NEED HELP WITH MY TANDY

[vgcollector666]

Ok, so i got a tandy 1000 computer and I know nothing about it so here are some questions:

 

1. What is DeskMate and how do i get it?

2. How do I get DOS on my Tandy?

3. How do I get my Tandy to be just like it was new (software wise)

4. Does DOS or DeskMate come with BASIC, if not how do I get it?

5. Once I have all that set up, can i get a writing program to use with my Tandy Printer?

 

Any and All help would be much appriciated, thank you

 

EDIT: i have the following disks:

- DISK 1 - BASIC

- DISK 2 - Menu

- DeskMate

Edited May 2, 2006 by vgcollector666

[NovaXpress]

A Tandy 1000 is just a weird IBM PC Jr variant with no important history of its own (other than being a pain in the ass) so this may not be the most ideal project. It's too primitive to be used as a decent PC and ineffective as a game machine. It's cart slot is different, so it can't play PC Jr games.

 

DeskMate was a suite of office applications (including word processing) which only ran on Tandy machines. The original software included was MS-DOS 2.11 and DeskMate 1.0

[bedouin]

Ok, so i got a tandy 1000 computer and I know nothing about it so here are some questions:

 

1. What is DeskMate and how do i get it?

2. How do I get DOS on my Tandy?

3. How do I get my Tandy to be just like it was new (software wise)

4. Does DOS or DeskMate come with BASIC, if not how do I get it?

5. Once I have all that set up, can i get a writing program to use with my Tandy Printer?

 

Any and All help would be much appriciated, thank you

 

EDIT: i have the following disks:

- DISK 1 - BASIC

- DISK 2 - Menu

- DeskMate

 

Which model Tandy 1000?

 

1. Deskmate was kind of like GeOS for the c64: a desktop environment for Tandy computers, that Tandy eventually sold for any PC. I guess it's very close to Windows 1-3 in its design and feel. Some Tandy models had a basic Deskmate install already in the ROM.

 

2. All Tandy 1000s had MS DOS built into the ROM. Usually from 2.0-3.0. It's been a long time again. The DOS utilities (stuff like basic.com, edlin, etc. were not in the ROM).

 

3. I don't know it depends on which Tandy you had. If I'm familiar with the model I might remember what was on it by default.

 

4. DOS and Deskmate are not related to BASIC; BASIC is a programming language. DOS shipped with basic.com and later gwbasic (I think that switch happened in DOS 3.0 -- I can't remember).

 

5. Deskmate should have a writing program called 'write' or something to that effect.

 

I'm not sure about your disks. I remember having DeskMate disks, DOS disks, and nothing else. "Menu" might be this little loader they executed from the autoexec.bat that would say something to the effect of, "Press F1 to load DeskMate; F2 for DOS prompt, etc." I have no idea what BASIC might be, and I think DeskMate came on more than one floppy, but again it's been a long time.

 

To echo the previous poster's sentiments Tandy 1000's suck. I don't think it's worth putting your energy into. I owned two as a kid and despise them to this day.

[Great Hierophant]

A Tandy 1000 is just a weird IBM PC Jr variant with no important history of its own (other than being a pain in the ass) so this may not be the most ideal project. It's too primitive to be used as a decent PC and ineffective as a game machine. It's cart slot is different, so it can't play PC Jr games.

 

Tandy 1000s don't have cartridge slots as far as I know. While I agree that it is more trouble than its worth to use it for applications, I differ about the device's gaming potential, especially if it is a SL or TL (later Tandy) model. The Tandy 1000's were an important gaming standard during the 87-90 period. For games of the 81-86 period, an IBM PC with a CGA card would be ideal. Most games that support EGA graphics also supported Tandy graphics, and the Tandy sound chip was a standard in and of itself.

[NovaXpress]

I never owned one, just looked them over. Maybe I confused a different slot for carts. The first 1000 edition was a straight up PC Jr clone, wasn't it? Why did Radio Shack leave off the cartridge slots?

 

http://www.oldskool.org/shrines/pcjr_tandy

[bedouin]

You'd be better off with a PC with EGA and an AdLib card than a Tandy 1000 if you want to experience late 80s PC gaming. I remember the sadness of getting games that had awesome 16 color EGA screenshots and then being forced into using CGA because Tandy/PC Jr. graphics were not supported.

[doubledown]

I had a 1000EX when I was a kid. I don't remember it having a cartridge slot and MS-Dos was not built in to it. You had to start up the computer with the MS-Dos disk in the drive to achieve a DOS prompt, then remove the disk, insert the disk with the program you wanted to load and type in the appropriate command like code. I loved that computer untill newer cooler stuff came out.

[Prodos8]

AFAIK its just a no frills PC 8088 clone. My ex had one she was using when we first met back in '92 or so. It had dual floppy and no HD, she had to boot DOS and run programs from floppy. Don't recall any cart slots, but it did have color CGA graphics, 640K and an internal modem I believe. Her setup reminded me of my Apple II days when I had boxes of disks everywhere. It was sold in a garage sale in '96 for ~$10.

[Room 34]

I had a 1000EX when I was a kid. I don't remember it having a cartridge slot and MS-Dos was not built in to it. You had to start up the computer with the MS-Dos disk in the drive to achieve a DOS prompt, then remove the disk, insert the disk with the program you wanted to load and type in the appropriate command like code. I loved that computer untill newer cooler stuff came out.

I second that. I had a Tandy 1000 EX from 1987 until 1994. No cart slot, no DOS in ROM.

 

DeskMate was a fairly weak windowing system/office suite designed to appeal to the burgeoning Windows market, but low-end enough to run on these weak PCs.

 

As far as gaming went, though, the 1000 was great... it was basically CGA, but it supported a 16-color mode that regular CGA couldn't; problem is there weren't many games that took advantage of it besides a few from Sierra.

 

I loved my old Tandy 1000 though... I spent hours playing Castle Wolfenstein and Beyond Castle Wolfenstein. I freaked the first time I heard one of the guards talk!!!

[rorysl]

Funny - I just picked up a Tandy 1000HX at a Goodwill for $5. All manuals but no disks. I want to get some old-school gaming going but the disk drive only works with Double Density disks (I feel like a caveman.) -- anyone know if you can format HD disks as LD and if they will work??

[bedouin]

Funny - I just picked up a Tandy 1000HX at a Goodwill for $5. All manuals but no disks. I want to get some old-school gaming going but the disk drive only works with Double Density disks (I feel like a caveman.) -- anyone know if you can format HD disks as LD and if they will work??

 

You can. Type 'format /?' and find out how. I don't have any Windows or DOS machines anymore and can't remember off hand.

 

The thing that will potentially limit your gaming on the HX is it only shipped with 256k. It could be maxxed out to 640k with Tandy's official expansion card, and some third party manufactures allowed you to go even further.

[rorysl]

Funny - I just picked up a Tandy 1000HX at a Goodwill for $5. All manuals but no disks. I want to get some old-school gaming going but the disk drive only works with Double Density disks (I feel like a caveman.) -- anyone know if you can format HD disks as LD and if they will work??

 

You can. Type 'format /?' and find out how. I don't have any Windows or DOS machines anymore and can't remember off hand.

 

The thing that will potentially limit your gaming on the HX is it only shipped with 256k. It could be maxxed out to 640k with Tandy's official expansion card, and some third party manufactures allowed you to go even further.

 

Nice! Thanks a bunch -- My PC doesn't have a 3.5" drive so I couldn't test it. I figured I wouldn't need one when I bought my new computer -- thought my flash drive would do. Little did I know what a pain in the ass it is to be without one. Anywho, I'll give that a try and hopefully I'll be gaming on my Tandy in no time. I realize the RAM is LOW but as long as it runs the first few Space Quest and King's Quest's I'll be happy!

Edited May 10, 2006 by rorysl