Re: Auto-format RAMdisk on boot?

[shack@pro-ict.cts.com (Randy Shackelford)]

david@wraith.cs.uow.edu.au (David E A Wilson) writes:

>gachenb@eis.calstate.edu (Greg R. Achenbach) writes:
>>I would like to be able to boot from the RAMdisk in my IIc+ (Ram Express
>>II with 1 meg).  I know I need to format the RAMdisk first.  when I do
>>that, then load the thing, it works fine.  My question is this.  Is there
>>some way that I can issue a format command to Prodos automatically upon
>>boot and then have Prosel automatically load the RAMdisk?  Would a small
>>BASIC program at the front of the disk do this?  If so, how?
>
>ProDOS does not know how to format a disk. Period.
>
>If the disk is a Disk ][ you have to do it all by hand (or get an application/
>utility that does this).
>
>If the disk is a ProDOS block device or a smartport the low level format can
>be done by calling the ProDOS entry point on the card with the correct command
>number. This gives you a disk which now will accept read/write block commands.
>
>You then have to hand craft a root directory, bit map and (in your case) the
>boot block.

In every case except one - the 64K RAM disk driver is different in that a
format call writes a volume directory and bit map too.

>This could be done from BASIC with a little machine language subroutine to
>do reads and writes.

With the slinky-type memory card all that is necessary is to write the boot
code to block zero - this can be done with a little assembly.

>In your case, using ProSel, I am sure it comes with a utility to do exactly
>what you want. Re-read the documentation on restoring files automatically.
>When you power on the //c+ it will boot from the floppy and load the RAM disk.
>>From then on you can boot from the RAM disk (unless it gets corrupted or the
>power fails).

Indeed, prosel lets you set up a file containing the stuff you want to
restore to the RAM disk and lets you configure prosel to do it on startup.
--
Randy Shackelford                              "That's right, keep dancing
shack@pro-ict.cts.com                           on the minefield"
                                                                 -Al Bundy