PC-8201A ROM Blues

[chuckcmagee]

When I put my new TS-DOS rom into the 8201A and initialize it, it just returns to the BASIC OK prompt. If I then exit back to the NEC Main Menu, I have a new file entry called "TS-DOS" but when I run it, I'm back to the now famous BASIC OK prompt.

This poke 63911,1:exec 62394 initializes the ROM and creates that new file entry but that's all, NO TS-DOS menu!

Any clues????

[Sharkonwheels]

Did you download the Acrobat manual?

ftp://ftp.whtech.com/club100/doc/tsdosrom.pdf



Tony

[chuckcmagee]

This
http://www.club100.org/library/librom.html

says to do the exact same thing

poke 63911,1:exec 62394

The "Sardine" ROM did put a bunch of stuff on the screen when initialized and created 4 files too. Which is why I'm sooooo confused. The TS-DOS rom creates the "starter file" with the correct name, just doesn't work when you run it.

[Terry Yager]

Why are the load address & execution address different? Have you tried using the same addy for both?

--T

[Terry Yager]

Try 'CALL 62394' from BASIC.

--T

[chuckcmagee]

Poor Terry.. Same as me... too many machines!!

I have a PX-8, a 8201A, and a M100 sitting here in my bedroom. It is confusing, let me tell you.

Anyway, "CALL" is NOT supported in NEC land. Have to use EXEC, that's why the POKE, to pass parms before the EXEC is done

[Terry Yager]

Well, the CALL always worked for me on the Model 100 & 102. I knew there are some differences in the NEC's dialect, but I didn't know that one (I've never had an extra ROM for one).

--T

[curtis]

Chuck,

Silly question, but are you trying to run TS-DOS and Sardine at the same time?

Next question, how old is the TS-DOS ROM and is it a masked ROM? Some of these things aren't ROM's, but are EPROM's and EPROM's tend to fade over the years.

[chuckcmagee]

No on trying to run at the same time.

Sharkonwheels just made 4 ROMS for me using new in the tube ROMS.

They all seem to initialize but I don't get any kind of menu. I have to hit the reset button to get the screen and keyboard back.

[Sharkonwheels]

Curtis:

I downloaded the .HEX files from club100.org, and burned them for Chuck.

I burned them onto brand new AMD Am 27C512 EPROMs. These were bought new from distribution, not old erased units!

I figure, if the didn't burn right, they wouldn't work at all, so now we gotta figure out what's going on.

He can execute something to get the menu item added, so at least they're partially working.


Tony

[curtis]

Continuing with the stupid questions (Hey! It's the only way I can get a semi-intelligent response from my users at work!)

Did you download the right file? The NEC's and Tandy's have different memory maps and most programs aren't interchangeable, excepting the most basic BASIC (pardon the pun).

If the right file was d/l'd, then it sounds like a bad burn on the EPROM.

Just my $0.02.

Curtis

[curtis]

I think I just answered my own question after looking a little closer at club100's site. They only have the TS-DOS for the T100/102.

It's been my experience that it won't work in an 8201 as-is.

Someone feel like disassembling and editing? Personally, I'll pass! ;)

Curtis

[chuckcmagee]

hmmm, this

http://www.club100.org/library/librom.html

has HEX files for all slabtops, including TSDOS for the NEC

I'm sure that was Tony's source. I'm working on a DISPLY.BA file I found on web8201. See if I can figure out how to get a dump of the TSDOS rom to the screen. I'm getting close, just need a get a few more steps figured out.

[Sharkonwheels]

That's where I got 'em from.

Curtis: I don;t know what page you're looking at, but the one mentioned bu Chuck above, has TS-DOS
for M100, M200, and the NEC. The have NEC flavors of almost all ROMs - Ultimate ROM II, Sardine, ROM/2,
ans well as TS-DOS

And before I labelled them, I did a verify, *AND* a compare, so what's on the EPROM is what's in the .HEX file.
None of the 4 failed either the verify, or compare.

These were burned on a Logical Devices XPRO-48 burner, with latest rev software. I can tell you, I have yet to
run into a single issue burning EPROMs for my CoCo, or the PX-8 Geneva. They've all worked flawlessly, so I will
assume the burner is fine. Also, the EPROMs I used were new ones, not recycled units.


Tony

[Sharkonwheels]

Chuck - yeah, that's probably it. I had another Cerebral Flatulence!

I'm trying to locate some 27C256's to burn, and send off to ya.

My math kinda' sucks after 1am ! That's probably why I reached for 27C512's!
It might take me a couple days to buy some, because I'm not having any luck finding decent ones in my stash. I mean, they'll program, but they're at least 7 years old, or more.


Tony

[curtis]

That's where I got 'em from.

Curtis: I don;t know what page you're looking at, but the one mentioned bu Chuck above, has TS-DOS
for M100, M200, and the NEC. The have NEC flavors of almost all ROMs - Ultimate ROM II, Sardine, ROM/2,
ans well as TS-DOS

Tony

Tony,

Looking at the page posted previously, scrolling down almost to the bottom, I see the TSDOS for the NEC ver 4.0, but I also noticed in the description this quote
"At this time I do not know of such a call for the TS-DOS ROM in an NEC PC8201A."

This statement clearly conflicts with the statement at the top of the page where he gives the call/exec command.

I don't doubt the burns on your EPROMs, but I think there may be a problem with the call/exec.

So, sounds like you've got a good image and burn, but we're trying to call the wrong point in memory.

At least that's as much as I can figure out.

Curtis

[Terry Yager]

Just read the page again...two questions: Did you do a cold reset? Did you install the new chip into socket #2?

--T

[Sharkonwheels]

Curtis - the call he writer refers to, is the recovery poke+call, not the call to init the ROM.

I think we figgered out I burned onto the wrong size EPROM.


Tony

[curtis]

Hmmm, hadn't thought of that. :|

Guess the older technology couldn't handle all the extra room in the EPROM!

Seems like it always turns out to be the little things, like forgetting to plug the power supply in! :D

Curtis