Myarc Disk manager 5

[mantadoc]

Where do i find it in option EA5 version ?

[RickyDean]

If I am understanding you here, you go to option 5 and type in DSK1.MDM4, hit enter, to run the option 5 Myarc Disk Manager 5.

[+Ksarul]

I think he is looking for the actual EA5 files--but to do what he wants to do here (especially if he doesn't have a Myarc HFDC in the system) needs the modified files Gazoo did (and which are only available in the cartridge images he did as I have yet to find a separate version of that code in his files).

[+Schmitzi]

 

Hi,

 

I try to run the MDM5 v160 to use the harddisk utilities.

I start it under MDOS-7.30 from E:\DSK6 with EXEC MDM5 /R and it starts, all seems OK.

But if I choose <U>tilities -> <F>ormat -> <H>arddisk then it says "ERROR: MDMFV60 file not found"

But this file IS given. Also the path first point to E:\DSK6 

I tried a lot, also <S>etup -> <C>hange and the "Pathname for reloading MDM5"

and entered 1 million combinations for the path (ie E:\DSK6 E:\DSK6\  HDS1.DSK6  HDS1.DSK6. WDS1... and whatever)

But the error message at this point stays. Other functions like catalog seem to work

 

Any idea ? Maybe @9640News or @InsaneMultitasker

thanks

 

 

PS The given files in the subdir are:

MDM5

MDM606

MDM607

MDM608

MDM609

MDMDB60

MDMDR60

MDMFV60

 

 

[+InsaneMultitasker]

11 minutes ago, Schmitzi said:

 

I try to run the MDM5 v160 to use the harddisk utilities.

 

I know nothing about v160, including who released it and why it was released.  I have always considered v1.29 to be the 'gold standard' for formatting, though I believe 1.40 and 1.50 will work equally well.  

 

Rompage requires you to use the device names associated with the card, i.e., WDSx for the HFDC.  If E: is HDS1 in MDOS mode, then the path you must specify is WDS1.xxxx.   

 

Also, is the HFDC at CRU >1000 or >1100?  That could make a difference.  And are you EXEC 2.7 or an earlier variant?  

 

 

[+9640News]

OK, once you are in Rompage mode, all MDOS REMAP commands disappear.  You are now under the actual Eprom DSR's.

 

If you are going to format a HFDC drive, then you need to setup MDM5 to run from DSK1. You can probably do this to a TIPI mapped DSK1 drive, but not 100% sure. Preferably, do this on HFDC DSK1 if that is your only floppy controller.

[+9640News]

As far as MDM V1.60, I got all the pieces from the one and only set of source files I knew.  I am not sure if it was listed as 1.29 or 1.30. To differentiate that package, I numbered it 1.60.  There was a post some 6 months or so ago where I described the details.   I put all the source files together in a package along with all the necessary linking that built the program image files should someone ever want to advance the software.

 

Unless someone wanted to format a HFDC, I am of the opinion nobody should be using MDM5 on the Geneve.  The directory create routine on the HFDC eprom does not match what the documentation says it should be.  Things are all hunky-dorrey on a TI-99/4A as it doesn't care, however the Geneve master DSR does things to the specifications.  individuals will run into trouble if they use MDM5 to create a directory, and then use any MDOS program or CLI function to remove that directory.

 

Fred's GDM2K or Clint Pulley's Directory Manager should really be the only programs to be used.

 

Beery

[+InsaneMultitasker]

1 minute ago, 9640News said:

As far as MDM V1.60, I got all the pieces from the one and only set of source files I knew.  I am not sure if it was listed as 1.29 or 1.30. To differentiate that package, I numbered it 1.60.  There was a post some 6 months or so ago where I described the details.   I put all the source files together in a package along with all the necessary linking that built the program image files should someone ever want to advance the software.

 

Unless someone wanted to format a HFDC, I am of the opinion nobody should be using MDM5 on the Geneve.  The directory create routine on the HFDC eprom does not match what the documentation says it should be.  Things are all hunky-dorrey on a TI-99/4A as it doesn't care, however the Geneve master DSR does things to the specifications.  individuals will run into trouble if they use MDM5 to create a directory, and then use any MDOS program or CLI function to remove that directory.

 

Fred's GDM2K or Clint Pulley's Directory Manager should really be the only programs to be used.

 

Beery

Good to know.  Another mystery (well, to me) solved.  I'm guess you posted it close to the time I was traveling so I will go track down that topic. 

 

If you'd like the v1.29 source I'll package it up and send to you.  I can't say with certainty that it is the same as the v1.29 executables, but it is what I retrieved from John Birdwell's hard drive backups long ago. 

 

And I wholeheartedly agree -  MDM5 should only be used to format the hard drive.  It should never be used to manage files with a drive that is used with a Geneve.   Period.   

[+Schmitzi]

Hi,

 

the GDM2K from Fred seems not to have any format-function ?

I did read the help-screen some times, but no hint. I also tried DU2K, but no gain.

But this is the greatest tool for me to handle files. Big advantage is to have this split

screen where you can see 2 drives. Like the early commanders. And I still use the "Total Commander"

on windows today, so this all is very familiar to mee. Very fiddly are the control keys, as they are

not from the DOS-world (standard keyboard) but from the TI-world (FCTN & CTRL-stuff)

 

Back to the MDM, my version v1.60 came from this source-disk Beery spoke about.

 

Now I also found the "MyarcDM5V13.DSK" but this one hangs after start (EXEC /R) v2.7

(I think, due to the "V13" in the filename, this is the v1.30.)

 

Then I opened Tony´s great MDosGpl.HD, and found there in the \DSK1-subfolder a lot of MDM-files.

I extraced them all, made a .HFE from, dropped it to my system, an at least from all this files,

when I say "EXEC MDM4 /R", the v.150 starts AND RUNS ?

Means I can get into the <F>ormat-Screen and choose <H>arddisk and see the whole format-screen,

but then I cannot jump to and change the "WDS1. " (on the top left) i.e. to HDS3. or so.

 

Maybe someone can post the (complete) and golden v1.29 here ? 

And maybe the v1.50, as this seems to run too, but I don´t know what files are needed...

And  this DSK6-folder holds a lot of MDM-Files

(And it would be nice to have a rudimentary set of the files, without source and so,

 only the minimum that is well know to be needed, as I often throw such files onto some of

 my utility-disks, just to have them there, and then I have to save space as much as possibe.

 Each sector counts - Freedom for all sectors ? 

 

For me there seems to be one very good reason to use MDM on a Geneve: The <F>ind-function !

I can search for a specific file on the whole harddisk structure.

This is a very important function for me, and does not seem to be covered by other tools (?)

This is like the DIR /S under MS-DOS - request request

 

thanks

 

 

@InsaneMultitasker @9640News

 

[+InsaneMultitasker]

5 hours ago, Schmitzi said:

but then I cannot jump to and change the "WDS1. " (on the top left) i.e. to HDS3. or so.

you're almost there!   WDSx is correct for using the HFDC in rompage mode.   1.50 is an acceptable version for the Geneve. 

 

(There is an mdos utility called FIND that works nicely for locating files) 

[+mizapf]

I think I've been using 1.50 all the time in MAME when doing tests with the HFDC hard disk, including formatting.

 

I'm using the Search function in my TIImageTool for searching through all my disk/HD images (file name, contents, timestamp). But I guess the question was about a tool for the Geneve. ?

 

[RickyDean]

@Schmitzi, are you trying to format a 3rd mfm hard drive on a hfdc? You have hds1, 2, 3? If so, you cannot format the third drive on a hfdc, as that drive is read only. You have to format the drive on 1 or 2, then place it on 3 to read from, you cannot write to it at all, unless something changed over the years or I'm misunderstanding something.

Edited April 13, 2021 by RickyDean
spelling

[+9640News]

9 minutes ago, RickyDean said:

@Schmitzi, are you trying to format a 3rd mfm hard drive on a hfdc? You have hds1, 2, 3? If so, you cannot format the third drive on a hfdc, as that drive is read only. You have to format the drive on 1 or 2, then place it on 3 to read from, you cannot write to it at all, unless something changed over the years or I'm misunderstanding something.

On real hardware, Ricky you are correct.  Read/Write on HDS1/WDS1 and HDS2/WDS2, but Read only on HDS3/WDS3.  This was a Myarc issue and I am not sure anyone ever corrected the design over the years.

 

I know with MESS, you could Read/Write on all three, but not sure if Michael allows writing to the third drive in MAME or not.

 

Beery

 

[+mizapf]

I did not know about this limitation. If it is a hardware issue, then no, it is not emulated. If the DSR limits the use, then it's not MAME's concern.

[+9640News]

13 minutes ago, mizapf said:

I did not know about this limitation. If it is a hardware issue, then no, it is not emulated. If the DSR limits the use, then it's not MAME's concern.

It is a hardware issue.  Not sure if it was a wiring issue, or if it may have been tied to trying to do something with the tape interface.

[+Schmitzi]

1 hour ago, InsaneMultitasker said:

you're almost there!   WDSx is correct for using the HFDC in rompage mode.   1.50 is an acceptable version for the Geneve. 

 

(There is an mdos utility called FIND that works nicely for locating files) 

 

Thanks, I will find the FIND

 

And yes to @RickyDean and @9640News and @mizapf it was the 3rd drive in my Geneve, or let´s say, next to my Geneve

So one question rests, is THIS the reason that I cannot enter the input field on the screen to change to WDS2 ?

It offers me only to format drive WDS1. but why is it not possible to enter WDS2. ?

I will check some more next days, as I think it´s me

 

And who has a checked complete version of MDMv1.50 on disk for me ?

I have a ton of MDM*files in this subdir where I found it...

 

 

 

 

 

[+mizapf]

This one.

mdm150.dsk

[jenorton]

Hi:

 

I was playing with this a couple years ago, and, maybe I just forgot, but, I notice the disk manager 1.50 does not want to load form Extended BASIC.  I get a "subprogram not found in 100" error.  I can do "CALL MDM" and it works.

 

Is this "LOAD" program intended for the Geneve?

 

Thanks!

[+mizapf]

No, I'd say this is an error. The file MDMXB is basically the same as MDM, but in uncompressed format so that the Extended Basic loader will take it. Both define a symbol "MDM", but no "SLOAD" which is referred to in CALL LINK, thus causing the error message.

 

SLOAD is typically used for the SAVE utility, which required symbols SFIRST, SLOAD, SLAST to be defined. SAVE saves object code as a memory image code.

 

Maybe the attribution with those symbols was forgotten in the MDM(XB) files.

[jenorton]

Ok. Solved it.  Just on the off-chance, I changed the CALL LINK to CALL LINK("MDM") and it worked.