Changes
* One not partitioned FAT16 or FAT32 formatted hard disk. You can place one to four CP/M disk image files in the root directory. Every disk image file is accessed as a separate hard disk by CP/M.
* One FAT16 or FAT32 and one to three CP/M formatted partitions. You can place one to four CP/M disk image files in the root directory of the FAT file system. Every disk image file is accessed as a separate hard disk by CP/M. CP/M disk images have priority over CP/M partitions so if you have three CP/M image files and three CP/M partitions then HDCPM will mount the three CP/M images and only the first CP/M partition. If the first partition on your hard disk is formatted to FAT16 or FAT32 then HDCPM expects to find the file CPMDSK01.IMG in the root directory. Failed to do so the system won't boot.
* For interfaces that use SD card or USB flash drive as a mass storage device ([[M4 Board]], [https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/amstrad-cpc-hardware/usifac-iimake-your-pc-or-usb-stick-an-hdd-for-amstrad-access-dsk-and-many-more!/ USIfAC II] or , [http://www.tmtlogic.com/ Symbiface III] or [https://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Albireo Albireo]) the only supported configuration is one to four CP/M disk image files in the root directory of the FAT file system.
Currently only the master IDE device can be accessed by HDCPM. The slave device is available to be used by your favourite DOS.<br />
** [https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/amstrad-cpc-hardware/usifac-iimake-your-pc-or-usb-stick-an-hdd-for-amstrad-access-dsk-and-many-more!/ USIfAC II]
** [http://www.tmtlogic.com/ Symbiface III]
** [https://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Albireo Albireo] (SD card only)
* Compatible storage device with enough free space to accommodate the desirable CP/M hard disk configuration.
* Floppy disk drive for initialization of the file system.
HDCPM will then execute the following functions:<br />
* Search for a compatible mass storage interface.
* Initialize the mass storage interface if needed.
* Move the boot loader and the CP/M patcher to RAM.
* Mount 1 to 4 CP/M image files and/or partitions and perform fragmentation and size test.
<br />
HDCPM is not FAT aware. It utilizes code to search in the root directory of a FAT formatted medium in order to find the CP/M image files. Then it finds the LBA of the first sector of each file and passes it to the CP/M hard disk driver. The CP/M hard disk driver doesn't know anything about FAT or image files. It accesses the image file as if it was a real hard disk. It works on the sector level with LBA addressing so it expects the 'hard disk' to be a continuous block of sectors.<br />
A CP/M image file can easily become fragmented during its creation, especially if the hard disk is nearly full. I advice you to create/copy your CP/M image files to your FAT formatted hard disk/partition while it is still empty. [https://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Albireo Albireo] incorporates a file management IC that performs FAT file system operations and handles fragmented files properly. In such case fragmented image files is not a problem. HDCPM will never fragment a CP/M image file.<br />
{|
|-
** (M4): [[M4 Board]]
** (US): [https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/amstrad-cpc-hardware/usifac-iimake-your-pc-or-usb-stick-an-hdd-for-amstrad-access-dsk-and-many-more!/ USIfAC II]
** (S3): [http://www.tmtlogic.com/ Symbiface III]** (AL): [https://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Albireo Albireo]<br />
{|
|-
==The RTC.COM utility==
==Error messages==
|| [[Media:hdcpm104.dsk|hdcpm104.dsk]]
|-
| v1.05 July 2022 || HDCPM.ROM, HDCPM.BIN, HDMGR.COM: added support for Symbiface III.<br />
HDCPM.ROM, HDCPM.BIN: code optimization.<br />
HDMGR.COM: Hardware info added for USIfAC II<br />
HDCPM.DOC: various additions and corrections.
|| [[Media:hdcpm105.dsk|hdcpm105.dsk]]
|-
| v1.06 January 2023 || HDCPM.ROM, HDCPM.BIN, HDMGR.COM: added support for Albireo.<br />
RTC.COM: added support for M4 Board (r/o) and Symbiface 3.
HDCPM.ROM, HDCPM.BIN: (bug fix) CPC was freezing after mounting the CP/M disk(s) with incompatible .EMS file.
HDMGR.COM: (bug fix) the Stack was overflowed in some rare cases.
HDCPM.DOC: various additions and corrections.
|| [[Media:hdcpm106.dsk|hdcpm106.dsk]]
|}
