Date   : Wed, 13 Jul 1988 16:12:45 GMT
From   : ucsdhub!jack!crash!mwilson@ucsd.edu (Marc Wilson)
Subject: Need help with brain-damaged bdos.

In article <9936@e.ms.uky.edu> simon@ms.uky.edu (Simon Gales) writes:
>Help!!!
>   I have a z80 cpm box at work that has problems, and I'm looking
>   for ideas to improve it a lit
>
>   The version of cpm that it is running seems to be < 2.2, and 
>   the bdos seem to be brain-damaged.
>   (1) There is no escape code to position the cursor, however 
>           calling the bios CONOUT routine to print a 0x18 with the 
>           row/col in HL does the job.  (don't even ask how I found
>           this out!)
>   (2) Bdos function 6 (direct console i/o) does not exist, but 
>           the corresponding bios calls work ok.  Other bdos calls 
>           may be ok, but I trust the bios much more.  The bdos also
>           refuses to return the version#.

     What you are describing sounds very much like CP/M 1.4.  It implemented
neither the BDOS 6 call, nor the BDOS 12 call ( well, it *did* do BDOS 12,
but it used it for something else ).

     As for trusting the BIOS, watch out.  There are differences between the
2.2 BIOS and a 1.4 BIOS.

>   The computer itself is a Videoplan form Kontron Electronics 
>   (in Munich & California), has 1 Z80-sio, 1 ctc, 2 pio's (keyboard 
>   & printer) and a WD1771-B01 floppy controller (single density). 
>   The motherboard is a (4mhz?) KDT rev. IV.  If anyone from Kontron 
>   is reading this, and has any docs on this board, please send me 
>   e-mail.
>
>   I've been thinking about getting Z-cpr to replace the bdos/ccp,
>   but I'm not sure if it would even install in such a brain damaged
>   system.

     I can almost guarantee that you won't be able to install the Z-System
on this machine.  You need a 2.2 system for that.  NZCOM will probably
blow up if you try to use it.  Save your money.

>
>   Anyone got any other ideas?  I'd love to be able to do double-density,
>   but I don't know if the WD1771 can do this.

     I know that the 1770 can, but it needs external help.  How do I know
this?  This computer right here ( Ampro LB/Z80 ) uses the 1770.  Pick
up the data sheets on the chip from Western Digital.  They've always been
most helpful when I've spoken to them.

     Good luck!

-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marc Wilson
     ARPA: ...!crash!mwilson@nosc.mil
           ...!crash!pnet01!pro-sol!mwilson@nosc.mil
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     INET: mwilson@crash.CTS.COM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


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