TOS mods for more free RAM

[ParanoidLittleMan]

I made some special modded (patched) TOS versions, intended mostly for users with floppies, HW floppy emulators, or those using emulators on PC, MAC ...
Background: AUTO folder SW is normally SW not using AES (GEM), and despite it, it must have extension PRG - like SW using GEM. Better would be that it have extension TOS. And there is wasted space in case of AUTO run, because area intended for AES and Desktop workspace is allocated at early OS init, and stay so - then Atari ST SW normally does not use that area.
So, this is practically some simple correction of that error. This is not perfect - not good for resident SW, like hard disk drivers. Much more correction would be needed. Main goal here is better compatibility with games (for hard disk users it is solved in other ways). And for that this serves well.

T114UK.IMG is modded TOS 1.04 UK. With it can have 18 KB more free RAM for SW running from AUTO folder.
For that, you need that executables in AUTO folder of floppy have extension TOS, instead PRG. It will execute those with extension PRG too, if *.TOS - what executes first exits. But *.PRG will have usual RAM usage as in unmodded TOS.
Most of SW for AUTO folder will run fine if renamed to *.TOS. I know only couple exceptions: Dungeon Master and Chaos Strikes Back. + some
of mine floppy adaptatations, which utilize same RAM area as mentioned 2 games. So, you leave Dungeon Master as *.PRG in AUTO folder.

T214UK.IMG is combination of modded TOS 1.04 GEMDOS part, as above and AES + Desktop of TOS 2.06 . The benefit is better compatibility with games, while there is much better Desktop. So, for it stays same as for above, considering running SW from AUTO folder.
27KB more free RAM for SW running from AUTO folder.

In both there is small correction in floppy format, so will have 2KB more free space on floppies formatted with Desktop format option.

This is for floppy users. System is not good with autoboot resident SW like hard disk driver, and actually, no sense to use this RAM saving system
with hard disk drivers and SW.

 

MORERAM.ZIP

Alpha versions, you may test easily with some emulator, for instance.

[walter_J64bit]

LOL, it's about time someone makes some enhancements to TOS, I'll be keeping an eye on this.

[ParanoidLittleMan]

There are diverse TOS patches available already. This is mostly intended for better compatibility with games. For instance, now Space Harrier works with this 'TOS 2.14' . What is combination of TOS 1.04 and 2.06 . There is no more Timer-C dependance for filesystem calls (like in normal TOS 2.06) . And same stays for many other games.

Lot of games is not coded well, partially because not enough detailed TOS documentations, not explained some basics of whole concept (some programmers even today don't know that can use VDI calls well in AUTO run SW).

So, there are many which need start from Desktop, as PRG - and that means simply less free RAM for game, while game does not use GEM (windows, menus, etc). It could work well from AUTO folder at price of couple minor changes in code. And then, even without this modded TOS extra 18 or 27 KB there would be some + 30 KB (TOS 1.04) more RAM space.

I will add probably some extra options at boot - like VDI, mouse initialization for AUTO run SW - in way that if user holds down some key during boot (so after reset), small menu will appear, and can select what to activate, in which mode to continue. It will need lot of testings with diverse games in first place.

[walter_J64bit]

There are diverse TOS patches available already.

Not to hijack your post here but what other TOS patches are out there?

[ParanoidLittleMan]

Here is test v. for new floppy image concept:

RAWI10M.ZIP

This is same TOS 1.04 mod as above, with added code for low level ACSI disk access. 10 MB image is supplied .
Instead as Floppy Image Runner works by holding floppy images in RAM, what means practically that min RAM is 2MB, this new
system stores images on mass storage, and using RAW disk access (code in TOS ROM) so no any extra RAM is required.
Works well with only 512KB RAM.

In this version, drive A: is extended floppy image, with capacity of 9MB. Max is 32MB. So, you can place plenty of it in single image. Drive B: is actually real floppy A: . So, can do transfers.
In final version it will be configurable. Probably most useful will be to have: A: as extended image, B: as real floppy A: and C: as another extended image. But regular hard disk drivers may work too. Then, of course will need more RAM .

This is what can fit in free space of TOS 1.04 ROM. Later versions will be for TOS 1.62 - there is plenty of free space. For ST may use TOS 1.46 (combo of 1.04 and 2.06) . Or in cartridge.

May test this in some emulator like Steem or Hatari. Will need real hard disk emulation (Pasti for Steem), ACSI hard disk in Hatari. Or Steem SSE with ACSI em. Can test on real HW too, but then need to burn image to EPROMs, and write long file to some SD card and use Satandisk, UltraSatan, CE ...

[ParanoidLittleMan]

New image, now with 3 games:

RAWI10M.ZIP

One is HAGA type (Action Fighter), so needs min 1MB RAM (may return to Desktop, save gamestates) - mostly to test how it works with this extended floppy image concept.
Simulcra needs only 512KB RAM, it uses not regular files, but direct floppy access. Here it is replaced by direct access to image file of floppy inside folder of game. Extra code in game is short, because uses added ACSI code in TOS ROM.
Secret of the Monkey Island: regular files, all 4 floppy content here in extended floppy image's 1 folder. And game works from hard drive with only 512KB of RAM .

[kimchipenguin]

Not to hijack your post here but what other TOS patches are out there?

There were dozens of TOS patches to fix bugs or enhance parts of the OS. TOSPATCH is a program that allows you to selectively apply patches and generate a patched TOS image.

 

KAOS was probably one of the more extensive ones, there's the TOS 1.7 by Level 16, TEX and TNT-Crew and a TOS 2.08 for the STE that is a backport of TOS 4.x. The TOS v4.04 used by the FireBee and CT60 also include enhancements as did the Milan TOS (TOS 4.08).

[walter_J64bit]

There were dozens of TOS patches to fix bugs or enhance parts of the OS. TOSPATCH is a program that allows you to selectively apply patches and generate a patched TOS image.

 

KAOS was probably one of the more extensive ones, there's the TOS 1.7 by Level 16, TEX and TNT-Crew and a TOS 2.08 for the STE that is a backport of TOS 4.x. The TOS v4.04 used by the FireBee and CT60 also include enhancements as did the Milan TOS (TOS 4.08).

Thanks, I'll heck them out!