB will set A: as 3.5 which will conflict with the overall 8256 setting. But, I've no reason to think that there will be any problem booting on a compatible machine.
Thanks again.
Geoff
Hi Geoff
Good news. Do you want all the other images uploaded? Remember they're for the 9512 - does Joyce emulate this?
Cheers
JonB
Please do upload them. CP/MBox does emulate it for sure.
Shazam!!
Joyce can be set to emulate most of the varieties of PCW, it's just that there are some 'system' settings that are separate from info within the 'boot', and I'd rather not go changing some 'system' settings just so that I can boot as a 9512 'just to see what happens'.
The .DSK image I now have is what I'd be most interested in. The J25 file is in fact version 2.15 of CP/M which I did not have, it is (according to John Elliotts data) the last version of the system. I've changed the filename to .EMS and this will boot OK on my PCW 8256, although I've disabled all the .FIB files.
I don't now, and I don't plan to, use LocoScript on the PCW. I do use the old version of LS within Joyce, but only to access/read all my old LS files/letters going back to 1985. I would be interested in checking the version you have, but ONLY technical interest, and I'd need ONLY the basic version, and not the various others you'd done before with printer options etc. Also, I'd not need the PC/PCW transfer process, although others might? I use 22DISK to transfer files back and forth without any problem. So, if you could do the basic Loco system, that would be nice.
Thanks VERY much again.
Geoff
It's all in the zipfile, Geoff.
I do not know if the problems has been solved yet, but I managed to buy a CP/M disk from http://www.rise2themax.co.uk/locoscriptx/dsk.htm.
They do them also for Locoscript.
Could you tell me what the CP/M boot message says (specifically, the version) and the name of the EMS/EMT file is please?