Color 64 BBS version 8.1a for the Commodore 64 RELEASED

BBS Corner Commodore Color 64 BBS Support Forum
1

Updated LTK build as of Nov 08, 2025
Windows LTK Build Added!!

Here’s my official release for the unofficial Color 64 BBS update - version 8.1a with a ton of work poured into it.

I stand by ready for any support required!

  1. Full package: (includes files sorted by designated drive area, D64 images, documentation, and other helpful files): Color 64 v8.1a Traditional Build 23Sep25.zip

  2. Install Disk Images Only:
    D64 (1541) format (five disks): Color 64 v8.1a D64 files 23Sep25.zip
    D81 (1581) format (one disk): color64v810a-d81.d81

Online Sysop Manual located at: color64wiki.itchybutt.org

Hard Copy of Manual (PDF): Color 64 v8.10a Sysop User Manual (overhaul) 13OCT25.pdf
** Note: the PDF version has received a major overhaul as of 13 Oct 2025!

Pre-Made System Builds:

SD2IEC: Color64 v8.1a SD2IEC Pre-Built 17Sep25 (4GB img file zipped).zip

Vice (Windows) LTK Build (Comes with a modified Vice): Color64 v81a LTK Build Windows 08NOV25.zip

Vice (Linux) LTK Build (Includes a modified VICE installer): Color64 v81a LTK Build Linux 08NOV25.zip

LTK Drive Images only (will work for any Vice installation with LTK/Swiftlink established): Color64 v81a LTK Disks Only 08Nov25.zip

Features:

  • Corrections from 8.1
    • Networking restored
    • Sysop Chat function restored
    • Editor and DIR Tools restored
    • XXX MSG reprogrammed for 8.1 format (wasn’t included in the 8.1 upgrade)
  • Features added
    • Email Notification (requires python3 on separate networked computer, script included)
    • SYSOP In/Out flag and notification
    • Additional screens (Welcome, Wall, Sysop In/Out, User email notification)
    • New Games area using AUX3 with Games Menu
    • User Self-Service Profile Editor (email signature, user profile splash screen, user information)
    • DOS Wedge Help Menu
    • Fast Logon when Login from Local Console
    • AutoSignature in Message Editor
    • Graffiti Wall feature
    • Random “Sayings” at logon – just prior to first command prompt
    • Additional Overlay Routines
    • Sysop Upload to any drive including Program/System/REU for remote work on BBS

Any further minor updates on this specific version will be announced on this thread, so please register with the website and follow this thread!

2 Likes
5

Nice one Nuke, amazing work! Loving this version and glad to be a guinea pig /beta tester whenever it helps! We’ll get the network stuff set up soon.

1 Like
21

Update history:

Changes incorporated since April release:

  • April updates 2025
    • correction to the networking program errors, minor corrections in sysop manual
    • Bug squashed in stand-alone editor (line delete function wasn’t working fully).
    • Bug found in BBS.XFER at line 6315, caused file not found error
  • May update 2025
    • BBS.MSGS file held extra space due to how it was saved. Corrected.
  • 27 July update 2025
    • Added +bbs file to the D64 formatted files in “traditional build”; cleaned up/corrected menus, help files; Minor code corrections (removing my specific BBS information and one minor change in BBS.OV3 (unused/obsolete code). Updated user manual with minor corrections
  • 07 August update 2025
    • Several corrections in BBS.INIT, BBS.MSGS, BBS.XFER, BBS.GAMES, network files, all games on install disks. Facelift in the UI of network setup.
  • 25 August update 2025
    • Critical update to SYS.NET file (for BBS Network capability).
      All distros in original post have update now included 25Aug or newer)
  • 15 Sept 2025
    • Minor updates to bbs.nw1, bbs.nw2
    • Corrected missing file in LTK build (bbs.msgs)
    • Minor facelift to bbs.ovl, bbs.xfer, bbs.msgs (Sysop temporary user edit / f5 function).
    • Updated files affected disks 1 and 2 of the D64 images.
  • 17 September 2025
    • Corrected an issue in bbs.profile (not saving updates to signature or welcome banner)
    • Edited files in “traditional build” section (“Grouped by Designated Drive”) where filenames were affected by Linux translation of filenames, resulting in users seeing “A” in front of filenames when moved over to a disk or disk image.
    • Problem discovered in sys.edit with copier (option “X”) causing syntax error.
    • Finally, I’ve given up on trying to move files for the SD Card build - I think it was too problematic when people tried to download and place on their SD card (filenames would change because of commodore special characters). So instead, I’ve built the SD card on my 64 hardware and created an image of the SD card. That is updated in the post above as well.
  • 23 Sept 2025
    • Bug in BBS.XFER prohibited blocks free for systems not utilizing LTK environment. Affected only the D64 and “Traditional Build” downloads.
  • 30 Sept 202
    • Bug squashed in LTK builds creating ILLEGAL FILENAME error.
  • 25 Oct 2025
    • Incorporated lessons-learned on alternate LINUX platforms for LTK Build
    • Added Windows LTK Build
  • 31 Oct 2025
    • Added Vice packaging to LTK Builds
  • 08 Nov 2025
    • squashed bug in LTK Build that caused syntax error (line 12456 / bbs.init)
2 Likes
22

This is great news! Congratulations!