How can I copy files from drive Z

[Peter Walker]

Hi,
I have a German Netbook and, as I am British, I would like to run the english version of the operating system.

I downloaded the UK OS and installed it, only to find that the UK keyboard driver is active on my German keyboard.

What I want to achieve is to find a way of installing the UK OS with the German keyboard drivers so I can keep the German keyboard operating as it should (QWERTZ).

The answer must lie in identifying the keyboard drivers on drive Z and using those, by installing them on the CF and then running the UK OS.

If that does not work, the alternative is to run the German OS and replace the apps with the UK versions on the CF (files found on the CF are used before the ones stored in Z).

Either way, I will need to copy the contents of drive Z onto a CF so that I can find the best solution.

On my 5mxPRO, it was possible to switch to drive Z by holding the Ctrl key and pressing tab followed by selecting drive Z and then OK. However, I have not yet discovered how to do this on the Netbook. Does anyone know?

The only way I have found, so far of accessing drive Z is with the nFTP programme although then I would have to send the files via FTP when all I want to do is copy them onto a CF.

Does anyone know which files are needed for the keyboard drivers?

Can anyone help me on this.

Regards

Peter

[zolee]

Hi Peter,

Z drive full reed and copy managment the Navogator :)

http://www.foxpop.ndirect.co.uk/thirdparty/Navigator/Nav04.gif

http://www.foxpop.ndirect.co.uk/thirdparty/Navigator2.htm

[MikeMcC]

You could try the procedure for accessing the "Z" drive on a Revo where Ctrl-Tab doesn't work either:

To access the "Z" drive on the Revo, in the System screen select
Menu/File/Create new/File... and for the file name type z:\anything

It won't create a new file but it will take you to the "Z" drive.
Reversing the process with c:\anything takes you back to the "C"
drive.

[Peter Walker]

Hi,
thanks, I tried both methods and they both work on the Netbook.

Now I just have to identify the files to use.

Regards

Peter

[wanman]

Hi Mike,

All of this talk of the z drive on the Netbook has got me a little confused. I thought the Netbook OS was just stored on the C Drive (internal RAM)? I know that on all other ER5 machines the Z drive is a psuedo 16mb drive reading from the ROM. It is write protected at all times. Is there a smaller Z drive containing just the basic drivers, OS loading & bootup software?

Regards

Si

[MikeMcC]

Originally posted by wanman
Hi Mike,

All of this talk of the z drive on the Netbook has got me a little confused. I thought the Netbook OS was just stored on the C Drive (internal RAM)? I know that on all other ER5 machines the Z drive is a psuedo 16mb drive reading from the ROM. It is write protected at all times. Is there a smaller Z drive containing just the basic drivers, OS loading & bootup software?
I don't actually have a netBook and simply replied to a request to access the "Z" drive. However, as the built-in applications for all other devices - Revo, 5, 5mx, 7 - run from the machine's ROM or "Z" drive, I would assume that installing the OS in a netBook would similarly set up a "Z" drive, even though it is loaded into RAM, from which the same apps run? There is no reason why the RAM needs to be "C" drive - in fact "C" drive varies in size depending on how much memory is being used by the OS, open files and processing.

....but I could be quite wrong :)

[wanman]

Cheers Mike,

I think we could do with some Netbook users input. R U there Julie/Yan :confused:

[netBookBabe]

Originally posted by MikeMcC
I would assume that installing the OS in a netBook would similarly set up a "Z" drive, even though it is loaded into RAM, from which the same apps run?
That indeed appears to be exactly correct. Ctrl+Tab works for me on the netBook. :)

Julie

[spegru]

Rather than messing about with your Z drive, have you tried simply swapping over the keys to match the mapping?

Spegru;)

[wanman]

Hi Julie,

Just so can I get my head straight on this can you answer the following as I will need to know this if I upgrade my 7 to a Netbook.....

1) When you first switch on a Netbook (or converted 7) with the OS.IMG file loaded on a CF Card in your D: Drive , does the Netbook create a pseudo Z: Drive to install the Operating System on?
2) Why does the OS not just install the OS on the C: drive?
2) Is this pseudo Z: drive protected as it is on the 7 (apart from if you perform a hard reset) when it is wiped
3) If you wanted to upgrade Opera 5.14, when/if the next version is released, will it be possible to upgrade the OS version or will it install a second version on your machine on the C drive?
4) Have I got this all wrong and the OS is actually installed on the C: drive on the Netbook although you still have a Z: drive which contains the very basic boot and OS load programs required to get the machine started after a hard reset?

I appologise for spoiling this thread with my stupidity !!

Regards

Si

[diem]

1) When you first switch on a Netbook (or converted 7) with the OS.IMG file loaded on a CF Card in your D: Drive , does the Netbook create a pseudo Z: Drive to install the Operating System on?


In a sense, yes. The Z drive is not pseudo as such, it is simply that on the netBook the Z drive is RAM and on other Psions it is ROM.


2) Why does the OS not just install the OS on the C: drive?


Because it would have been harder to come up with a whole new structure for the netBook than to use the tried and tested structure. I prefer it anyway because it allows one to 'replace' OS system files by placing a file with the same name in an equivalent location on the C drive as the original on the Z drive.


2) Is this pseudo Z: drive protected as it is on the 7 (apart from if you perform a hard reset) when it is wiped


Yes, you cannot write to the Z drive from the user interface.


3) If you wanted to upgrade Opera 5.14, when/if the next version is released, will it be possible to upgrade the OS version or will it install a second version on your machine on the C drive?


Unfortunately you would have to install a new version on teh C drive. I have a newer version of nFTP registered. I load this on the C drive and it appears in the Extras bar, 'hiding' the one on the Z drive.


4) Have I got this all wrong and the OS is actually installed on the C: drive on the Netbook although you still have a Z: drive which contains the very basic boot and OS load programs required to get the machine started after a hard reset?


No, you're on the right track.

[wanman]

Hi Yan,

Cheers for explaining that one for me. One last thing though, I assume that the z: drive is sized upon installation of the OS and this is then fixed (and protected). The remaining space left over from the 32mb ram is then handed over to the c: drive?

Regards

Si

[netBookBabe]

Originally posted by wanman
I appologise for spoiling this thread with my stupidity !!
Si

It's not stupidity, just things that you haven't encountered yet. As for me, I tend to be very much a "front end" user and I don't get TOO involved with the technicalities and hidden depths, though I learn a bit more every day.

Thus I am very grateful to Yan for his above reply! :)

Julie

[diem]

No, unfortuately the size is fixed permanently at (I think) 14MB. This is why the new OS for some languages has some programs missed out from the core download - the whole lot no longer fits in the Z, so users can optionally install these progs on the C.

[wanman]

Thanks Yan,

Interesting information. So the c drive is left with the remaining 18mb. I fear I may need to go for 32mb DIMM upgrade after all as I do tend to keep some of my bigger apps and Opera Cache on the C drive for speed.

Thanks again for you help

Si

[Peter Walker]

Hi,
thanks for your replies.

I was able to download all the system files from both the German and operating systems, yet was unable to solve my problem: Run the English language with the German keyboard!

I thought I had identifed a keyboard driver, yet installing that in the appropriate place on C or D had no effect.

Placing the English Z apps on C or D did not help either!

The only other option would be to install the apps from the Netbook CD, but that would give me really older versions of the Apps.

Somebody suggested just changing the keys location. That is not an option for me as I live in Germany and I am used to a German keyboard. I want the QWERTZ layout plus the extra characters like öäüߧ missing on a UK keyboard! Otherwise, I would just buy a UK Netbook!

Now if Psion would release the files for the new version like they did on the CD, I may be able to get it working.

Any advice would be appreciated. Otherwise, I will just have to live with the German (I do speak German, I just prefer English).

The most annoying app in German is the E-Mail programme as when you reply to a message, it writes "Betr.:" instead of "Re:" and:

________________ Antwort-Kopfzeile ________________
Betreff:
Verfasser: "Peter Walker" <peter@rife.de>
Datum: Sun, 8 Sep 2002 12:05:57 +0100

which will look strange to anyone speaking English. Unfortunately, there is no way I know of getting this to come up in English and I am constantly having to correct it.

Any ideas! Is Psion listening and can help me?

Regards

Peter

[diem]

so let me try to understand. if you were to install the english version of the OS, the only problem is that the keyboard mapping is wrong yes?

If so, I believe there are 3rd party keyboard remappers out there - try a web search for 'EPOC keyboard remapping' or similar, and perhaps post a new thread on that subject in the Software forum?