This program allows you to back up CMD RAMLink to an Ultimate cartridge (1541 or II+) or SD2IEC device.
Using an Ultimate is fast, since it does not use the slow serial bus. SD2IEC is not as fast, but still more convenient and reliable than a stack of floppies.
CMD SuperCPU provides an additional speed boost.
If you don't have any device supported by Tachyon but own a CMD HD, you can create a Foreign Mode (Direct Access) Partition with Foreign Creator and back up to it with BCopy+. Both programs are on the CMD Utilities Disk.
Approximate time for backup or restore for 16 MB RAMLink (proportionally shorter for smaller size):
| Method | C64 | SuperCPU V1 | SuperCPU V2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ultimate | 7 min | 72 s | 55 s |
| SD2IEC | 72 min | 60 min | 60 min |
To back up or restore with an Ultimate cartridge, follow these steps:
- On the Ultimate, press the Menu button, then
F2, go toC64 and Cartridge Settings. DisableAlternate Kernal(otherwise Ultimate and RAMLink are incompatible and will freeze). EnableCommand InterfaceandREU. AREU Sizeof 16MB is recommended. - If you have a SuperCPU, set the
Speedswitch toTurbo. - Set the lower switch on your RAMLink to
normaland the upper switch toenabled. Connect your Ultimate cartridge to the Pass-Thru port. - Connect the RAMLink to your computer and turn it on.
- Load and start
Tachyon RL. - Select backup or restore.
- Enter the name of your backup file. This is relative to your home directory (or
/if not set). A full path always works (e. g./Usb0/backups/rl).
To back up or restore with an SD2IEC, follow these steps. Please note, backing up to an Ultimate cartridge is faster by a factor of 9 to 60, depending on CPU.
- Connect your SD2IEC to the serial port.
- Turn on your computer.
- Make sure no disk is mounted in SD2IEC. If it is, use
@CD←to unmount. (Disk images usually aren't big enough to hold a RAMLink backup.) - Load and start
Tachyon RL. - Select backup or restore.
- Enter the name of your backup file. This is relative to the current directory on your SD2IEC (
/by default). A full path always works (e. g.//backups/rl).
You will need cc65, the c1541 utility from Vice, and Perl.
Type make to build a D64 image and a PRG file of Tachyon RL.