Hi Guys

I want to retrieve some software I wrote long ago on my ancient Sperry HT machine.

Trouble is, it was written using DOS 3.2 and the lithium battery on the machine has died. Hence it will only start up on the "A" drive which is 5 1/4 inch.

Does anyone know how I can get a copy of DOS 3.2 on a 5 1/4 inch disk?

Regards

Stuart

ALL MS-DOS is licensed not free, or abandonware, would suggest trawling EBAY worldwide.

Have you tried an MS-DOS 3.21 boot disk?

Hi Guys

Thanks for your replies.

My DOS was a licenced copy but unfortunately I have long ago lost track of my 5 1/4" disks.

The link you gave would be great if I had a 5 1/4" disc to hand and I could boot up the computer with the 5 1/4" drive on it. But then I wouldn't need ............

I'm sure you get the point.

I suppose I could replace the battery on the Sperry HT but as I only want to get the data off it rather then use it that seems a bit extreme.

Thanks again

Stuart

no I do not get the point:

Do you want a 5 1/4 inch floppy image of a boot disk or the actual floppies themselves??

If in UK all I can offer you is a DOS 6.22 bootable floppy maybe with Interlink ?? Unless I can re-image a DOS3.2 disk1 for my old Amstrad........

You need a box with 5.25 & 3.5 then DL and make boot 3.5, boot on that and format /s the 5.25 and stick it in the old box to boot.

M2

If at first you don't succeed, you're about average.

1) Leave the pc turned on for a while in order to try and put some power into the battery.
2) Try booting and entering setup in order to enter the hdd params in the bios.

Good luck - Keep us posted.

Hi Stuart. DOS v3.3 is the absolute minimum i recommend and you will find it's out there: 'PCD330BD' or similar comes up when i try "dos 3.3 boot disk" with google... Now, i have no knowledge of MFM/RLL drives relying on some XT CMOS setup but i'll confess anything goes after i read a bad story posted relatively to this "Sperry HT XT from 1986" (a google search again) so my advice is stick with v3.3! Finally, i DownLoaded the 3.5" Image-file i've mentioned above and testify it can be converted to 360 Kb/5.25". I have no suitable drive but VMWare WorkStation v5 will create a 1M44 image-file which DCF (a DOS tool) sees as 5.25"/360 Kb! :)

Salutations,

Michel Samson
a/s Bicephale

Hi
Check your email.

Hi Stuart - further to my earlier response and looking at the responses from others, this thread appears to be getting very deep for what surely is a simple problem.

I presume this pc has a hard disc and in the past booted from it, whereas now it does not.

If this is the case, I suspect the problem is caused by the battery failure. When this happens, the bios loses the hdd parameters and date/time functions. Then the pc no longer 'sees' its hdd.

Suggest try my earlier recommendations and advise back.

Good Luck - Keep us posted.

How ancient is this machine? The only Sperry I remember was a 286 box. If so you may also need a setup disk for the BIOS in addition to a boot disk, after you change your battery. The system did not have built-in BIOS setup. You will also have to know your HD specs.

>How ancient is this machine?

Search Google for this Message-iD:

<1302.73T426T6213327@sky.bus.com>

You can expect an answer like this but, of
course, i suggest more search is required:

"...their XT clone was referred to as the HT..."

Salutations,

Michel Samson
a/s Bicephale

Hello fellows.

Many thanks for all those replies.

I have been offered a DOS 3.3 5 1/4" boot disk by Harry who responded to me by e-mail.

I will let you know how I get on with that.

Thanks again to you all.

Regards

Stuart

Thanks very much Harry.

Disk received OK and worked fine.

Will give you more detail via email.

Best regards

Stuart