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Request: Pick R83

AJFAAJFA
in Offers & Requests

Pick R83 is a multi-user database oriented operating system. I've been looking for this to emulate on a 386 machine. Anyone?

Comments

  • 80888088
    Hi AJFA,

    I have the original Floppy disks and documents of Pick R83 Revision 3.1 and for preservation purposes I scanned all the documents.

    Here are the links: About the disks, they are 720KB 3.5-inch floppies. I have dumped them to IMG files but there is a problem. Apparently, they have some sort of anti-copy protection because every time that I try them on an emulator, the emulator either hangs or reboots, and writing the images to physicals disks and trying them on a 486 pc doesn’t work either (I get a Protection Violation! error). With the original disks there is no problem installing Pick on the same pc. Another thing is that this version of Pick has some things in Spanish.

    Anyway, here are the IMG files. Maybe someone can patch them. I hope that at least this helps you, as I couldn’t find any complete manual of this version of Pick on internet. I’m looking for a Kyroflux, so in the future I hope to post the exact dump of the magnetic data of the floppy disks.
  • SomeGuySomeGuy
    Thank you very much. If copy protection is involved, a flux-level dump with a device like a Kryoflux or SuperCard Pro is really needed.

    For the moment, you might *try* ImageDisk, TeleDisk, and Copy II PC + Snatchit. (As always, make sure to write protect the original disks) I would sort of expect the copy protection on a product like this to be more complicated than what these can handle, but they can occasionally duplicate more simplistic copy protections.
  • 80888088
    Thank for the info SomeGuy, I didn’t know these copy programs. Unfortunately, I have tried them today and they’re unable to bypass the Pick's copy protection system.

    When I get my hands on a kyroflux, I'll post the flux-level dump of the disk here. Meanwhile, the only thing we can try now is to patch the disk image, which I suppose that it will be difficult.
  • 80888088
    Good news everyone!

    After debugging the boot process of the PICK System, and patching four different JMP instructions, I have succeed on bypassing all the anti-copy checks. So here it is, a patched image file that works great on emulators (or at least on PCEm)! Here’s a screenshot of the login screen:


    I hope that this helps to preserve this rare OS. Thanks!
  • pqueneepquenee
    edited February 2022
    Hello, distributed in 5'' format, I converted R83 to 3"" format after improving the system boot and regenerating the system diskette creation function. This version is frenchified and uses a specific DATA diskette. There is an improved function for typing in TCL (equivalent to the shell with history of linux). Try to make it work under bochs emulator (it launches under virtualbox but there are problems to launch the DATA diskette)

    Bonjour, distribué en format 5'', j'ai converti R83 en format 3"" apres avoir amelioré le boot du system et regene la fonction de creation de diquette systeme. La presente version est francisée et utilise une disquette DATA specifique. Il existe une fonction amelioré pour la saisie en TCL (equivalent au shell avec history de linux). Essayer de faire marcher sous emulateur bochs (ca se lance sous virtualbox mais il y a des problemes pour lancer la disquette DATA)

    . https://www.dropbox.com/s/g2dglyhmz52reyb/R83F.img?dl=0

    . https://www.dropbox.com/s/x21hmn5g4bncvnk/DATA_FILES.img?dl=0

    try with option R and perhaps without cache memory

    Also for those who like it, here are two AP Pick installation floppy disk images as is. (AP = Advanced Pick)

    De plus pour ceux qui aime, voici deux images de disquette d'installation d'AP Pick en l'état. (AP = Advanced Pick)

    . https://www.dropbox.com/s/dikikwmorczkt2y/AP_Pick_Boot.img?dl=0

    . https://www.dropbox.com/s/a0v0s54qdrcl55y/AP_Dos_System.img?dl=0

    Enjoy
  • SomeGuySomeGuy
    Were you ever able to get someone to get Kryoflux dumps for you?
  • 80888088
    Unfortunately, no, but I will buy a kryoflux in a few weeks. So as soon as I get one, I will post here the kryoflux dumps of the floppys.
  • AJFAAJFA
    Thank you!, 8088 and pquenee, I really appreciate your effort. Been looking a long time for this. Time to install!
  • krowemohkrowemoh
    I was able to get R83 going under PCem with my own copies. Here is a version from 1990.

    https://github.com/Krowemoh/R83

    I found that I could use the pcem image after installation with qemu and loading it in v86js means that you can test drive r83 from the browser.

    Thank you 8088! I assume it's you on the retrowiki forums, I followed the instructions there to get around the protection stuff.
  • SomeGuySomeGuy
    Thanks for testing that out.

    Still no kryoflux images, I guess.
  • 80888088
    edited April 4
    Thank you for your version, krowemoh! Yes, that's me on the RetroWiki forum where I posted the procedure to bypass the copy protection mechanism.

    Finally, I've been able to create a raw magnetic flux dump of the original PICK disks! I used a Greaseweazle since it was nearly impossible to buy a Kyroflux where I live. Additionally, the Greaseweazle is much cheaper!

    Here's the link:
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