FreHD?

[Tempest]

Anyone here use a FreHD for their TRS-80? If so, how do you get files over to it? I want to either mount a virtual disk image or a real disk drive so I can copy files over, but I can't figure out how to do either and there is almost zero documentation online.

[hallorant]

I have FreHD for my diskless Model III. You can put files on the SD card then import them with an "import2" command -- pretty simple. There is a long document of utilities that FreHD supports to do transfers. I've only had mine for a short time so more long term users may have information -- but so far it seems simple to transfer data as far as I can tell.

[Tempest]

Is there a way to do whole disks? Having to do individual files is going to take forever.

[+sm3]

Is there a way to do whole disks? Having to do individual files is going to take forever.

 

Hmm, I'm not sure it works like that. It's using virtual HDs so you have to import the files into them. There are some documents here: http://members.iinet.net.au/~ianmav/trs80/FreHD%20Utilities.docx

 

http://members.iinet.net.au/~ianmav/trs80/KNOWLEDGE%20BASE%20-%20FreHD.doc

 

It's a hard drive emulator not really a disk drive emulator.

 

A lot of stuff on the TRS-80 doesn't need a whole disk worth of files to run, you just need to extract the CMD (TRStools) and insert it into the HD image.

[Tempest]

I have about 10 or so 3.5" floppies full of games I want to copy over. Yes I could do it file by file, but I'd rather just mount the virtual disk or physical disk drive and do a mass copy.

 

Do you know how to create self-booting hard disk images? There was one included with the FreHD but it only has 4 partitions and I believe each one can support up to 8. I can't figure out how to create new partitions on the existing image or create a new one with 8.

[+sm3]

I have about 10 or so 3.5" floppies full of games I want to copy over. Yes I could do it file by file, but I'd rather just mount the virtual disk or physical disk drive and do a mass copy.

 

Do you know how to create self-booting hard disk images? There was one included with the FreHD but it only has 4 partitions and I believe each one can support up to 8. I can't figure out how to create new partitions on the existing image or create a new one with 8.

 

I've never actually created a new HD image with FreHD. I haven't really been using it since I went with the MISE/MIRE (M3SE).

 

There is a driver that the Fred created for LDOS/LS-DOS that allows you to mount disk images, but I've never tried it.

 

You can download it on Ian's website:

 

Allows you to add a DSK, DMK, or JV3 virtual disk image to your system so you can transfer its contents to your FreHD hard drive image. Usage: SYSTEM (DRIVE=x,DRIVER="DSK/DCT",ENABLE). It will then ask for the disk image file name you want to add (copied to your SD card beforehand) and then that image is available as drive x... DIR X: to have a look at it.

 

http://members.iinet.net.au/~ianmav/downloads/dsk.dct

 

And here is what Fred had to say about this:

 

" I am the main author of the FreHD, and I have released a LSDOS utility (works with LDOS5 and LSDOS6) which allows to mount one or more .dsk image, directly from the SD card. It is written as an LSDOS driver, so you use it with SYSTEM(DRIVE=x,DRIVER="DSK/DCT"). The driver will prompt you for the image name, then you can *read* from that image (works great with DISKCOPY to make new boot disks, for example). The dsk image is mounted read-only, there is no support for writes. The usual emulated formats are supported : DMK, JV1 and JV3.

Of course, it is faster to do everything from an emulator (I use xtrs), prepare your hard drive image, then use it on the real machine. But as I said, to recreate real floppy, DISKCOPY and this driver are your friends.

 

-Fred "

 

I also wanted to mention I believe you can just mount the HD image from the SD card with an emulator on your PC and then mount the .dsk image and copy files over that way as well. I use TRS32 and it's supposed to be possible but have never tried it.

[Tempest]

Yep that's the one I'm using and it only has 4 partitions. Ian keeps promising to make me one with 7 or 8, but I assume he's busy with other stuff and I don't want to keep bothering him.

 

I saw that blurb about the utility, but I had no idea where to get it, I tried using that syntax with the LDOS hard drive image Ian made but it didn't work so I assume the utility isn't there. That link you posted seems to have it as a .dct file but I'm not sure what that is or how I'd use it on my real TRS-80 with the hard drive image I have. I could try and use an emulator I suppose, do you know of a good one?

[+sm3]

Yep that's the one I'm using and it only has 4 partitions. Ian keeps promising to make me one with 7 or 8, but I assume he's busy with other stuff and I don't want to keep bothering him.

 

I saw that blurb about the utility, but I had no idea where to get it, I tried using that syntax with the LDOS hard drive image Ian made but it didn't work so I assume the utility isn't there. That link you posted seems to have it as a .dct file but I'm not sure what that is or how I'd use it on my real TRS-80 with the hard drive image I have. I could try and use an emulator I suppose, do you know of a good one?

 

That DCT file is a driver. I supposed you'd have to import it into your LDOS or LS-DOS image so you can use it? I personally like and use TRS32 from http://www.trs-80emulators.com/but to get the HD feature I believe you'll have to register. There is xtrs too which is free and I'm sure there are others but I don't keep up with them since TRS32 works for me.

 

Mounting the HD images from the SD card with an emulator might be your easiest route really.

[Tempest]

 

That DCT file is a driver. I supposed you'd have to import it into your LDOS or LS-DOS image so you can use it? I personally like and use TRS32 from http://www.trs-80emulators.com/but to get the HD feature I believe you'll have to register. There is xtrs too which is free and I'm sure there are others but I don't keep up with them since TRS32 works for me.

Ok, I can do that import command to the LDOS partition and try that.

 

 

Mounting the HD images from the SD card with an emulator might be your easiest route really.

 

I'd love to, but I had trouble figure them out. I use a great TRS-80 emulator on my old DOS box but it doesn't support SD cards or anything like that. I'll give the drive a try this weekend and see. Thank you.

 

 

Do you know anything about creating new hard drive partitions on an existing image? I'd think it would be possible.

[Tempest]

So this should work then right?

 

Erase the hard drive partition

- Purge : x (Q=N,I,S) - Where x is the drive/partition number.

Mount the virtual disk image

- SYSTEM(DRIVE=x,DRIVER="DSK/DCT"). - Where x is the drive/partition number.

Copy the virtual disk to the parition

- BACKUP : x :y - Where x is my disk drive and y is my partition

I'd have to look it up, but I think Backup might overwrite everything on the partition when it copies stuff over so that may not be the best command to use for multiple disks.

[+sm3]

Ok, I can do that import command to the LDOS partition and try that.

 

 

 

I'd love to, but I had trouble figure them out. I use a great TRS-80 emulator on my old DOS box but it doesn't support SD cards or anything like that. I'll give the drive a try this weekend and see. Thank you.

 

 

Do you know anything about creating new hard drive partitions on an existing image? I'd think it would be possible.

 

Sorry, I'm not a power user really for HD stuff. I've been able to get by using the simple import of a CMD now and then. I use the MIRE from http://bartlettlabs.com/for my Model 1 so it's easy to mount a .dsk from the SD card. Also with the M3SE or MISE I can just FTP files from my PC to it (for Model 1 or my Model 4).

 

I just wanted to post this stuff I recall reading about for the FreHD in the hopes it would get you closer to your goal.

 

Hopefully you get it working!

[Omega-TI]

I've not messed with the TRS-80 stuff for quite a while, but didn't TRSTOOLS let you open a disk image and remove a specific file and move it someplace else?

[+sm3]

I've not messed with the TRS-80 stuff for quite a while, but didn't TRSTOOLS let you open a disk image and remove a specific file and move it someplace else?

 

Yes, it does. I think he has a large number of disks he wants to import though so that is not ideal for him.

[Omega-TI]

 

Yes, it does. I think he has a large number of disks he wants to import though so that is not ideal for him.

 

Gotcha! Must be a nice feeling to have so much software that it's easier to look for another program!

[Tempest]

I've not messed with the TRS-80 stuff for quite a while, but didn't TRSTOOLS let you open a disk image and remove a specific file and move it someplace else?

Yes it does and I love it, but unfortunately it doesn't work right with auto boot hard drive images. You can only see the first partition.

[Omega-TI]

Yes it does and I love it, but unfortunately it doesn't work right with auto boot hard drive images. You can only see the first partition.

 

That's good to know! I'll be watching this thread to see what you come up with.

[Tempest]

If that new command works the way I think it does then once I copy it to my LDOS partition I can do this:

 

Erase the hard drive partition

- Purge : x (Q=N,I,S) - Where x is the drive/partition number.

Mount the virtual disk image

- SYSTEM(DRIVE=x,DRIVER="DSK/DCT"). - Where x is the drive/partition number.

Copy the virtual disk to the partition

- BACKUP : x :y - Where x is my disk drive and y is my partition

But I think Backup overwrites everything on the disk so that may not be the best command to use if I'm doing multiple disks.

[Tempest]

Well I'm getting somewhere (I think). When I try that command it now asks me for a disk image, but when I type in my file (like games1.dsk) it says DMK Image Mounted but nothing really happens. Any ideas? I think I'm close.

 

EDIT: Missed the fact that you have to ENABLE the drive to see it. Duh!

[Tempest]

It worked!

[+sm3]

It worked!

 

Oh nice! I'm glad you got it figured out.

[Tempest]

I appreciate all your help. I've been trying to get this to work for months but no one seems to know much about the FreHD which I find odd since it was the only HD adapter out there for a long time before the MISE came along.

 

The only remaining issue is how to make new partitions, but since I can have multiple hard drives that I can select from the boot menu it's really not all that important.

[+sm3]

I appreciate all your help. I've been trying to get this to work for months but no one seems to know much about the FreHD which I find odd since it was the only HD adapter out there for a long time before the MISE came along.

 

The only remaining issue is how to make new partitions, but since I can have multiple hard drives that I can select from the boot menu it's really not all that important.

 

For me it's always been time vs benefit. Simply injecting/removing files into the existing HD file was a lot easier than figuring out the rest.

 

Did you look over the documentation for LDOS/LS-DOS? Specifically the sections about RSHARD? http://www.tim-mann.org/misosys.html

 

Since it's all done within LDOS/LS-DOS what you are seeking is probably within that document.

 

Or maybe this link might help: http://www.lagmonster.org/docs/trs-80.html#hdinfo

 

It's very arcane stuff in this day and age of course.

[Tempest]

Yeah I believe there is a command to make a new partition but I don't know if that will break the existing ones or not. Like I said, 4 is fine. It works and I've already got them filled.

[+sm3]

Yeah I believe there is a command to make a new partition but I don't know if that will break the existing ones or not. Like I said, 4 is fine. It works and I've already got them filled.

 

Yeah, there you go! Something to work on when the weather gets cold I suppose

[OrangeKryptonite]

Hi there, just curious about this. There seems to be quite a bit of technical ramp up needed to learn how to copy disk images or individual files to FreHD. I have recently acquired a TRS-80 Model 4 with a working FreHD unit on it but the SD card that came with it doesn't have much useful software on it. I am mainly interested in revisiting my youth when I used to play games on the TRS-80 in my early teens. Is there anyone out there that has an SD card for the FreHD prepopulated with all the TRS-80 games? I am wondering if someone can just make an image of the SD card and share it and then I can simply write the image to the card to avoid all the inevitable work involved. I am willing to pay for the image file, I am just finding in my current situation and age I lack the time, motivation and no longer remember all the commandline stuff from back in the day so hoping for a "quick fix".