68K/OS Utilities MDV Image

[genetika]

Probably it is a question already made.
Does anyone have a .mdv image with the utilities of 68k / os?
For example, to use with Qemulator.

Thanks,
in advance.

M.

[mk79]

The 68K/OS format is physically different from the QDOS format, I don‘t think anybody ever managed to make images of them.

I started extracting the MDV code from 68K/OS a few years ago, but it never went anywhere.

Marcel

[dex]

68k/OS supports ROM disk.
This is one possible way, how to import essential file (FORMAT.PROG, BAUD.PROG, COPY.PROG) into your system: to save them to ROMdisk, and then copy from ROM to MD: device (using COPY.PROG).

There are 2 ROM slots on the 68k/OS card, 16 KB each (32KB altogether) for the ROM disk.
But the logical format of ROM disk is unknown to me.

Somehow ADAM is stored on the ROM disk, so I anticipate, that it is stored at the end of previous 32 KB ROM space, ad the ROM disk continues to the empty 32 KB, maybe it has no directory and sector map, but stores files in ROM continuously concatenated in the format, which we can obtain when sending the file to serial...
... but this is hypothesis only.
I have seen photos of 68k/OS card with all 4 ROM slots occupied, but never got the content of the two intended for ROM disk.

[mk79]

The files can be sent over a serial line, that is probably the easiest approach to saving them. But I haven‘t had the time to try it yet.

Marcel

[dex]

The files can be sent over a serial line, that is probably the easiest approach to saving them.

But to transfer files back to 68k/OS, You need to have baud.prog and copy.prog already in the system (MD: or ROM:).
Hen and egg problem.

[QLvsJAGUAR]

For those who ever wanted an original GST Sinclair QL EPROM expansion card with their 68K/OS Z570V218 and the associated Microdrive Cartridges 68K/OS and 68K/ASM, there's currently a set on ebay (ending 2024-04-24):
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/305516991319

BTW: This auction also includes HiSoft DevpacQL and CP/MULATOR. I'm not the seller nor related to him.

It would be great if someone of the QL community would take good care of it and - after refelting the Microdrive Cartridges - make backup copies of those Microdrive Cartridges. Maybe one day, someone adds 68K/OS Microdrive support/emulation in a Q-Emulator or even on hardware Microdrive substitutes.