Backup Master Discs; Getting Started With Cp/M Plus - AMSTRAD cpc 6128 User Instruction

Backup Master Discs
It is most important to make a copy of the Master System/Utility discs provided with
your computer, and keep the originals safe - they will be very costly to replace if
damaged! Remember that each of the discs supplied has two sides, making four sides
in total. Every' disc, in fact, has two sides and you are free to use either side for any
purposes.
Side 1 is the most important - it contains the master copy of CP/M Plus and a set of
utility programs for handling discs. Side 2 has files for assembler programmers, and
Side 3 contains Dr. LOGO, 'Help' files, and GSX (more of which later!). Side 4
contains the CP/M 2.2 and the Dr. LOGO previously available for the AMSTRAD
models CPC664 and CPC464+ DDI1; these programs are provided for compatibility
reasons, just in case you need them. Normally they are not used.
You should regard your copies of the master discs as a 'library' of programs.
Normally, you will select the program that you require by inserting the 'library disc'
on which the program is located, rather than by copying the program onto a blank
disc and running it from there.
Once again, it has to be emphasised that the 'library discs' that you use, MUST BE
COPIES, made from the master discs package supplied with the computer.
Remember that if you are usinK a new blank disc to copy onto, the D I S C KIT 3
program (on Side 1) will format for you as well as doing the copying.
Getting started with CP/M Plus
You will be used to AMSTRAD BASIC appearing when your CPC6128 is switched on.
The BASIC will remain in charge until superseded by either a BINary program run
from AMSDOS (or cassette), or by loading CP/M PI us with the command
I C
PM.
Once CP/M Plus is loaded, the CPC6128 will not need to refer to Side 1 again - unless
of course, you want to run any of the utility programs contained on it. Only the
start-up disc need be a System disc; all others can be Data-only discs, which have a
greater storage capacity.
Running a program is simply a case of inserting the disc containing the required
program and typing its name. Data used by the program may be on the same, or other,
disc as the program. CP/M Plus allows the user to swap discs in the same way that
AMSDOS does. If a number of programs, with perhaps a few utilities, are required on
one disc for convenience, then use the program called PIP on Side 1, as described
later in this chapter and in Chapter 5.
Chapter 4 Page 2 Using Discs and Cassettes