How to run 86-DOS Version 0.1

[vak]

Microsoft's MS-DOS operating system ran on the vast majority of computers throughout the 1980s and became the basis of Windows. But the story began humbly in the mid-1980s as QDOS, or Quick and Dirty Operating System, the work of developer Tim Paterson of Seattle Computer Products. It was later renamed 86-DOS after the Intel 8086 processor, and it was this version that was licensed and eventually acquired by Microsoft. Last week, codes for the very first version 0.1 of the 86-DOS operating system appeared on the Internet. So let's run on the SIMH simulator.

(1) Download 86-DOS disk image.

    wget 'https://archive.org/download/86-dos-version-0.1-c-serial-11-original-disk/86-DOS%20Version%200.1-C%20-%20Serial%20%2311%20%28ORIGINAL%20DISK%29.imd' -O 86dos.imd

(2) Download 8086 monitor.

    wget https://bitsavers.org/bits/SeattleComputerProducts/86-DOS/scp86mon.zip
    unzip scp86mon.zip

(3) Build SIMH simulator.

    git clone https://github.com/simh/simh.git
    make -C simh altairz80

(4) Start 86-DOS.

    simh/BIN/altairz80 scp86mon.txt

You should see:

    $ simh/BIN/altairz80 scp86mon.txt

    Altair 8800 (Z80) simulator V4.0-0 Current        git commit id: ee34e295
    2047 bytes [8 pages] loaded at 0.
    2047 bytes [8 pages] loaded at ff800.
    Disk write-protected because the image contains compressed sectors. Use IMDU to uncompress.
    _

Hit enter a few times and the SCP monitor prompt will come up, then hit uppercase "B" to boot.

    SCP 8086 Monitor 1.5
    >B

    86-DOS version 0.11
    Copyright 1980 Seattle Computer Products, Inc.

    A:_

Type dir to see the disk contents.

    A:dir
    COMMAND  COM
    RDCPM    COM
    HEX2BIN  COM
    ASM      COM
    TRANS    COM
    SYS      COM
    EDLIN    COM
    CHESS    COM
    CHESS    DOC

Type chess to start a game.

    A:chess

    Choose your color (W/B): B
    Ply depth (1-6): 2
    e2 e4
    _

To exit from simulator, type Ctrl+E and the SIMH prompt will come up. Type q to quit.

    Simulation stopped, PCX: 004CF (and al,0x2)
    sim> q
    Goodbye

Links:

• About 86-DOS Version 0.1: archive.org/details/86-dos-version-0.1-c-serial-11-original-disk
• Binaries and sources of 86-DOS Version 1.0: 86dos.org/downloads/86DOS_FILES.ZIP
• Manual for 8086 monitor: archive.org/details/bitsavers_seattleComv1.5A_2824358/mode/2up
• About SIMH simulator: simh.trailing-edge.com

Comments

Chess instructions

[vak]

A:type chess.doc
This chess game uses algebraic chess notation. The files are lettered
"a" to "h" and the ranks are numbered 1 to 8. The lower left-hand corner
(from White's viewpoint) is a1.

Moves are entered as ff-tt (f=from, t=to), so to play the white king's
pawn up two squares you would enter E2-E4. You must enter your file
letters in upper case, while the computer will always use lower case.

To castle, enter only the king's move. The computer castles the same way.
To capture En Passant, enter your pawn's actual move.

Ply depth is the number of half-turns the computer looks ahead. For
example, with a ply depth of 3, the computer will consider
        1. All of his possible moves
        2. All of your responses to those moves.
        3. All of his possible replies to your responses.
Start at ply depth 2 to get the feel for it.

A move of "R" will restart the game.

[juan_gandhi]

Мило!

[ivanrubilo]

Хммм
>Altair 8800 (Z80) simulator
but
>86-DOS version 0.11
Там два проца что ли?

[vak]

В этом симуляторе altairz80 народ разухарился и решил кроме собственно Z80 добавить ещё поддержку процессоров 8080, 8086 и M68K.