KAYPRO and KayFreHD as a hard disk module

[fabriciotm]

I plan to make an image available cnce I get 3rd-party verification that it works for other folks. If anyone wants to test, please PM me and I'll give you a download link. No point in distributing it far and wide if there are issues.

Could you send me a bootable disk image?
I managed to adapt the SHIM to work on the Kaypro II 83.

 

[fabriciotm]

Here's the SHIM working on a Kaypro II 83. Three diferent roms (original, Kayplus and Advent Turbo 83) and space to another one.
I need only a working hard disk image to test (I don't have any experience using CP/M).
I have a question. Is a ROM image required on the SD card in the same way when used on the TRS-80?

 

[chapmro]

Here's the SHIM working on a Kaypro II 83. Three diferent roms (original, Kayplus and Advent Turbo 83) and space to another one.
I need only a working hard disk image to test (I don't have any experience using CP/M).
I have a question. Is a ROM image required on the SD card in the same way when used on the TRS-80?

fabriciotm, did you ever find a working hard disk image to test? I am also searching for the same. My present plan if I cannot get an image is to attempt to recompile the VHDUTL program for Kaypro from Vercoven's source file using ZMAC, then use that to make a blank 1024-byte sector image.

 

[toddacox]

For all older Kaypro's (2/83, 4/83, 10(w/o modem)) you have to have a 27C64 (8Kx8 ) EPROM to use the KayFreHD.
Also for the use of the KayPlus ROM without using the Hard drive feature, you need a EPROM adapter board.
Such a board i gave in production (10 items) and it arrive in about 10 days.
The board features the use of up to an 32Kx8 EPROM/EEPROM, so up to four ROM-images can be choosen by change the jumper setting.
The EPROM socket position on the Kaypro mainboards vary in position relative to the Z80 socket, so i don't combine it with the Z80-I/O adapter board.
Depending on the mainboard there are wire connections necessary, which grabs needed signals that not available from the original EPROM socket.
On Kaypro 2/83 one wire from U60 pin 14 and two wires from U59 pin 2&5.
On Kaypro 4/83 one wire from U60 pin 14 and one wire from U59 pin 5.
On Kaypro 10(old) one wire from U48 pin 10.
Frank
View attachment 999443 View attachment 999442

I realize this post is quite old, but are these boards available anywhere?

 

[vthyng]

Yet another revival of this thread. I have built the geneb board and acquired a FreHD, however my kaypro monitor stops working when I have the FreHD plugged in. I ended up getting the FreHD4Eight board and suspect this is the cause (yes when the FreHD board is also powered). Kaypro 10/84 now with Advent Turbo rom. Normally does boot with floppy image. Mainboard is 81-583. I'll solder the 50 pin header under the board when those arrive like others have been doing. Can anyone comment on the likelihood the FreHD4Eight board is the cause of the monitor not working/freeze up? Nothing gets displayed.

Thanks

 

[durgadas311]

... Can anyone comment on the likelihood the FreHD4Eight board is the cause of the monitor not working/freeze up? Nothing gets displayed.

Thanks

The disk system initialization occurs before the ROM banner is displayed, but after the CRT controller is initialized (and screen cleared). If you can confirm that the video is actually live (raster is being displayed, just video RAM full of blanks), that likely puts the ROM being hung in the diskinit, which I think is most likely to happen during the part where it attempts to RESET the WD1002-HDO controller - which I believe is what your FreHD is trying to replace. Without digging deeper into the exact behavior that the ROM expects, I suspect that the FreHD is not configured correctly and is not responding correctly to the RESET. Perhaps it does not have the firmware required to emulate the WD1002-HDO.

 

[dittman]

I don't think anyone has tried the FreHD48 in the Kaypro. Some changes were made to support the TRS-80/Tandy 8" systems and those may be the issue.

 

[vthyng]

Yeah, thanks. I have ordered a regular FreHD with firmware 2.14.

Anyone need a F48?