HOW TO TRANSFER FILES FROM TI-99/4A TO A PC (WINDOWS)

TO USE IN EMULATORS - ED SWARTZ

- THIERRY NOUSPIKEL - PAOLO BAGNARESI

- FRED KAAL - KLAUS LUKASCHEK

- RALF SCHMITZ Version 1.12

Ronald van Kleunen

28/Feb/2015

See FaceBook:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2209774843/

Connection Setup works with VDM99 or with V9T9 (TI60 DOS setup)

RS232 (or RS232/1)

USB

Normal connection (no x-over)

Tested with Windows Mini XP and Windows7

TI-99/4A (1981 version)

Peripheral Expansion Box (PEB) With 32K, RS232, FlexCable, DiskCtrl)

Check Communications

• Check communications between the devices • By typing text and verify if messages can be transferred

Use Tera Term (or HyperTerm) (Serial port: COM3 Baudrate: 9600 Data Bits: 8 Parity: N Stop bit: 1 Tera Term: http://ttssh2.sourceforge.jp/index.html.en

Use a Terminal Emulator (e.g. Telco V2.3) or similar

VDM99 Virtual Disk Manager (max. 9600 baud) http://www.unige.ch/medecine/nouspikel/ti99/vdm99.htm (download links inside) And NO DATABASE 1.9 version: http://www.unige.ch/medecine/nouspikel/ti99/vdm99nodb.zip (Author: Thierry Nouspikel)

VDM99 setup

• Install the Database version

• If you can start it (and/or register the database) use this version.

• Otherwise download the 1.9 version (NODB)

No Database and overwrite the VDM99.EXE file

and also delete the “Workspace.VDM” as it is

different

VDM99 setup

• Once VDM99 starts

• > Setup > Options

VDM99 setup

• Select > Remote • Select > TI-99/4A via Cable • Select Button “Serial” • Select serial port (e.g. COM3) • DTR : RTS • DCD : DCD • CTS : None

• > Setup “Save Workspace”

If you do not have the 5.25” disk for the TI with the “Hook” software, then you need to push it to the TI: • > Setup > Upload Hook

• > Select “HookRS1.DF80”

• Editor Assembler/TIBAS (or Extended BASIC)

• Type CALL INIT

• CALL LOAD("RS232.BA=9600.DA=8.PA=N.EC")

* >> now on the PC upload HOOK (see slide before)

• Once done, then type CALL LOAD, type CALL LINK("GO").

• http://www.unige.ch/medecine/nouspikel/ti99/vdm99.htm#scan%20ti99

Upload Hook (only 1st time)

On the PC:

A message box appears in VDM99, asking you if you wish to scan the remote TI-99/4A right away. The main purpose of this message is to delay VDM99 until the hook routine on the TI-99/4A is ready to accept command. Answer [Yes] to scan for drives and populate the TI-99/4A sub-tree. If you answer [No], you can always scan later with "Drive-->Scan remote TI-99/4A".

Copy VDM99.DSK to the TI-99/4A over the serial cable – part 1

• Mount PC File

• VDM99.dsk

Copy VDM99.DSK to the TI-99/4A over the serial cable – part 2

• The Directory is listed

• Then place an empty, but initialized disk in one of the TI drive and drag-and-drop the VDM99.DSK image to (e.g DSK1).

• This will copy the entire disk to the TI-99/4A.

Drag And drop

Now use Editor /Assembler EA5 option to load the Hook Note: you only see a green screen > EA5: DSK1.HOOKRS1

VDM99 controls the Diskdrives in the PEB to read contents / download and upload disks !

End of VDM99

V9T9 TI60 (DOS) Download http://www.zophar.net/ti/v9t9.html (Author: Edward Swartz)

5.25” DISK for V9T9 Transfer

• If you do not have a 5.25” disk for the TI-99/4A, either transfer the “V9T9TRANS.DSK” with VDM99 to the TI

• Or follow the instructions of TI60 using Extended Basic and FORTH to get the files from the PC to the TI

V9T9 DOS transfer

• Transfer files from TI-99/4A over the

RS232 Serial cable at 9600

(RS232.BA-9600.DA-8.PA=N)

• Use Editor Assembler (EA) and TIBAS

• OLD DSK1.TRANSFER

• RUN (more files are loaded from DSK1)

• Select option 7 (disk transfer)

TI-99/4A Editor Assembler/TIBASIC - Transfer

Note: here you also can dump your own Console ROMs, Speech, etc !) For disks select 7:

PC running DOS (Disk Operating System), like MS-DOS, PC-DOS, or use DOS in an emulator (like DOSBox) or use normal DOS in a virtual machine (e.g. VMWARE). Below Windows 7, running DOSBox 0.74 http://www.dosbox.com/download.php?main=1

Setup of DOSBox 0.74

• SoundBlaster file need to be installed

(see separate instructions)

• Serial port (e.g. COM3)port and settings need

to be configured (see samples)

Once running

Type “RECV.EXE” it is part of

The TI60 Directory (UTILS)

RECV.EXE

Wait until TI initiates the transfer then enter the filename at the prompt Max: 8 chars and 3 chars for extension (the old DOS format for filenames:12345678.ABC)

Note: sometimes the communications hangs after a few disks (then restart DOSbox)

Dumping the files 2 lines (360 sectors) 4 lines (720 sectors)

End of V9T9 TI60 (DOS)

Other options

Setup of 5.25” Drive hardware

• Use an older PC/PC-board with DOS, Windows 3.x, Windows 95, Windows XP, 7 or 8.

• As long it supports an Interface for 5.25” Floppy Drives and a driver

• Newer systems do not support it, use a USB-Floppy

drive alternative

http://www.kryoflux.com/

(read and write)

FC5025 (read only ?)

http://www.deviceside.com/fc5025.html

Software

• PC with 5.25” drive options: – TI99-PC http://www.mainbyte.com/ti99/howto/ti99pc.html

• ftp://ftp.whtech.com/pc%20utilities/ • ftp://ftp.whtech.com/pc%20utilities/TI99-PC%203.2.1.%20Password%20%27TI99%27.rar • Video (interview with author): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwLTOvkE1Ic

– OmniFlop (32-bit) http://www.shlock.co.uk/Utils/OmniFlop/OmniFlop.htm – OmniFlop (64-bit) http://www.shlock.co.uk/Utils/OmniFlop/OmniFlop64.htm

– Michael Zapf (TI Image tool CHD) – http://www.ninerpedia.org/index.php/TIImageTool

• USB options:

– Kryoflux (http://www.kryoflux.com/?page=download) – FC5025 (http://www.deviceside.com/fc5025.html)

End of other options

Ralf Schmitz HcX emu?

Ti99Dir - TI99 filemanager for Windows Download http://www.ti99-geek.nl/Projects/ti99dir/ti99dir.html

(Author: Fred Kaal)

• Read TI V9T9 DSK formats • Read ARC files (ARChive files - kind of zip files) • View images (GIF, etc.) • Version 5.5b onwards can see the “comments” field on disks (John Birdwell 4.2. Disk Utilities)

End of TI99DIR

Web99 - TI99 TI Disk Image Collection for any TI Files. a lucene Index to my .net Application Web99. Download http://www.ti99-geek.nl/Projects/ti99dir/ti99dir.html

(Author: Klaus Lukaschek )

· Klaus Lukaschek this is a great compilation of documentation and nicely presented. many thanks to you for doing that. hopefully my pc tool will get a section there as well once it is released 8 hrs · Like · · Klaus Lukaschek You can add the commercial PC99 emulator with its RSECTOR and WSECTOR programs to exchange whole disks via RS232 between real TI and PC99. I used this as the main tool for my disk backups and to get new software on the PEB. Since it's Dos based, I run it within DosBox like V9T9. 8 hrs · Like · Klaus Lukaschek There is M.E.S.S. that emulates the serial Port and can be connected via TIImageTool over the Pc Com Port to a real TI-99 computer.

new >>WEB99<<-tool.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2209774843/10153110116144844/?notif_t=group_comment_reply

End of Web99

HDX1 Server

Use the PC as a file server - No hardware change - Hardware change “HDX1 Server” Use a PC as a file server http://www.ti99-geek.nl/Projects/projects.php

Videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=EQV-1Hwfroo

http://www.ti99-geek.nl/Projects/projects.php

Many projects at Fred Kaal’s website www.ti99-geek.nl Many projects are document here

TI-99/4A with PEB (32K, original RS332) CfHdxS1 version 1.2

HDX Server (v7.3c tested) http://www.ti99-geek.nl/Projects/ti99hdx/ti99hdx_server.html

TI-99/4A using a standard RS232 Interface in PEB box http://www.ti99-geek.nl/Projects/ti99hdx/ti99hdx_ti_std_rs232.html

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10205226317519155&set=o.2209774843&type=2&theater

Klaus Lukaschek Troubleshooting the “Serial USB to RS232 interface

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10205226365280349&set=o.2209774843&type=2&theater

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10205226417601657&set=o.2209774843&type=2&theater

Facebook – videos showing the issue not initialising the serial port

Try it a few times, e.g. 1. with DosBox to reset the Serial port 2. Or rebooting the PC 3. Enable/Disable the Serial port 4. Set baudrate on the adapter itself

http://www.ti99-geek.nl/Projects/ti99hdx/ti99hdx.html

TI-99/4A using a modified (HDX) RS232 Interface in PEB box

Note: sometimes the COMx: port need to be resetted (e.g. DosBox) Otherwise this does not appear. (see a few slides back the Troubleshooting of Klaus Lukaschek)

PC side TI-side Enter HDX1. directory on the PC appears

End of HDX1 Server

Use the NanoPEB TI-99/4A Emulators for Windows & Linux

http://webpages.charter.net/nanopeb/

TI-99/4A using a RS232 Interface of the nanoPEB (Version 2)

http://www.ti99-geek.nl/Projects/projects.php

5V power supply

http://webpages.charter.net/nanopeb/

TI-99/4A with nanoPEB (32K, RS332) CfHdxS1 version 1.2

HDX Server http://www.ti99-geek.nl/Projects/ti99hdx/ti99hdx_server.html

TI-99/4A using a standard RS232 Interface in PEB box http://www.ti99-geek.nl/Projects/ti99hdx/ti99hdx_ti_std_rs232.html

Gender Changer 9-pin Female-Female

Use the NanoPEB Batch file of Ralf Schmitz

Managing multiple volumes TI99-CFcopy104a.bat (Ralf Schmitz)

Emulators Web based

• Rasmus Mousgaard – JS99er - Website Java (online) http://js99er.net/

Mobile devices:

• Android99: https://github.com/elorimer/droid99

PC Based (Windows or Linux) Multiple Vintage computers,

including TI-99/x models + Geneva 9640

• MESS - http://www.ninerpedia.org/index.php/MESS

– TI-99/2 (not working)

– TI-99/4, 50 Hz and 60 Hz

– TI-99/4A, 50 Hz and 60 Hz (USA and Europe)

– TI-99/4QI, 50 Hz and 60 Hz

– TI-99/4A EVPC

– TI-99/8

– Geneve 9640

• Also note MAME exists for gaming emulators (projects are related)

Emulators PC Based (Windows and Linux)

• Ed Swartz – v9t9 (Windows and Linux): http://eswartz.github.io/emul/

– Note: There are hidden commands and menu’s (see Facebook)

– And 600v9t9 (DOS), I am using still this to transfer files http://www.zophar.net/ti.html

• Fred Kaal (TI994w Windows): http://www.ti99-geek.nl/ – Fred Kaal is now working on a 80 column version

• Cory Burr (Win994a): http://www.99er.net/win994a.shtml

• M. Brent (aka Tulsi) - Classic99 http://www.harmlesslion.com/cgi-bin/showprog.cgi?search=classic99

• M. Rousseau: http://www.mrousseau.org/programs/ti99sim/

• More listed at: http://www.99er.net/emul.shtml

• Like CADD PC99

To do:

• Comparison of emulators and what is

supported (e.g. P-Code card,

Gramcard / Karte, 512 Memory Cards, etc.)

• Joysticks

• Debuggers

• Etc.

• What is the benefit of each emulator

• Find out using Geneva 9960 emulator in MESS how to

get into the TI-MODE (As I do not have an editor to edit AUTOEXEC.BAT)