RomUpdate for Cards

Update Applications & insert in your flash card

• Easy - Send your flash card back to us with a £5.00 note and we will do it for you.
• Moderately easy - If you have enough RAM to update the application, ROMupdate does this automatically for you.
• Difficult - All other options require using ROMcombiner which requires some understanding on what to do. After you have done it this way twenty times or so, it gets easier.

Frequently asked questions

Why should I upgrade flashstore?
Why should I upgrade eazylink?
What happens if the program gets corrupted during transfer
What do I need to use this?

Why should I upgrade flashstore?

• The latest version of FlashStore is significantly better than all previous versions.
• Supports new AMD Flash Cards from Rakewell (save files to File Area in all slots!)
• Interactive file selection of active & delete files in File area.
• Graphical view of amount saved/deleted/free space
• Easy selection of other file cards/areas in other slots.
• Better overwrite prompt logic (default overwrite or not) for
• Flash -> RAM, and 
• RAM -> Flash
• Copy all files from one file area to another file area when using 2 devices.
  
• Override the default device (RAM in Panel)
• All file actions implemented as shortcut commands (or using MENU). Good for CLI scripts...
• A large number of 'under-the-hood' improvements in program logic and bug fixes.
• See screenshot

Why should I upgrade Eazylink?

• EasyLink 5.0.4 fixes some compatibility problems with programs like
  • 'z88transfer' (PC-LINK II client)
  • and should now work with the original Mac programs that also used the PCLINK II. (We are still awaiting confirmation).

What happens if the program gets corrupted during transfer

• RomUpdate checks itself first (it does a CRC check for the technical minded) before it runs. So if the BBC BASIC file is corrupted it should not run.
• There is no error checking with ROMcombiner,
  

Minimum system requirements

		This COMPUTER with Internet connection
		Z88 link e.g. Eazylink for PC or MacLink for Macs, to get these files to your Z88
		Z88 COMPUTER
		EXPANDED Z88 (a Z88 that has at least a 128K RAM card in Slot 1).
		Flash card with the application that needs updating

All the downloadable files are ZIPped, so you need to unzip them either on the main computer or if you already have UNZIP on the Z88, it can be done there.

ROMupdate v ROMcombiner

With the release of OZ 4.2 (which can either be run in slot 0 (which is where the existing Z88 ROM is) by replacing this with a 512K flash chip, or in slot 1 on our 1M Flash card), ROMupdate allows this software to be updated in the Z88 without removing either the chip or card. This allows users to update their Z88 with this in situ, and even go back to the original version, V3 UK ROM version using the 512K Flash chip in slot 0 if required.

Amount of RAM required

Quick example on how to Blow OZ4.2 with files onto a Flash card in slot 3.

At the moment ROMcombiner works more reliably than ROMupdate so follow this thread if (for example) you want to make a copy of the latest OZ4.2 with files. Here is a summary

• Download ROMcombiner
• Download the application file you wish to blow
• Unzip both files on the Z88.
• Using ROMcombiner Erase the Flash card
  
• BLOW the image of the application file into the Flash card in slot 3 together with the file area

Downloading ROMupdate or RomCombiner

• clicking on the screen logo above.
• compare that image with the one on your Z88.
  • The image can also be in the help section.
  • Press the 'HELP' key and scoll up and down the application.
    You should reach the one you want to compare.
• Download two files, the RomUpdate and an Application file by clicking on the 'download logo' above.
• Follow the operation guide below..

RomUpdate v0.8.4	BBC BASIC
RomCombiner v2.7	BBC BASIC

Type of Files supplied

• a romupdate.crc - this contains a number that is the sum of the complete program that gets compared the first time it is run
• a .cfg file which contains further checks and information that tells ROMupdate what to do

Operation using ROMupdate or ROMcombiner

1

Download two sets of files ROMupdate or ROMcombiner and the Application or Combination you wish to update from the internet to your computer. Either Unzip the files on this computer or on the Z88 with Unzip. This gives you either four or five groups of files for ROMupdate romupdate.crc romupdate.bas or for ROMcombiner RomCombiner.bas romcombiner.bin RomUtil.bas Application files -  (application.epr or application.63  or application.52 - application.63) File Area Files (if requested) - application.2, application.1 and application.0 romupdate.cfg Note this cfg file is not used by ROMcombiner. Transfer these files or the zip file to your Z88.

2

On the Z88 Unzip the file (see above)

Operation using ROMupdate

3

RomUpdate updates flash cards in the slot that is specified in the .cfg, so make sure you have the right card there. For applications, this is normally slot 3, whist with OZ 4.2 it is slot 1. There is a picture at the top of each compilation to remind you what you should have in each slot. If you normally use your card in slot 2, make sure you read this. KILL all your SUSPENDED ACTIVITIES in the INDEX by moving the cursor over each suspended activity, and then issue the "<>KILL" command. Start a new copy of BBC BASIC either from the menu or with the []B command.- Type the following (and then the ENTER key). RUN "ROMUPDATE.BAS" You should then see the program replace the application. Click here to see a demonstration on how easy it is and what you should expect to see.

Operation using ROMcombiner

3	RomCombiner only updates flash cards in slot 3, so make sure you have the right card there. If you normally use your card in slot 2, make sure you read this. KILL all your SUSPENDED ACTIVITIES in the INDEX by moving the cursor over each suspended activity, and then issue the "<>KILL" command. Start a new copy of BBC BASIC either from the menu or with the []B command.- Type the following (and then the ENTER key). RUN "ROMCOMBINER.BAS"
4	ERASE the Flash card. Please check that you have the correct card you want to use in slot 3. Select (F) Flash EPROM block erase and then 256 to erase all of it. When it has done this, select 0 to end this process.
4a	If you are making a compilation from scratch then you need to use the Add function and load each file starting at the top of the list and work down. For example to build the Flashstore compilation you do the following:- Combine image files of cards, and Add flashstore, Add forever-202 and Add ziputils, in that order. You can also add more applications if you wish, but bear in mind that the Flash Card can only format in 64K blocks, so adding just a 16K application can waste 48K in the Application area. Select Techy change card ID to 400, leave the other settings alone apart from EPROM filing system. Change that to Yes. Create Destination card name? FLZIP Delete source images (Y/N)? Yes (if you are short of space). Select INDEX - OPEN CARD FLAP - remove Flash Card - CLOSE CARD FLAP - OPEN CARD FLAP - INSERT Flash Card - CLOSE CARD FLAP The first time you run Flashstore []J, it will ask you if you want to format the unused section. Yes you do. Otherwise, you can just elect to Blow the completed 'already built' compilation into the Flash card.
5	Blow image files to blank EPROM Select (B) What EPROM type is in slot 3: Select F for flash When you get to Card name, you can go into the Filer with []F to remind yourself what the file was called. Just use the filename, do not enter the dot or the numbers. I am asuming that the reason you are using this is because you do not have enough memory, so at the next command you should select (R) for Range of banks. You need to start at the lowest number first  say .52 leaving the .63 file until last. The number of steps that you do this in depends on both the size of the application and the amount of RAM you have.
6	When you have finished, go into the INDEX, open the card flap, take the Flash card out of slot 3, Close the card flap, Open it again and put the card into the slot you want to use it in and shut the card flap again.

Applications, Compilations and Files

You may be wondering why we just don't supply just Flashstore with our Flash cards. The reason is simple. Although individual applications can be 16K long, the Flash card can only erase blocks of 64K. This means that if a single 16K application is required, 64K is alocation for applications. If another application then goes over the next 64K boundary, another 64K block is allocated whether this space is used or not. Compilations are groups of useful applications in 64K blocks 

When we ship the Flash card with either OZ 4.2 or on its own, we normally add files to the file area that may be useful. You can also choose whether to have these files in the compilation or not. The files are also available separately, so that you can pick which one to have, if you don't want all of them. So although the following list may look a bit complicated, it only looks that way because of the number of options open to you. If (for example) you just wanted OZ 4.2 without all the other applications, then this is what you can have.

There are several different compilations you can choose to download. 

Compilation name	Description
Flashstore	This is the standard version that we normally ship out with our Flash cards.   Flashstore User Manual Flash Flyer
Eazylink	This has all the applications that Flashstore has with the addition of Eazylink. Z88Chess and Zetriz are supplied to use up the extra space.
OZ 4.2 Slot 1	This is simular to the Eazylink compilation above with OZ 4.2, but with no Bootstrap or Z88 Chess.
OZ 4.2 Slot 0	Just in case you want to have a hard time modifying your Z88 by fitting an internal 512K flash chip - this is for you.
OZ UK 3.0 Slot 0	and this one allows you to return to the orginal v3.0 ROM with the same 512K Flash chip.

In the following tables you will see the normal memory configuration with applications that are displayed on the Z88 on the left-hard side. 

Just choose the one you wish to use, either the individual files if you want to build it up from scratch, or choose one of the compiled files that save you all the bother.

Flashstore

1	2	3
RAM	FLASH	FLASH

	OZ 3.00 Version		Flashstore 64K
			These are the normal Z88 applications in OZ. The additional ones get added below the existing ones as follows:- Flashstore v 1.9 16K
			Forever-202  32K
			ZIPutils     16K
	Compilation		Applications Applications & Files

Eazylink

1	2	3
RAM	FLASH	FLASH

	OZ 3.00 Version		Eazylink 128K
			These are the normal Z88 applications in OZ. The additional ones get added below the existing ones as follows:- Eazylink v 5.05 16K
			Flashstore v 1.9 16K Forever-202  32K
			ZIPutils     16K
			Z88 Chess  32K Zetriz        16K
	Compilation		Applications Applications & Files

OZ 4.2 Slot 1

1	2	3
FLASH	RAM	FLASH

	OZ 4.2 Version		Slot 1 3227
			These are the new Z88 applications in OZ 4.2. Eazylink and Flashstore have been added  384K The additional ones get added below the existing ones as follows:-