Help with running IBM-COBOL ver 1.0 on Windows 2000/XP

Hi,
As part of academics I am using IBM COBOL ver 1.0 Details as given
below:

IBM Personal Computer COBOL Compiler
Version 1.00 (C)Copyright IBM Corp 1982
(C)Copyright Microsoft, Inc. 1982

I am trying to run the same on my home PC which runs Windows 2000/XP.
I have solved the problem of running 16-bit applications on windows
2000. But I am unable to compile my sample HELLO.COB application on it.
The command prompt output is appended below:

 ========================================
==========
E:\temp\cobol\MS-COBOL>cobol hello

IBM Personal Computer COBOL Compiler
Version 1.00 (C)Copyright IBM Corp 1982
(C)Copyright Microsoft, Inc. 1982

Object filename [HELLO.OBJ]:
Source listing  [NUL.LST]:

Not ready reading drive A
Abort, Retry, Fail?a

 ========================================
======

Why is the compiler trying to read drive A ? How can I solve this
problem ? Kindly advice.

regards
dev

thedevils.mail@gmail.com wrote:

> IBM Personal Computer COBOL Compiler
> Version 1.00 (C)Copyright IBM Corp 1982
> (C)Copyright Microsoft, Inc. 1982

> Not ready reading drive A
> Abort, Retry, Fail?a
> Why is the compiler trying to read drive A ?

1982 ?  This compiler was for PC-DOS 1.0.  This only supported diskette
drives and not hard disks. Diskettes were A: and B: and were 160Kb or,
if you had PC-DOS 1.1 and the advanced double sided drives, 320Kb.

> How can I solve this problem ? Kindly advice.

Reformat your hard drive to FAT12 format.

"Richard" <riplin@Azonic.co.nz> wrote in message
news:1152524596.313142.46670@s13g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>
> thedevils.mail@gmail.com wrote:
> 
> 
>
> 1982 ?  This compiler was for PC-DOS 1.0.  This only supported diskette
> drives and not hard disks. Diskettes were A: and B: and were 160Kb or,
> if you had PC-DOS 1.1 and the advanced double sided drives, 320Kb.
> 
>
> Reformat your hard drive to FAT12 format.
>

No reason why it should not run fine on 2000 / XP or another windows
variant. So long as its obsession to look for a disk in drive A are
satisfied nothing else should really matter.

Programs of this era were obviously geared up for floppy's but the hard disk
was invented back then and many machines used them.
They don't tend to care what partition type you use or what size your drive
it, they just do ar job in its simplest form and don't complain about it.

Keith

> No reason why it should not run fine on 2000 / XP or another windows
> variant. So long as its obsession to look for a disk in drive A are
> satisfied nothing else should really matter.
>
> Programs of this era were obviously geared up for floppy's but the hard di
sk
> was invented back then and many machines used them.
> They don't tend to care what partition type you use or what size your driv
e
> it, they just do ar job in its simplest form and don't complain about it.
>
> Keith

Yes thats exactly what I was thinking. If there is a work around by
which I can get the compiler to look for the disk in drive A. Please
advice if you have an idea.

Dev

"Richard" <riplin@Azonic.co.nz> wrote in message
news:1152524596.313142.46670@s13g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>
> thedevils.mail@gmail.com wrote:
> 
> 
>
> 1982 ?  This compiler was for PC-DOS 1.0.  This only supported diskette
> drives and not hard disks. Diskettes were A: and B: and were 160Kb or,
> if you had PC-DOS 1.1 and the advanced double sided drives, 320Kb.
> 
>
> Reformat your hard drive to FAT12 format.
>
Richard, that was unkind...

But very amusing :-)

Pete.

> Yes thats exactly what I was thinking. If there is a work around by
> which I can get the compiler to look for the disk in drive A. Please
> advice if you have an idea.

I had this same problem many many years ago. Not sure if it was specifically
with the MS COBOL compiler, but it was something which was looking at drive
A:  for reasons known only to itself.

I think you can SUBST for A: in your autoexec.bat file (or whatever is used
on Win2K)..

...something like...

SUBST A:  C:\path

where C:\path is that of your compiler files

Alternately, you may be able to just put a formatted blank disk in A:, and
once it gets past the "no disk" error the software might then search the
PATH.

MCM

<thedevils.mail@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1152521614.911821.32620@m79g2000cwm.googlegroups.com...
> Hi,
>    As part of academics I am using IBM COBOL ver 1.0 Details as given
> below:
>
> IBM Personal Computer COBOL Compiler
> Version 1.00 (C)Copyright IBM Corp 1982
> (C)Copyright Microsoft, Inc. 1982
>
> I am trying to run the same on my home PC which runs Windows 2000/XP.
> I have solved the problem of running 16-bit applications on windows
> 2000. But I am unable to compile my sample HELLO.COB application on it.
> The command prompt output is appended below:
>
>  ========================================
==========
> E:\temp\cobol\MS-COBOL>cobol hello
>
> IBM Personal Computer COBOL Compiler
> Version 1.00 (C)Copyright IBM Corp 1982
> (C)Copyright Microsoft, Inc. 1982
>
> Object filename [HELLO.OBJ]:
> Source listing  [NUL.LST]:
>
> Not ready reading drive A
> Abort, Retry, Fail?a
>
>  ========================================
======
>
> Why is the compiler trying to read drive A ?

It is obviously looking for something.

I suspect this will be a default because something hasn't been specified.

It might be looking for object libraries to link, or maybe it is expecting
source on drive A?

It would seem that you need the system path or the environment variables
used by the compiler, to be set to something, so it won't try and default to
A.

Have you tried Fail ing it? It might get over it and continue...

> How can I solve this
> problem ?

Not sure... it isn't an easy one without having the software to hand so a
few theories can be tested. I have a feeling that I actually used this
compiler many years ago, and I probably have the manuals for it sitting in
my garage (which is about 120 miles away from where I'm writing this, so not
much help... sorry. I'll be home at the wekend and will see if I can find
anything.)

> Kindly advice.
Above is the kindliest I can muster... :-)

Pete.

>
> Yes thats exactly what I was thinking. If there is a work around by
> which I can get the compiler to look for the disk in drive A. Please
> advice if you have an idea.
>
> Dev
>

Really as per my first message - either stick in a blank floppy or use the
subst command to redirect your A drive to hard disk.
e.g.   subst  a:  c:\cpy

Keith

"Pete Dashwood" <dashwood@enternet.co.nz> wrote in message
news:4hf24qF1rgc8eU1@individual.net...
> Damn!
>
> I was going to suggest using SUBST but I thought it probably wouldn't work
> in win32...
>
> After reading your mail I just tried it, and it does...!
>
> Good job, Michael.

I'm pleased and proud to share this victory with all the rest of us old
farts.

MCM

Michael Mattias wrote: 
>
> I had this same problem many many years ago. Not sure if it was specifical
ly
> with the MS COBOL compiler, but it was something which was looking at driv
e
> A:  for reasons known only to itself.
>
> I think you can SUBST for A: in your autoexec.bat file (or whatever is use
d
> on Win2K)..
>
> ...something like...
>
> SUBST A:  C:\path
>
> where C:\path is that of your compiler files
>

Using SUBST can cause other problems. It does not work on my XP system
which has a real drive A: unless I disable drive A:.

C:\temp>subst a: c:\temp
Invalid parameter - A:

> Alternately, you may be able to just put a formatted blank disk in A:, and
> once it gets past the "no disk" error the software might then search the
> PATH.
>

No. That does not work either.

C:\temp>cobol foo

IBM Personal Computer COBOL Compiler
Version 1.00 (C)Copyright IBM Corp 1982
(C)Copyright Microsoft Corp. 1982

Object filename [FOO.OBJ]:
Source listing  [NUL.LST]:
?Overlay 1 not found

-- e-mail: epc8 at juno dot com