"CPC" is the CncPlayer Client for DOS

The CncPlayer Client CPC comes pre configured on a bootable disk

To use the DOS client CPC requires a good old DOS. Though, in the days of Microsoft Windows ME and XP many people simply don't own a copy of DOS any more. Yes, you can create a bootable floppy disk with your Windows but that DOS is very Windows colored and it is not recommended to use it for a pure DOS application.

That's why CPC is now available on a ready made bootable disk with DOS included. No configuration required. That's user friendly. To really avoid the need of any configuration there is a disk image available for Com1 and one for Com2. If unsure which one you need simply take both. One will work for you. Let's go on:

1: Download

Create a directory for the downloaded files, e.g. C:\CPC

Now go to the download page and download

• the disk image for Com1 and / or
• the disk image for Com2 and
• the disk image copy program

Download both disk images for Com1 and Com2 if unsure.

2: Format disk(s)

Format one disk or two disks if you want a solution for both Com1 and Com2. When format, do not use "Quick Format". Better use the slow ordinary format (which is much better in bad track detection). Take care that your floppy disk has no bad tracks. A good disk shows (after format) "1.457.664 Bytes free" in the Properties dialog window. It's less when bad tracks exists.

3: Copy disk image

Now it's time to copy the disk image, i. e. the file we just down loaded, to the floppy disk. Note: This works only with the copy program RAWRITE.EXE! You can't copy the disk image with your Windows copy command (well, you can, but the disk won't work afterwards). Ok, start now RAWRITE.EXE e.g. by double click and you'll get prompted:

Enter disk image source file name:


Enter the file name of the disk image you downloaded and press <Return>.

Enter target diskette drive:


Enter a: and press <Return>. It's assumed that your floppy drive is drive a:.

The disk image is now being copied. When it's finished you should label the disk to make sure whether it is for Com1 or Com2. Labeling the disk avoids confusion.

Hint: When copying is finished the disk might eventually appear empty in Windows.

• remove the disk
• insert another disk that has some files on it and watch the disk content in Windows
• remove the disk and insert your copied disk again

Now you should see the disk content in Windows. Sometimes Windows needs that disk change to recognize a modified disk.

4: Test your disk

Put your disk into the disk drive of your PC and restart the PC. The PC should now boot from floppy disk. If it boots from hard drive instead then change the boot order in your PC's BIOS from e.g. "C, A" to "A, C" or something like that.

If everything went right then your PC will boot from floppy disk and CPC.EXE (which is on that disk) will be automatically started.

5: Updates

There will be a lot of updates of CPC. The download page is the place to get the latest CPC.EXE.

To update your boot disk simply delete CPC.EXE from the boot disk and copy the new CPC.EXE from the download page to the boot disk.

6: Miscellaneous

CPC.EXE does not write to disk. Feel free to activate the disk notch to prevent the disk from being accidentally deleted. CPC.EXE does not write to an eventually existing hard drive, too.

If your second PC is actually a Windows PC you can use it as DOS PC for CPC. Simply boot it from the floppy disk. Your Windows configuration on the hard drive will remain untouched by CPC.

If you are an old hand familiar with DOS feel free to do with CPC.EXE what you like (e. g. start it from hard drive). The floppy disk introduced in this document is not a must but just an (very convenient) option.

Starting CPC.EXE from boot disk lasts a few seconds longer than from hard drive. Beside that a hard drive offers no other advantage over the boot disk. While CPC.EXE is running absolutely no Write/Read operations are performed. That's why you can safely run it from boot disk.