peteru@hpbblb.bbn.hp.com (#Peter Uhlemann) (05/29/89)
I've got an AT clone with a 1.2 MB drive (A) and a 1.44 MB drive (B). They are correctly configured in the setup. But anyway I can only read, write and format 720 MB floppies in the 1.44 MB drive. I have no special settings or drivers in config.sys. The floppies I tried are really high-density ones. What could be the problem? I heard some rumours that this is a general DOS problem. BTW, I am running DOS 3.3. Any help is appreciated. Thanks, Peter
st%trillian.irb@unido.uucp (Stefan Timphus) (05/31/89)
Use DRIVER.SYS in your CONFIG.SYS.
If the 3.5" drive is drive B:, a line in CONFIG.SYS should look like :
DEVICE=<Path>DRIVER.SYS /D:1 /S:18 /T:80
where S: gives the number of sectors per track and T: the number of tracks.
D: gives the physical number of the drive.
You can then use the 3.5" drive under the next drive name available.
(If you have a harddisk named C: the new drive will be D:)
Stefan (st@trillian.irb.informatik.uni-dortmund.de)leonard@bucket.UUCP (Leonard Erickson) (06/04/89)
In article <330001@hpbblb.bbn.hp.com> peteru@hpbblb.bbn.hp.com (#Peter Uhlemann) writes:
<I've got an AT clone with a 1.2 MB drive (A) and a 1.44 MB drive (B).
<They are correctly configured in the setup. But anyway I can only read,
<write and format 720 MB floppies in the 1.44 MB drive.
<I have no special settings or drivers in config.sys.
<The floppies I tried are really high-density ones.
<
<What could be the problem? I heard some rumours that this is a general DOS
<problem. BTW, I am running DOS 3.3.
Well, I run DOS 3.3 ( actually Compaq 3.31) and and the same setup
(1.2 meg A, 1.44 Meg B). The only time I have trouble is if the floppy
isn't a hd floppy. All HD floppies have a hole opposit the write-protect
hole that indicates to the hardware that they are HD disks.
The most likely possibility is that the density select jumper on the drive
is set wrong. On my drive there are 3 possible settings:
software selectable
normal (default setting)
reversed
With software selectable, the drive will ignore the HD sensor on the drive.
With normal, it will only write in HD mode if the HD hole is present on the
disk. With reverse, it would write in HD mode only if the hole was *missing*!
Try formatting a NON-hd disk and see what happens. If you can format it to
1.44 meg, then you need to get the jumper moved. Note that both IBM PS/2s
and Compaq 286/SLTs have their drives set to "software select".
FORMAT B: /N:18 should format to 1.44 (the /N:18 *should* be optional!)
FORMAT B: /N:9 should format to 720k (the /N:9 *shouldn't* be opitional)
--
Leonard Erickson ...!tektronix!reed!percival!bucket!leonard
CIS: [70465,203]
"I'm all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools.
Let's start with typewriters." -- Solomon Shorttrgauchat@rose.waterloo.edu (Terry Gauchat) (06/05/89)
In article <1439@bucket.UUCP> leonard@bucket.UUCP (Leonard Erickson) writes: }Well, I run DOS 3.3 ( actually Compaq 3.31) and and the same setup }(1.2 meg A, 1.44 Meg B). The only time I have trouble is if the floppy }isn't a hd floppy. All HD floppies have a hole opposit the write-protect }hole that indicates to the hardware that they are HD disks. Okay, so the hardware knows the disk isn't an HD -- so why the $^@$* didn't they add a DOS error ==> improper media density, or something, rather than allowing the format command to run for days pseudo trying to format -- only to say 900+k bad sectors when it stops? I think it is an industry conspiracy. No clearly understandable error message was introduced in order to make the format trial failure appear to be caused by MEDIA FAILURE!!! (when in fact, it is mearely media encasement failure :) ). SO SPREAD THE WORD --> Buy reasonable quality regular density 3-1/2" diskettes, drill or melt a hole (where conveniently marked), and you have instant HD diskette. Terry Gauchat MicroCosmic Computer Services and President of the International Coalition Against Deceptive Disk Manufacturers... (PICADDM).
leonard@bucket.UUCP (Leonard Erickson) (06/08/89)
In article <14288@watdragon.waterloo.edu> trgauchat@rose.waterloo.edu (Terry Gauchat) writes: <In article <1439@bucket.UUCP> leonard@bucket.UUCP (Leonard Erickson) writes: <}Well, I run DOS 3.3 ( actually Compaq 3.31) and and the same setup <}(1.2 meg A, 1.44 Meg B). The only time I have trouble is if the floppy <}isn't a hd floppy. All HD floppies have a hole opposit the write-protect <}hole that indicates to the hardware that they are HD disks. < <Okay, so the hardware knows the disk isn't an HD -- so why the $^@$* <didn't they add a DOS error ==> improper media density, or something, <rather than allowing the format command to run for days pseudo trying <to format -- only to say 900+k bad sectors when it stops? If your drive has the media type sensor enabled you *will* get a write failure error from DOS when you try to format a DD disk at HD. If you don't and FORMAT runs, you have the drive set for software density select and the failure is the poor quality media! <I think it is an industry conspiracy. No clearly understandable <error message was introduced in order to make the format trial <failure appear to be caused by MEDIA FAILURE!!! (when in fact, <it is mearely media encasement failure :) ). < <SO SPREAD THE WORD --> Buy reasonable quality regular density 3-1/2" < diskettes, drill or melt a hole (where conveniently < marked), and you have instant HD diskette. < Sorry, but like I said above, if FORMAT is running past Head0, Track0 the bad sector report is *real*. If your drive allows format to run then you don't have the hardware sensor enabled and melting a hole ain't gonna help. Compaqs and IBM PS/2 have the sensor *disabled*, so do many other systems. Good disk will format, bad ones won't. I've got the sensor enabled because the drive came that way and I've been too lazy to rip open the machine and move the jumper. For what it is worth, Sony DD disks seem to work ok at HD. And if you've got a Toshiba drive, dig out the docs and move the %^%$%& jumper. It's a lot safer than melting holes in disks (and you only have to do it once) -- Leonard Erickson ...!tektronix!reed!percival!bucket!leonard CIS: [70465,203] "I'm all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let's start with typewriters." -- Solomon Short
trgauchat@rose.waterloo.edu (Terry Gauchat) (06/10/89)
In article <1448@bucket.UUCP> leonard@bucket.UUCP (Leonard Erickson) writes: }In article <14288@watdragon.waterloo.edu> trgauchat@rose.waterloo.edu (Terry Gauchat) writes: }< }<Okay, so the hardware knows the disk isn't an HD -- so why the $^@$* }<didn't they add a DOS error ==> improper media density, or something, }<rather than allowing the format command to run for days pseudo trying }<to format -- only to say 900+k bad sectors when it stops? } }If your drive has the media type sensor enabled you *will* get a write }failure error from DOS when you try to format a DD disk at HD. If you }don't and FORMAT runs, you have the drive set for software density select }and the failure is the poor quality media! } }< }Sorry, but like I said above, if FORMAT is running past Head0, Track0 }the bad sector report is *real*. If your drive allows format to run }then you don't have the hardware sensor enabled and melting a hole ain't }gonna help. WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG ... (etc.) I performed the following experiment: Take a random no-name regular density 3-1/2" diskette, pop it into the drive, and "format b:". Wait 20 minutes. Return to find out that 900+K in bad sectors exist. (not DOS "write failure" -- Using DOS 4.0) Grab screw driver and (no, don't open the computer) PUNCH a friggin hole in the friggin disk. Pop it into the drive, and "format b:". Wait 1-2 minutes. WOW! 1.44 Meg available space ===> 0 (zero, zilch) bad sectors. NO MEDIA FAILURE! So...Now what do you think? I'm gonna take a look for that jumper, I guess... QUESTION: Is the HD hole looked at when READING/WRITING (not formatting?) I put the hole in to be compatible with all HD drives, in case some have hardware detect on. Besides, it makes it easy to tell whether a disk has been formatted for high density or not... ...Terry MicroCosmic Computer Services and President of the International Coalition Against Deceit by Disk Manufacturers (PICADDM).
swartz@eniac.seas.upenn.edu (Peter M Swartz) (06/12/89)
With respect to formatting a low density disk at high density: I have been doing the "punch a hole" trick for about a year and have had only minor problems. The only word of caution.... MAKE SURE THE HOLE IS IN THE CORRECT LOCATION!! IF IT IS OFF TO ONE SIDE, TOO LOW, OR TOO HIGH, the drive will give the standard error (ie think it is a low density disk). Good luck.