How to read Osborne 1 Floppies?

[Zane Healy]

Yes, we need to be able to access the files.

I’m going to see if my old 486 will still boot up, I know I used to use it with imaging RX50 floppies.  I’m not an x86 collector, so have a pretty limited selection of PC Hardware.  I’m on my Sabbatical right now, so this request came in at a good time.  Though first I have to finish up on some VAX and Alpha systems I’m working on, so as to free up space.  That or finish a cleaning project in my office. :-) The cleaning project is needed to finish the VAX/Alpha projects…

Is there any chances of reading these with Commodore 128 running CP/M, or a Kaypro 2?  The Kaypro is definitely on my “project list”, it worked last time I played with it.  I *might* have a DEC Rainbow, or I might have given it away.  If I do, I have no idea of its condition.  An Apple //e would be another old system with 5.25” drives, but seems more unlikely.  I might still have an old Kaypro PC, though it hasn’t been used since ’94 (and there is a good chance it went to LCM).

My focus is DEC and Commodore, though I do have a lot of Apple // gear.

Zane




> On May 25, 2021, at 9:38 AM, Fred Cisin via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
> 
> Imagedisk is great for making images.
> 
> BUT, the original request is not for images, it is for the previous owned wanting access to be able to use the content of the FILES that are in those images.
> 
> 
> On Tue, 25 May 2021, Tom Hunter wrote:
> 
>> Dunfield's ImageDisk reads and writes them just fine on most older PCs with
>> a decent floppy controller.
>> As Chuck G writes "TestFDC" will tell you if the floppy controller is
>> usable for imaging.
>> 
>> Best regards
>> Tom Hunter
>> 
>> On Tue, May 25, 2021 at 2:26 AM Fred Cisin via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
>> wrote:
>> 
>>> There were two Osborne floppy formats.  Both CP/M.
>>> 
>>> IIRC, the original format was "Single Density" (FM), 10 sectors per track,
>>> with 256 bytes per sector (similar to the TRS80-Model-1.  That will
>>> require FM/SD capability.  Most NEC FDCs did not support that.  Dave
>>> Dunfield has a test program that will tell you whether your FDC can handle
>>> it.
>>> 
>>> Then, they switched to "Double Density" (MFM) IIRC: 5 sectors per track,
>>> with 1024 bytes per sector.  Any PC FDC with access to INT13h and INT1Eh
>>> will work with appropriate software.  (NOT external USB drives)
>>> 
>>> 
>>> WITH appropriate software, a flux transition device, such as your
>>> Catweasel, could do it.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On Mon, 24 May 2021, Zane Healy via cctalk wrote:
>>> 
>>>> A photographer I know contacted me last night asking about reading
>>> Osborne 1 floppies.  What does it take to read these?
>>>> 
>>>> The only Catweasel board I have is the old Zorro 2 board for the Amiga.
>>> I do have 5.25” floppy drives.  Neither of us have an Osborne anymore (I
>>> think mine went to Jim Willing).
>>>> 
>>>> Zane