The TRS-80 Journey Continues

[Bill Gunshannon]

On 5/11/22 09:32, Bill Degnan wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> Each OS has its own process.  PIP to copy the rest of the files if
>>> you're using CP/M
>>>
>>> Trsdos 6. (I think)
>>> FORMAT :0
>>> BACKUP $:x :1 (SYS,INV)
>>>
>>> Where x is your hard drive letter.
>>>
>>> Depends how much is on your hard drive.  If possible use a floppy to
>>> make a boot disk, less variables to manage.  I have a model 4p with hard
>>> drive at the shop but the floppy disk drive needs to be replaced
>>
>> Tried it on LS-DOS 6.3.1.  Was surprised it worked at all as I
>> am used to BACKUP complaining that SOURCE and DESTINATION are
>> not the same format.
>>
>> In any event, it ran till it filled  up the disk and then asked
>> another disk.  Not sure what it would do with another disk but
>> in any event, the first disk is not bootable.  So my search
>> continues. Maybe I'll try doing it again and actually give it
>> another disk.  Maybe it doesn't write the boot track until the
>> last thing.
>>
>> Still think there should be a documented method for doing this.
>>
>> bill
>>
> 
> I looked it up, BACKUP is only for like disks, sorry I thought it
> might work. :-)

Interestingly, it does work from the hard disk to the floppy.  The
second (and I assume subsequent disks) is a data disk and doesn't
boot.  The first disk tries to boot but my guess is it has a hard
disk boot block which won;t work from a floppy.  :-)

> 
> You could try clearning your hard drive, installing only the contents
> of a single boot disk and then backing that up to disk using the
> method I suggested.  That *might* work, but you'd have to re-build
> your hard drive again.

Based on the results of my last attempt, I doubt it would work.
Looks like there is a need to figure out how to install a boot
block and what files need to be copied to make usable floppies
for all the OSes.  Yet another task to work on.

I still can't believe there is no documented way to do this
already!!

bill