Contents |
Introduction
Microsol was a small Brazilian company from Fortaleza. They were known for manufacturing peripherals for the TRS-80. When MSX was emerging they grasped the opportunity and adapted their TRS-80 drive interface to be used with MSX computers. In 1986 they introduced the CDX-2 interface together with the DRX-180, the first diskdrive for MSX in Brazil.
On the TRS-80 they had supplied a CP/M version called SOL/M with their diskdrive. For the MSX they developed their own DOS version and called it SOLX-DOS. It's most likely that it's not a direct descendant of MSX-DOS, as there are differences both in behavior and in code.
The main characteristic for SOLX-DOS is that it's just one file, SOLXDOS.SIS. This also means that SOLX-DOS can only boot from disks that have been formatted with the CDX-2 interface, as that will put the correct bootsector on the disk. That bootsector can also boot regular MSX-DOS.
SOLX-DOS is completely in the Portuguese language. Not only all messages are Portuguese, all commands have been translated as well. However, the English commands are also present, which at least provides a one way compatiblity with MSX-DOS batch files.
There are a few SOLX-DOS clones, that are the same as the original codewise, just with different credits.
Known versions
SOLX-DOS
| Version | Release | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | 1986 | Original release by Microsol |
| 1.2 | 1987 | Updated release by Microsol |
| 1.5 | 2005 | Enhanced release by Adriano C.R. da Cunha, with permission from Microsol |
Clones
| Clone | Version | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cyber-DOS | 1.1 | Identical to SOLX-DOS 1.1 |
| DOSMASTER | 1.1 | Identical to SOLX-DOS 1.1 |
| DOSMASTER | 1.1e | English translation of SOLX-DOS 1.1 |
| MSX-DOS by Alien Computer | English translation of SOLX-DOS 1.2 |
Known issues
The original SOLX-DOS doesn't recognize subdirectories in the DIR command. Instead SOLX-DOS 1.1 just ignores them, and SOLX-DOS 1.2 will display them as zero length files. On the other hand however, SOLX-DOS 1.5 provides the same subdirectory support as MF-DOS.
Features
| Command | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.5 | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AJUDA HELP | X | Displays list of available commands or the syntax for a specific command | ||
| APAQUE ERASE | X | Deletes file(s) | ||
| APAQUE DEL | X | X | Deletes file(s) | |
| BASIC | X | X | X | Go to MSX-Basic |
| BEEP | X | Produces a 'beep' sound | ||
| CD CHDIR | X | Displays or changes the current working directory | ||
| CLS | X | Clears the screen | ||
| COLOR | X | Changes the color(s) to be used for the foreground, background and border | ||
| COPIE COPY | X | X | X | Copies file(s) |
| COPIED | X | X | X | Copy disk |
| DATA DATE | X | X | X | Sets date |
| DIR | X | X | X | Displays the names of files on a disk |
| ECHO | X | Displays the specified text on the screen | ||
| FIXBOOT | X | Rewrites bootsector | ||
| FORMATE FORMAT | X | X | X | Formats a disk |
| HORA TIME | X | Sets time | ||
| LISTE LIST | X | X | X | Displays contents of file(s) |
| MD MKDIR | X | Creates (makes) a new directory | ||
| MODO MODE | X | X | X | Changes the number of characters per line on the screen |
| PAUSA PAUSE | X | X | X | Prompts and waits for a key press |
| RD RMDIR | X | Deletes (removes) one or more directories | ||
| REM | X | X | X | Inserts a remark on the command line |
| REN RENAME | X | X | X | Renames file(s) |
| SALVE SAVE | X | X | X | Unknown |
| TIME | X | X | Sets time | |
| VERIFICA VERIFY | X | X | X | Displays or sets the current disk write verify state |
Links
- The MSX Files 8: The Microsol drive (in Portuguese)