[Coco] Need help using ram drive as default drive

Wed Jun 22 00:13:30 EDT 2011

On Tuesday, June 21, 2011 11:27:49 PM Vanderberg Family did opine:

> yes, sysgo is in both /d0 which is /dd and /r0 just in case something
> works & it looks there.
> 
> I saw some of your posts about modifying init & tried changing /dd to
> /d0 in both init and sysgo where I also found it.  I attempted to boot
> with each single change with all else the same and also with both files
> modded.  As far as I could tell, there was no diff in behavior or boot
> failure regardless of the permutation.  Both files are back to orig. 
> Any hints for the next step?
> 
> Understand I am way beyond my knowledge level here, but that just makes
> it more fun.
> 
1. I would delete SysGo from the /d0 disk just to make sure it is getting 
Sysgo from /ddr0. Or alternatively, rename the startup file on the ramdisk, 
and edit that SysGo to use the new name.  Then the message as to which it 
is actually running can be incorporated into /d0/startup and /dd/stertup.

Actually, one could rename SysGo on the ramdisk, then change init to use 
the new name.  The idea is to be able to differentiate.  Init however is 
part of the os9boot file.

Humm, if you are seeing SysGo and then the init tracing string, then you 
obviously have sysgo in the boot file, which is not required and wastes 
system ram.  Take it out of the bootfile and put customized copies in the 
root of /d0 and /dd.

The boot device assignment is first done in init, then a few seconds later, 
when SysGo runs, then it can also change the default device.  I boot from 
/d0, and let the init module put me on /dd, so it is the SysGo on /dd that 
I use.

If your ramdisk is truly non-volatile, much as a compact flash is, then it 
should Just Work(TM).

However, this is dirt I've not walked on before because the ramdisk I use 
is myram, which I wrote, but its 100% volatile as it is using some of the 2 
megs in my coco3.  Theoretically I could re-write that to recover what was 
copied there before, but I would need some method of detecting if this boot 
was the result of a reset tap, or if its a fresh powerup.  As is, the first 
access of any kind actually formats myram (takes just a few milliseconds) 
and any previous data stored there is thrown away.  

But I haven't done that as a long tap on the reset messes with the dram 
refresh & the data is lost anyway. :-(

> 
> -----Original Message-----
> 
> >From: "Boisy G. Pitre" <boisy at tee-boy.com>
> >Sent: Jun 21, 2011 5:36 PM
> >To: CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts <coco at maltedmedia.com>
> >Subject: Re: [Coco] Need help using ram drive as default drive
> >
> >Ed,
> >
> >It's good to see you're back in love with NitrOS-9.
> >
> >As per your error, do you have the sysgo module in the root directory
> >of the ram disk? --
> >Boisy G. Pitre
> >http://www.tee-boy.com/
> >
> >On Jun 21, 2011, at 9:24 PM, Ed & Donna Vanderberg wrote:
> >> I do not know if this post will even make it to the list as I am
> >> still in the process of joining but here goes ...
> >> 
> >> In my old age I became interested in Picaxe microcontrollers which
> >> eventually led to uncrating my old CoCo equipment to attempt
> >> interfacing the two systems.  As an old OS9 newbie (if that makes
> >> sense) I wanted to make a proc that monitors the bitbanger port for
> >> Picaxe I/O to provide acces to I2C & other chips (RTC,  8/10 bit
> >> ADC, DAC, unlimited digital I/O, etc.) for CoCo (and enhanced
> >> display & disk capabilities and floating point math to my Picaxe
> >> network).  I immediately ran into NitrOS9 and fell in love again
> >> with the CoCo.  Actually, since I successfully booted NitrOS9 in
> >> April, I haven't even turned on the Picaxe - love that OS9.
> >> 
> >> I have read almost the entire archive of the CoCo list but I have a
> >> problem enabling a ramdisk as the default drive at boot.  The
> >> ramdrive successfully retains my CMDS and SYS through a boot (even a
> >> failed boot - sweet) but if I use the /DDR0 driver my boot fails:
> >> ...Clock Clock2 Sysgo i2xtot*j
> >> based on posts from Boisy I interpret ths as module not found - great
> >> - which module?  It would appear to me it is not the /term as seemed
> >> to be the case in a previous post but rather choking on the
> >> /ddr0_192.dd.  As an added wrinkle, I have Dmoded the /ro to match
> >> my 5 1/4" parameters so on boot I can slam the CMDS & SYS to the
> >> ramdrive using backup and avoid dsave (slow slow and noisy) but
> >> cannot get the /ddr0 descriptor loaded so I cannot dmode it to match
> >> floppy.  Can anyone offer any advice on booting from /d0 of course
> >> but ending with ramdrive as /DD?
> >> 
> >> The main reason that I want the ramdrive to be /DD is so that the
> >> commands, help and error info are immediate (and quiet - my 3 1/2"
> >> is noisy).  So close.  Hence my need to post a question to the list.
> >> 
> >> By the way,  it amazes me how many CoCo superstars of the 80's that I
> >> used to follow are on this list - love to see so many still
> >> involved.
> >> 
> >> 
> >> Ed Vanderberg
> >> 
> >> --
> >> Coco mailing list
> >> Coco at maltedmedia.com
> >> http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/coco
> >
> >--
> >Coco mailing list
> >Coco at maltedmedia.com
> >http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/coco
> 
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Cheers, gene
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