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Victor 9k / Sirius 1 Software

1302L said:
How and where do I execute the test program?
Click to expand...
They hopefully will run on the Victor. One uses BIOS call and other DOS call. Assume one of those should be implemented on the Victor.

Yes while running emulation.

Does the Oscilloscope have a model number/web page so I can see what it can do?
 
Hi,
thanks for the quick reply.
And, just to be safe, I will execute the test program in my putty window whilst emulation running, no action on the Victor required.
I will look for the oscilloscope and report back.
Cheers,
Martin.
 
Here's a screenshot,
unfortunately no effect, am I doing something wrong?
Best,
Martin.
1705251054242.png
 
1302L said:
unfortunately no effect, am I doing something wrong?
Click to expand...
Yes, the zip file I attached has DOS executables that need to be run on the Victor. I'm trying to get controlled tests so the signals will be known patterns.
 
OK, got it.
I am just thinking how to get them on the Victor, via KERMIT should work.
Thanks!
 
Hi djg,
I managed to submit the files via Kermit and shot my Kermit Floppy :) It seems that files are for an IBM compatible machine, running them on Win98 / DOS (runs on a Toshiba Libretto 110ct which I use to run Kermit) worked, but not on the Victor, sorry! The Victor runs on MS-DOS, but is not IBM compatible.
Will look for the Oscilloscope tonight.
Best,
Martin.
 
If you need a copy of Kermit that works on the Victor/Sirius, the one on this disk definitely works:
https://archive.org/details/boot-ms-dos-31-everyday-utilities

I've used it to transfer quite a number of files over. It's the MSVV90.exe file. I should have renamed it Kermit.exe to be more clear, that's the name that Columbia university gave it. I originally downloaded it from their kermit archives.
 
pdevine said:
If you need a copy of Kermit that works on the Victor/Sirius, the one on this disk definitely works:
https://archive.org/details/boot-ms-dos-31-everyday-utilities

I've used it to transfer quite a number of files over. It's the MSVV90.exe file. I should have renamed it Kermit.exe to be more clear, that's the name that Columbia university gave it. I originally downloaded it from their kermit archives.
Click to expand...
Hi Paul,
many thanks, no harm done, I just made a new copy of the Kermit 2.29 Floppy I used, but thanks for the Link to the Disk above, this saves time as all is on one Floppy Disk, no changing needed. Kermit is a really great help!

@djg I hope, my reply wasn‘t rude, I did not intend to be at any point of time!

I think the Kermit Disk was unreadable after putting the DOS - Files on.

Paul, would it be possible for you to check, if the files djg had provided are really not readable by the V9K? Just want to make sure that my Floppy drive hasn‘t a malfunction.

Thanks for the effort and patience you guys are putting into this and best regards,

Martin.
 
1302L said:
@djg I hope, my reply wasn‘t rude, I did not intend to be at any point of time!
Click to expand...
Not rude but the standard complaint maintainers have of problem reports. Lack of details. We always like to see this is the command I ran and this is the output.

1302L said:
but not on the Victor, sorry!
Click to expand...
Not much detail here. I was assuming the machine locked up or gave some strange error message.

1302L said:
I think the Kermit Disk was unreadable after putting the DOS - Files on.
Click to expand...
This implies you weren't able to read the floppy. Is this DIR doesn't work? That's not going to be due to the files. If you see them but when you try to run them things go wrong that's likely the files. If you had wrong Kermit setup such at not transferring as binary files it could also be Kermit problem.

I have TI professional computer that is DOS but not very IBM compatible. I'll pull it out and check these files. I may need to specify some options to the compiler to get it to run.
 
djg said:
Not rude but the standard complaint maintainers have of problem reports. Lack of details. We always like to see this is the command I ran and this is the output.


Not much detail here. I was assuming the machine locked up or gave some strange error message.


This implies you weren't able to read the floppy. Is this DIR doesn't work? That's not going to be due to the files. If you see them but when you try to run them things go wrong that's likely the files. If you had wrong Kermit setup such at not transferring as binary files it could also be Kermit problem.

I have TI professional computer that is DOS but not very IBM compatible. I'll pull it out and check these files. I may need to specify some options to the compiler to get it to run.
Click to expand...
Hi,

Unfortunately I am not able to report really more. Directly after putting the files on my Kermit Floppy Disk, the disk was unreadable, means the Disk reading Error message came up (whilst Kermit still running) with 'Abort/Retry/Ignore' After a reboot with DOS 3.10 same error message after inserting the disk.

By loading the files under DOS (WIN98) an execution window opened for a short time with a message, but the message disappeared very fast, so I wasn't able to read it, sorry.

Yes, I wasn't able to read the floppy Disk, please see first paragraph. DIR did not work, no chance to access the Disk.

I am not sure if the TI DOS is comparable with the V9K DOS, maybe others are able to advise. I asked Paul if he could check if the files are working on his V9K.

Thanks,

Martin.
 
I verified programs don't work on my TI professional. Haven't had time to try to fix.
 
pdevine said:
If you need a copy of Kermit that works on the Victor/Sirius, the one on this disk definitely works:
https://archive.org/details/boot-ms-dos-31-everyday-utilities

I've used it to transfer quite a number of files over. It's the MSVV90.exe file. I should have renamed it Kermit.exe to be more clear, that's the name that Columbia university gave it. I originally downloaded it from their kermit archives.
Click to expand...
FYI Victor Folks -

Paul has been adding LOTS of disk images over the last month -
https://archive.org/details/@pauldevine

Thanks, @pdevine !
 
Hi,
yes that's an awesome collection! Without @pdevine 's effort, it would have been much more harder to get my Victor back to life!
Checking the archive on a regular basis fro new gems!
Best,
Martin.
 
I've completed re-imaging the five original system disks I have and uploaded them to archive.org
https://archive.org/details/cpm86_26830_victor9k

I used
- NEC FD1157C 5.25" Disk Drive (high density, 360rpm)
- Greaseweazle V4 hardware
- FluxEngine GUI software configured for victor9k 612kB 80-track DSHD GCR (single-sided)

A couple of the disks had sector errors but I've included the log files that FluxEngine produces. It's been an interesting challenge archiving disks I initially thought were blanks until I researched the Victor 9000 disk format and realized that most of them still had their write-protect stickers on.. I hope those of you with real hardware are able to make some use of them.
 
Looks like Turbo C won't generate plan DOS executables. Did find you can do some of the testing with dos debug command.

In debug use command
l 100 2 # 1
where # is sector number in hex. For reading cylinder cyl sector is approximately (depends on if disk is partitioned)
17*# of head*cyl

Looks like your disk has 8 heads so
l 100 2 2a8 1
l 100 2 0 1

should cause the emulator to alternate between

Drive 0 Cyl 0->5 select 1, head 1 dirty 0
Waiting, seek time 4.4 ms max 4.4 min free buffers 75
and
Drive 0 Cyl 5->0 select 1, head 1 dirty 0
Waiting, seek time 3.8 ms max 4.4 min free buffers 75

If don't get any seeks printed after the first time it may be caching reads. Try increasing the sector by 1 each time.

If doing this causes the seek errors then we can try looking at signals. You can try different cylinder pairs if needed.

If you get errors post the output on the emulator marked up with what sector you were reading.
 
djg said:
Looks like Turbo C won't generate plan DOS executables. Did find you can do some of the testing with dos debug command.

In debug use command
l 100 2 # 1
where # is sector number in hex. For reading cylinder cyl sector is approximately (depends on if disk is partitioned)
17*# of head*cyl

Looks like your disk has 8 heads so
l 100 2 2a8 1
l 100 2 0 1

should cause the emulator to alternate between

Drive 0 Cyl 0->5 select 1, head 1 dirty 0
Waiting, seek time 4.4 ms max 4.4 min free buffers 75
and
Drive 0 Cyl 5->0 select 1, head 1 dirty 0
Waiting, seek time 3.8 ms max 4.4 min free buffers 75

If don't get any seeks printed after the first time it may be caching reads. Try increasing the sector by 1 each time.

If doing this causes the seek errors then we can try looking at signals. You can try different cylinder pairs if needed.

If you get errors post the output on the emulator marked up with what sector you were reading.
Click to expand...
Hi,

thanks, I will try this and post the output.

Regarding the Oscilloscope, I couldn't find it, maybe it got lost during the last House move. I will look for a new one and post it before buying.

Thanks,

Martin.
 
djg said:
Looks like Turbo C won't generate plan DOS executables. Did find you can do some of the testing with dos debug command.

In debug use command
l 100 2 # 1
where # is sector number in hex. For reading cylinder cyl sector is approximately (depends on if disk is partitioned)
17*# of head*cyl

Looks like your disk has 8 heads so
l 100 2 2a8 1
l 100 2 0 1

should cause the emulator to alternate between

Drive 0 Cyl 0->5 select 1, head 1 dirty 0
Waiting, seek time 4.4 ms max 4.4 min free buffers 75
and
Drive 0 Cyl 5->0 select 1, head 1 dirty 0
Waiting, seek time 3.8 ms max 4.4 min free buffers 75

If don't get any seeks printed after the first time it may be caching reads. Try increasing the sector by 1 each time.

If doing this causes the seek errors then we can try looking at signals. You can try different cylinder pairs if needed.

If you get errors post the output on the emulator marked up with what sector you were reading.
Click to expand...
Hi,

I made a first attempt to use DEBUG, please see V9K and emu Screenshot.

B:\ is my Floppy Drive

C:\ is the emulated hard drive

The last chapter on the emu picture is showing the DIR command.

So far no success, I am doing the right thing?

Thanks and best regards,

Martin.
 

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For the command that gave the error you entered
l 100 2a8 1
my instruction was
l 100 2 2a8 1
The second were reading sector 0 twice so it isn't that informative. You will need to alternate the two commands.

Keep track of what output from the emulator goes with what command you executed in debug.

You can hit return and type annotations in the emulator window. What you enter will be ignored by the emulator.
 
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