16 Apr
2005
16 Apr
'05
3:58 a.m.
Hmm. I have here a Maynard "Sandstar" controller with a NEC D765AC and
some special software called "JFORMAT-2" which has parameterized disk
tables. It handles 8" single density 3740, so it ought to be able to
handle this single density as well so I could format, yes?
(I also have a couple of real IBM PC's I can throw it into).
If so, then presumably I could format some disks (I have some disks I had
for my old Atari 800 that I expect would work), and get the rest from Mr.
Dunfield, yes? [I'd need to know where to download that stuff from...]
Jay
At 09:38 PM 4/15/2005 -0500, Randy McLaughlin wrote:
From: "Doc Shipley" <doc at
mdrconsult.com>
Sent: Friday, April 15, 2005 9:14 PM
---
Jay R. Jaeger The Computer Collection
cube1 at charter.net
Randy McLaughlin wrote:
Keeping in mind that we are talking about 5.25" Cromemco disks:
I'm always willing to share my experience in hooking up drives to PC's.
If all you are interested in is reading you can use a 1.2mb drive.
For writing it is best to use 360K disks.
Cromemco's with 4FDC's can only handle FM. All other disk controllers can
handle either FM or MFM.
For MFM any PC will work for reading writing the files, the first boot
track is always FM.
If you want the PC to read or write the boot track you must have a
compatible controller.
Randy
Adding a "single-density" drive to a PC
does not give you the ability to
read single density.
The PC itself is what needs to be able to handle FM.
Yes, I know. Believe it or not, I've been paying close attention to
the recent related threads. :)
I've got an ISA Catweasel that ought to fly, but what I'm really
counting on is the couple of 386-era I/O controllers I have stashed for
just such an occasion. I also have at least one working 486 m/b that
allows turning off the onboard FDC.
Plus, I've got you guys for resource, right?
Doc