[Coco] Nitros Partitioning Was: CoCo SDC and others

[Bill Pierce]

 Dave, the only problem with loading a rom (like hdbdos) is that some software uses rom ram switches. If the rom is ONLY in memory, it will not come back on reset. I ran into this problem quite a bit on my Coco 3 until I got someone to burn me a rom image. Since we have extensive memory handling, there should be a way to copy the proper image into the proper bank. It's really just something that needs to be worked out.

 


Bill Pierce
"Charlie stole the handle, and the train it won't stop going, no way to slow down!" - Ian Anderson - Jethro Tull

 

My Music from the Tandy/Radio Shack Color Computer 2 & 3
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-----Original Message-----
From: Dave Philipsen <dave at davebiz.com>
To: CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts <coco at maltedmedia.com>
Sent: Wed, Mar 8, 2017 5:41 pm
Subject: Re: [Coco] Nitros Partitioning Was: CoCo SDC and others

I like the idea of having partitions.  It's something we need to discuss at least for the CoCo3FPGA.  Since the CoCo 3 runs out of RAM anyway it wouldn't be too hard to put DECB, YA-DOS, HDB-DOS, etc. into a loader in the partition so that the proper "operating system" could be loaded at boot time which would eliminate the need for flashing different ROM images and flipping switches.DaveOn 3/8/2017 3:12 PM, Brett Gordon wrote:> Gene, Bill.  thanks!  I remember the build process being unintelligible,> but I think there's been a bunch of work recently to address this.  So I'll> aim for fixing the .d files associates with the cocofpga build...>> Btw: I guess the practical problem I am trying to solve is as of now is> fpga users can easily boot nitros, or decb from the sd card, but not BOTH,> without reflashing their externel ROM.  :(>> Now: do I have to worry about any source .def, .d, templates that go onto> the target fs for self hosting nitros building?> On Wednesday 08 March 2017 13:01:21 Bill Pierce via Coco wrote:>>> Brett, pre-setting descriptor values is no big deal, a little>> confusing due to the fact that the superdesc builds for 5 different>> systems/types, but still not hard. In fact, the current Coco3FPGA SD>> descriptors have offsets set for /sd1, /sd2, & /sd3. That should give>> you and idea of how to set them. Also, a lot of these types of>> variables are set in the defines in the makefiles, and not in the desc>> source.>>>> What really needs to be done is a "coco3fpga.d" defs file created>> specifically for the Coco3FPGA, then we could create variable tables>> for the SD card in a central location instead of hard coding them into>> the sources. This is going to be needed eventually anyway as we add>> support for all the Coco3FPGA features like: WiFi, 640x450 256 color>> graphics, 106x56 text, 16-bit sound etc, etc.>>>> The Coco43FPGA port is a separate build from other level2 ports just>> for that reason, as we evebtually move away from the standard drivers>> and forward to the capabilities of the machine.> I am for this 100%. The new defs file could handle all that dirty work.> Since you are more familiar with it, I never managed to see the sdc card> I have, probably because I had it in the wrong mpi slot. Someday, when> my hard drives are about ~30~ I'll have to get up some enthusiasm to> make it work. I'll have to admit it is not near the top of my todo list> atm.>>>>>>>> Bill Pierce>> "Charlie stole the handle, and the train it won't stop going, no way>> to slow down!" - Ian Anderson - Jethro Tull>>>>>>>> My Music from the Tandy/Radio Shack Color Computer 2 & 3>> https://sites.google.com/site/dabarnstudio/>> Co-Contributor, Co-Editor for CocoPedia>> http://www.cocopedia.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page>> Global Moderator for TRS-80/Tandy Color Computer Forums>> http://www.tandycoco.com/forum/>>>> E-Mail: ooogalapasooo at aol.com>> Cheers, Gene Heskett> --> "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:>   soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."> -Ed Howdershelt (Author)> Genes Web page <http://geneslinuxbox.net:6309/gene>>> --> Coco mailing list> Coco at maltedmedia.com> https://pairlist5.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/coco>-- Coco mailing listCoco at maltedmedia.comhttps://pairlist5.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/coco