68K/OS "ROM" based disk attempt

[t0nyt]

This is a 64Kb ROM image (32Kb GST 68K/OS + 32Kb ROM Disk)

The 32kb ROM disk is the same as the 16Kb ROM disk but with the EDIT program added (like on a real card)

Have only tried in Q-emuLator so far, but will try on a QL later today if my 64kb EEPROMS arrive as expected

GST68KOS.bin.zip

(38.95 KiB) Downloaded 45 times

[t0nyt]

Works fine in a real QL too

Obviously it needs to be installed in a board/device that allows 64kb ROMs (48Kb+16Kb@$C000)

I didn't think it was working properly at first as EDIT program wouldn't run, but I then realised I had $C000 disabled on the ROM board. Doh!

[t0nyt]

I've been reading up on articles in QL User/QL World and noticed a couple of things

Floppy Disk support was going to be a board with the FDC & 68K/OS ROMS, rather than a separate FDC controller

There was various software planned that never seems to have seen the light of day, including a version of GST assembler that would run from ROM. I don't see how it could fit in the 2 x 16KB ROM space so either they were planning another way or all the include files etc. weren't going to be included (no pun intended) in ROM. Am going to look at this in more detail

The thing that really came across though was that "the product" was really 68K/OS itself, not the ROM board(s) it comes on

It's a real shame the technical information on all this seems to be lost to the sands of time

[t0nyt]

Looking at the minimum required files they are

Code: Select all

ASM_PROG              17576 bytes
68KOS_IN                23145 bytes
SYSPROG_IN            14539 bytes
EDIT_PROG              11412 bytes

Obviously ASM_PROG & EDIT_PROG can't be reduced and they total about 29KB of the 32 KB available

But the _IN files are mainly comments & empty space

When I have time I'm going to try and strip both _IN files down to remove all the spaces & comments to see if they'll fit in 3KB, if they do I'll build a couple of RAM disk ROMS

I think the ASM_PROG can be split across the disk ROMs, otherwise the whole thing is a non-starter!

[t0nyt]

Managed to strip the smaller SYSPROG_IN down to 2742 bytes, but that's obviously not enough

I wonder if 68K/OS looks to other places (other than $8000 and $C000) for ROM disks. But even if it does I've no idea how to add that ROM space anyway!

[techy]

Love this "older" project !!

i hope some-one will be able to read the assembler and get it to rom format .

Will there be a way to remake the original 4-rom board ??

Tried my luck with a real ql , and a rom-board .

Now to learn how to use 68k/os

[t0nyt]

Love this "older" project !!

i hope some-one will be able to read the assembler and get it to rom format .

Will there be a way to remake the original 4-rom board ??

Tried my luck with a real ql , and a rom-board .

Now to learn how to use 68k/os

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Nice

Getting the Assembler (and support files) into ROM is fairly straightforward, the problem is where to locate the ROM in the memory map so it finds it. And how to physically add that to the QL.

The 32KB of ROM space available at the moment is only enough space for the items you have listed (the original board is 32Kb O/S + 32KB of ROM Disk which is all used up)

[techy]

Thanks for your answers .

So the only real solution would be a recreation of the original board ?

[t0nyt]

Thanks for your answers .

So the only real solution would be a recreation of the original board ?

No. Even with the original board you don't have room for the assembler, I think they expect it to be run from Microdrive (but a 68K/OS formatted Microdrive). Your ROM board is really no different to the original board other than the original board plugs into the expansion port and has a switch to choose QL or 68K/OS

I did manage to copy the files from 68K/OS Microdrive to MacBook using a serial cable, so I guess it's not beyond possibility to copy the files back the other way (on page 2 of this thread is a zip of the ASM micro drive files)

[techy]

found the file ( thank you !! )

now to get it to work ( not easy )