• Please review our updated Terms and Rules here

Osborne 1 "Copy" program not working

P

phreakindee

Experienced Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2008
Messages
144
Location
Western North Carolina
I'm attempting to make a backup of my Osborne 1 system disk(s), and am so far unable to do this. My machine is upgraded with double-density drive capability and I've tried using both double-density and regular Osborne-1 CP/M v2.2 system disks to start the Copy program (rev 3).

Both disk drives pass tests with the Dysan Interrogator disk, they both seem to be working fine. But when I try to copy from A: to B: (or vice versa) it never gets past the reading stage of the first 9 tracks. When it goes to write those tracks to a blank floppy, it just says there is an error (ERROR IN COPY - please try again). It does this on any floppy disk I try so far, single- and double-density. Formatting doesn't work either, it just sits there and returns to the main menu.

The whole double-density thing seems to be a possibility, I don't know. The system and utility disks I have are all written on double-density disks it appears, even the single-density system disk looks to be written to a DSDD disk, if that means anything. I'm wondering if maybe the DD upgrade is conflicting with the Copy program or something. Have no idea and I'm just grasping at this point.

I would just write them from IMD or TD0 images in MS-DOS, but I've never been able to get that to work on any of my machines. It just gives me a bad sector error or does nothing at all. So as it is, I can't make any kind of floppies for my Osborne. The disks I currently have were made for me by another member here, and I'd like to become self-sufficient!

Am I missing something here? Thanks for any help!
 
Last edited:
Have you tried the Read/Write tests that are part of the Interrogator program?

You are typing COPY and then <Return> correct? (IE: not copy a: b:)

When you use a double density version of CP/M to format a disk, does it ask you if you want to format as single or double density?

It'll read the disks you put in it, correct? (IE: you can get a DIR on them)

Have you tried any other disks from another source?
 
Have you tried the Read/Write tests that are part of the Interrogator program?
I have, and it passes with 0 errors.

You are typing COPY and then <Return> correct? (IE: not copy a: b: )
Correct.

When you use a double density version of CP/M to format a disk, does it ask you if you want to format as single or double density?
It does not ask this, although I noticed it is a later version of COPY than the single-density version (3.1, I think)

It'll read the disks you put in it, correct? (IE: you can get a DIR on them)
Yes, it reads just fine with a DIR command, from both drives.

Have you tried any other disks from another source?
I've tried all the disks I can find from various companies and such and none of them write. SD and DD, none copy with either version of CP/M I have.
 
I'm not trying to insult you, I'm just making sure: the disks you're trying to write don't have write protect stickers on them, do they? :)

When you boot it's with a DD disk, correct? You're not switching from a DD disk you booted with to a SD disk to do the Copy, right?

You made a DD disk from an image with your PC before - does that one work (boot and allow you to enter the copy command) in the Osborne?

I'm going to check that Copy command on my machine, to make sure it's doing what it's supposed to.
 
I'm not trying to insult you, I'm just making sure: the disks you're trying to write don't have write protect stickers on them, do they? :)
Hehe, a legit question. But no, no copy protection stickers!

When you boot it's with a DD disk, correct? You're not switching from a DD disk you booted with to a SD disk to do the Copy, right?
Correct, booting with a DD disk. Also tried with an SD disk, same result (or lack thereof).

You made a DD disk from an image with your PC before - does that one work (boot and allow you to enter the copy command) in the Osborne?
I've never been able to make a DD disk from an image on my PCs. I've tried with IMD and Teledisk, both failed for whatever reason. I was hoping copying directly on the Osborne would work so I wouldn't have to get the PC out and the DOS programs working.
 
Here's what I get on an Osborne with the double density upgrade board in it:

Booting with a single density version CP/M disk:
Disk Utility Program - version 3.0
No option for formatting in double density

Booting with a double density version CP/M disk:
Version 3.1
Type Copy, hit F for format, B to format the B drive, <Enter>, and then I have to choose either S for single density, or D for double density, after which it starts formatting.

Do you get the same when booting with your double density CP/M disk?
If not, what do you get?
 
AND.....when you turn on the computer with no disk in the drive, what ROM BIOS version shows up? Rev 1.3 or Rev 1.44 ?
 
When I boot with DD CP/M and COPY v3.1, I hit F then B then return. It spins for a minute, drive light is on, then it shows the 0-1-2-3 screen, spins some more and then ends with "FORMAT ERROR". Same thing with multiple disks. Also happens when I swap A: and B: at startup with Shift+"

Version is Rev 1.4 at startup.
 
Weird.
I'd start wondering about drive problems, except that if Interrogator does a read/write test with no errors, they should be fine.

You using the correct kind of disks? DSDD ?

The only other thing that would make me wonder is the 1.4 vs 1.44 ROM version.
IIRC all mine that have the DD upgrade are 1.44.
There's a listing of ROM versions and the reasons they were upgraded somewhere - I'll see if I can't find it again.
 
The ROM BIOS is fine.
1.4 was the one that allowed multi-density format.

Did this Osborne ever work for you before this problem, or is this the first time you've ever been able to get it to started up?
 
No, it's been working fine for some time now. I mean when I first go it there were no disks with it, but after you sent me these CP/M disks I've been using them and all has been well. I've just never tried to use the COPY command before today.
 
OK - it's beyond my ability then.
Someone else with the knowledge will need to pipe up.

My next guesses would simply consist of grasping at straws:
- corrupt COPY.COM file? (can a CP/M file even be corrupted?)
- RAM problem?
 
Lorne said:
OK - it's beyond my ability then.
Someone else with the knowledge will need to pipe up.

My next guesses would simply consist of grasping at straws:
- corrupt COPY.COM file? (can a CP/M file even be corrupted?)
- RAM problem?
Click to expand...

Can a CP/M program be corrupted? Very easily--there's no content check made. A .COM file is just read into memory and entered at location 100H. What was actually read doesn't matter.

Is the source for the COPY program available? It's not a standard CP/M utilitiy.
 
Chuck(G) said:
Can a CP/M program be corrupted? Very easily--there's no content check made. A .COM file is just read into memory and entered at location 100H. What was actually read doesn't matter.

Is the source for the COPY program available? It's not a standard CP/M utilitiy.
Click to expand...


The source code? I don't think so, or at least I never seen it anywhere.
I can email you a copy of the actual COPY.COM file if that helps.

Meanwhile, I'm going to send Phreak another copy of a disk with the utility on it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top