When the Z88 came out, there was no facility to 'Blow your own ROM,' This was because the Z88 Application software was supplied on an EPROM card. As larger EPROM cards became available, it was possible to make compilations but there were only a few people around who had the skills to link the applications together, writing addresses on the back of envelopes and using Hex calculators. This all changed when Garry Lancaster wrote ROMcombiner. This allowed users to combine applications themselves. When the Flash cards become available, blowing those were added, so at last, all the applications that were written could be written onto one 1M card.
Now that all the companies that wrote software for the Z88 are no longer marketing their products it is now possible to download the ROM image and blow your own.
The Z88 needs to have the following cards as a minimum configuration.
  | A blank EPROM or Flash Card to store the applications or files. |
 | (Optional) EPROM Eraser to erase the EPROM card (if required). |
 | Connecting the Z88 to the Desktop to transfer the programs to the Z88. See Computer Links for more details |
There are different ways of obtaining the image of an application.
Z88 Applications are stored in 16K size files called banks. To keep these files together, they are stored in a zip file, which also compresses the collection. There are a number of steps that need to take place. These are:-
To demonstrate how this is done we are using the SpellMaster ROM which needs 128K or space.
The main advantage of using this combination is that it has
already on the Z88. The procedure is as follows;-
This is also covered elsewhere in this manual See Using Unzip.
Select Unzip either from the INDEX or 
U.
Select the file required to be unzip, either by typing the name here, or by selecting it using the Filer. F
Move the cursor with the 
and mark the file with 
key. Pressing 
returns to the previous screen but with the correct file name entered.
Press the key to start the operation.
Select a to extract all the files.
When all the files have been inflated, leave Unzip with 
Q. Check the files are all there by selecting the Filer. F again.
Either Download the RomCombiner V2.10zip file from above, or use Flashstore J to fetch Romcombiner to the RAM.
The full instructions are found here.
If the download is used, the file name is longer than 12 characters long. When transferring the file to the Z88, that file name will be truncated.
After unzipping the file a ROMCOMBINER-.10 Directory will be formed.
TC is used to copy these files.
The Source and Destination are entered as follows:-
To ERASE Directories, Files and Directories need to be erased first. In this case, move the cursor over the ROMCOMBINER-.10 and use |
The advantage of using the Rakewell card is that Romcombiner.zip is already stored in the file area and can be transferred into RAM using Flashstore J.
Move the cursor across press twice and the file will be saved to RAM.
Unzip the file either using Unzip as above or unzipping them on the Desktop and trqnsferring them to the Z88.
The files important files are shown here displayed in the Filer are:-
To run the program, do the following:-
B. TypeThe following screen is displayed.
EPROMs can only be programmed in Slot 3.
Press V. followed by
If the EPROM is properly erased the following screen is displayed.
If an error message is displayed, the EPROM should be removed and erased again with the EPROM Eraser until it passes this test.
From the main screen, Select
The screen will flash a few times until the following screen is displayed. If any programming errors are given, the EPROM will need to be erased and this procedure needs to be repeated from Verify EPROM banks properly erased.
key to display the two new applications at the bottom of the list 
ROMcombiner has a Read command that can be used to read an EPROM or Flash Card.
Use 'R' to start the process.
'F' will save the Full ROM, splitting it into 16K blocks using the card name as a base name.
For details on how to use all the other commands see the romcombiner.txt in the DOC Directory.
to select it. Move the cursor over DOC and use 
and do this operation again. Finally moving up to the Root Directory above with