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HD-DOS+ AVAILABLE SOON
FROM MAURICE RANDALL
Date: Sun, 21 Mar 2004 17:12:37
-0500 (EST)
From: Maurice Randall <maurice (at)
cmdrkey.com>
Subject: HD-DOS+
Just wanted to let everyone know
that the new HD-DOS+ is close to being
ready and is just one more thing to
look forward to at the upcoming EXPO
in May.
If all goes well over the next two
months, HD-DOS+ should be ready to
ship to those who have pre-ordered it
and also to those who have purchased a
new CMD-HD since August 2001. It will
be installed into all new CMD-HD's
that are built once it's completed.
From the way it looks, the only
way it might not be ready to ship at
EXPO time is if there are any bugs in
the system. And even if that is the
case, I plan to put on a good
presentation of the new system at the
EXPO.
Here's a brief rundown of the new
features:
* Native partitions operate a little
faster.
* Built-in print spooler is
functional. The HD watches for data
being sent to device 4 (or 5) and
captures the data to a PRINTER
partition and while data is still
coming in, it gets spooled out to
the printer or printer interface
attached to the AUXILIARY port on
the back of the HD. The HD can
capture the data much faster than
most printers can. Even while data
is still being sent to the printer,
the HD can be accessed normally for
loading and saving, etc.
* New features are implemented to aid
programmers in accessing SCSI
devices attached to the system.
* Two new partition types are added.
Extended Native partitions and
Extended Foreign partitions.
Extended native partitions can be up
to 4gb in size and include features
that help new software operate more
efficiently. Extended foreign
partitions can be up to 8gb in size
and are designed mainly for data
storage that does not require a file
system.
* As for the maximum size of SCSI
mechanism allowed, nobody makes one
that big yet.
* There is a reserved 2048 byte
buffer in memory for future CD-ROM
usage. Or for software that needs a
large buffer.
* Disk images are supported. For
instance, you can copy as many D64
images into an Extended native
partition as you like and be able to
access any of them as though they
were a real partition. A D64 image
can be attached to an existing 1541
partition. It will remain there
until the drive is reset and then
the original partition will once
again be visible there. You can do
this for as many partitions as you'd
like up to the maximum of 254. You
can store thousands of image files
into an extended native partition.
Over 23,000 D64 files will fit into
a 4gb partition. D71, D81, and FD
disk images are also supported.
* We've always been able to select a
partition from the front panel
switches, but there is also a new
combination you can use. Press and
hold the SWAP 9 button to move to
the next partition or press and hold
the SWAP 8 button to move to the
previous partition. This feature
allows you to have two or more disk
image files visible in adjacent
partitions and perform the same
operation as if you were to switch
disks in a real 1541.
The new system includes a new rom
module that looks like a 1541 JiffyDOS
rom with a switch. This allows you to
use either the new HD-DOS+ or the last
one that CMD introduced. The
installation utility will install both
software versions onto the hard disk
without losing any existing data in
your partitions. An original HD
Utilities disk is included along with
a new disk with new utilities
specifically for the new HD-DOS+. It
also includes a manual supplement to
go along your existing HD manual.
Hope to see everyone at the EXPO
on Memorial Day weekend.
-Maurice