Subject: H89 hard sectored disk copy program

From: "Dwight K. Elvey" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu Jul 17 14:52:57 2003

Hi
 Patrick Rigney and I have been working on a program to
transfer disk images to and from a H89/90 to a PC through
the serial port. It looks like we have a working setup.
Here are some of the things one might use this program
for:

1. Boot Strapping a system without any boot disk ( you do
 need a 10 sectored diskette ).
2. Archive disk data onto newer media.
3. Transfer disk images over the Internet.

 I'm looking for a few more guinea pigs to try it out
on. Right now, it is only working in a pure DOS boot
and not in a DOS window under windoze. If anyone know
what the problem is with windoze and serial port access,
I'd like to better understand it?
 The stuff I have includes:
 
BOOTSTRP.OCL   Octal code to cold bootstrap
H89TRANS.COM   DOS program to run transfers
H89LDR.BIN     Main loader program to run on H89

 If you have an extra blank disk, you only need to enter
the BOOTSTRP, from the H89 monitor, once. You can then
make a bootable disk that brings up the transfer program.
The program includes built in formatting so you don't
need to worry about that. The system needs one of the
H89 serial cards. Right now, that is the only access
I've implemented. I currently use the H89's LP: port since that
doesn't require a null modem connection and simple 1-to-1
wiring works from a serial port on the PC. The port on the
PC side is selectable.
 Disk image files can be transfered to and from the H89.
These are simple non-compressed disk images. This way one
can often write simple programs to read text files and such
from the images files. I may add a HDOS file read/write
at a later date.
 There are some 9600TPI disk out there ( and I have a couple )
but I've not dealt with these yet. If you have a system that
uses these, you'll need to wait.
 I am also especially interested in image files you may have.
This is one of my main motives for writing this. There
was a bunch of interesting things out there that would
run under HDOS. I also have my Forth that runs standalone for
those that are interested. I include a Forth meta compiler
to modify or add anything you want. You can also make turnkey
systems as well.
 Please reply if you are interested.
Dwight