Date : Thu, 21 Feb 1991 09:08:34 GMT
From : csusac!sactoh0!ijpc!ianj@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu (Ian Justman)
Subject: ZCPR, ZCPR3.x, and the Z-System
tom@afthree.as.arizona.edu (Thomas J. Trebisky) writes:
> 1 - Can I get it for free ?? (always first in my list), if so where --
> SIMTEL ?? Can I get all the source code from SIMTEL? Where else.
Absolutely. YOu can get the sources for ZCPR33 from SIMTEL as
well as a good many of its utilities. I have checked a few of
them and they are really nice.
> 2 - Can I bring it up on my own motley collection of hardware, or am
> I stuck unless I have a "supported" system. In other words can I throw
> together a disk controller, Z80 CPU, and one or more 64K ram boards in
> an S100 box and bring up ZCPR on it (apart from the usual S100 hardware
> compatibility issues). I am asking this because I have a collection of
> hardware gathering dust that this sounds like an interesting project for.
> In yet other words - can I get example bios source to start off with?
> I assume I can use one of my working CP/M 2.2 systems and M80, L80 to
> fire up ZCPR for a new system.
I've done precisely that on MY S-100 box, an OLD Dynabyte DB8/1
originally with 10MB hard disk, now with 20 megs (8" platters,
yet!). As far as BIOS is concerned, I _sorely_ wish I had source
code for this old boatanchor's BIOS, but after a little
sleuthing, I was able to figger out a way to get it online
without having to make extensive jury-rigging than I already had.
But I'll say this; it works, and it works well! I've had a great
deal of fun putting this system online.
> 3 - what is the mimum hardware config - I take it it handles bank switched
> memory, but will some version run with just 64K of RAM.
Re: Minimum hardware config: 64K is almost a must, but if you
did a little paring down, you could get it running with less
memory, but you won't have as capable a system. Same goes for
whatever type of mass storage you use. If you have a hard disk,
it makes using it all the nicer, but you could use it on a
floppy-based system, like I've done on my Ampro Little Board, and
I plan to do the same thing with my Big Board II. As for your
bank-switching question, you'd have to write the bank-switch
routines yourself if you're running a 2.2 system which you
mentioned earlier. If you're running CP/M Plus, you have to get
Z3PLUS from either Sage Microsystem East or Alpha Systems. I
have three extra banks of 48K on this unit, but I'm just too
damned lazy to write the routines to make use of them.
> 4 - how about posting a list of what files to get, where to get them,
> and how to get started with this (I mean "the code is available on Z-nodes
> scattered around the country" is a just a tad too vague. :-) )
At very least, you need ZCPR33.??? which could be LBR, ARK, or
ZIP (yes, there are several CP/M UNZIP utilities out there). I
uploaded them to a local BBS in my area. The number of that BBS
is (916) 386-2521. The BBS is called Omni, plus it has quite a
bit of CP/M software (I know because I uploaded some 75% or so of
their files, and all of their ZCPR3x files). Also, if any
Z-Enthusiasts are reading this, and call the system and have
stuff to upload, PLEASE DO IT!!! I cannot afford to call any
Z-Nodes because there are absolutely no Z-Nodes here in
Sacramento, and therefore all of them are long-distance. I
cannot start one because my folks would not approve.
> I like the fact that this is a Z80 software package - I mean, If I had any
> 8080 or 8085 S100 boards, I would take my coping saw, cut out the circuitry
> leaving the fingers and sides of the board (so it would still slide into the
> card cage) then I would epoxy a piece of nice perf board with solder pads
> into the hole thus generated and use the thing for a wire-wrap board.
> (Here's a hot tip for you folks wondering what to do with old S100 boards).
Gee, that sounds a little drastic. I know of a source here in
Sacramento where I could get S100 wire-wrap boards.
End of INFO-CPM Digest V91 Issue #41
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