Compupro computer questions

From: CLASSICCMP_at_trailing-edge.COM <(CLASSICCMP_at_trailing-edge.COM)>
Date: Sat May 8 11:36:18 1999

> I picked up a Compupro 816 computer yesterday and an external drive unit
>with a hard drive and an 8" floppy drive. I haven't brought it home yet so
>I haven't taken more than a quick look at it. Can anyone tell be about the
>computer and drive? What CPU, speed, etc. What kind of operating system it
>uses, etc.

If it's using the same CPU's it shipped with, it has a 8085A and a
8088A on a 85/88 CPU board. Speed is 2 or 5 MHz, depending on what
the big red switch labeled "SPEED" on the CPU board is set at.

Of course, it's a S-100 box, so just about anything could have been
dropped in at either the factory (special-order), the Compupro dealer,
or by the end user.

Typically the system either ran CP/M-80, CP/M-86, or a special
Compupro version that was basically CP/M-86 but would also run 8-bit
executables on the 8085.

There were many aftermarket CPU's available, some with 80286's on them
and 8 MHz Z-80's, that were commonly dropped into Compupro chassis.

> I don't see a keyboard or video connectors so I assume it needs
>a terminal to talk to it.

Very likely, yes. Most likely, it has a System Support 1 board
with console serial port, clock, and interrupt controllers. But there
are lots of other ways to set up a S-100 system.

> Does any have a pinout of the serial port so I
>can make a terminal cable.

Look for a 25-pin cable from the System Support 1. It's plain old
RS-232. Depending on which OS and version you run, and how it was
generated, you might need to assert DTR.

> What size is the hard and floppy drives

You tell us :-). A Compupro 816 most likely shipped with a Qume
Datatrack DSDD 8" floppy drive, a bit over a Megabyte, most likely
hooked to a Disk 1 (or 1A or 1B or 1C) controller in the S-100 chassis.
The hard drive is likely a MFM drive, anywhere between 5 and 30 Megabytes,
hooked to a Disk 3. Again, just about anything was orderable/configurable.

> does
>the floppy drive use hard sectored disks, etc etc, etc.

Almost certainly soft-sectored disks.

> I noticed that
>there are connectors for both a 5.25" and an 8" floppy drives and another
>for a hard drive on the back of the CPU box. Does anyone have a manual or
>the OS software for one of these?

Sure. I bought out the last Canadian Compupro dealer while I was in
Vancouver and have manuals, configuration software, etc. Let us know
what's *in* your box and you'll get more details.

-- 
 Tim Shoppa                        Email: shoppa_at_trailing-edge.com
 Trailing Edge Technology          WWW:   http://www.trailing-edge.com/
 7328 Bradley Blvd		   Voice: 301-767-5917
 Bethesda, MD, USA 20817           Fax:   301-767-5927
Received on Sat May 08 1999 - 11:36:18 BST

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.0 : Fri Oct 10 2014 - 23:32:24 BST