Date: Wed, 28 Mar 2001 23:14:53 -0600 From: "Tim Tesch" Subject: MDOS Compilation Instructions :) GENEVE MDOS COMPILATION NOTES March 28,2001 - Tesch (I'm at work - so this is from memory. Dano, correct me if I'm wrong) :) DESCRIPTION: MDOS must be compiled with GenASM, GenLINK, GenMAKE which are all part of Paul Charleton's GenProg package. These programs are native MDOS programs; therefore, MDOS must be compiled on a Geneve using a previously compiled version of MDOS. PROCEDURE: To compile MDOS, you must have all of the source files in the proper directory structure starting at the ROOT of the hard drive. The subdirectories correspond to the MDOS archive filenames. Files that belong at the root (MDOS) level are in the ROOT archive. You must also have the GenProg utility, which may have been included (though I should not have done so). ---------- MDOS\ MDOS\L6 MDOS\L7 .. .. MDOS\SCSI ------------ Since the MAKE program is flawed and uses a two-digit year, it becomes more difficult to track changes and assemble the code. I disassembled the code before the last Chicago Faire and was close to fixing it, but there seemed to be some encryption used within the program. (Note: perhaps Jim Uzzell will read this and have an idea of how to crack it? Jim?) Use the following command at the MDOS (ROOT) level to begin a FULL compilation: MAKE HDOS,F This tells MAKE to use the !MAKEFILE dependency file to generate object code. The ",F" flag tells MAKE to FORCE a full compilation, meaning every source file will be assembled and the appropriate object files created in their respective directories. HDOS is the "rule" by which MAKE does its work. See "!MAKEFILE" for some details. Finally, after the object code is generated, MAKE will launch LINK. LINK takes all of the object code, places it into the correct banks of memroy, links/resolves the labels/addresses, and creates the final product: HDOS. The TESTH executable can be used to test mdos from the MDOS folder as follows: TESTH HDOS\HDOS If all goes well, your new MDOS will load and run. ------- DISTRIBUTION NOTES: Once the new MDOS is tested, the final step is to imbed the CRC values. The program in question loads MDOS, calculates CRC values, does some additional "massaging", then imbeds the codes. I have a copy of this program, as does one, perhaps two other people. I have asked these people to not distribute the code or the program without consulting me first. Tim ------- Notes From: "Tony Knerr" (He actually was able to compile) - If you're using a Myarc memory expansion card, remove it. It probably will cause a lockup part way through. I took out the Rave speech card, too, just in case. - If you have a SCSI card, use it rather than the HFDC. The HFDC gave me 'Control Character' errors and aborted. - Boot from a virgin copy of MDOS, a modified version probably won't work. (and I booted from Floppy, not Ramdisk or Hard Drive.) - Don't run an AUTOEXEC file, that was one source of corruption for me. MDOS compiled, but not correctly. - Don't run any other utilities or programs before compiling. Do it immediately after booting at the first prompt. You can change the directory if need be, but don't do anything else. (running VID2 caused some trouble.) - Create a directory called MDOS and put the root files there. The directory archives (L6, L7, etc.) should be subdirectories of the MDOS directory. The type 'CD MDOS' to put yourself in that directory. - Type 'MAKE HDOS,F' exactly as shown - in capitals.