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From: cj439@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Robert Wills)
Subject: TOS Answers
Message-ID: <DEHuGB.EC3@freenet.carleton.ca>
Sender: cj439@freenet3.carleton.ca (Robert Wills)
Reply-To: cj439@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Robert Wills)
Organization: The National Capital FreeNet
Date: Wed, 6 Sep 1995 17:12:11 GMT
Lines: 221

Towns' Little Guide to TOS Revisions, version 1.0, March 1991.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Written by John Townsend, Atari Corporation

           
  This is a small document that explains in very terse terms the 
differences between the TOS revisions available for ST/MEGA/STE/
Mega STE/TT machines, what patches are needed for what revisions, the
formats they are available in, and any notes I can think of.

  I hope this will clear up some of the confusion with the different
TOS versions. If you have any questions on this document, please 
let me know here on GEnie. My GEnie Address is: TOWNS.

  Special thanks to Leonard Tramiel, Allan Pratt, and Doug Wheeler
for their involement with this little Document. Thanks again!

  Comments are welcome..

                                        -- John Townsend
                                           Atari Corp.

=========================================================================

ROM TOS (TOS 1.0)
-------
 
  The original ROM TOS, this version shipped in 520ST and 1040ST
machines.  It is no longer shipping in any machines.

  Formats:   2 chip ROMs, 6 chip ROMs
 
 Machines:   520ST, 1040ST

Utilities:   FOLDRXXX.PRG

             FOLDRXXX.PRG will add more entries into your OS Pool.
             In TOS 1.0 and TOS 1.02, the limit for the number of 
             directories that you can enter is around 40. With this 
             program you can extend that limit much higher. If you 
             are using a hard drive, this program is recommended 
             highly. It will work with all TOS versions and will 
             improve the performance of your system.

    Notes:   GET TOS 1.04 TODAY! TOS 1.04 is the latest version of TOS 
             for 520/1040/MEGA owners. It is MUCH faster, has faster,
             better disk I/O, many other improvements.  

MEGA TOS (TOS 1.02)
--------

  This is commonly referred to as MEGA TOS. This version of TOS fixes 
some minor problems in TOS 1.0 and has support for the BLiTTER chip
and Real-Time Clock chip.

  Formats:   2 chip ROMs, 6 chip ROMs

 Machines:   520ST, 1040ST, Mega 2, Mega 4

Utilities:   FOLDRXXX.PRG

             FOLDRXXX.PRG is explained above.

    Notes:   See notes for TOS 1.0.. GET TOS 1.04 TODAY!


Rainbow TOS (TOS 1.04)
-----------

  TOS 1.04 or Rainbow TOS, as it is commonly known is the latest
version of TOS available for 520/1040/MEGA owners. It has been
available as a dealer upgrade for awhile now. It has much more 
robust Disk I/O, Autorunning of GEM programs at boot up, 
a fix for the 40 folder limit, and much more. Most of all is 
it much faster than previous versions of the Operating System.

  Formats:   2 chip ROMs, 6 chip ROMs (available as Upgrade!)

 Machines:   Stacy

Utilities:   TOS14FIX.PRG, POOLFIX3.PRG, CACHEXXX.PRG, FOLDRXXX.PRG 

             TOS14FIX.PRG solves some small problems in the AES (for
             additional information, please see the documentation that
             accompanies the TOS14FIX.PRG program).
    
             POOLFIX3.PRG fixes a bug in GEMDOS. Documentation that
             accompanies the POOLFIX3.PRG program explains (in detail)
             the problem that it fixes.

             CACHEXXX.PRG is a new program that adds GEMDOS buffers
             to your system. The caching of data and disk directories
             by GEMDOS (when this program is used) will result in 
             your system running much faster! This program is highly
             recommended and requires TOS 1.04 or higher for full 
             benefits!             

             FOLDRXXX.PRG is explained above.


    Notes:   Please use the utilities available and if you haven't 
             upgraded to this version of TOS yet.. please consider
             doing so. It's a very worthwhile upgrade.

             There are some disk-based versions of _early_ developer
             only releases of TOS 1.04 floating around on BBS systems 
             here in the United States and abroad. Please don't use 
             them! They are bad news! They have some very nasty bugs 
             and have been known to corrupt data!


STE TOS, Rev 1 (TOS 1.06)
--------------

  TOS 1.06 is the TOS version that is shipped with the 1040STE and
520STE machines. It is essentially TOS 1.04 with support for the new
hardware that the STE has. 

  Formats:   2 chip ROMs

 Machines:   520STE, 1040STE

Utilities:   STE_FIX.PRG, POOLFIX3.PRG, CACHEXXX.PRG, FOLDRXXX.PRG

             STE_FIX fixes the infamous Desktop Medium/Low resolution
             bug. The problem is that there is a bug in the desktop 
             code in this version of TOS that prevents the user from 
             booting into Medium Resolution. The patch program STE_FIX
             will solve the problem. Once it is executed in the AUTO
             folder, the problem no longer exists.
    
             FOLDRXXX.PRG, CACHEXXX.PRG, and POOLFIX3.PRG are 
             explained above.

    Notes:   This version is only available in 1040STE and 520STE
             machines. It isn't available for upgrading. It won't 
             work in older machines.


STE TOS, Rev 2 (TOS 1.62)
--------------

  This is a slightly revised revision of TOS 1.6. It fixes the POOLFIX
problem in GEMDOS and the problem in the Desktop that was present in 
TOS 1.06. 

  Formats:   2 chip ROMs

 Machines:   520STE, 1040STE

Utilities:   CACHEXXX.PRG, FOLDRXXX.PRG

             CACHEXXX.PRG and FOLDRXXX.PRG are explained above.

    Notes:   This version is only available in 1040ST and 520STE
             machines. It isn't available for upgrading. 


Mega STE TOS (TOS 2.05) 
------------

  TOS 2.05 is the version of TOS currently shipping in the Mega STE.  

  Formats:  2 chip ROMs

 Machines:  Mega STE

Utilities:  CACHEXXX.PRG, FOLDRXXX.PRG

            CACHEXXX.PRG and FOLDRXXX.PRG are explained above.

    Notes:  This version is only available in the Mega STE.  It isn't
            available for upgrading. 


TT TOS (TOS 3.01) 
------

  TOS 3.01 is the version of TOS that originally shipped in the TT030.  

  Formats:  4 chip ROMs

 Machines:  TT030

Utilities:  CACHEXXX.PRG, FOLDRXXX.PRG

            CACHEXXX.PRG and FOLDRXXX.PRG are explained above.

    Notes:  This version is only avaible in the TT030. It isn't 
            available for upgrading. 



TT TOS (TOS 3.05)
------ 

  TOS 3.05 is the latest version of TOS currently shipping in the 
TT030.


  Formats:  4 chip ROMs

 Machines:  TT030

Utilities:  CACHEXXX.PRG, FOLDRXXX.PRG, SERPTCH1.PRG

            CACHEXXX.PRG and FOLDRXXX.PRG are explained above.

    Notes:  This version is only avaible in the TT030.  It isn't 
            available for upgrading. 

===========================================================================

Pretty close to definitive, eh? Still doesn't really answer the 
question "What problem on bootup with TOS 1.6? If that's all I've
used, how can I know the difference?

--
 Songshop Musical Productions
 Box 266, Shawville, Quebec  
 J0X 2Y0     (819) 647-6022
