Hot damn it works! Thanks to Steve digging up that basic.!55 file, and the xmodem in the built-in telcom app, it's possible for someone with a bare Model 600 with no utility disk or basic option rom, to download and install all the utility disk files, format a new blank disk, copy the files to it, and install basic and copy that to the disk too, all from scratch from downloadable files on a modern PC.
So, first you need the same null-modem cable, with the same, wrong, male 25-pin plug as M100/102, and a usb-serial adapter (assuming a modern laptop with no "real" com ports) Fire up a comm program on the pc and set it to 9600 8n1 xon/xoff (or software flow control). On the Model 600, go into telcom, M Modify,[tab] to move between fields. name: (leave empty) baud: 9600 stop: 1 word: 8 xon/xoff: yes [Enter] to save it and go back to the menu C Connect [tab] twice to using modem: No [Enter] Now it should say ONLINE on bottom [shift]+[esc] to get the menu T Transfer R Recieve RECEIVE to: BASIC.!55 [tab] Protocol: (Xmodem) [Enter] Now back on the PC use your comm program to send a file via xmodem, and select basic.!55 Takes a couple minutes to go. On the 600: [esc] D Disconnect Y confirm [ctrl]+[F10] Now you should see a new entry BASIC on the left edge of the system manager. Go ahead and run it. You now have BASIC installed! I'm about to uplaod all the files from the Utility disk, which includes FORMAT.!60, which is what you need to format a new disk. You can go from scratch with this now. * Download the Utility disk files and BASIC.!55, from wherever I post them * Use this xmodem procedure to copy them all to ram on the 600 * Insert a new double density (NOT HD) disk * Run FORMAT * [ctrl]+[f10] back to the menu * C copy * COPY file: (arrow down to BASIC.!55) [tab] * to: A: [Enter] repeate for all the Utility disk files: FORMAT.!60 INSTALL.!70 DISKCOPY.!90 PRINTER.DVR DBCALLS.LIB Remove the disk and open the little write-protect door in the corner of the disk. Now you have a Utility disk, plus BASIC (which it didn't originally come with) BAM! All the files from the Utility Disk, basic.!55, and a copy of manual (just copied from Archive.org) here, at least for now: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0Bys6eLbSbYyhSFhFZ29TSEZkTUk -- bkw
