Messages in this thread | | | From | (H. Peter Anvin) | Subject | Re: NO ROM BASIC | Date | 12 Dec 1998 10:18:45 GMT |
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Followup to: <Pine.LNX.3.96.981210223540.961A-100000@frank.watsons.edin.sch.uk> By author: Alistair Riddell <alistair@watsons.edin.sch.uk> In newsgroup: linux.dev.kernel > > On Fri, 4 Dec 1998, Gerhard Mack wrote: > > > Actually that error means it can'y find a bootable device. > > It dates mack to the early XT. Perhapse the boot block got corrupted... > > > > The early XTS would looks for basic in rom if they couldn't find a > > bootable device, if none then that error came up. some of the bios > > maufacturers still keep that message for some unknown reason. > > I have an original 1981 IBM PC which has the ROM Basic. It was removed > (along with the tape interface) in the later IBM XT model. IIRC the XT > also had twin 360k floppy drives instead if a single drive. >
No, IBMs had ROM BASIC for much, much longer than that; in fact, I believe they still do. Something to do with one of the early IBM-Microsoft agreements; obviously noone would actually *use* it.
Note that IBM's BASICA.COM used the ROM BASIC somehow.
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