CP/M on HP-87

[gferluga]

Someone has the modified version of 22DISK that allows to read HP CP/M 3.5" disks from 86/87?
The version I found around supports only 5.25" disks.
I need the 3.5" version.
I know that somebody created a new HP2 profile from HP1, but I cannot find it.
Any help appreciated.
Thx.

[gferluga]

Ok. Here wa are...

Copy and paste the attached files in your 22dsk142 DOS folder.
Select HP2 as disk type and is done.

Thank you to Stephen Pereira for the solution.

Have fun!

[Michael Fehlhammer]

I got an HP 86B and a CP/M module for it, but until now I didn't use CP/M.
But I would like to understand what the tools you are talking about can do.
I guess it is a software that enables DOS computers to read HP86/87 prerecorded CP/M disks?

Is there a converter tool that translates CP/M files ( coming from a x86 PC environment ) to the format that can be read by HP 86/87 with CP/M?
That would hugely increase the amount of CP/M software for the HP 86/87.

I know that the CP/M files on a HP 86/87 CP/M disk are incorporated in a single LIF-file ( since even under CP/M the HP 86/87 uses its regular LIF file handling drivers for disk access, like it does from BASIC ), but I don't know the details of the structure of the CP/M LIF container files.

By the way: Is there a source for HP 86/87 CP/M programs ?

[gferluga]

22DISK is a shareware tool for reading/writing CP/M disks under MS-DOS, or Win 9x (only in a full-screen DOS box, <Alt>-<Enter>.)

You can download it from http://www.cpm.z80.de/download/22dsk142.zip

Native support is only for HP 86, 87, 125 - DSDD 48 tpi 5.25" floppy disk (HP1 diskette type).

The files I got from Stephen allow to extend the support to HP 86, 87, 125 - SSDD 48 tpi 3.5" floppy disk (HP2 diskette type).

There is a special HP CP/M boot disk that contains 3 files: Autost, CP/M, and CP/MSYS.

CP/MSYS is a large file on the disk that contains the CP/M file system and the basic files normally expected in a bare bones CP/M system.

Apparently the HP is using the CP/MSYS file as an IMG file, such as linux does, allowing a file to be attached as a device and accessed as a drive.

So, yes, with a tool like 22DISK, extended, you can access that IMG file, and list, delete, copy from/to DOS any text of binary CP/M-80 file.

I was able to copy and execute programs like Mbasic (Microsoft Basic), TP 1.0 (Turbo Pascal), MP (Multiplan) and others, downloaded from any site that has CP/M-80 programs.

Of course, maybe, there are some limitations, but I could't find any for now.
Not sure about graphics CP/M-80 programs. I didn't test that feature yet.

As you said, that hugely increase the amount of CP/M software for the HP 86/87...
I think that CP/M for the HP 86/87 was underestimate until now.

Btw, let me know if you need a copy of the CP/M boot disk rev B 3.5" in TD0 format, as on the hpmuseum.net there is only the 5.25" format to download.

Have fun with CP/M for the HP 86/87.

[Michael Fehlhammer]

Thanks a lot for these explanations! Seems as if HP 86/87 can become a nice and useful platform for CP/M.
Yes, please could you send me the .TD0 3.5'' boot disk? 5.25 '' disk drives are relatively rare and even bigger and heavier ...

[Dave Frederickson]

(07-13-2015 08:04 PM)Michael Fehlhammer Wrote:  5.25 '' disk drives are relatively rare and even bigger and heavier ...

Hi Michael,

Have you considered a disc drive emulator like HPDrive?

Dave

[Michael Fehlhammer]

Hi Dave,
I guess once you successfully have reconstructed the boot disk in .td0 format to a 5.25 inch disk, you could transfer the contents ( using HPDir ) to an HPDrive image file.
But again you need the 5.25 drive ...
I don't see a way how a .td0 file could directly be transformed into an HPDrive image. Well, there might be tools for that purpose, I faintly remember.

[Dave Frederickson]

(07-13-2015 08:39 PM)Michael Fehlhammer Wrote:  Well, there might be tools for that purpose, I faintly remember.

Yes, TD2HPI.