Issue with TDOS and Virtual Adam

[+Vorticon]

Hi.

I've been trying to initialize CP\M disks under TDOS in Virtual Adam (VA) using FORMAT36.

I first create a blank 160K disk using VA, then format the disk with FORMAT36. The process does not throw any errors and the disk formats fine. However, it does not boot even though according to the docs FORMAT36 automatically sysgens the disks unless told otherwise.

Furthermore, when I try to COPY files from one CP\M disk to the newly formatted disk, I invariably get a FILE I\O error.

I must be missing something here...

[jblenkle]

I'm not a real big expert when it comes to TDOS, but I am fairly sure you have to set up your installation of TDOS and tell it how many and what size drives you have on your system...or virtual system. It may not be seeing the drive correctly.

 

Hi.

I've been trying to initialize CP\M disks under TDOS in Virtual Adam (VA) using FORMAT36.

I first create a blank 160K disk using VA, then format the disk with FORMAT36. The process does not throw any errors and the disk formats fine. However, it does not boot even though according to the docs FORMAT36 automatically sysgens the disks unless told otherwise.

Furthermore, when I try to COPY files from one CP\M disk to the newly formatted disk, I invariably get a FILE I\O error.

I must be missing something here...

[NIAD]

Not a big CP/M or T-DOS user as well, but I would stick with the T-DOS install programs that are on disk #1 to create your system disks and in the process, the system configuration is created. If you will be distributing a program for others to use, then best practice is to remove additional hardware from the ADAM to create a bare bones configuration of say one Data Drive and Disk Drive or supply the proper T-DOS install file for the end-user to configure according to their ADAM system setup.

 

Actually MilliV might be able to better answer your questions.

[+Vorticon]

Ok so I used the TDOS installation program instead of FORMAT to initialize the blank disk, and now it boots (yay!). Unfortunately, I still get an I/O error when trying to transfer anything to it with COPY. It's as if it is write protected or something...

[+Vorticon]

Well I figured out a solution although I'm still not understanding the root cause. Upon closer inspection of the newly formatted and sysgen'ed disk, there was a 0K file listed in the directory without a name. So I went ahead and did a DEL *.* to remove that file and now I can write normally to the disk. Why this mysterious 0K file is showing up every time is unknown although I'm sure there is a rational explanation lurking somewhere...

[+Vorticon]

I noticed that TDOS does not have the standard CP/M programs like ED, DDT, ASM and LOAD which are needed for assembly programming. Does it have equivalents for them by any chance?

[NIAD]

I noticed that TDOS does not have the standard CP/M programs like ED, DDT, ASM and LOAD which are needed for assembly programming. Does it have equivalents for them by any chance?

Calling MilliV !

 

If he or someone else does not respond here, try the Coleco ADAM Facebook page.

[NIAD]

Rich Drushel (Dr. D) might have the source code to T-DOS. Worth a shot to send him a PM.

[+Vorticon]

Get a copy of CP/M from the Adam Archive (http://adamarchive.org) - Yes T-DOS is nice - I like it - but it has a few issues, especially the setting up of the system for different disk sizes. I wish the source code existed so that it could be expanded on.

 

Milli

I did. Standard CP/M works fine for my purposes anyway.

[+Vorticon]

I was experimenting with the List Output to Printer CP/M system call using Virtual Adam and TDOS, and it looks like the printer under VA needs a CR first before it displays any prints. I confirmed this with the Adam's typewriter resident program as well. This is not the case on a real Adam. Also the printer needs to be set up as a parallel printer with TDOS using the configuration program, which I found confusing since it's really a serial connection at a proprietary baud rate...

A minor bug it seems with the emulator.

[joltguy]

On 4/19/2019 at 9:49 PM, Vorticon said:

Well I figured out a solution although I'm still not understanding the root cause. Upon closer inspection of the newly formatted and sysgen'ed disk, there was a 0K file listed in the directory without a name. So I went ahead and did a DEL *.* to remove that file and now I can write normally to the disk. Why this mysterious 0K file is showing up every time is unknown although I'm sure there is a rational explanation lurking somewhere...

Thank you so much for posting this! I was pulling my hair out trying to figure out why I couldn't write to a blank disk image. After DEL *.* it's all good!