I've been in discussions with nop about this over DM - his 1.0.3 BIOS allows booting from a floppy image on the CH375 bus - and once booted as I understand it you can swap USB stick and access a different image on A:.
In theory, it may be possible to add a B: drive for a second image (would suit MS-DOS 5.0a) but I would also like to find a way to manage multiple images.
The upcoming PicoMEM board seems to be evaluating floppy disk management - there is a system that works with a daomon on a linux host (which could be a raspberry pi zero) out there online already which I think does work (on client side) under 8088.

KarlG wrote on 2023-10-23, 19:24:

n0p wrote:

Possible answer is here: Virtual floppy drive under MS-DOS? Working TurboImage link in in the end. Hope it works for you, i have […]
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Possible answer is here:
Virtual floppy drive under MS-DOS?
Working TurboImage link in in the end. Hope it works for you, i haven't tested it on my Book8088.
Sorry, it requires 2MB XMS to run

I guess common sense would say that anything that works with floppy images directly would realistically need to be able to load the whole image into RAM, but I didn't think of that. Maybe there's something that implements my other idea, though. If not, it's not vital, anyway.

This is what I have found so far after much searching - I hope that the PicoMEM will facilitate this (perhaps it could be retro-ported to PicoGUS too)
https://ethflop.sourceforge.net/
...disk-swapping fork of the daemon: https://forum.vcfed.org/index.php?threads/eth … -4#post-1262961

betamax80 wrote on 2023-10-23, 19:50:

I've been in discussions with nop about this over DM - his 1.0.3 BIOS allows booting from a floppy image on the CH375 bus - and once booted as I understand it you can swap USB stick and access a different image on A:.

Yes, that should work as long as software expects disk change. I've installed MS-DOS from two disks this way, didn't check further.
Write image to USB, insert, boot Book8088, run install, prompted : eject, write next, insert, press key.

So, today I attempted to replace the NEC V20 CPU with an 8088-2 (so I could get closer to XT speeds, but still use the Turbo setting). I'm pretty sure I have it in the right direction with the notch facing the left and the text rightside up if facing the keyboard normally (the same way the NEC V20 was installed).

After replacing the CPU, I get the initial beeps upon power-on, but no display. If I hit control-alt-delete, I get the startup beeps again. Turbo seems to work, too. If I do Fn-F6 and then Control-Alt-Delete, I'll get the startup beeps played more quickly.

Presumably if the CPU didn't work, I wouldn't get this much, correct? Would this be the symptom if somehow I messed up the BIOS chip in the process of replacing the CPU? Is there anything else that might cause this behavior?

I'm not much of a hardware person so perhaps replacing the CPU wasn't the best idea, but I was hoping to get this thing to run closer tot he speed of the original PC. 😀 Thanks in advance for any insight or troubleshooting suggestions!

KarlG wrote on 2023-10-24, 19:40:

So, today I attempted to replace the NEC V20 CPU with an 8088-2 (so I could get closer to XT speeds, but still use the Turbo set […]
Show full quote

So, today I attempted to replace the NEC V20 CPU with an 8088-2 (so I could get closer to XT speeds, but still use the Turbo setting). I'm pretty sure I have it in the right direction with the notch facing the left and the text rightside up if facing the keyboard normally (the same way the NEC V20 was installed).

After replacing the CPU, I get the initial beeps upon power-on, but no display. If I hit control-alt-delete, I get the startup beeps again. Turbo seems to work, too. If I do Fn-F6 and then Control-Alt-Delete, I'll get the startup beeps played more quickly.

Presumably if the CPU didn't work, I wouldn't get this much, correct? Would this be the symptom if somehow I messed up the BIOS chip in the process of replacing the CPU? Is there anything else that might cause this behavior?

I'm not much of a hardware person so perhaps replacing the CPU wasn't the best idea, but I was hoping to get this thing to run closer tot he speed of the original PC. 😀 Thanks in advance for any insight or troubleshooting suggestions!

I assure you, replacing CPU was not the cause.
If it plays a sound - both CPU and BIOS are working. I've changed those a few times. You could bend chip legs and possibly break it (the leg, not chip, and it's easily repairable).
--
It might be: display board, located in the bottom of display lid, CLPD chips or, less likely, display itself.
I'd start with a message to seller, i believe i've seen reports of failing display before.
If he refuses to cooperate - disassemble the Book and reseat three big clpd chips first.
--
Either way - don't ditch it, i'm awaiting RGB2HDMI converter and still planning to connect this guy to external display and will share the info if that goes well.

a general comment regarding the title of thread - i don't think any short production run 'retro' machine will become a future classic

there are projects like this now and then and once youtubers have bought up 50% of the stock for their reviews and the social media 'look at this' posts have died down (a few weeks at most) then the item just fades into obscurity

classic things are those made when the tech was new and now looked back on decades later

(there might be some exceptions of course, but i doubt this item is one)

Well, @gerry, a valid enough point.
I guess I like the accessibility of this form factor for an 8088 system but you maybe right.

However, the community BIOS forks and PicoGUS Femto show a certain amount of continued community support.

@n0p there are definately quality issues with the display. The sellers seem quite prepared to ship out replacement displays if you can provide them with video evidence. However there has been mention of bad firmware on the realtek lcd driver chip too.

n0p wrote on 2023-10-25, 06:19:

I assure you, replacing CPU was not the cause. If it plays a sound - both CPU and BIOS are working. I've changed those a few tim […]
Show full quote

I assure you, replacing CPU was not the cause.
If it plays a sound - both CPU and BIOS are working. I've changed those a few times. You could bend chip legs and possibly break it (the leg, not chip, and it's easily repairable).
--
It might be: display board, located in the bottom of display lid, CLPD chips or, less likely, display itself.
I'd start with a message to seller, i believe i've seen reports of failing display before.
If he refuses to cooperate - disassemble the Book and reseat three big clpd chips first.
--
Either way - don't ditch it, i'm awaiting RGB2HDMI converter and still planning to connect this guy to external display and will share the info if that goes well.

Well, that is somewhat of a relief, at least. I should have mentioned that the display ends up saying "no signal", so it's definitely not the display itself that is broken. It is strange that it would fail exactly when I replaced the CPU, although I suppose stranger things have happened.

betamax80 wrote on 2023-10-25, 12:36:

@n0p there are definately quality issues with the display. The sellers seem quite prepared to ship out replacement displays if you can provide them with video evidence. However there has been mention of bad firmware on the realtek lcd driver chip too.

Yes, there's many issues, but it seems like they won't be addressed :( External display connector was certainly planned but not done, keyboard connector not even planned.
But, tbh, it's ok as it is. I wish i had a V2, but i don't think it's worth it.
Everything above XT is perfectly emulated in DOSBox (you'll struggle with cycles running XT games), and having XT this size is just great. That doesn't justify stolen BIOS and quality issues for sure.
I recently found out about this project:
https://mister-devel.github.io/MkDocs_MiSTer/
and i maybe will get one.
Cycle-perfect emulation of all old hardware you could imagine (for me that's Sega Megadrive and XT) in small form-factor and ability to connect new hardware to it. Sounds too good.
--
Book8088 certainly won't be a future classic, but it might inspire some other projects to make something like that and be actually available to retro enthusiasts with bad eyes, shaky hands and inability to make boards, like me 😀

I dont think the V2 is worth it if you have a V1 @n0p. Very little is really changed (as you saw from the BIOS - same buggy mess as before!) Having a modular graphics board is great, but the VGA option brings new issues with the display driver (clearly not very extensively tested). The serial port is a nice-to-have, but the parallel port does not feel relevant to me - I don't see myself buying an LPT printer really?! And USB > Serial cable is much more widespread than USB > Parallel, with FastLynx it works really well. I don't know, don't feel that V2 was really fully developed - I didn't know that there is evidence of planned external display connector.

I have a PicoGUS femto on the way myself, and there is already talk of adding networking to that if you have a Pico W board. I'm really hoping to see collaboration with FreddyV so that PicoGUS and PicoMEM can become a single plug-in solution for the Book / Hand models - I think even having 2 RPI Pico boards running in parallel would be fine, much neater than the ribbon cable to ISA8 board.

n0p wrote on 2023-10-25, 12:52:

Yes, there's many issues, but it seems like they won't be addressed :( External display connector was certainly planned but not […]
Show full quote

betamax80 wrote on 2023-10-25, 12:36:

@n0p there are definately quality issues with the display. The sellers seem quite prepared to ship out replacement displays if you can provide them with video evidence. However there has been mention of bad firmware on the realtek lcd driver chip too.

Yes, there's many issues, but it seems like they won't be addressed :( External display connector was certainly planned but not done, keyboard connector not even planned.
But, tbh, it's ok as it is. I wish i had a V2, but i don't think it's worth it.
Everything above XT is perfectly emulated in DOSBox (you'll struggle with cycles running XT games), and having XT this size is just great. That doesn't justify stolen BIOS and quality issues for sure.
I recently found out about this project:
https://mister-devel.github.io/MkDocs_MiSTer/
and i maybe will get one.
Cycle-perfect emulation of all old hardware you could imagine (for me that's Sega Megadrive and XT) in small form-factor and ability to connect new hardware to it. Sounds too good.
--
Book8088 certainly won't be a future classic, but it might inspire some other projects to make something like that and be actually available to retro enthusiasts with bad eyes, shaky hands and inability to make boards, like me 😀

I'm familiar with the mister project (but don't have one) - RMC Retro youtuber in the UK has worked on the Mister Multisystem as a ready-to-run machine. Unfortunately its expensive, on top of an expense £150 or so FPGA single board which is required.

KarlG wrote on 2023-10-25, 12:42:

Well, that is somewhat of a relief, at least. I should have mentioned that the display ends up saying "no signal", so it's definitely not the display itself that is broken. It is strange that it would fail exactly when I replaced the CPU, although I suppose stranger things have happened.

I would definitely start with checking the 12 pin display connector and reseating three big CLPD chips (you can't miss those). To disassemble, you need to remove 9 screws. Lift the top lid together with screen - you'll see keyboard, two speaker connectors and 12 pin display connector. Disconnect keyboard first. You need to lift small dark long lock with nail, and the ribbon cable will go out easily.
Next, try to reseat that 12 pin connector. Be careful, it really tiny. Next, try to power in on again. If No Signal - remove cover from display (4 screws and some plastic locks, then screws removed, simply pry it, but keep display up, or it will fall out). Reseat the connector there. If not working - put display lid back, push a bit on edges so it clicks and reinstall four screws.
Disconnect 12 pin display connector and speaker connectors from main board, put display with top keyboard lid aside.
Next - remove power button head (might requre cloth and small pliers) and CF card (there's small notches enough for nails). Next, pry out the board, but keep attention to sound connector - mine got off, plastic automotive pry bars are quite handy on this task. If all good - disconnect battery and get the board on table. Mark big chips if they not marked, make a photo of both sides of board for future reference.
Remove and clean CPLD chips: you will need a very small flat screwdriver for that - carefully pry them (there's small openings in the angles of sockets), clean legs and socket with any kind of alcohol and cloth.
To check if that helped you can connect only battery and display and press power (without connecting speakers and keyboard)
If not - well, we did our best in this case 😀

betamax80 wrote on 2023-10-25, 13:08:

I'm familiar with the mister project (but don't have one) - RMC Retro youtuber in the UK has worked on the Mister Multisystem as a ready-to-run machine. Unfortunately its expensive, on top of an expense £150 or so FPGA single board which is required.

Remember, "Linux is free if you don't value your time" 😀
Just kidding, but i think i actually invested much more in Book8088 in "time monies" 😀

Hmm, I understand you n0p.
But I'm using your BIOS, and am thankful for your developments. I honestly wouldn't mind dropping a small donation if it helps. I am sure that BIOS development is seriously time consuming.
I don't have access to soldering kit in my student dorm room so what I can do is limited.

betamax80 wrote on 2023-10-25, 13:46:

Hmm, I understand you n0p.
But I'm using your BIOS, and am thankful for your developments. I honestly wouldn't mind dropping a small donation if it helps. I am sure that BIOS development is seriously time consuming.
I don't have access to soldering kit in my student dorm room so what I can do is limited.

For me it's fine if you find it useful, really.
I don't plan to quit right now, i still want to connect display and keyboard there, while keeping it's original form. As per VCFED forum, it has a falsely marked (who would know 😀) microcontroller chip for keyboard. But that kind of programming is out of my knowledge. 🙁 And don't forget GloriousCow DMA/True Cycles hack, it's on my list too, i just don't want to put out the board, as it requires resoldering audio out every time 😀
--
As for LPT - i'm sure you can find a cheap Covox/Disney Sound Source in UK. That might put it to some use.
--
Edit:
Working on BIOS was fun, though CH375 docs are really bad.
I'm reffering more to my failed attempts to connect external display. Glad i found out about RGBtoHDMI project.

@n0p very true - I've found an LPTDAC mini available here for £12.50.

This has probably been asked many times but what is the correct socket to undo serial type connectors (like on my WifiModem)? Is it 3/16"? Think so...

@KarlG, according to Sergey's post on VCFED forums: VGA won't init on 8088 CPU as it's BIOS uses 186 commands.
So if you inserted 8088 into V2 Book with VGA - that's the cause.
https://forum.vcfed.org/index.php?threads/boo … 5/#post-1344999

n0p wrote on 2023-10-26, 06:27:

@KarlG, according to Sergey's post on VCFED forums: VGA won't init on 8088 CPU as it's BIOS uses 186 commands.
So if you inserted 8088 into V2 Book with VGA - that's the cause.
https://forum.vcfed.org/index.php?threads/boo … 5/#post-1344999

Oh, interesting! I have a CGA board on the way anyway since that is what I initially wanted, so hopefully the issue will resolve itself when I install that. Thank you, and also thanks to others who have given suggestions.