erginaycambaz / c64-cmd-hd

Setting up the CMD-HD Hard Drive with a C64 in VICE Emulator

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Research & development on Commodore and related technologies https://github.com/c64pectre.

Setting up the CMD-HD Hard Drive with a C64 in VICE Emulator

https://github.com/c64pectre/c64-cmd-hd

Preparation

• Buy a "CMD HDD Boot ROM 2.80 Binary Image" at Retro Innovations https://store.go4retro.com/commodore/cmd-hdd-boot-rom-2-80-binary-image/. It is still licenced software, not abandonware.

• Find and download the "CMD Hard Drive Utilities", e.g. from https://commodore.software/downloads/download/94-cmd-hard-drive/8016-cmd-hard-drive-utilities/

• Find and download the "CMD Hard Drive Users Manual for all CMD HD Models 4th edition jan 1991", e.g. from https://archive.org/details/CMD_Hard_Drive_Users_Manual_4th_Edition_Jan_1991 This document describes all commands that you'll need to know about when using the hard drive.

Steps

1. Create an empty DHD file:

    copy nul cmd-hd-a.dhd
   

2. Configure VICE

   1. In Preferences > Settings (ALT+O) > Machine > ROM > Drive ROMS: change the CMD HD entry to your real CMD HDD Boot ROM 2.80 Binary Image. You can copy the file to the DRIVES folder in your VICE folder.

   2. In Peripheral devices > Drive > Drive 9: at Drive model, choose "CMD HD", set a CMD-HD size of at least 20M (suggestion: 512M), check the checkbox "Save real-time clock data".

   3. Attach disk image for drive 9 to your DHD file.

   4. Do a hard reset of the C64.

3. Create HD System

   1. Attach disk image for drive 8 to cmd-hd-tools.d64.

   2. Load and run CREATE SYS from 8. Press RETURN in the welcome screen. Accept default with RETURN. Press Y to clear area below system.

   3. When finished, do a hard reset of the C64.

4. Create Partition

   1. Load and run HD-TOOLS.64 from 8.

   2. Ignore welcome screen instructions (not needed).

   3. Reset Drive 9 to its configuration mode: click on drive 9 in the status bar and click on "Configuration Mode".

   4. View current partition table. Should all be not in use. RETURN to exit.

   5. Create a new partition:

       001 ROOT 65280 NATV
      

      The NATV means native partition. Press - in BLKS to get the max. Create more partitions if you want.

   6. Do a hard reset of the C64.

Explore the HD

Consult the "CMD Hard Drive Users Manual for all CMD HD Models 4th edition jan 1991" to learn about all possible commands.

Change to device 9:

@9

List current (root) directory:

@$

Copy "CMD Hard Drive Utilities" to the HD

1. First, create a subdirectory for the HD Utilities on the HD:

    @MD:CMD-HD-TOOLS
   

2. Load and run FCOPY from 8.

3. Copy 8 to 9 to subdirectory //CMD-HD-TOOLS/.