Fitting & Using the ROM

Background

All applications for the Z88 are stored on ROMs. These can be of several sizes, (32K, 128K, 256K and now 1M) depending on the size of the program(s) supplied. This means that it is on a comparatively stable medium and less vulnerable to corruption than say a floppy disk. However, care should still be taken not to pour coffee into the ROM cartridge.

Not enough of a particular program was ever made to justify a special ROM (Read-Only-Memory) to be manufactured, so EPROMs (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) were used instead.

Although EPROMs were used, as far as the Z88 is concerned they are ROMs so the words EPROM and ROM in the different manuals may be interchanged. The ROM should not be placed in the EPROM eraser unless the loss of the program is the desired outcome.

Which Slot to Use?

Further information about the use of slots is contained in Appendix 2.

Moving your RAM Card

If you need to move your RAM card, make sure that you back up any files that you have in it before. You can either use an EPROM pack or use another computer to store the files. Refer to your Z88 user guide or Z88 Magic for help with this.

Installing the ROM

It is very important that the following steps are taken when Installing or Removing ROMs. See CARD.

Installation instructions usually start with a warning telling you to switch off and disconnect all power. Quite the opposite is true in this case... To install the ROM, take the following steps:

1. Switch on the Z88 pressing both  keys in the usual way.
2. Get to the INDEX page by pressing the  key.
3. Ensure the INDEX is on screen.
4. Open the card flap which is the clear perspex cover labelled 1,2,3.. (The Z88 bleeps and switches off automatically).
5. Insert the ROM into Slot 2 or an empty slot.
6. Close the card flap. The INDEX page should now reappear.
7. If there are any errors at this stage will cause a message to be printed at the extreme right of the screen. See CARD.

Checking the ROM

It is a good idea to check whether the Z88 has installed the software correctly. To do this do the following:

1. Get to the INDEX page by pressing the  key.
2. Select CARD. This should display the ROM size in the correct slot.
3. Press the key, this should bring you back to the INDEX page again.
4. Move the cursor to the left-hand side of the screen (Applications) and move it down to the bottom of the list to see the program name(s) you have just installed.
5. If your Z88 doesn't recognise the application, get back to Index, open the flap again and check that the cartridge is fully inserted.

Running an Application

You are now ready to start running an application.

To do this you can either do the following

1. Switch on the Z88
2. Get to the INDEX page by pressing the  key.
3. Move the cursor to the left-hand side of the screen (Applications) and move it down the list until you reach the program you wish to run.
4. Press the  key

or
You can start it quicker by using the short form  key as shown next to each application's name.

List of Short form keys for applications (in this manual)

PC Link L
PC Link with RangerLink2 ZL
RangerLink2 L
RangerDisk2 ZD
Z-Tape J.
THINKz O.
Vision/L ZV.
WordFinder W.
QuickEdit Q
Stopwatch Q

The added applications will appear at the bottom of the list that are already there. In the event of an application short form letter is already used, that letter will be prefixed with a Z. The next time that letter letter is used, it is prefixed with ZZ. Should the letter be used yet again, OZ gives up. The only way the application can be selected is from the INDEX screen moving the cursor over the application name and Press the  key.

Removing the Application

Before removing an application you should first check that it is still not being used. To do this:

1. Get to the INDEX page by pressing the  key.
2. Look at the Suspended Activities section on the right-hand side of the screen.
3. If you can see an application running that you wish to remove (it also has a number 1, 2 or 3 in the card column as well) move the cursor over it and select KILL.
   
4. Open the card flap. (The Z88 bleeps and switches off automatically).
5. Remove the ROM from the slot.This can be a little awkward. Using the edge of a coin or something similar, carefully prize the cartridge from its slot
6. Close the card flap. The INDEX page should now reappear

If the application is still shown in the suspended activities when the card is removed when in the INDEX, the CARD error icon is shown at the top right-hand side of the screen. See CARD.

It is important to note that you should follow this full procedure even if you are installing another application afterwards.

If you were not in the INDEX when you removed the card, you get a continuous bleep and the error message INDEX error icon on the right-hand side of the screen. If this happens, open the flap and re-insert the card in its original slot.

Note: Errors caused by removing a card can be rectified by re-inserting the card into the original slot from which it was removed.

Avoid excessive force. Be particularly careful not to damage the transparent cartridge cover - your Z88 will not operate without it! does not work.

Installing another or moving an Application

You must treat this as two operations. If you take a card out, treat it as removing the application and close the flap first to let the Z88 know that you have removed it before opening it again to install the new one.

CARD

If the Z88 starts to bleep and displays message CARD error icon is in the top right-hand corner of the INDEX screen after you have inserted or removed a ROM, the above procedures have not been followed .

To clear this do the following

1. Get to the INDEX page by pressing the  key.
2. Ensure the INDEX is on screen.
3. Open the card flap which is the clear perspex cover labelled 1,2,3.. (The Z88 bleeps and switches off automatically).
4. You need to undo what you did before you got the beeps. This could have been
   1. taking the ROM out of a slot and putting it in another slot without closing and opening the flap in-between that operation
      solution - reverse what you did.
      1. taking it out of the slot you had put it in
      2. return it to the slot you had taken it out of.
   2. removing a card whist not in the Index
      solution - put it back again
   3. removed a card whist still running an Application
      solution - put it back again and then KILL the application.
5. Close the card flap. The INDEX page should now reappear without the CARD message.
6. Carefully follow the instructions for Installing and/or Removing as two separate operations.