SymbOS 2.1 Second Beta released

SymbOS 2.1 is near to completion, and so it's time for the second and probably the last Beta version

One month ago even experienced MSX users were complaining, that the Beta 1 was quite complicated to install. A full setup tool was already planned for the next major version, but due to these criticism Prodatron decided to implement it already now, and that is, what has mainly been done during the last weeks:

MSX-DOS 2 based setup utility. This provides a full installation process of SymbOS to any given destination drive or path. This includes copying all required files as well.
new floppy disc support for the MSX Turbo-R. After another try it was possible to debug and complete the old Toshiba FDC driver with the help of Alex Wulms Fastcopy source codes.
Autodetection of all supported mass storage devices: Philips/Sony floppy disc(WD2793), National floppy disc (MB8877A), SVI floppy disc (WD1793), Microsol floppy disc, Panasonic Turbo-R floppy disc (TC8566AF), Sunrise IDE/CF card interface, MegaSD compatible SD card reader (OCM, MegaFlashRomSCC+SD)
the FDC autodetection has been improved by Marcos Blanco (Cbsfox) and is now based on search expressions for the content of the different disc roms.

With the new setup utility more people should now be able to install SymbOS properly on their MSX machine. Of course criticism and suggestions are still welcome!

Relevant link: SymbOS

Commentaires (24)

Par NYYRIKKI

Enlighted (6033)

01-06-2014, 23:27

tR floppy support!!! YES! YES! YES!!!

Par Prodatron

Paragon (1842)

01-06-2014, 23:42

Yeah, that was necessary after 7 years of having a non-working driver lying around
Please note that the TurboR floppy disc driver could make problems when writing to disc in Z80 mode. This happens rarely but could occure. So better don't slow down your TurboR

Par Randam

Paragon (1431)

01-06-2014, 23:44

Who wants to slow it down? Very cool that you added turbo R floppy support and it now comes with setup util. Must give it another try now.

Par Prodatron

Paragon (1842)

02-06-2014, 00:03

I think that's the most important property of this version: Are people able to install it without problems? I would be very very happy about any feedback!

Par karloch

Prophet (2159)

02-06-2014, 00:07

Awesome looking setup utility! Congrats Prodatron!

Par KdL

Paragon (1450)

02-06-2014, 00:21

Many thanks and congrats me too!

Par meits

Scribe (6534)

02-06-2014, 07:11

Very good timing... I'm receiving a ps2 mouse interface this week

Par edoz

Prophet (2475)

02-06-2014, 08:24

the turbo-r floppy driver is very cool to have!!!

Par giuseve

Paladin (763)

02-06-2014, 11:02

@prodatron: Simply Great !!!! The installer is amazing, very easy to use and better than windows95 one.
I've tried on BlueMSX and it works great
I've tried on OpenMSX having some problems with BOOSTED_TURBOR and FS_A1_GT machines. For example when in control panel I add the floppy as new drive, it doesn't let me input the new drive name in the field.

Anyway, I saw that there are no longer programs in Menu/Programs and on the desktop. Maybe it could be nice to include the link to main app again. In fact I saw that now all SYMBOS stuff are in the SYMBOS folders.

Now, what about a MSX2 DOS1 FLOPPY Version ???
I mean a light version that would run on MSX2 with 128K, using Floppy drive A and DOS1 ?
DOS1 : putting all the files in the same floppy without the use of subdir maybe DOS2 would'n be more necessary?
FLOPPY SETUP: Maybe a diskswapping automated setup for the MSX with only a drive and the setup to A: from B: for models with 2 drives?
128K : Reducing colors to the original layout, or making a CPC-Screen mode 1 or cpc-screen mode 2 like version?

Great work guys !!!

Par W76NearDark

Paladin (684)

05-06-2014, 10:32

...and how about support for the most awesome SCSI interface ever? The MEGA-SCSI that is.

If there is none it will still be useless to me, sad enough.

Par edoz

Prophet (2475)

05-06-2014, 11:43

Are you still using a scsi interface and not a small cf or sd card ?

Par W76NearDark

Paladin (684)

05-06-2014, 11:47

cf also... but a scsi hdd is more of my taste.

Par edoz

Prophet (2475)

05-06-2014, 13:51

Is this scsi supporting fat16 ?

Par TheSpecialist

Expert (113)

05-06-2014, 14:02

@edoz: In fact, FAT16 was likely developed on it.

Par Prodatron

Paragon (1842)

05-06-2014, 16:53

Is there any source code for the MegaSCSI available? (sector read/write)
I had in my mind, that the MegaSD is based on the MegaSCSI - or did I mix something here?

Par Manuel

Ascended (19310)

05-06-2014, 22:47

SCSI has nothing to do with SD cards Prodatron...

Par TheSpecialist

Expert (113)

05-06-2014, 23:02

Prodatron wrote:

Is there any source code for the MegaSCSI available? (sector read/write)
I had in my mind, that the MegaSD is based on the MegaSCSI - or did I mix something here?

This is correct. Both are developed by ESE Artists' Factory. Same guys that designed the ESE MSX System 3 that got turned into 1chipMSX.

Par Prodatron

Paragon (1842)

05-06-2014, 23:29

@Manuel: For sure, and because of this I wasn't sure if I mixed something
@TheSpecialist: Ok, so both have the same creator - but not the same technique...
Anyway, if someone knows about any available MegaSCSI source codes that would be helpfull.

Par W76NearDark

Paladin (684)

06-06-2014, 13:05

Some (hopefully usable) links concerning the MEGA-SCSI interface:

Datasheet of the Fujitsu MB89352 controller

MEGA-SCSI manual (in japanese)

Shortened english translation of the MegaSCSI's programming manual

Par Prodatron

Paragon (1842)

06-06-2014, 19:28

Wow, Konamiman again, he really rulez!
The third one can be usefull if I get the discrom for disassembly as well. But that should be possible. Then testing has to take place in BlueMSX as I don't own a MegaSCSI in real (but the one from the MSX Club Gouda). Would be cool to have the driver finished for SymbOS 3.0.

Par edoz

Prophet (2475)

06-06-2014, 19:45

Is there soms compability between scsi devices ?

Par Randam

Paragon (1431)

06-06-2014, 21:08

Prodatron, if you are able to make a driver for MEGASCSI you are my hero! I absolutely love mine and if I could use it with SymbOS it would be awesome. Especially if it would be able to mount diskimages or even launch games with ep.com from it. But I'm guessing the latter wouldn't be possible.

Par edoz

Prophet (2475)

07-06-2014, 00:28

Symbos is not compatible with ep.com as it is It's own os....
so i dont now if it is handy to read disk images for msx files in symbos?
At the moment i work on a rom loader for supersoniq so we can launch sega games....in symbos.. It is still work in process... And i need soms help also
so wat You want is a launcher to run normal msx software but then you leave symbos and i dont know if that makes sense...
(as You can do that in msxdos as well) i think we just need more software for symbos with the new symstudio we can boost that

Par Randam

Paragon (1431)

07-06-2014, 13:05

Well I think it might be handy on the same level as a romloader. Besides that you can mount a diskimage with ep as well without booting it. So you could look at files on the disk images etc. But stick to your own roadmap: any software for symbos is great.

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