TIP: Click on subject to list as thread! ANSI
echo: apple
to: comp.sys.apple2
from: mdj
date: 2009-02-15 22:59:02
subject: Re: More fun with Freed Z80

On Feb 16, 12:20=A0pm, Steven Hirsch  wrote:

> > Intersesting... What's the status of this? I've yet to put my board
> > together, but I do prefer the idea of running it from ProDOS
>
> I'm busy trying to piece together what I did to make that work. =A0It was=
 done
> as proof-of-concept for the CardZ180 project and never really polished up=
.
> Instead of writing to the boot tracks of the disk, the setup program crea=
ted a
> DRIVERS file and a relocated PCPICPM.SYS. =A0You copy them to a ProDOS bo=
ot disk
> (using a disk transfer utility to bootstrap yourself) and startup from th=
ere.
> =A0 The PCPI 6502 BIOS basically runs as a ProDOS SYSTEM program and, onc=
e
> running, can use the filesystem services to better support transfer betwe=
en
> CP/M and ProDOS. =A0I have a utility called pdosxfer that's use to move t=
hings
> back and forth.

So the CP/M CBIOS is implemented in 6502, and on the Z80 side there's
a "proxy" CBIOS that delegates this responsiblity back to the Apple II
host ?

I'd be interested in being able to use CP/M image files (hosted on a
ProDOS volume) as the actual "disk", rather than a partition or other
raw ProDOS device. This is similar to how I still run Apple Pascal -
using a hacked version of the Pascal Profile Manager that Willi and I
nutted out a few years back.

> The transfer program for the CardZ180 would preserve time and date stamps
> between the two environments when the Z80 side was running an OS that
> supported them (Z-System and/or DateStamper). =A0Not sure if that feature=
 was
> ever working with the Applicard. =A0There's enough similarity between the=
m that
> a port would be possible, I'm sure.
>
> It's been over 20 years since I've laid eyes on the code. Originally it u=
sed a
> home-spun patching program to modify a users operating system files. =A0A=
t this
> point in time, I'll just distribute the pre-patched code if I can get thi=
ngs
> working.
>
> >> I have the USB interface and 20Mhz. crystal already. =A0The 20Mhz. Z80=
 and PLDs
> >> should be here Monday.
>
> > It's tempting, but I'm worried that at 20Mhz, I might leave the II in
> > Z80 mode all the time ;-)
>
> If you have an accelerator on the A2 side, it's even more impressive! =A0=
This
> type of Z80 card can run just fine with accelerated 2e and 2GS systems.

Indeed I do Zip, Fast storage, RamWorks, Ultraterm is my II(e)
configuration of choice :-)
--- SBBSecho 2.12-Win32
* Origin: Derby City Gateway (1:2320/0)
SEEN-BY: 10/1 3 34/999 120/228 123/500 128/2 140/1 222/2 226/0 236/150 249/303
SEEN-BY: 250/306 261/20 38 100 1404 1406 1410 1418 266/1413 280/1027 320/119
SEEN-BY: 393/11 396/45 633/260 267 712/848 800/432 801/161 189 2222/700
SEEN-BY: 2320/100 105 200 2905/0
@PATH: 2320/0 100 261/38 633/260 267

SOURCE: echomail via fidonet.ozzmosis.com

Email questions or comments to sysop@ipingthereforeiam.com
All parts of this website painstakingly hand-crafted in the U.S.A.!
IPTIA BBS/MUD/Terminal/Game Server List, © 2025 IPTIA Consulting™.