TurboDOS

Software 2000 Inc.
Industry	Software
Founded	1982; 44 years ago
Products	TurboDOS

TurboDOS is a multi user CP/M-style operating system designed for the Z80 and 8086 processors, created by Software 2000 Inc.

Introduced circa 1982, it was primarily aimed at S100 bus architectures such as the NorthStar Horizon and the Commercial Systems multiprocessor series, including models like CSI-50, CSI-75, SCI-100, and CSI-150.

The principal commercial strength of TurboDOS lay in its integrated support for multiprocessor configurations. Unlike other systems of its era where processor networking was an afterthought or limited to file transfer capabilities, TurboDOS was architected from inception to function as a true multiprocessor operating system.

Its modular design incorporates a relocating and linking loader for system assembly, facilitating straightforward hardware driver integration—particularly on bus-centric platforms like the commonly employed IEEE-696 (S-100) bus found in TurboDOS environments.

Architecture

TurboDOS features a highly modular structure consisting of over forty relocatable modules. These components serve as foundational elements that can be combined to produce a suite of compatible operating systems. Available configurations include:

single-user without spooling
single-user with spooling enabled
network server
basic network user (lacking local disk storage)
advanced network user (with local disk access)

There are also numerous nuanced variations within these main categories.

Module hierarchy

The architecture of TurboDOS is organized into three tiers: process level, kernel level, and driver level. The process level facilitates multiple simultaneous processes. The kernel level encompasses 93 C-functions and T-functions responsible for managing resources such as processor time, memory allocation, peripheral devices, and disk file operations. Processes interact with the kernel through the OSNTRY module, which directs function calls to the correct kernel component.

The C-functions integrate CP/M BDOS routines alongside select features from MP/M.

At the driver level reside hardware-specific drivers supporting all connected devices—including consoles, printers, disk drives, communication interfaces, network adapters—as well as support for the real-time clock and bank-switched memory when applicable.

TurboDOS is compatible with virtually all peripheral hardware and performs optimally with interrupt-driven or DMA devices but also accommodates polled and programmed-I/O hardware.

TurboDOS loader

The OSLOAD.COM loader contains a minimal kernel and essential drivers necessary to load the complete TurboDOS system (OSSERVER.SYS) from disk into memory during each cold boot.

System generation

Modules are supplied in relocatable (.REL) format. The GEN utility acts as a specialized linker that assembles these modules into an executable system image.

Commands

TurboDOS does not include resident commands; instead, all commands are implemented as executable files. Notable standard commands include:

AUTOLOAD	Configure commands to execute automatically on cold or warm startup.
BACKUP	Perform rapid disk-to-disk copying between identical disk types.
BANK	Toggle between banked and non-banked memory modes on Z80 systems.
BATCH	Queue commands into FIFO files for batch execution within networks.
BOOT	Handle data located on reserved boot tracks.
BUFFERS	View or modify the number and size of disk buffers in TurboDOS.
CHANGE	Flush caches and verify disk status before removal.
COPY	Copy files.
DATE	View or set the system date and time.
DELETE	Remove files.
DIR	List or print directory contents.
DO	Execute batch files.
DRIVE	Display disk format details.
DUMP	Show file contents in hexadecimal and ASCII formats.
ERASEDIR	Erase an entire disk directory.
FIFO	Create FIFO files.
FIXDIR	Clean up directories and convert between linear and hashed formats.
FIXMAP	Rebuild disk allocation maps.
FORMAT	Format disks.
LABEL	Set or query disk volume labels.
LOGOFF	Terminate console sessions.
LOGON	Initiate console sessions.
MASTER	Connect console to master processor within networked systems.
PRINT	Manage print output routing.
PRINTER	Control print despooling for individual printers.
QUEUE	Manually enqueue print jobs for deferred printing.
RECEIVE	Read or display a single record from a FIFO file.
RENAME	Change file names.
SEND	Write messages to FIFO files.
SET	Assign or clear file attributes.
SHOW	Display file attributes information.
TYPE	Output file contents to console or printer.
VERIFY	Scan disks for defective blocks and optionally mark them as unusable.

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