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From: prindle@nadc
Newsgroups: net.micro.cbm
Subject: Versions of CP/M BIOS......
Message-ID: <2593@caip.RUTGERS.EDU>
Date: Mon, 30-Jun-86 09:30:44 EDT
Article-I.D.: caip.2593
Posted: Mon Jun 30 09:30:44 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 1-Jul-86 02:45:21 EDT
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Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
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From: prindle@NADC

Now that there is about to be released, or already released, formal version of
the "new" BIOS for the 128 CP/M 3.0, I have a question about the memory expan-
sion modules: supposedly, they require a modified BIOS to access the RAM 
expansion as RAM-DISK (Drive P: I believe).  This results in a matrix of
CP/M versions, with old vs. new in one dimension, RAM Expansion support vs. no
RAM Expansion support in the other.  Hopefully, the version which everyone will
eventually end up with is the combination of the "new" BIOS and the RAM 
expansion support!  The problem is if I buy RAM expansion, what version of the
CP/M will I get in the box?  What version will I get in the mail?

Also, I have seen the TPA (transient program area) drop from 59K to 58K in going
to the "new" BIOS version; I sincerely hope that Commodore never allows the TPA
to drop below this point (58K), since this is the absolute minimum that will
support several products, such as the FTL Modula-2 compiler.  With the ability
to use banked code, it is hard to understand why the TPA is even this small.

Frank Prindle
Prindle@NADC.arpa