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Re: QL CP/M

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2015 8:16 pm
by 1024MAK
Paul wrote:Are these CP/M versions emulating a 8080 or z80 processor?
The Z80 is code compatible with 8080 code.
CP/M itself as supplied by Digital Research should run on either a 8080, 8085 or a Z80.
However, system specific code (the low level input/output code written for a Z80 system) and some applications were written for Z80 CPU's and as such will not run on 8080 systems or 8085 systems.

I assume these QL CP/M packages supplied the correct low level system specific code.

Mark

Re: QL CP/M

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2015 9:27 pm
by RWAP
Derek_Stewart wrote:Hi,

I have an expansion card that plugs into the QL Expansion port and some 5.25" discs, which is 68K CPM.

I never really got it working, need a 5.25" drive.
Derek - someone has recently messaged me about a Miracle 5.25" disk drive ....

I need some photos of this for the QL Wiki and details - is there a ROM which could be read for example - this will be the Quest interface (very rare indeed) !!

Otherwise Norman has read in 5.25" disks for me before!

Re: QL CP/M

Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2015 4:40 pm
by Derek_Stewart
Hi,

Here are some quick photos od the OS Card Module I bought many years ago with some Quest M68K CP/M 5.25" discs.

Not if the card work with the Quest M68K CP/M.

I have a 40/80 Track 5.25" drive from a newly aquired BBC Micro, so that sure read the discs.

Re: QL CP/M

Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2015 8:26 pm
by RWAP
This was essential to be able to use the CP/M system from Quest - see:

http://www.rwapadventures.com/ql_wiki/i ... tle=OScard

Re: QL CP/M

Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2015 8:52 pm
by Ralf R.
RWAP wrote:This was essential to be able to use the CP/M system from Quest - see:

http://www.rwapadventures.com/ql_wiki/i ... tle=OScard
Looks a bit different...?!

Re: QL CP/M

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 7:47 am
by RWAP
Yes, the picture on the QL Wiki is taken from their advertising and is marked MPC Module Iss A - so not sure if this might just be an early version or something different (certainly their pull out brochure made only a reference to the OS Card)..

Other than the board being reversed there does not appear to be that much difference - but you cannot tell from such a poor image...

Re: QL CP/M

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 9:14 am
by Derek_Stewart
Hi,

The large chip: Mostek MK4801, looks to be a 1K 8 Bit Static ram chip. This must store the CP/M setting.

One thought was how the OS Card connected to the QL and disk interface, as most of the Quest interfaces I have seen are not through ported. Maybe a Expansion port system was sold with the M68K CP/M system.

I will see if I can get the system up and running, with old BBC 5.25" drive, I have a Qplane and a Sandy Disk interface. Though the voltage regulator input/Outputs will have to be shorted out to get the interfaces working on the Qplane system.

Re: QL CP/M

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 9:25 am
by tofro
Derek_Stewart wrote:Hi,

The large chip: Mostek MK4801, looks to be a 1K 8 Bit Static ram chip. This must store the CP/M setting.
.
Derek,
I would actually have expected to see more RAM - CP/M 68 k requires RAM at the lower addresses by design (applications are normally loaded at $400 if they haven't messed it up completely), so I'd have expected to see at least 64k RAM there to replace the QL's ROM for the vector tables and the lower area of the TPA. Or maybe it's really something entirely different.

Tobias

Re: QL CP/M

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 11:16 am
by Derek_Stewart
Hi,

I have some floppy disks, but have never really got the system running.

Maybe this is not part of the Quest M68K CP/M

But please an extract from QL Technical Report No1 regards Quest M68K CP/M by Michael L. Jackson

Which reminds me, I have to finish the QL Technical Report scanning.

Re: QL CP/M

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 11:53 am
by RWAP
Derek_Stewart wrote: But please an extract from QL Technical Report No1 regards Quest M68K CP/M by Michael L. Jackson
Ooh - I have an email address for a QL user called Michael L Jackson - I will send him an email :)