from: Asimov archive ref. AmDOS_dsk.zip AmDOS 3.5 User Notes by Gary Little [Release 861025] AmDOS 3.5 (Amateur Disk Operating System version 3.5) is a modified version of DOS 3.3 that works with the UniDisk 3.5, Apple 3.5 Drive, or any 3.5" drive connected to Central Point Software's Universal Disk Controller. AmDOS also works with standard 5.25" drives, of course. To install it, boot DOS 3.3 (or a similar operating system like ProntoDOS or Diversi-DOS) from a 5.25" disk or a hard disk, enter a BRUN AMDOS.LOAD command, and then, when asked to do so, specify the slot number of the controller card for the 3.5" drive. (This is 5 if the drive is connected to the external drive port of a IIc or a GS.) Alternatively, you can boot AmDOS directly from a previously initialized 3.5" disk, just as you would boot DOS 3.3 from a 5.25" disk. To initialize a 3.5" disk, LOAD an Applesoft HELLO program into memory and then enter a BRUN AMDOS.INIT command. After you press the space bar to clear the user-supported program notice, enter the slot and drive number of the disk to be initialized and then the name of the HELLO program you loaded. Next, insert the disk to be initialized and press "I" to begin the procedure. Initialization takes just over one minute. AMDOS.INIT partitions an initialized 3.5" disk into two distinct 400K volumes; there are 50 tracks per volume and 32 sectors per track. Use the ",D1" and ",D3" drive parameters (as well as a slot parameter, if necessary) with your DOS 3.3 commands to select the first and second volumes of drive 1. Use ",D2" and ",D4" to select the first and second volumes of drive 2. For example, to catalog the second volume on drive 1, use the command "CATALOG,D3". As with DOS 3.3, if you don't specify a slot or drive parameter, the most recently specified value is implicitly used. AmDOS increases the number of directory sectors per 400K volume from 15 to 31, meaning the directory has room for 217 file names, rather than the usual 105. The directory occupies sectors 1 to 31 of track 17 and the sectors are linked together in the following order: from 15 down to 1, then from sector 31 down to 16. AmDOS Memory Usage AmDOS uses two data areas in the high end of memory: $BEAF to $BFA7 and $BB00 to $BCDE. Don't use any DOS 3.3 program that uses these reserved areas or your system won't work properly. If you press Reset when the drive is operating, the area from $BCDF to $BCFF (a popular area for DOS patches) could be overwritten too, so avoid pressing Reset. AmDOS Disables the INIT Command With AmDOS installed, the INIT command is disabled. If you need to initialize a 5.25" floppy disk, you must first boot a disk containing an unmodified copy of DOS 3.3. To re-install AmDOS after booting DOS 3.3, enter a BRUN AMDOS.LOAD command. Using FID with AmDOS You must modify the FID utility program on the DOS 3.3 system master disk before it will properly transfer files to and from AmDOS-formatted 3.5" disks. Modifications are necessary because standard FID supports drive numbers 1 and 2 only, and it doesn't work with volumes having capacities above 200K. Here are the steps to follow to make the necessary modifications to each of the two released versions of FID: FID (on IIe System Master) | FID (on II Plus System Master) ---------------------------------|-------------------------- -------- ]UNLOCK FID | ]UNLOCK FID ]BLOAD FID | ]BLOAD FID ]CALL -151 | ]CALL -151 *0854:A9 78 | *0854:A9 78 *0973:B5 | *0973:B5 *09BF:B5 | *09BF:B5 *11ED:4C 89 16 | *11ED:4C 89 16 *1414:B1 | *1414:B1 *1689:8D 32 19 B9 8C 19 8D 33 19 | *1689:8D 31 19 B9 8B 19 8D 32 19 *1692:B9 8D 19 8D 34 19 0D 33 19 | *1692:B9 8C 19 8D 33 19 0D 32 19 *169B:0D 32 19 4C F2 11 | *169B:0D 31 19 4C F2 11 *3D0G | *3D0G ]BSAVE FID,A2051,L4687 | ]BSAVE FID,A2051,L4686 (To determine which version of FID you have, enter PRINT PEEK(5277) after the BLOAD FID command. If the printed result is 168, you have the IIe version; if it is 211, you have the II Plus version.) To automate these steps, first transfer a copy of FID to the AmDOS master disk from the DOS 3.3 system master disk (using FID itself!). Then enter the command EXEC PATCH.FID.IIE (if you have the IIe version of FID) or EXEC PATCH.FID.IIPLUS (if you have the II Plus version) from Applesoft command mode. Relocating AmDOS to the Language Card Any program that relocates standard DOS 3.3 to the 16K language card RAM area will work with AmDOS. This includes DDMOVER and DOS-UP, the DOS relocators that come with Diversi-DOS and ProntoDOS. Be aware, however, that you can only use AMDOS.INIT or AMDOS.LOAD before DOS has been relocated. Using AmDOS with Hard Disks Most DOS 3.3-compatible hard disk systems will work with AmDOS, including The Sider and the CMC "Quick" series. Just be sure to BRUN AMDOS.LOAD after booting the DOS 3.3 partition of the hard disk. Using AmDOS with RAMdisks Most RAMdisk drivers that don't use AmDOS's reserved memory area will work with AmDOS (the only known incompatible drivers are older versions of the Diversi-DOS RAMDISK program). This includes the drivers for MultiRAM, RamWorks, and the Apple 1M Memory Expansion Card. After installing a RAMdisk driver (other than the three just mentioned) it's a good idea to BRUN AMDOS.LOAD to re-install AmDOS, just in case the driver disconnects AmDOS. This is necessary if the RAMdisk driver installs itself by placing a JMP (jump) instruction at location $BD12 without saving and chaining to the JMP put there by the AmDOS installer. Using AmDOS with the Universal Disk Controller If you're using one 5.25" drive and one 3.5" drive with the UDC, attach the 3.5" drive to the drive 2 connector so you can boot copy-protected DOS 3.3 programs on 5.25" disks from drive 1. (DOS 3.3 won't run properly from drive 2.) Unfortunately, you can't boot AmDOS directly from the 3.5" drive in this situation --- to install AmDOS, boot DOS 3.3 from a 5.25" disk and then enter a BRUN AMDOS.LOAD command. (Note: If the 5.25" drive doesn't seem to work after you access the 3.5" drive, your UDC needs a ROM upgrade; contact Central Point Software for further information.) Using AmDOS with Diversi-DOS AmDOS works with the 48K and 64K versions of Diversi-DOS, with a few minor exceptions: the utility programs GARB and BUFFER, or versions of RAMDISK prior to the one released with version 4.2C of Diversi-DOS, cannot be used. Another minor problem is that Diversi-DOS's disk free space patch doesn't work properly with numbers above 999. Other Software/Hardware Sources ProntoDOS ($29.50), an AmDOS-compatible, DOS 3.3 speedup program, is available from Beagle Bros., Inc., 3990 Old Town Avenue, Suite 102C, San Diego, CA, 92110 [(619) 296-6400]. Diversi-DOS ($30), another DOS 3.3 speedup program, is available from Diversified Software Research, Inc., 34880 Bunker Hill, Farmington, MI, 48018-2728 [(313) 553-9460]. Diversi-COPY ($30) from the same source, is a good 3.5"-disk backup utility. The Universal Disk Controller ($90) and inexpensive 800K 3.5" drives ($195), are available from Central Point Software, 9700 S.W. Capitol Hwy., Suite 100, Portland, OR, 97219-9990 [(503) 244-5782]. Highly recommended. Central Point's Copy II Plus program ($39.95) is useful for making copies of 3.5" disks. About the Author AmDOS was developed by Gary B. Little, author of the Point-to-Point communications program (Pinpoint Publishing) and three books on how to program the Apple II: Inside the Apple //e, Inside the Apple //c, and Apple ProDOS: Advanced Features for Programmers (Prentice Hall Press). Distribution Policy AmDOS 3.5 is a user-supported program. Get a free copy from any convenient source (such as a user group or a bulletin board system) and try it for 30 days. If you find it useful and you want to continue using it, you must order a registered copy (ordering details below). You may make copies of AmDOS for anyone you like as long as you don't charge for them (exception: user groups may charge a duplication fee not exceeding $5.00). There is a one-time $100 license fee for those who wish to include AmDOS on disks containing other programs that will be sold or licensed. Ordering Information Registered copies of AmDOS 3.5 are available from RMS Software Inc., #210 - 131 Water Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6B 4M3. The telephone number is (604) 681-3371. The price is $20 (U.S.A. funds) or $27 (Canadian funds). s of AmDOS 3.5 are available from RMS Software Inc., #210 - 131 Water Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6B 4M3. The telephone number is (604) 681-3371. The price is $20 (U.S.A. funds) or $27 (Canadian funds).