Emerald Microware Hard drive

From Kaypro Journal
Revision as of 14:02, 16 October 2025 by FrankRahman (talk | contribs)
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Hard Disk Kits and Subsystems
by Emerald Microware and MICROCode Consulting
(From the Dealer Material)

Now you can get a complete internal or external hard disk system designed specifically for the Kaypro and at a reasonable price.

  • Install up to three hard drives on your system at once
  • Software installs automatically under CCP unless specified
  • Drives may be mixed - each drive has its own parameter tables
  • Software runs diagnostic on controller board at boot up
  • Works with KPLUS ROM set for auto-boot for hard drive
  • Fully configurable parameters:
    • up to 8 logical drive partitions per physical drive
    • works with 2 to 8 heads
    • logical drives can be fully programmed for number of tracks, block size, and number of directory entries
    • drive step rate, including buffered seak
    • up to 1024 cylinders per drive
    • logical drives do not need to be matching sizes
  • Runs almost any ST506 compatible hard disk from 5 to 40 meg
  • Available with Z80 host or 50 pin Kaypro '84 type host
  • Uses WD1002 controller board (same as Kaypro 10 - 40 pin bus)
  • Fast - at least 40% faster than Kaypro 10 hard disk
  • Kits include all parts necessary for installation
  • External units may be installed in a matter of minutes
  • System tracks may be sysgened for warm boots, even on systems without boot rom
  • Includes format, swap, sysgen, safety, and install utilities
  • All parts come assembled and tested
  • Full ECC/CRC error handling
  • Utility program includes bad block testing and lockout
  • Single tracks may be reformatted should errors occur
  • Internal kits use 3 1/2" profile hard drives

Emerald Microware's hard disk systems are designed for reliability and ease of installation. External subsystems may be installed and running in a matter of minutes. Internal installations offer the maximun in compactness and portability. We use MicroSci and Rodime 3 1/2" profile hard disk drives for best immunity to physical damage and low power comsumption. Buy the full system or just the parts that you need. Complete systems include all parts needed to install the system, including screws and drilling templates where required.

Host boards are available in two versions, the Z80 socket host for older models such as the Kaycomp and the '83 series II's and 4’s, and the Kaypro 10 and '84 series host which plugs into the existing 50 pin J9 connector. Fan, J9 connector, and possible missing chips are supplied for 2X, and NEW 2 models.

Your operating system may be booted from the hard disk with the KPLUS ROM set installed. Standard software allows up to three ST506 compatible hard disks to be installed at once - 5 to 40 meg each, mixed or matched.

On '84 series Kaypros, the hard drive unit installs between your half height floppies, with no modification to your front panel other than to install one LED (if desired). A hard drive may be installed in the older '83 series Kaypros, although we do not recommend this-installation because the Kaypro power supplies may be marginal without fan cooling. Kaypro did not make a cut out for a fan on the chassis on these model. If you are fairly confident that this is not a problem, the standard full height floppy drives may be replaced with half height units, and a half height hard drive with a full height front panel may be installed. We recommend half height floppy drives because most of them are much more reliable than the original drives and use much less power (we do not recommend Tandon half height drives).

The MICROCode Consulting software package included with our package represents one of the most comprehensive hard disk installation and maintainence packages available for any computer. The master utility allows you to completely define the parameters for the disk drive, such as step rate, number of heads, number of cylinders, BIOS driver load location, number and size of drive partitions, number of directory entries, and block size. The utility also allows you to test the interface and controller board, format the drive, sysgen operating system, erase- selective directory areas, test the drive for bad sectors, and to lock out bad blocks where damaged sectors are located. Bad block lockout program also warns you if bad block is located in an existing file. The package also includes utility programs for moving the heads to a safety area for transportation, swap or reassign hard and floppy drive logical drive numbers. BIOS module also does full ECC/CRC error handling and reporting.

None of the programs included in the package require any editing or assembly; all modules are self locating, and may be installed either above or below operating system. For maximum speed and ease of use, use with KPLUS ROM set for autobooting from hard drive. QP/M Operating System by MICROCode Consulting

Here we have a full replacement for CP/M with all of the features that you always wanted. And it does it all in the same space as CP/M 2.2, with no sacrifices. * Full replacement for CP/M 2.2 with complete compatibility * Transparent time/date stamping of files as they are modified * Optimized for maximum throughput using native Z80 code * Uses the same space as CP/M 2.2 * Simple installation from menu oriented program * Relocatable without having to assemble source files * Configurable from installation program * Automatically re-logs changed diskettes * Select drives and user areas using colon and semicolon * Drive search path definable from keyboard * Comes with at least nine new utility programs * QSUB utility has built in programming capability * QBACKUP utility only backs up modified files * Custom BIOS supports hardware real time clocks * Allows time/date stamping even without hardware clock * Use up to 31 USER areas If you have been using ZCPR you are already familiar with many of the functions of QP/M, but with many new extensions, without the drawbacks of ZCPR3. QP/M is a complete operating system with full CP/M 2.2 compatibility and many new features. QP/M maintains time and date information on each file on your disks transparently to normal operations, WITHOUT taking any additional space from your TPA (your 64k stays 64k). Select user areas just as you would select a drive; use both semicolon and colon to log a drive; change your drive/user default search path from your keyboard; automatically relog a changed disk without having to type a control c, no more accidently lost data; and many other features. QP/M is easy to install and customize from a menu oriented installation program, and is fully relocatible (you can change the system size), without having to edit or assemble any files (with the exception of your own custom BIOS).

QP/M has all of the resident commands found in CP/M 2.2 with 5 additional: DFD - define default drive, DFU - define default user, DFLT - display default drive/user, TIME - display time and date, and TOF - send top-of-form character to printer. Nine additional transient programs are also included in the package, QSTAT, QPIP, QSTAMP, D, TDCNFG, QSUB, QINSTALL, QPATCH, and QBACKUP. A public domain editor, a Z80 assembler, and a Z80 debugger are also distributed with the package.

There is no other operating system better adapted for use with hard disk systems. We recommend it highly.

Retrieved from "https://kayprojournal.com/index.php?title=Emerald_Microware_Hard_drive&oldid=2268"