DPUSER.002  by John Shadel [73537,775]
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After using Disk Power 100 for a few weeks, I have come to like many of the 
features built into the program. I especially like the ability to review .DO 
files without having to load them into the RAM, and the select features which 
allow you to select individual files or all files for processing.

On the negative side, I was disappointed by the fact that I could not erase 
Disk Power from RAM without a cold start, and the fact that loading it into the
Model 100 is a rather slow and cumbersome project. It seems that it was not 
intended that it be removed from RAM once installed which is nice if it is the 
only DOS you use, but a problem if you intend to use other programs which use 
the same memory as Disk Power.
All this aside, I have found out a way to overcome these obstacles, and allow 
the use of CDOS, Power-Disk, and Disk Power through the use of a loader 
program. I assume that TS-DOS could be handled the same way, but I do not 
personally own a copy of it, so I do not know for sure.

The loader program has worked flawlessly for me, as long as I follow a few 
simple rules. Since Disk-Power cannot be removed from RAM without using a 
"sledge-hammer", I leave it permanently in the RAM. This takes a little RAM 
space, but not enough to limit my use of the 100. Both CDOS and Power-Disk 
clear the hook table when the command LFILES OFF is executed, and this seems to
be the reason that Disk Power will cause a cold start when it is run after 
these programs are run. In my program, I have incorporated some code which 
resets the hooks to the default setting set up by Disk Power, and also the 
intelligence to know which DOS is active when the program is run. In this way, 
I can "turn on and off" the disk operating systems I wish to use. Also, I 
delete the copy of Power-Disk in low memory when it is loaded to save memory 
space, and restore it when another operating system is installed. 
Unfortunately, Disk Power must still remain in RAM, but it doesn't take much 
space. The loader program is called MLOPSY.100, and is in DL5. MLOPSY.DOC is 
the documentation for the program.

Also, on the deletion of Disk-Power, it can be renamed using programs such as 
CHANGE.BA, but before it is deleted, either Power-Disk or CDOS must be 
installed, and then shut off using the LFILES OFF command before the deletion 
is done. This will reset the hook table to its cold start default values, so 
that other programs won't crash. You will of course have to load Disk Power 
back into the 100 using the programs provided with the system disk, which takes
some time. If you are lucky enough to have the Chipmunk of course, you can load
the DOS using the reset key on the back of the 100, and load the loader 
programs from a chipmunk disk, instead of typing in the small program and 
resetting the DIP switches on the Portable Disk Drive to load FLOPPY.CO. You 
might wonder why I would be interested in using the TDD drive when I own a 
Chipmunk, with good reason. I own a TDD because I bought it first, and then 
purchased Power Disk and Disk Power for it, and then purchased the Chipmunk 
later. I find many uses for both drives, and like to tinker anyway, so I enjoy 
the features of both drives. 

Disk Power in my opinion is a very fine operating system for the TDD, and I 
will continue to use it because of its overall ease of use, and it's excellent 
command of the Model 100's resources, which is what it's all about.