Subject: TI99-PC - XP

From: "epergrem" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2010 18:37:05 -0000

As some of you know, I'm in the process of transfering some disks to the PC.  I have been using the PC99 utilities, which are excellent, but are slowed by the speed of the 99/4A.

I had used TI99-PC in the past and decided to give the newer version a try,  but it no longer supports the PC99 format and the older version wouldn't work with XP.

So, I created a dual-boot of MS-DOS 6.22 and XP to enable use of the older version.

It works, but I have ran into an interesting, but perhaps unsolvable problem.  Both SSSD-TI and DSDD_TI disks read great, but try a DSSD-TI disk and TI99-PC reports it as a 'probable' PC disk.  

I'm using one of the Teac FD55-GFR drives that Jon sent me and they work flawlessly with my Myarc controller, so it doesn't appear to be a drive issue.

So, possibly a BIOS issue?

Ernie

---

From: Marc Hull <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2010 11:29:21 -0800 (PST)

Hey Ernie....

A solution that works for me but is a bit of PITA....

Copy the 5.25 onto a 3.5 on the TI side.  Transfer the 3.5 with TI99-PC.  I found 5.25" drives very undependable on my WIN 98 machine...

--- On Sun, 2/28/10, epergrem <[email-masked]> wrote:

From: epergrem <[email-masked]>
Subject: [TI994A] TI99-PC - XP
To: [email-masked]
Date: Sunday, February 28, 2010, 12:37 PM

  

Ernie

---

From: "Paolo Bagnaresi" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2010 23:09:07 +0100

Hi Ernie,

as to using the last version of TI99-PC (3.2.1.) the following may be of 
some interest:

--------------------------------------------------------------
Tere are 3 main executable files in TI99-PC v. 3.2.1 of September
2009, namely:

1) TI99-PC.BAT
2) TI99-PC.EXE
3) TI99_PC.COM  --> Please note the underscore sign in TI99_PC.COM

The right way to start TI99-PC v. 3.2.1 is to make a short-cut to the
first one, that is to TI99-PC.BAT, and start from there.

If you start from the .EXE, you'll get to the new version, that's OK, but
once you're through with the reading/writing/formatting a disk you won't
have any other option left fro you. By exiting (a click on the red X on
the top-right) you just exit entirely the application and you are back to
Windows.

On the other hand, if you start from where you are supposed to, i.e.
TI99-PC.BAT, you will be taken the old black screen DOS interface. From
there you will be able to BOTH access the old utilities, including the
PC99 consversions, AND the new utilities for reading/writing/formatting a
disk on XP/Vista/7, which are in a totally different environment (they are
in a Windows style application). Once your through with the second task,
and exit the Windows style app), you will be taken back to the old black
screen DOS interface and you will be able to continue your PC99
conversions in the old way, like you're used to.

If the above doesn't solve your problem, please let me know and I will try
to be of further assistance, if I may.
---------------------------------------------

As to the the problem with TI99-PC older version reporting the floppy as a 
'probable' PC disk on a TEAC FD55-GFR drive, I'm not really sure.

Certainlky not a BIOS issue, otherwise the drive would never work 
properly.

Probably a floppy/drive issue. There is always the remote change of coming 
across a floppy the was first formatted as a 40 track disk on a 40 track 
drive, then rewritten with a density change as an 40 track disk on another 
80 track drive (thus leaving the each next track formatted in the other 
density) and finally read on a third drive, which is slightly misalligned 
with respect to the second drive. This definitely 'could' create some 
problems.

I have experienced problems with misalligned drives in the past. Usually 
these are pesky problems, no less. To straighten things up and be sure the 
drive is in perfect condition (and rigthly alligned) please do as follows:

a) Make sure the drive is able to format and read back correctly:
   - Format a disk, fill it with something and try to read it back.

b) See that the disk so formatted is read correctly by a second good 
drive. The second drive must be a trusted one.

c) See that other disks, possibly from different 'good' drives, are read 
correctly by the
   first drive.

If a) fails, obviously the first drive has problems of its own. Ditch the 
drive.
If b) fails, surely the first drive is misalligned. Ditch the drive.
If c) sometimes works and sometimes doesn't, then you have a slightly 
misalligned drive. You might still want to use it for your purposes, but 
it's not a good choice.

Hope the above helps a little.

Thank you for using TI99-PC!

Paolo

> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "epergrem" <[email-masked]>
> To: <[email-masked]>
> Sent: Sunday, February 28, 2010 7:37 PM
> As some of you know, I'm in the process of transfering some disks to the 
> PC.  I have been using the PC99 utilities, which are excellent, but are 
> slowed by the speed of the 99/4A.
>
> I had used TI99-PC in the past and decided to give the newer version a 
> try,  but it no longer supports the PC99 format and the older version 
> wouldn't work with XP.
>
> It works, but I have ran into an interesting, but perhaps unsolvable 
> problem.  Both SSSD-TI and DSDD_TI disks read great, but try a DSSD-TI 
> disk and TI99-PC reports it as a 'probable' PC disk.
>
> I'm using one of the Teac FD55-GFR drives that Jon sent me and they work 
> flawlessly with my Myarc controller, so it doesn't appear to be a drive 
> issue.
>

---

From: "epergrem" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:53:37 -0000

Thanks Paolo,
I was just getting ready to post a correct to my last comment about the new version of TI99-PC not handling PC99 files.  

Thanks for the detailed explanation and my aplogies for my mis-statement.

Ernie

---

From: "Paolo Bagnaresi" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 09:25:35 +0100

Thank you Ernie,

you're always welcome :-)

Paolo

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "epergrem" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Sent: Monday, March 01, 2010 1:53 AM
Subject: [TI994A] Re: TI99-PC - XP

Thanks Paolo,
I was just getting ready to post a correct to my last comment about the 
new version of TI99-PC not handling PC99 files.

Ernie

--- In [email-masked], "Paolo Bagnaresi" <paul.bagnaresi@...>

---

From: ti99_forever <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 00:30:26 -0800 (PST)

Hot Dawg! Somebody up besides me this morning! I was getting lonely...

Hi, Paolo, always good to see you... hope you can come to Chicago this year?

Good to see I wasn't the only one overlooking the BAT file... the program works great for me. I just need to take the time to convert more 5.25" disks to 3.5" so I can covert them here at work. Wish I'd taken some time to do that today, as I had about two hours to kill...

--- On Mon, 3/1/10, Paolo Bagnaresi <[email-masked]> wrote:

> From: Paolo Bagnaresi <[email-masked]>
> Subject: Re: [TI994A] Re: TI99-PC - XP
> Date: Monday, March 1, 2010, 3:25 AM
> Thank you Ernie,
> 
> ------------------------------------
> 
> Yahoo! Groups Links
> 
> 
>     [email-masked]
> 
> 
>

---

From: "Paolo Bagnaresi" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 22:41:46 +0100

Hi Ben!

Not sure of being able to make it to Chicago this year, but, as they say, 
you never know ...  let's see what happens in the meantime :-)
It certainly would be fun!

Glad to hear TI99-PC is working well for you. That's the main reason why I 
code something, besides the thrill you always get when you try something 
you have never done before.

Paolo

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "ti99_forever" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Sent: Monday, March 01, 2010 9:30 AM
Subject: Re: [TI994A] Re: TI99-PC - XP

Hi, Paolo, always good to see you... hope you can come to Chicago this 
year?

Good to see I wasn't the only one overlooking the BAT file... the program 
works great for me. I just need to take the time to convert more 5.25" 
disks to 3.5" so I can covert them here at work. Wish I'd taken some time 
to do that today, as I had about two hours to kill...

---

From: "computerclassics2000" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 02 Mar 2010 02:00:13 -0000

Unless something catastrophic happens in the interim, I too will be in Chicago for the 2010 TI International Faire. If Paolo Bagnaresi is able to find his way there, I would bring the 'red carpet'... :-)

BillG

--- In [email-masked], "Paolo Bagnaresi" <paul.bagnaresi@...> wrote:
> From: "ti99_forever" <ti99_forever@...>
> --- On Mon, 3/1/10, Paolo Bagnaresi <paul.bagnaresi@...> wrote:
> 
> > From: Paolo Bagnaresi <paul.bagnaresi@...>
> > From: "epergrem" <epergrem@...>
> > --- In [email-masked],
> > "Paolo Bagnaresi" <paul.bagnaresi@>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi Ernie,
> > >

---

From: "Paolo Bagnaresi" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 2 Mar 2010 17:58:01 +0100

:-)

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "computerclassics2000" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 02, 2010 3:00 AM
Subject: [TI994A] Re: TI99-PC - XP

Unless something catastrophic happens in the interim, I too will be in 
Chicago for the 2010 TI International Faire. If Paolo Bagnaresi is able to 
find his way there, I would bring the 'red carpet'... :-)

BillG