Re: DOS2 freeing R800 DRAM memory
Please note that you can also advise your ST users to boot the ST in DOS1 mode. That will also free the 32kB of RAM used by DOS2 itself. True, but I'd have to rewrite all the file functions for DOS1 and wouldn't be able to support subdirectories anymore :( I hate DOS1 file functions... Dos2 means harddisk. ROMs are large. ~Grauw -- For info, see http://www.stack.nl/~wynke/MSX/listinfo.html
Re: DOS2 freeing R800 DRAM memory
] Please note that you can also advise your ST users to boot the ST in DOS1 ] mode. That will also free the 32kB of RAM used by DOS2 itself. ] ] True, but I'd have to rewrite all the file functions for DOS1 and wouldn't ] be able to support subdirectories anymore :( ] I hate DOS1 file functions... I have a small library with the most important file-functions that runs on top of DOS1 and DOS2. If DOS2 is present, it will use the underlying DOS2 functions and if DOS2 is not present it will use the old fashioned DOS1 functions. The functions in the library are in DOS2 style. Though, you can only keep 1 file open at the same time. So, it is something like 'open file, read from file, close file'. If you want, I can send this library to your private email adress. Kind regards, Alex Wulms -- Visit The MSX Plaza (http://www.inter.nl.net/users/A.P.Wulms) for info on XelaSoft, Merlasoft, Quadrivium, SD-Snatcher on fMSX, the MSX Hardware list, XSA Disk images, documentation, Japanese MSX news from Ikeda and lots more. -- For info, see http://www.stack.nl/~wynke/MSX/listinfo.html
Re: DOS2 freeing R800 DRAM memory
Alex Wulms wrote: The utility romturbo.com switches to R800 ROM mode and makes the 64kB RAM available to the normal pool of free RAM. Brilliant ^_^ But I can mail you ramturbo.com and romturbo.com if you want to investigate them. It is ofcourse nice to have this functionality integrated in your emulator. I already found them on FuNET, but thanks anyway :) Please note that you can also advise your ST users to boot the ST in DOS1 mode. That will also free the 32kB of RAM used by DOS2 itself. True, but I'd have to rewrite all the file functions for DOS1 and wouldn't be able to support subdirectories anymore :( I hate DOS1 file functions... Greetz, Patriek -- For info, see http://www.stack.nl/~wynke/MSX/listinfo.html
Re: DOS2 freeing R800 DRAM memory
] Alex Wulms: ] The utility is indeed something wonderfull. Though, freeing the memory ] only works when you have disabled the dos2 ramdisk and when you have not ] loaded memman. ] ] So is this util called 'romturbo.com' and 'ramturbo.com'? Else I'm afraid I ] don't know which util was discussed. :/ It is indeed romturbo.com and ramturbo.com. The utility romturbo.com switches to R800 ROM mode and makes the 64kB RAM available to the normal pool of free RAM. The utility ramturbo.com copies the ROM blocks back to the upper 64kB of RAM, removes the 64kB from the normal pool of free RAM switches back to R800 RAM mode. ] ] ] So how does the ROM get there in the first place?! There must be some ] ] routine in the BIOS that gets it there??? ] That is correct. ] ] Do you know which routine that is? No. But I can mail you ramturbo.com and romturbo.com if you want to investigate them. It is ofcourse nice to have this functionality integrated in your emulator. Please note that you can also advise your ST users to boot the ST in DOS1 mode. That will also free the 32kB of RAM used by DOS2 itself. In that case, you only have to make a very simple modification to your emulator: If MSX turbo R booted in DOS2 mode: keep your memory management as it is. If booted in DOS1 mode: switch to R800 ROM mode and search all available memory yourself. In that case, you do not need to worry about (re)allocating DOS2 memory segments and the whole lot. Though, you may still want to copy the ROMS back to upper memory before exiting the emulator. Just as a courtesy to the user... Kind regards, Alex Wulms -- Visit The MSX Plaza (http://www.inter.nl.net/users/A.P.Wulms) for info on XelaSoft, Merlasoft, Quadrivium, SD-Snatcher on fMSX, the MSX Hardware list, XSA Disk images, documentation, Japanese MSX news from Ikeda and lots more. -- For info, see http://www.stack.nl/~wynke/MSX/listinfo.html
Re: DOS2 freeing R800 DRAM memory
] Alex Wulms wrote: ] ] My idea is to: ] ] 1. switch to R800 ROM mode ] ] 2. copy the DOS2 system area to the upper 2 segments ] ] 3. execute some stuff, using the 'freed' 64kB. ] ] 4. copy the DOS2 system area back to the original position ] ] 5. switch to R800 DRAM mode ] ] Ofcourse the interrupts are switched off during steps 2-4. ] There is already a utility which does this. I think this was discussed in ] the mailinglist a few weeks ago. ] ] If I understood correctly that utility does NOT relocate the DOS2 segments ] into what previously was DRAM-mode memory. And does NOT free up the extra ] 64kB to DOS2 memory managment. ] If it does, it must also patch DOS2 to use the relocated system data ] area. So are you sure it does exactly what my idea was??? ] (Or I could be wrong and this utility is something wonderful) The utility is indeed something wonderfull. Though, freeing the memory only works when you have disabled the dos2 ramdisk and when you have not loaded memman. ] ] You must copy the ROMs back explicitly (while still in ROM mode). ] ] So how does the ROM get there in the first place?! There must be some ] routine in the BIOS that gets it there??? That is correct. Kind regards, Alex Wulms -- Visit The MSX Plaza (http://www.inter.nl.net/users/A.P.Wulms) for info on XelaSoft, Merlasoft, Quadrivium, SD-Snatcher on fMSX, the MSX Hardware list, XSA Disk images, documentation, Japanese MSX news from Ikeda and lots more. -- For info, see http://www.stack.nl/~wynke/MSX/listinfo.html
Re: DOS2 freeing R800 DRAM memory
Alex Wulms: The utility is indeed something wonderfull. Though, freeing the memory only works when you have disabled the dos2 ramdisk and when you have not loaded memman. So is this util called 'romturbo.com' and 'ramturbo.com'? Else I'm afraid I don't know which util was discussed. :/ ] So how does the ROM get there in the first place?! There must be some ] routine in the BIOS that gets it there??? That is correct. Do you know which routine that is? Greetz, Patriek -- For info, see http://www.stack.nl/~wynke/MSX/listinfo.html
Re: DOS2 freeing R800 DRAM memory
] My idea is to: ] 1. switch to R800 ROM mode ] 2. copy the DOS2 system area to the upper 2 segments ] 3. execute some stuff, using the 'freed' 64kB. ] 4. copy the DOS2 system area back to the original position ] 5. switch to R800 DRAM mode ] Ofcourse the interrupts are switched off during steps 2-4. There is already a utility which does this. I think this was discussed in the mailinglist a few weeks ago. ] ] I'm assuming switching to R800 DRAM mode will cause the ROM to be copied to ] DRAM again? Wrong assumption. You must copy the ROMs back explicitly (while still in ROM mode). ] ] I'm not 100% sure this would work, but it sounds like a good idea. What do ] you guys think? Nice idea. Though, why do you want to re-invent the weel while it already exists? Kind regards, Alex Wulms -- Visit The MSX Plaza (http://www.inter.nl.net/users/A.P.Wulms) for info on XelaSoft, Merlasoft, Quadrivium, SD-Snatcher on fMSX, the MSX Hardware list, XSA Disk images, documentation, Japanese MSX news from Ikeda and lots more. -- For info, see http://www.stack.nl/~wynke/MSX/listinfo.html
Re: DOS2 freeing R800 DRAM memory
Alex Wulms wrote: ] My idea is to: ] 1. switch to R800 ROM mode ] 2. copy the DOS2 system area to the upper 2 segments ] 3. execute some stuff, using the 'freed' 64kB. ] 4. copy the DOS2 system area back to the original position ] 5. switch to R800 DRAM mode ] Ofcourse the interrupts are switched off during steps 2-4. There is already a utility which does this. I think this was discussed in the mailinglist a few weeks ago. If I understood correctly that utility does NOT relocate the DOS2 segments into what previously was DRAM-mode memory. And does NOT free up the extra 64kB to DOS2 memory managment. If it does, it must also patch DOS2 to use the relocated system data area. So are you sure it does exactly what my idea was??? (Or I could be wrong and this utility is something wonderful) You must copy the ROMs back explicitly (while still in ROM mode). So how does the ROM get there in the first place?! There must be some routine in the BIOS that gets it there??? Greetz, Patriek -- For info, see http://www.stack.nl/~wynke/MSX/listinfo.html
DOS2 freeing R800 DRAM memory
Hi all, I'm really trying to get some extra memory for turboR ST users, because they can't use GEM v0.7 at all. The problem is the 64kB which is used for R800 DRAM mode located above the DOS2 system area. My idea is to: 1. switch to R800 ROM mode 2. copy the DOS2 system area to the upper 2 segments 3. execute some stuff, using the 'freed' 64kB. 4. copy the DOS2 system area back to the original position 5. switch to R800 DRAM mode Ofcourse the interrupts are switched off during steps 2-4. I'm assuming switching to R800 DRAM mode will cause the ROM to be copied to DRAM again? I'm not 100% sure this would work, but it sounds like a good idea. What do you guys think? Greetz, Patriek -- For info, see http://www.stack.nl/~wynke/MSX/listinfo.html
