Re: Can anyone help me with Apple CP/M

[Matt Jenkins <mdj@pacific.net.au>]

Paul Schlyter wrote:
> 
> In article <394BC2CC.67D6764@pacific.net.au>,
> Matt Jenkins  <mdj@pacific.net.au> wrote:
> 
> > Howdy,
> >
> > Just been playing with CP/M on a clone machine a friend picked
> > up, it works just fine using Microsoft softcard cpm boot disks...
> >
> > Now while I understand the basics of cpm use, I have no idea
> > how you go about loading a driver to access 80 column cards etc.
> >
> > can anyone help with that?
> 
> On the CP/M cards I've used (the Softcard and the Appli-Card) it was
> automatic: I just inserted my Videx card in slot 3, and CP/M booted
> up automatically in 80-column mode.  Quite sensible, since a lot of
> CP/M software assumes 80 column.  Once I tried, in vain, to configure
> WordStar for 40 columns: it didn't work, since WordStar required a
> minimum of 64 columns....

Ah, it does work :) Ok, perhaps I should've tried that before posting
such
a silly question...
 
> > And also, does anyone know if I can use my beautiful UniDisk 3.5"
> > drive with Microsoft style CP/M ?
> 
> It's definitely possible, but will require that you dig a lot "under
> the hood" yourself, and acquaint yourself with how the SoftCard
> BIOS works (both the Z80 and the 6502 parts).  And if course you
> must also know how to access your UniDisk 3.5" from 6502 assembly
> language.  Good luck!  (no, I can't help you since I don't know
> how the UniDisk 3.5" works)

Ok, The 6502 accessing of the UniDisk I can handle, but I'd assumed that
this
would all be done in Z80 mode. Doesn't the softcard just pull the 6502
into halt
and allow the Z80 to control the system? Or does any access to C000-CFFF
have to be
done in 6502 mode. I hardware reference of the softcard would be pretty
handy...

I do know that CP/M 3.0 BIOS's for other boards (Cirtech Z80, maybe
Applicard and AE Z80) allowed access to UniDisks, and even Hard disks
and Ram cards, but I only have old Microsoft
Apple CP/M 2.2 disks, and it'd be cool to get it to work under that. How
difficult it ends up
being will probably depend on whether the Microsoft BIOS was modular
enough to accept an
additional low-level disk driver, or if it actually has to be
hand-hacked to work.

The beauty is one well written driver using the SmartPort protocol could
implement UniDisks,
superdisks, some slinky ramcards, and SCSI card all in one driver. Heck,
it could even replace
the existing 5.25" driver.

Does anyone out there have a surplus Z80 card for a //e they'll sell for
a very nice price ?
Messing with this old clone is cool, but it's not mine, and I'd much
prefer the comfort of
playing with this on my "production" //e.

Cheers,

Matt