As some of you know, I have been working with a few different people
in trying to get some NorthStar disk based S-100 systems up and
running - this has proven to be a challange to do remotely, and in
the process I have created a few useful tools:
NSI - NorthStar Transfer utility
Copies SD, DD and DQ format NorthStar disk images to and from
PC files and physical disks via a serial link to the NorthStar
system - also provides a means of bootstrapping the client code
via a "memory edit" command in a debug monitor.
NSI - NorthStar Image utility
Manipulates the images created by NST, allows directory display,
get/put file, INIT of new images and several other functions.
HORIZON- NorthStar Horizon simulator
Simulates a NorthStar Horizon computer, allowing you to "boot" the
images described above.
Simulates either SD or DD NorthStar disk controller.
Has memory import/export options which make it very easy to patch
in-memory files for system configuration.
Configurable to simulate virtually any UART type devices, allowing
it to be used as a testbed to configure any serial console based
NorthStar system (default is Horizon 8251's)
Has debugging capabilitie, single-step, memory editor etc.
I have also included 8080 and Z80 cross assemblers, and an 8080 disassembler,
which can be used to write new I/O drivers etc. (which can be loaded directly
into the simulator to patch the booted OS).
I've included a complete example of using the tools to build a working bootable
disk for a non-Horizon computer (which happens to be my Vector 1+).
All of the above tools should run in any DOS compatible environment, including
verious flavors of Windows, Linux (DOSemu), soft-PC, etc. and even DOS!
Finally, I have made available about 65 NorthStar disk images, including several
versions of NorthStar DOS, CP/M, a couple of other operating systems, and plenty
of application programs and games. You can use NST to make physical disks from
these for your NorthStar system - I would also appreciate copies of any NorthStar
software that you might have which is not already in the archive.
Randy of s100-manuals.net has graciously offered space so that I can make this
available until I get it sorted out and put up on my site.
http://www.s100-manuals.net/dunfield
Enjoy,
Dave
--
dave04a (at) Dave Dunfield
dunfield (dot) Firmware development services & tools: www.dunfield.com
com Collector of vintage computing equipment:
http://www.parse.com/~ddunfield/museum/index.html
Received on Sat Feb 19 2005 - 16:05:46 GMT