Date   : Tue, 12 Jul 1988 13:33:18 GMT
From   : simon@g.ms.uky.edu (George Simon)
Subject: Need help with brain-damaged bdos.

Help!!!
       I have a z80 cpm box at work that has problems, and I'm looking
       for ideas to improve it a little.  If it were up to me, I'd
       replace it with a Pc, but for several reasons, we need to continue
       to use it.

       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#.
       
       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.

       Even its disks are strange - single density, 35 tracks x 2 sides, 
       and 16 sectors/track yielding about 138K per disk.

       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 have no hardware or software docs on this machine, but
       I have found all of the port#s for the sio/ctc/pio's, and can
       probably find the floppy controller and video (Motorola 6845L) if
       needed.  

       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 have heard that 
       Z-Cpr 3.4 is self-installing, but it may have problems here...
       I have managed to get kermit running, but I'd like to get turbo
       pascal or a c-compiler working.  Respond via e-mail, or post it
       if you think others would be interested.
                                                       Thanks in advance,
                                                               Simon.

<-------------------------------------------------------------------------->
<---   Simon Gales@University of Ky              (606) 257-3597/254-9387    --->
<---            [ simon@ms.uky.edu ]  |  [ simon@UKMA.BITNET ]          --->
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