Anyone ever tried to run RM Nimbus 186 software on a modern machine?

[ptp170]

Have been trying to relive a bit of my youth by trying to run RM Nimbus software. There is very limited information out there but it appears you need to modify the runpc186.exe file using debug to make the executable believe that you are running it on a Nimbus machine.

I have modified said file and what is repeated back via the debug console differs from the limited instructions..

Make sure you have a bakcup copy of runpc186.exe in case this goes
wrong!!

type
ren runpc186.exe runpc186.bin
debug runpc186.bin
r
you will get a display which shows the contents of all the registers
followed by something like:

211D:0100 4D  DEC BP

The first 4 digits are important; add 1 to the first number - in
this case it becomes 311D

Now type S 311D:0000 03 ff 00 74 03
(replacing the 311D with the number you got in the previous step)
this will respond something like
311d:0545

To check that you've found the right bit type
u 311d:0545 (again, the numbers may be different)
the display should be something like:
311D:0545 83FF00  CMP  DI, +00
311D:0548 7403    JZ   054D

Note the number on the second line.

Type:
A 311D:0548
debug responds with
311D:0548
type NOP NOP and press Enter
debug responds with
311D:054A
Press Enter to get back to the - prompt then w Enter to write the file
Finally type q Enter to quit debug.

Type

ren runpc186.bin runpc186.exe

to get a version of runpc186 which doesn't check for an
RM machine.

When I run the runpc186.exe file (plus the program you are trying to run eg runpc186.exe barrels.exe) the command prompt just hangs whithout returning to the standard C:\ prompt.

Files that are included in the runpc186 'package' are:

1/06/1986  13:12            31,104 BARRELS.EXE
20/03/1992  15:39             4,780 RUNPC186.COM
01/11/1995  14:59            76,184 RUNPC186.EXE
18/02/1994  13:25            76,184 RUNPC186.ORG
15/11/1995  16:32             1,086 RUNPC186.TXT
30/12/1984  13:18            14,096 WORM.EXE

A whole bunch of stuff can be found on this website: http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~theom/pc/nimbus/

And, if anyone wants to know what they are 'missing'
[m]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDUILriZ6A4[/m]


If anyone has had success with this then please share it!!

 

[JHanna]

Aaaah, Teashop!!

"It's cheaper with British Rail" haha

 

[ElectroBlaster]

Back in 1986 the secondary school I attended had a computer room full of these machines!

EDIT: St Thomas High, Exeter.
They had a teacher who was very.... lets say uptight. We used to mess around with the paint program and of course we drew stuff that was
frowned upon lol.

 

[ptp170]

Back in 1986 the secondary school I attended had a computer room full of these machines!

EDIT: St Thomas High, Exeter.
They had a teacher who was very.... lets say uptight. We used to mess around with the paint program and of course we drew stuff that was
frowned upon lol.

Just realised people have replied to this after 11 years

Coincidentally I live in St Thomas, it would be amazing if they had all those machines tucked away in a cupboard somewhere!

 

[miggymad]

@ptp170