Kaypro II disk image

[vanz]

Is there an xml or saved fpf for creating blank Kaypro II disks in raw img format? I found an xml posted years ago for the Kaypro, and I've been trying to add files to it using CpmtoolsGUI and then converting to hfe. The Gotek doesn't complain about the disk, but cannot see any files. It shows the correct size, but 0 bytes used and no files.

I'm really struggling to just get .BAS files onto an disk image without A) having another 5.25" floppy drive and B) using Kermit or otherwise to transfer files from another computer over to it.

Is this just impossible?

CpmtoolsGUI looked really promising and easy to use, but I'm just stuck at what feels like the 1 yard line.

[vanz]

Just to be clear in what I am doing -

1. In HxCFloppyEmulator 2.14.4.1, I hit the Load Raw Image button
2. Change to "XML file Disk Layout" and give it empty_hfe.xml
3. Hit "Create Empty Floppy"
4. Export as IMG file
5. Open IMG file in CpmtoolsGUI and add a .BAS file
6. In HxCFloppyEmulator, load the IMG file from previous step
7. Export as HFE

Again, it sees 191k total capacity which is the same as a physical floppy in the B: drive but does not see the .BAS file.

[vanz]

OK, I made this way more complicated than it should have been. I was under the mistaken impression that I had to use .hfe format for. Not sure where I got that stuck in my head. .IMG works just fine.

The short version of what I needed to do is:
1. Get disk images for the Kaypro II from http://www.retroarchive.org/maslin/disks/kaypro/ Specfically, the KII-BLNK one is good.
2. In HxCFloppyEmulator, drag in the .td0 from the above to load it
3. Export it as .IMG format
4. Open the same .IMG now in CPMToolsGUI (downloaded from http://star.gmobb.jp/koji/cgi/wiki.cgi?page=CpmtoolsGUI )
5. Add whatever files you want using the application (select files on the right, click the P button to "Put" them on the virtual image.
6. Once you have added the files to the virtual disk, move the updated .IMG to your USB drive (name it something like DSK0001.img), pop it in the Gotek in the Kaypro II, fire it up, and boom! Bob's your uncle.

For Step 4, you will want the following in a "diskdefs" file where the CPMToolsGUI folder is. Save the existing one, and make a new one with only the following in it:

#cpmtools
# KAY1 Kaypro II/2 - SSDD 48 tpi 5.25" - 512 x 10
diskdef kay1
seclen 512
tracks 40
sectrk 10
secbase 0
blocksize 1024
maxdir 64
dirblks 4
skew 0
boottrk 1
os 2.2
end

All of the above is assuming an early Kaypro II (ROM 81-149) with a Gotek running as drive A. You mileage may vary. Obviously I am leaving out some things, like I assume the KPII can already boot from a virtual disk, you already know how to select different virtual disks, you don't already have a DSK0001.img file, and you are using an older/stock Gotek with the buttons and LED screen only and have flashed it with .

Technically, you should be able to create a blank disk using CPMToolsGUI, but I wasn't having very good luck. It may have been my shotgun approach, though, and since I found a way to just reuse an already created blank image, this is how I ended up...

Now in 8-10 years when all those links above are broken or nothing works like it does today and somebody finds this post, they can scream into the void like I did for the last week or so fumbling around with the same (as well as my own ignorance). Maybe by then, there will be an even easier way to roll your own virtual disks for the early model Kaypro's.

[Jeff]

Hello,

I can only provide support to HxC firmware and/or HxC hardware users :

https://hxc2001.com/store/

I have no idea how the firmware you are using is working.