11/83 operating system load update -2

[Fred Cisin]

To test the false "Write-protect" error, try:

Put a BLANK floppy in the drive, and ask Windoze to FORMAT it.
For simplicity, choose the "360K" or "720K" format.
See what if any errors that generates.
If no errors (or certain specific other ones), then we can assume that the 
problem is not with the drive.

If it gives a "write protect" error, even with Windoze FORMAT, then the 
hardware seems to be seeing a hardware write protect.

Besides the obvious possibility of a defective write protect switch, or 
a cable mismatch, one of the MANY unlikely other possibilities, . . .
I have seen and used floppy drives that were jumpered to reverse the 
write-protect sense.  Try it again WITH a write protect tab on the disk.
That would confirm THAT particular issue.


Also, put a disk into the drive, and try a simple READ, such as looking at 
DIRectory.  Assume that you will get errors, but WHICH ONES?


I can understand your refusal to use Linux.
But, are you willing to reboot to MS-DOS?
If not, at least try FORMAT in a DOS CMD window.
Disk I/O error messages in DOS are more meaningful than the 
over-simplified messages that Windoze gives.

--
Grumpy Ol' Fred     		cisin at xenosoft.com


On Wed, 23 Feb 2022, Rod Smallwood via cctalk wrote:

> Hi
>
>    Well I have had a huge response to my request.
>
> I am unsure as to if I have defined the problem properly.
>
> So a few bullet points.
>
> 1. The objective is to copy RX50 disk images (*.dsk format) to genuine DEC 
> RX50 disks.
>
> 2. The PC I want to use is a DEC Celeibris FX ie the PC and its W95 software 
> is as supplied by DEC.
>
> 3. It has an RX33 5.25 inch floppy drive.
>
> 4. The RX33 _*is*_ capable of  reading and writing RX50 disks.
>
> 5.  putR was supposed to be able to do this. It does not.
>
> 6.  All that is lacking is the right utility.
>
> 7. Doing this does not need any disks other than RX50's.
>
> 8. Linux in any of its myriad of forms is not the answer.
>
> 9. simH is good at what it does but of no use here
>
> 10.  Its just a W95 utility program to copy an RX50 disk image to an RX50 
> disk on an RX33 drive on a DEC PC.
>
> 11. So whats it called? Does it work  given the above situation?
>
> Rod