My reply - Boot Disk Needed for Kaypro 2X

[FJGJR1 at aol.com]

Larry,
 
>From the info you gave and the info I have, I offer the following.
 
You need a "CP / M boot disk", not an MS-DOS boot disk for the Kaypro 2X -  
either 2.2H or 2.2G. CP / M.
 
Your mainboard shoud be an 81-294 [underneath board usually under serial  
port] and the ROM version should be 81-292-A - white label on the about 1" size  
chip at U47.
 
But since you have a Turbo upgrade, the chip may have just a Turbo  
designation.  Any manufacturer designation and revision / year, etc. could  also be 
important.
 
Also check what the U43 chip label is - usually again a white label on a 1"  
size chip.
 
There is also a Kaypro 2X / MTC version.
 
How do you really know it is a 2X - cover designation, back plate  
designation, etc.?
 
These are all common questions many ask and many of us answer as best we  can 
from the info you give and the info we have
 
All the best and keep us informed of your progress.
 
We like to keep "vintage" computers running and in "good homes!"
 
 
 
==========================================================================
 
 
In a message dated 2/11/2009 9:42:16 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
laptoplarry at gmail.com writes:

Frank,
Thank you for the information!

My original plan  is/was to retrieve my Compaq Portable (my wife buried it in
a closet) to  create a boot disk...only to find that I could not
locate the MS-DOS boot  disk for the Compaq?!?!

While in the closet, I also retrieved a MacPlus  that booted A-OK from a
removable hard drive...except I could not find the  mouse!
Mac no mouse = no go...

So, I have no 5.25 360K drive  available to create a boot disk for either the
Compaq or the Kaypro  :-(

I'm now wondering if I can find a SCSI 5.25 low density drive to  attach to
the portable hard drive of the MAC to create a boot disk for the  Compaq.
>From the Compaq's DOS I'd be able to create the boot disk for  the Kaypro
using the usual tools.

Of course, I'd have to locate a  mouse appropriate for the MAC...

I guess the ideal thing would be to  find a drive and controller for my
"modern" machine.

I'll check out  the leads you gave me. Hopefully some kind soul will send me
a bootable  Kaypro disk and/or a MS-DOS disk on 5.25 360K media.

Hey! Ain't this  fun!

-Larry

...

-- 
This is not an automated  signature. I type this in to the bottom of  every
message.

Larry,

Go to _www.vintage-computer.com_  (http://www.vintage-computer.com)  and do
a
search on that  topic.

Also, contact "Sharkonwheels" there - again do a search - he  posts a  lot.

He is into the Kaypros "after" 1983 versions - i.e.  the "2X's", I am into
the 1983 versions.

Looks like it may have been  upgraded with the Turbo.

I believe such upgrades are still available  for the post 1983 versions -
Advent might be a search word to use.   Shark will know.  He even sells
modified
Kaypros of that  era.

Getting the right boot disk for the specific Kaypro you have is  critical -
many do not understand this - today you need Windows - there are  not very
many
main options.

Kaypro had about 15 - 20 different  versions before they went  bankrupt.
Also, in those hectic times, many  "unofficial' modifications  were made that
may
not have been  documented, by Kaypro and previous owners of  such  computers.

Modifications and upgrades were very common in order to try  to keep them
running efficiently, until the inevitable change to windows,  after we all
invested so much in those systems, especially our  time!

Sometimes you just have to take the top off and look around,  especially at
chips at U43 and U47.

Please post your results on that  site so others can benefit.

You can check my site out -  _www.kayprosts.org_ (http://www.kayprosts.org)
-
under the folder   "special" for a draft of my book on computers of that era
and a 2008  Kaypro  calendar I did - lots of pictures of my 6 1983  Kaypros
modified to Kaypro "  8 ' 's.


All the  best.



Frank


**************The year's hottest artists on the red carpet at the Grammy 
Awards.  AOL Music takes you there. 
(http://music.aol.com/grammys?ncid=emlcntusmusi00000002)