Hi Mario,

If you can run .XBS files then you must be able to run some .COM files
because that's how BASIC loads, from a .COM file.

Are you booting from the same disk that you are trying to run the .COM
files from? Or are you booting from one disk then running the .COM
file from another disk? There are different versions of DOS (both xdos
versions and CP/M versions, the Elite disk uses a completely custom
loader and file handler and doesn't have a DOS as such) and you need
to use the version that the .COM files were meant for. Some .com file
will require the correct version of the MOS (Machine Operating System)
ROM to be installed too.

The ROM image on Chris' site (which you copied into your BIOS folder
in MESS is "TATUNG/Xtal MOS 1.2 (C) 1983" It may be that the .COM file
you are trying to run require 1.21 which corrected several problems
(although some .COM files only work on 1.2 just to complicate things.).

I haven't used MESS but I do know that the disc controller firmware
emulation isn't perfect, especially when it comes to timing, and that
the Elite.dsk image will not run due to the copy protection used. You
can still make a real disk from the protected disk image with CODread
and CPD write, but MESS fails to report back to the Elite software
correctly (either a timing problem or an incorrect interpretation of
the non standard format the Einstein disk uses.)

So, to sum up.
1. boot from the disk that the files are on.
2. if the disks work in a physical Einstein then check the MOS version
(power up the machine without a disk in and look at the screen.)

Hope this helps,
Geoff

--- In tatung_einstein@..., "Mario Castro"
<maz4suz2000@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Geoff and other members!
>
> Well, success at last. I had another bash at connecting my 3" Einstein
> drive to my PC, changing the jumper settings to DS0 and MI
> respectfully, and it read my disks perfectly. The BIOS settings in my
> computer only allow me to set the floppy disk A: as low as 720k, but
> changing the jumper settings did the trick!
>
> I have another problem that I don't understand. Any .XBS Einstein
> files I transfer over to disk image load perfectly in the MESS
> emulator. However any .COM files I transfer just fail to load, the
> emulator screen just goes black once I type in the filename via MESS.
>
> I know others have successfully managed to transfer .COM files
> successfully to disk image that load via MESS... what am I doing wrong
> :) I have tried game after game and any that happen to be .COM just
> fail to load.
>
> I just feel it's something obvious!
>