Date   : Tue, 19 Apr 1988 10:04:00 N
From   : <DHAESE%BANUIA51.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: Fail to install P2DOS on Apple

portal!cup.portal.com!dick_a_wotiz@uunet.uu.net wrote :

>I have run across similar problems with the Apple Softcard.  Apparently,
>Apple uses a completely non-standard BDOS for the Softcard.  In fact,
>there is not a clear split between the BDOS and BIOS as with other
>systems.  Because of the way the Apple II handles bank-switched memory,
>any changes or replacements to the BDOS and/or BIOS must be customized
>for the machine, and almost no standard 'drop-in' replacements will
>work.
>
>As an example, there is a special file in the Simtel20 CPM.APPLE
>archives for installing ZCPR3 with Softcard CP/M, that does some
>non-standard patches to get it to work properly.
>
>Apple did maintain almost all of the BDOS and BIOS call conventions,
>so it might be possible to get a replacement BDOS to work.
>If anyone does, I'd sure like to hear about it!
>
 I promised Don Kirkpatrick a full report of what I did. Here it comes:
 - my configuration is an Apple ][+ with 64 K of RAM, for running CP/M
   I have a Softcard 60K with a Z80 processor.
   I run the Apple Softcard CP/M 2.23 (to coldstart).
 - On my system disk there are two files to generate a startup disk,
   nl. CPM56.COM and CPM60.COM, which are similar to the SYSGEN program.
   The difference is that CPM60.COM has a copy of the CPM image inside
   the com file and with a SYSGEN program one has to save it.
 - I used the CPM60.COM to generate a new CP/M com file.
   addresses in image file          addresses in high memory
   =======================          =======================
   CCP:  F00h - 17FFh               CCP:  D300h
   BDOS: 1800h - 26FFh              BDOS: DC00h
   BIOS: 2700h - 2CFFh              BIOS: FA03h

   P.S.: This are the addresses which I think the CCP, BDOS and BIOS
         probably begin ? If NOT correct please let me know, because
         the whole installation procedure falls or stands with it !
 - In file P2DOS.MAC I filled the following values in :
   DOSSTRT = DC00h
   SE RI AL NU MB ER = BD 16 00 00 EC B8
   ORG = 100h
   I assembled P2DOS.MAC with the M80 assembler.
   B>a:m80 =p2dos   (no errors were produced)
   B>a:l80 p2dos,p2dos/x/n/e  (to generate the p2dos.hex file)
 - type p2dos.hex gives :
       :20DC0000BD160000ECB8...
          ----  ------------
          BDOS  serialnumber

 - Combined CPM60.COM with P2DOS.HEX using DDT:
   B>DDT CPM60.COM
     -f 1800 26FF 0  (to fill with zeroes)
     -d 1800         (check if made zero)
     -i p2dos.hex
     -r 1700
     -d 1800         (check if p2dos is there)
     -^C
   B>save 44 P2DOS.COM  (new CP/M image file)
   B>P2DOS              (on a fresh disk, writes system tracks)
 - Switch Apple ON/OFF and insert new CP/M startup system disk.
   RESULT= a lot of noice, and over and out.
 - Some final considerations :
   * who has experience with installing a new Apple CP/M image file ?
   * why not sharing some specific Apple CP/M details about the BDOS,
     BIOS and all the rest I don't know about.
   * I could write a technical report about our results and submit it
     to SIMTEL20. Fair or not ? I say don't waste energy, because there
     will be a time we'll be glad we have some left !

     From   D'haese  Gratien
     Bitnet : dhaese@banuia51
     Internet : dhaese%banuia51.bitnet@cunyvm.cuny.edu