Based on my own observations of the various Kaypros that I own, and the
numerous others I have worked on, and thanks to the extensive teaching by
Don Maslin over the years, I can attempt to clear some of the confusion.
The machines I have at present include:
Kaypro IV (83)
Kaypro 4/84
Kaypro 1
Kaypro II
Kaypro 2
Kaypro 10
...and recently parted with
Kaypro 2X

The 4/84 and the 1 both have the same numbers on the ROM chips, 81-262,
IIRC.
All K-1s came with the U-ROM, but I've been told that not all 4/.84s did.
The 2X also had U-ROM, and AFAIK, they all did, as well as the 4Xs.
The U-ROM from my 4/84 will boot my 10, but won't boot the IV.
The II and the 2 both have different ROMs, which are not interchangeable,
nor are thier bootdisks.
A bootdisk for the 2X will not boot my K-1, even though they supposedly have
the same ROM version, but it will boot the 4/84.  Don't ask me why...
A bootdisk for the II can be created on the IV, by formatting and sysgen-ing
it as single-sided, otherwise the boot code is the same.
I have also made bootdisks for my II on my friend's 4 Plus88, which has an
'83-type mainboard, but I'm not sure what flavor of ROM.
BTW, the K-1's mainboard is identical to the K-10's, (including the header
for the hdd controller), but varies slightly from the 4/84's.
It ain't much, but it's all I can remember right now.  I hope it's helpful
to someone.

--T



==============================

dunric@yahoo.com wrote:
> I noticed a Kaypro 2 for auction on eBay:
> 
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4193&item=5209743159&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW
> 
> and was wondering how this system differs from the Kaypro II?
> 
> Will CP/M and Boot system disks for the Kaypro II work on the Kaypro 2?
> (and vice versa)
> 
> Paul
> 

Looking at the back it looks like it might be a "Kaypro 2X".

I can't help answer your compatibility question but here's some 
information that might help.

Slightly edited quotes from old-computers.com : "The Kaypro 2x was one 
of the last models Kaypro produced. Size and appearence were the same as 
the first Kaypro II, but Internal hardware was inspired by the Kaypro 
10. It came with a 4 MHz Z80A processor, dual slimline 400 KB floppy 
drives, a built-in 300 baud modem, two serial ports and a full set of 
Micropro software (WordStar, CalcStar, DataStar)."

History of the Keypro II/2 names.

"Kaypro II released in 1982, no graphic features, it can display 80 x 24 
characters. There are two single-sided / double-density full-heigth 
5.25'' disk-drives (190k each).

In 1984 a new Kaypro 2 (refered as Kaypro 2'84) is introduced. It has 
two SS/DD half-height floppy drives, a Z-80A running at 4.0 MHz, 2 
serial ports and rudimentary graphics (through graphic characters).

The same year, the Kaypro 2X is released. Very similar to a Kaypro 2'84 
but with DS/DD half-height drives.

Still in 1984, in order to be compatible with IBM software, a special 
version was marketed with an Intel 8088 CPU instead of the Z80A. It was 
called the Kaypro II Plus 88!

In 1985 another Kaypro 2 refered as "New 2" is sold. It is basically an 
old 2X motherboard, with one or two DS/DD floppy drives, but no 300 baud 
modem previously found on the 2X. It comes with just CP/M and Wordstar 
for software.

And to spice up a bit things, Kaypro decides to rename its Kaypro 4'84 
as Kaypro 2X (sometimes also known as 2X MTC), thus dropping the 
previous 2X model!"


So, the "Keypro 2" on ebay could be a Keypro 2'84, a Keypro 2X, a "New 
2" or a the later Kaypro 4'84 depending on what's in the box.

Regards,
fugu