Mystery QL/MS-DOS v4.0x Disk

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Chr$
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Mystery QL/MS-DOS v4.0x Disk

Post by Chr$ »

Anyone know what this is?
20201004_201243_resized.jpg
It's a 720k Disk labelled - with what appears to be an mdv label - "QL/MS-DOS v4.0x". It's content is in MS-DOS format and it contains these files:
QLDOSList.png
The readme.txt file it contains contains the following, but doesn't reveal much:

Code: Select all

README.TXT
October 18, 1988

This document covers topics not included in MS-DOS printed documentation.  
It also lists a small number of corrections.


ANSI.SYS--INSTALLABLE DEVICE DRIVER
-----------------------------------

Device drivers are programs that let the operating system recognize devices
that are not a part of the computer (for example, a modem, printer, or
mouse).  Some device drivers are already installed with MS-DOS.  Other
device drivers, called installable device drivers, can be installed as you
need them.

ANSI.SYS, an installable device driver, lets you use ANSI escape sequences
in real mode.  An ANSI escape sequence is a series of characters developed
by the American National Standards Institute.  You use these escape
sequences to define functions for MS-DOS.  Specifically, you can change
graphics functions and affect the movement of the cursor.

Following is a description of two options you can use with the ANSI.SYS 
device driver.

/L

The function of this option is to retain the number of screen rows for
application programs that return the number of screen rows to the default,
25.  You change the default with the MODE command.

/K

The function of this option is to prevent ANSI.SYS from using extended 
keyboard functions when an enhanced keyboard is installed.

For more information on the ANSI.SYS device driver and the MODE command, 
please see the Microsoft MS-DOS User's Reference.


CORRECTIONS
-----------

MS-DOS User's Reference--COMMAND command--Page 48.

The second example should read:

If you want to increase space to 256 bytes, not kilobytes.


MS-DOS User's Reference--FIND command--Page 76.

The example should read:

tree /f: | find ".EXE"


MS-DOS User's Reference--MODE command--Page 100.

The second syntax statement should read:

mode [display],shift[,t]
Looks like all normal MS-DOS files to me. I can see no QL connection (apart from the label which looks Digital Precision in style) or am I missing something?


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Artificer
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Re: Mystery QL/MS-DOS v4.0x Disk

Post by Artificer »

Here is a guess: -

If the label is DP - then could it be the version of MSDOS distributed with PC Conqueror/Solution PC emulator from DP

Cheers


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Re: Mystery QL/MS-DOS v4.0x Disk

Post by Chr$ »

Artificer wrote:Here is a guess: -

If the label is DP - then could it be the version of MSDOS distributed with PC Conqueror/Solution PC emulator from DP

Cheers
I did see that and wonder. So there was a trimmed down version of MS-DOS for the QL to use with the 'Solution' emulator? I do also have a similar Solution Disk, which also has an mdv sticker.


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Re: Mystery QL/MS-DOS v4.0x Disk

Post by NormanDunbar »

I used to have this years and years ago. It is indeed the DOS disc for Conqueror. You loaded up the QL disc first, then swapped this one in. After that, you typed DOS commands and got results. Eventually!

It was dire! Most commands had to load from flp1_, so you waited for that, then the execution, then got results. On a Trump Carded QL, it took ages.

Fitting an X86 emulator into a QL, with enough RAM to load and run DOS was great, don't get me wrong, but it was pretty much unusable. Sadly.

Cheers,
Norm.


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Re: Mystery QL/MS-DOS v4.0x Disk

Post by Chr$ »

NormanDunbar wrote:I used to have this years and years ago. It is indeed the DOS disc for Conqueror. You loaded up the QL disc first, then swapped this one in. After that, you typed DOS commands and got results. Eventually!

It was dire! Most commands had to load from flp1_, so you waited for that, then the execution, then got results. On a Trump Carded QL, it took ages.

Fitting an X86 emulator into a QL, with enough RAM to load and run DOS was great, don't get me wrong, but it was pretty much unusable. Sadly.

Cheers,
Norm.
Thanks Norm,

It didn't come with 'Conqueror', so could it have also been suitable for their earlier (from what I can gather) 'Solution' MS-DOS emulator? Either way, mystery solved.


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Peter
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Re: Mystery QL/MS-DOS v4.0x Disk

Post by Peter »

NormanDunbar wrote:Fitting an X86 emulator into a QL, with enough RAM to load and run DOS was great, don't get me wrong, but it was pretty much unusable. Sadly
Detlef tried Conqueror with harddisk image on the Q68, roughly the PC speed of the time, quite funny.


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Re: Mystery QL/MS-DOS v4.0x Disk

Post by Chr$ »

Peter wrote:
NormanDunbar wrote:Fitting an X86 emulator into a QL, with enough RAM to load and run DOS was great, don't get me wrong, but it was pretty much unusable. Sadly
Detlef tried Conqueror with harddisk image on the Q68, roughly the PC speed of the time, quite funny.
Like the new Q68 avatar. Looks a lot like the pic I did for the wiki. In fact, it is the same pic isn't it, but with the green QL sticker removed and the label on the SD covered? ;)
q68_top.jpg
And good experiment to turn the Q68 into a DOS emulator, might try that out one day.


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Re: Mystery QL/MS-DOS v4.0x Disk

Post by Derek_Stewart »

Hi,

The Q68 boards should identical, as they came from the same PCB manufacturer.

There is a QC label on all boards, sometimes on the underside. But the label does not really mean or guarantee anything.

With regards to the DOS aka Conqueror. I used use a Super Gold card with MSDOS 6.22, and other DOS software, like DBASE 3, FRAMEWORK... all work quite well.

Since the Q68 runs faster than a Supergold card, I would expect a slight increase in speed on the DOS Emulation.

Also try CP/M there is much free software than in DOS.


Regards,

Derek
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Peter
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Re: Mystery QL/MS-DOS v4.0x Disk

Post by Peter »

Chr$ wrote:Like the new Q68 avatar. Looks a lot like the pic I did for the wiki. In fact, it is the same pic isn't it, but with the green QL sticker removed and the label on the SD covered? ;)
Yes it is and many thanks for your wonderful pics!


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Peter
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Re: Mystery QL/MS-DOS v4.0x Disk

Post by Peter »

Derek_Stewart wrote:With regards to the DOS aka Conqueror. I used use a Super Gold card with MSDOS 6.22, and other DOS software, like DBASE 3, FRAMEWORK... all work quite well.

Since the Q68 runs faster than a Supergold card, I would expect a slight increase in speed on the DOS Emulation.
That, plus much faster file access, which is quite important under DOS, as most commands are loaded from (hard) disk.


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