Coherent 3.0 and virtualizations

[Udo Munk]

Tried to install Coherent 3.0 on virtualizations.

Virtualbox:
Won't boot, floppy disk controller incompatible.

Qemu:
Boots and runs till partitioning the HD, disk controller incompatible.

Bochs:
Boots and starts installation, but read errors from the floppy disk, crc errors and the like.
Crc errors from a flat dd image file?? I don't think so, floppy controller not working properly.

I'll have a look again in 10 years or so ;-)

[Nils M Holm]

Udo Munk <udo....@freenet.de> wrote:
> Tried to install Coherent 3.0 on virtualizations.

I have also tried all kinds of emulations and configurations
some time ago. No success. What we need is a decent PC/AT
(286) emulation!

--
Nils M Holm < n m h @ t 3 x . o r g > www.t3x.org

[Udo Munk]

On Thursday, November 16, 2017 at 10:22:16 AM UTC+1, Nils M Holm wrote:

> What we need is a decent PC/AT(286) emulation!

https://pcem-emulator.co.uk/

This emulates machines where it should work. One would have to
try on a Windows system, Linux Support is preliminary and probably
not really usefull yet.

[Udo Munk]

On Thursday, November 16, 2017 at 12:50:00 PM UTC+1, Udo Munk wrote:
> On Thursday, November 16, 2017 at 10:22:16 AM UTC+1, Nils M Holm wrote:
>
> > What we need is a decent PC/AT(286) emulation!
>
> https://pcem-emulator.co.uk/

That seems to work:
https://vm01.unsoft.hu/~np/20171201/20171201coherent300on286pcem8mram20mhddtype2.png

[Udo Munk]

I have build PCem V13.1 under Debian Linux 8 running as Virtualbox VM on OSX.
Is easier to build it under Linux, an OSX build likely requires some hacking.

I have created a 286/25 PC with 4 MB memory, MDA 8bit video card, MFM AT disk
controller and 20MB HD (BIOS type 2). I'm using the AMI 286 BIOS because I know
that it was supported and definitely will work. Floppy disks are configured as
5.25" 1.2 MB drives, the format needed for the disk images. The drives also must be
setup in the AMI BIOS.

On this virtual 286 PC I installed COHERENT 3.0 without any problems. I've played
a bit with the basic system and found no issues that could be caused by the PC
emulation.

Pretty good stuff, great fun to see the bits from 1990 running again.

If anyone has problems to build a system let me know, I can write up a bit stuff
as I've done for running 4.2 on a Virtualbox VM. I also could make the harddisk
image with the installed system available if there is any interest.

Happy new year,
Udo

[Udo Munk]

On Thursday, January 4, 2018 at 1:14:22 AM UTC+1, Udo Munk wrote:
> I have build PCem V13.1 under Debian Linux 8 running as Virtualbox VM on OSX.
> Is easier to build it under Linux, an OSX build likely requires some hacking.

I was wrong, installation on OSX is the same as on Linux:

brew install sdl2 wxmac
have a beer...
Unarchive PCem source, ./configure, make, done.

Here is a video showing my 286 PC configuration and COHERENT 3.0 installation:
https://youtu.be/LpVYGQWFrc0

Have fun,
Udo

[Udo Munk]

I've also managed to install COHERENT 4.0.1 on PCem 13.1, needs an emulated
386 or 486 system of course. AMI BIOS's are good.

Need to write all this stuff up at the web site. If you mess with it your self
and run into problems feel free to ask in the meantime, either here or via
mail is fine.

[Udo Munk]

I've created a Y2K fixed installation disk for COHERENT 3.0. If you use this one
the date and filestamps will be correct.

I've not yet verified if the 3.1 and/or 3.2 update disks will overwrite /bin/date
again with an old version. I will test an update to 3.2 on another day.

[Udo Munk]

On Saturday, January 13, 2018 at 12:21:48 AM UTC+1, Udo Munk wrote:

> I've not yet verified if the 3.1 and/or 3.2 update disks will overwrite /bin/date
> again with an old version. I will test an update to 3.2 on another day.

I looked through the updates and patches for the 3.x releases, there wasn't
any update for date. So if you install 3.0 with the fixed disk the date command
keeps working correct.