Sinclair ZX80 / ZX81 / Z88 Forums

Hi to all,

I looking to connect an IDE disk Drive to the zx81.

I already do some research in order to know if somebody already do it, ( alot of info comes from the post on CSS, XavSnap tell me that hi is developing and IO board based on the Intel 8255, and he has in progress a sister board where you can connect the IDE Disk.

Xavsnap sent me via an schematic of the IDE81 also based on the Intel 8255 with a IDE "driver" (I think that it's more a tester tool), anyway this tester has a couple or bugs that I already worked out.

I do a very simple IDE Disk Drive emulator and integrate it on the VB81XUR (by Xavsnap) Doing this let me try and learn about IDE controlling.

My planned next steps:

1) write a pure IDE driver layer
2) design an very little Disk Operatin System
3) write it !!!

Some restrictions

I don't like the FAT, or NTFS, or ANY Unix FS, why not ? I dont like to put any attributes or permissions on the file (I like a D.O.S. just for personal use no bussines, no security, just for fun: programming and games, I have a lot of the other at the office)

I dont need date times on files (maybe in a future) but the zx81 dosen't have a real time clock... so this option will require extra hardware.

I read all the info about Larken Floppy disk controller and use it on the Xav Emulator... but I need some D.O.S. that support big disks not just a floppys...
And I read a lot about the Atari D.O.S. (because it's my other retro computer, but this is too a Floppy oriented D.O.S.)

Any ideas ?

Are there any D.O.S. for the zx81 that suport Hard Disks ????

Gus

Mike?

Yes ... Mike???

His IdeDos in Rom work properly !

Good, where can I find more info about the IdeDos ???
Gus

If you go to the misc. section on this forum, you'll see two links to backups of ts1000.us. You can then look for a thread where Mike explained everything about it.

Thanks again, Bruno
BTW Today in the train comming from office to home I do read the Articles about Interfacing the ZX81 that you scanned, I'm learning a lot about the zx81 hardware
Gus

Hi Gus.

Yes, I've already written a DOS for the zx81 complete with CLI. It supports drives upto 132Gb but doesn't fulfill all your criteria - it's FAT32 compatible. I'll dig the documentation out today and put it up.

Mike

Mike wrote:Hi Gus.

Yes, I've already written a DOS for the zx81 complete with CLI. It supports drives upto 132Gb but doesn't fulfill all your criteria - it's FAT32 compatible. I'll dig the documentation out today and put it up.

Mike

hi Mike, I put just what I want to do, but of course I like to know/use what you already do wich hdd interface do you used ? do you write some sort of emulated HDD ? I will dig on the old forums (like tell me Bruno) tring to find more info, but of course I wainting for your help
Thanks, Gus

Hi Gus.

It's just an OS, and as such should work with any interface. All you need to do is provide the Sector Read/Sector Write calls and it'll work. I was testing it with an emulated IDE interface and I know siggi uses it with a real MMC/SD interface.

I'll dig out all the info when I get home from work.

Mike

Hi to all,
Still looking for the idedos, I can't find the threads on the old forums... someone with a copy at hand ???

Thanks,
Gus