[fa.info-cpm] How many tracks on a minifloppy?

C70:info-cpm (06/02/82)

>From ucivax!csuf!bytebug@Ucb-C70 Wed Jun  2 12:15:08 1982
What determines the number of usable tracks on a 5-1/4" drive?  I thought
35 was max, but have heard of claims of 40 usable tracks.  If it's drive
specific, does anyone know how many tracks Tandon TM-100-1 and -2 drives
will support?

					Roger

C70:info-cpm (06/03/82)

>From BANDY@Mit-Ai Thu Jun  3 00:15:33 1982

The precicion of the stepper motor that seeks the head.

C70:info-cpm (06/03/82)

>From GYRO@Mit-Ai Thu Jun  3 00:22:03 1982
40 tracks is indeed quite common, and that's the number on the TM100-1
and TM100-2 (the latter being, as I'm sure you know, double sided).
Of course, the ability to use all 40 in a particular system
configuration depends on the software knowing that the extra tracks
are there.

By the way, higher track densities are possible -- the TM100-3 and
TM100-4 have 80 tracks (more precisely, 80 cylinders).  Micropolis
has been making 77 cylinder minis for a couple of years.

-- Scott

C70:info-cpm (06/03/82)

>From RGF@Mit-Mc Thu Jun  3 00:24:55 1982
Date: 1 June 1982 01:00-EDT
From: Ronald G. Fowler <RGF at MIT-MC>
Subject:  How many tracks on a minifloppy?
To: ucivax!csuf!bytebug at UCB-C70
cc: RGF at MIT-MC, UCIVAX!UCBVAX!INFO-CPM at MIT-MC

My TM-100-4's support 80 tracks per side (96tpi) for a total of 160
tracks per drive. TM-100-2 is double sided, fourty tracks per side,
and
 TM-100-1 is single sided, 40 tracks per side.  The # of tracks per
side is determined by the drive; I've heard that 35-track shugarts can
do 36 or 37, but beyond that the stepper motor tracking gets ugly.
			--Ron Fowler