Commodore Free 17/Commodore_Free_Issue_17_2008_Commodore_Computer_Club.d64/t.b guide 2.1

Text File | 2023-02-26 | 12KB | 361 lines

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In the Beginning
By Lord Ronin from Q-Link

Chapter 2, Section 2

Last time I left off at the forms of
or maybe say it as ways of running
software on the C=. But I didn't go
into the last one, the disks. Because
I babble too much <G>.

Disks are a magnetic form of
information storage and retrieval.
They are also a circular disk of clear
plastic that have rust glued on it.
Rust is that iron oxide stuff on all
magnetic tapes and disks that are
listed as iron oxide. That brownish
stripe on the black roller in your
tape machine. Since it rubs off onto
that roller.

A disk for the C= is a special thing.
Look I know that those of you that
have used other computers don?t
understand what I mean. This is where
we start altering your perceptions and
preconceived notions on terms and
words. I'll just do that gradually for
you. Disk is called a floppy, some
call it a flippy. The size that we use
is 5 1/4". Now if you are real lucky,
you have a disk drive that won't hold
the 5 1/4" disk. It is too small. You
may still have the grey label on the
bottom left of the front piece. Saying
it is a "commodore 1581". This is the
64/128 3 1/2" disk drive. Using a
Double Sided Double Density disk. If
you are blessed by the gods, then you
would have a 3 1/2" disk drive that
reads "CMD FD-2000". This was and is
made by another company than Commodore.
Uses the above DS/DD disks. But also
the High Density disks, that most non
Commodore users have been using. The
one that they call a 1.44meg. If you
are super blessed and lucky. You have
the "FD-4000". This runs the Enhanced
disk, and I want one <VBG>.

 Most common of the disk drives or the
C= in 5 1/4" is the 1541. This one is
the basic standard. There where a lot
of these long and not that pretty
monsters presented. I have over 60 of
them. At this point I must add that
there are two types. OK any die hard
C= user at this point will question
me. There where several revisions of
the disk drive. But for we beginners.
The two types are only note worthy
in the disk latch. One type is a turn
like a closet handle door style.
Rotating it clockwise to lock in the
disk. Also this is the easy one to fix
when the latch doesn't work. Other
type is a press straight down on the
lever. Has a strong spring which can
fake you out at times that it has
locked down.

 Another disk drive that you might
have will be labelled as a 1571. This
has that handle latch. The differences
are wide, but for now the only thing
to understand is that the 1571 came
later and is a two headed drive.
Meaning that you don't have to turn
the disk over as you do with the 1541.
At this point take a look at any disks
that you have. If you are lucky and
are using a 1541 drive. All of your
disks will have a square cut out of
both sides. This allows the disk to be
turned over and used on the opposite
side. OK that is enough on that for
now. Last major point to make is that
the disk spins at 300rpm in the drive.
Loads and saves a lot faster than
cassette tape.

 Connecting your disk drive to the
computer. Well it isn't going to work
if you don't. And some of you are
wondering about the drive that you
have that I didn't mention. Well first
lets connect the smegger. Remember to
have the C= OFF. Now we are going to
believe that you have the connecting
cord. Logical if you have a disk drive
that you would have gotten the cable
as well. Some I picked up had the
cable still plugged into the drive.

 Most of the time this is a black
cable. You may have a whitish tan one
as well. The cable can be from 2 feet,
and I have seen some smaller. All the
way up to at least 20 feet. That is
the largest one that I have, the
smallest is 3 inches. You may have the
smaller one, which was made to connect
one drive to another in a stack. That
weirdly long one came from a school
district. I suspect they were used in
some form of networking. Saying all of
that extra stuff. The cable itself has
the same looking barrel style ends.
Doesn't matter what end you use on the
drive of the C=. Now if you are using
a monitor. There is only one hole left
to fill that is round.  If not, well
there is only one of the two round
holes back there that it will fit in
for you. Looking at the back of your
drive, ah we will use the 1541 for the
example. There are two round holes.
Doesn't matter which one you put the
cord into. They both work. The one that
you don't use can be connected to
another drive with another cord. But
lets wait on that till more
explanations.

Slight break here for those that are
using the 1571 and other drives. You
may see a small strip of little
switches. Called dip switches. At this
time don't mess with the settings. We
can hope that the previous owner had
them set correctly. All they will do
is change the device number of the
drive. That will make sense in a
little bit.

While on this little break. Yes there
are other and non Commodore disk
drives that were made for the C=. ones
that I have worked with and own are
the Enhancer 2000 and the MSD dual
drive. Seen others, and one of them
needed an operating disk for the C= to
function. Though that one never worked
for me. In any case, the connections
are the same. Now then I should add
that there was a manual that came in
the box with the disk drive. This
manual explained the how to load, and
how to save files. Shows a diagram of
track and sectors. Gives stuff on the
different file types. And generally is
way to much for the beginner to digest
at this time.

That needs some explanation before the
major part of turning on the computer.
You see I started with absolutely no
knowledge of computers. Short class
with key punching cards in college.
Followed by selling the 4K TRS units
at Radio Shack and swapping out the 4K
chip for the 8K chip. That was it till
1993ce. Would you believe me if I told
you I didn't even know that there were
different operating systems? Yeah I
didn't know that the Apple disks
wouldn't work on a Commodore or any
other platform. That was the beginners
level that I started with, and yeah I
was scared of it.

So when I looked in the disk drive
manual and see things that are
absolutely alien to me. Well I balked
a bit, OK a lot. Saying all of that to
pave the way. Here is the problem for
me. Not a smegging clue as to what any
of the stuff means. Hey isn't that why
I am writing this series? <G> But now
for you who have had experience on
another platform. Actually you have a
harder time than me. You are going to
be learning a new set of measurements
and file types. Meaning toss out what
you already know and start fresh. I'm
not going into that at this point.
Only setting you up for it, and here
is what you will experience in file
types. PRG <well known> SEQ, USR, REL,
and a rare one DEL. We will deal with
these over time. Just didn't want to
spring it on you all at once.

OK then, taking it that you have the
C= connected to your "video display
unit". Yeah the T.V. or the monitor.
You have the disk drive connected.
Right there should have been a dark
grey or black or a tannish cord. This
one is pretty obvious that one end
goes into the wall socket and the
other end that looks like a three
prong wall socket. Goes into the disk
drive, ah that is a general statement.
If you don't have any drive lights
come on. Generally these are red and
green LEDs. After you have it plugged
into the wall. Flip the switch on the
back of the drive. Yuppers that is the
power switch. They like to hide them
in almost in accessable places. More
gripes about that later. You should
hear a spin up noise. May grunt or
grind a bit. Remember it has been
silent for a while. I can tell you
that the C= loves to be used and they
get rather bitchy when they haven't
been used for a while.

Like my old VW microbus. OK the lights
should have come on and then one of
them off. Hard to be precise at this
time as on some of the drives the red
light is the on light and the green
light is the activity light. Ah that
means it flashes at weird patterns
when the disk drive is doing something.
But these lights can be reversed on
different drives. And yeah some guys
replaced the LEDS on their drives for
personal reasons that escape me.
Right, drive ON, Monitor/TV ON, now
you get to finally turn on your C=.
Wait a moment, I know you are chomping
at the bit to finally fire it up after
my babbles. But this is important. The
most important part of these first two
instalments.

Commodore ON LAST

Commodore OFF FIRST


Last thing you turn on in the stack of
things. No matter the amount of
drives, or printers or ... the
Computer is the last thing you turn
on. When you shut off your session on
the C=. Make it the first thing you
turn off. Never plug anything into the
ports of the C= while it is on. You
have a great possibility of fry-ing
out the computer.

OK I have done it wrong and not
damaged anything. But then I consider
myself very lucky. Well I think I just
recently fried a rare cart that allows
me to connect to a fast modem. Just to
illustrate my point. Flip that switch
on the right hand side of the computer
and lets hope that it still works.
Besides if it doesn't then you are
lucky and can forget reading anymore of
this drenn. <G>

You should see at once a small LED on
the top rear of the C=64 glow red.
That is if it wasn't replaced by
someone and it didn't get pushed into
the case. By The Way <BTW> this model
is called a breadbox by fans. If yours
happens to be a tannish colour. Well
after years of sun and smoke and dust.
The original colour is lost. It is
also flat and has a grey sticker inset
that says it is a commodore64c
personal computer. You have the newer
style. Still the same computer, pretty
much. There are some changes that have
a little negative effect. They changed
the SID chip. Ah, that is the Sound
Interface Device, I think it is
called. What gives the sound to the
C=. This change though will make some
of the older SID stuff, well not play
correctly. Outside of that, it is the
same for our work.

If all goes well. Then you will have a
dark blue screen. Ah that is 40
columns wide, and 25 lines tall. There
will be a light blue border around it.
In light blue it will say at the top,

"****COMMODORE 64 BASIC V2****"

Under that will read,

"64k RAM SYSTEM 38911 BASIC BYTES FREE"

and below that the word "READY" and
this flashing solid box. First thing
most people worry aout is what can
this bugger do with just 38k free.
Trust me on this one, you don't want
to know right now. I'll talk about all
the things it can do later on. Just
accept that it is more powerful that
you realise. For reasons that will
slowly become apparent

If you see something other than what
is above on the screen. There may be
problems of a blessing. First off if
you don't see anything. Check the
connections of your output to the
monitor/TV. Making certain they are in
the right places. This may take a
little tinkering. Also when you think
it is right. Well it is time then to
play with the controls. Setting the
tint and colour and all of that sort
of thing. I have found some monitors
that where way out of colour settings.
Now then, if you have nothing but a
black screen. Maybe seeing a few
coloured lines or flashes rolling by
Time to discuss another situation. You
may have a 40/80 column monitor. Right
there is an 80 column feature to the
Commodore. Mainly this was used on the
128 models. There are also 80 column
things for the 64. But lets not jump
into that at this time. Take a look on
the front, if you are lucky. The back
if you are not. There will be either a
push button or a slider switch. In
some way they will be labled with
strange abbrebiations. You want it to
be in the CGA or Composite position.
More on this when we talk about the
128 by itself.

Continued in Section 2