[Coco] using /ddr0 as default (not boot) drive

[gene heskett]

On Friday, June 24, 2011 09:09:57 PM Vanderberg Family did opine:

> -----Original Message-----
> 
> >From: Robert Gault <robert.gault at att.net>
> >Sent: Jun 24, 2011 4:53 AM
> >To: CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts <coco at maltedmedia.com>
> >Subject: Re: [Coco] using /ddr0 as default (not boot) drive
> >
> >Boisy G. Pitre wrote:
> >> Ed,
> >> 
> >> I am going through the steps in my mind on how to try this here on my
> >> 512K CoCo 3.  Here are the steps:
> >> 
> >> 1. Create a bootable disk with r0 and rammer in the bootfile
> >> 
> >> 2. Boot into that disk, then type the following commands:
> >> 	- iniz /r0
> >> 	- format /r0
> >> 	- makdir /r0/CMDS
> >> 	
> >>          - copy sysgo -w=/r0
> >>          - copy CMDS/shell -w=/r0/CMDS
> >>          - copy CMDS/grftdrv -w=/r0/CMDS
> >> 
> >> 3. Use DED and modify the bootfile on the floppy disk to rename the
> >> existing DD descriptor to DX, and rename R0 to be DD 4. Hit the
> >> reset button.
> >> 
> >> Are your steps similar?
> >> --
> >> Boisy G. Pitre
> >> http://www.tee-boy.com/
> >
> >Boisy,
> >
> >That would work the first time and as long as the power was not turned
> >off. Then the floppy would be unusable for booting as /dd would be /r0
> >which had not yet been stocked.
> >
> >Ed's main question is why the Help and Error functions don't work from
> >the RAM disk. The source code for Help has
> >helpfile fcc    "/DD/SYS/helpmsg"
> >That means each time the reset button is pushed, Error and Help get
> >redirected to /d0.
> >
> >Ed should create a new Help file by using dEd to change the program to
> >/R0/SYS/helpmsg . Then a Reset and a chd /r0; chx /r0/cmds would keep
> >Help working from the RAM disk as long as the stock Help was not
> >loaded into memory by the re-Boot process. Error could be treated in
> >the same fashion.
> >
> >So when stocking /R0, the new Error and Help commands pointing to /R0
> >should be placed in /R0/CMDS and the stock commands left in /D0/CMDS.
> 
> And after doing the above ( and also to P3 module

Sorry about that, didn't know you were using it.  I've made extensive use 
of P4 too.

> to get extended error
> msg) everything is working like a dream. From cold boot, if I do not
> enable the ram drive, everything works normally from /d0.  If I format
> /r0 and backup the /d1 pre-built image to /r0 and chx/r0/cmds & chd /r0
> then I can leave /d0 in the drive or remove it.  System doen't care. 
> Everything works perfectly from /r0.  Even extended error messages. 
> And the response is just as you would expect from ram and of course
> totally silent. From warm boot all works exactly the same except I can
> skip the format & backup.
> 
> In either case, if I use /d0/cmds, it looks in /d0/sys and doesn't care
> if I even use a ram disk (thank you Mr. Gault for pointing out the
> desirability of stock help & error on /d0 and modded versions on /r0). 
> If I use /r0/cmds, it looks in /r0/sys just as Robert, Boisy and Gene
> envisioned and doesn't care if there is a /d0. So I can have my cake
> and eat it too, and still have it on reboot. The only downside I see so
> far would be the need to modify help, error and krnP3_err when a new
> version of NitrOS9 comes out and that is no downside at all!  Two
> minutes work (the problem will be my memory, not the solution <grin>).

;-)
 
> Now the only thing is to spend time on it and make sure that my mods
> don't cause something else to choke.

But now I think you have a handle on fixing whatever chokes.

> I thank you all again for your interest and tips and recommend you try
> it if you are floppy based and have 512k. Ed

Glad you got it working Ed, congratulations.

Cheers, gene
-- 
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