[cctalk] Re: Booting from B: (Was: Getting QRST files onto

CORRECTION: Although the default of DOS used to be A: then first HDD (usually C:), it is the computer firmware, not DOS that decides that. The assumption that C: is the HDD can be annoying. I used to use PCs with four floppies. If jumpered properly, the HDD was E:. Many "modern" PCs, within the "CMOS" setup, have provision for changing the boot sequence. Mostly, in order to default to booting from HDD, rather than floppy, but also for CD or USB boot. I do not know of any that permit selecting floppy B: for boot, but there could exist some with that option, . . . On a PC with a single physical floppy, asking for any command with B: will trigger a prompt to put the B: disk in drive A:, and have a phantom B: that shares the physical drive with A: Swapping A: and B: is, of course, trivial to do with hardware, and/or messing with the cable. (pin 10 of the cable [at the FDC] is A: and 12 is B:, but the usual supplied cables are twisted and missing pins so that every drive, on the drive itself is jumpered as if it were B:). An untwisted cable, with switch[es] would be one way. -- Grumpy Ol' Fred cisin(a)xenosoft.com