to_stdnet@stag.UUCP (12/08/88)
From: dynasoft!john@stag.UUCP (John Stanley) [wfp5p@euclid.acc.Virginia.EDU (William F. Pemberton) writes...] > Does any one out there know of a way to for a ST and an IBM PC to > read/write each others disk formats? I'm trying to get some of the > binaries for my girlfiends ST, but the only access that I have to the > Net is through PCs. You're probably already receiving a flood of answers, but here it is anyway... a) format 720k 3.5" floppy -ON-YOUR-IBM- (!) b) place files on disk c) take disk to girlfriends machine d) place disk in drive e) read files from disk f) copy files to true ST format disk g) enjoy.. IBM formated disks are directly readable/writeable by an ST right out of the box. No need for any special software or hardware.... Unfortunately, due to a problem that exists in all versions of MS and PC-DOS the reverse is not true (PC/MS-DOS doesn't like ST formatted disks). The exceptions consist of any disks formatted by the new (soon to be released) (ver. 1.4) version of TOS, or a number of utilities available to format IBM format disks on the ST... Bottom-line: Format on the IBM and the ST will accept it as one of its own disks (almost.. more on this point later on). Create 2-3 transfer disks on your IBM and use them to copy files over to disks formatted on the ST to avoid a small problem that the ST runs into when you swap two IBM format floppys. It works most of the time, but the ST won't allways notice the change which can cause some serious problems... If you insert an ST format disk and read its' directory between inserting the two IBM disks, then there won't be any problem, but this isn't easy to do reliably enough to totaly avoid the problem.... If you're fortunate enough to have the 1.4 version of TOS (which most of us won't for at least a month or two): Format disks on the ST and just use those disks... The new TOS formater creates disks that an IBM will accept -and- that won't cause disk-swap problems on the ST... > Thanks in advance, Glad to help... If my explanation is unclear in any way, please feel free to drop me a note for more details... --- John Stanley (dynasoft!john@stag.UUCP) Software Consultant / Dynasoft Systems
fyl@ssc.UUCP (Phil Hughes) (12/08/88)
In article <1403@virginia.acc.virginia.edu>, wfp5p@euclid.acc.Virginia.EDU (William F. Pemberton) writes: > Does any one out there know of a way to for a ST and an IBM PC to > read/write each others disk formats? I'm trying to get some of the > binaries for my girlfiends ST, but the only access that I have to the > Net is through PCs. Easy -- just get a cable from E. Arthur Brown Co. (612-762-8847) part number 127-403 for $39.95 with software and get a 40 track DOSish disk drive and hook it up to the Atari. Ataris are smart enough to read DOS disks and with the software you can write DOS boot sectors so the DOS system can read disks written on the Atari. Works great. We use it to transfer PostScript images from the Atari to our UNIX system. Or, you can put a 720K, 3-1/2" floppy on the DOS system. Then just format the disks on the DOS system and all work fine. -- Phil Hughes, SSC, Inc. P.O. Box 55549, Seattle, WA 98155 (206)FOR-UNIX uw-beaver!tikal!ssc!fyl or uunet!pilchuck!ssc!fyl or attmail!ssc!fyl
to_stdnet@stag.UUCP (12/10/88)
From: dynasoft!john@stag.UUCP (John Stanley) > Boy, do I wanna talk to you! Where do I line up to get TOS 1.4? The beta-test version of TOS 1.4 is only currently available to 'registered developers' (them tha's paid Atari for the title). It will be released when it's released and I'm positive you'll hear lots about it here. (probably 3-6 months...) > I have a PC clone at work with a 3.5" drive, can I do what you described? Yes you can... > James -- PS: PLEASE(!) note that my Reply-To address gets munged by the gateway I'm currently using for news access so you can't just <r>eply to this article and have your message get to me. Please use the address below. --- John Stanley (dynasoft!john@stag.UUCP) Software Consultant / Dynasoft Systems
rona@hpdml93.HP.COM (ron abramson) (12/10/88)
William F. Pemberton writes >Does any one out there know of a way to for a ST and an IBM PC to >read/write each others disk formats? I'm trying to get some of the >binaries for my girlfiends ST, but the only access that I have to the >Net is through PCs. Take a double sided disk and format it on the IBM using format b: /T:80/N:9 you will then have a disk that is read/write compatible for both the IBM and Atari ST. It works for me! Ron Abramson ----------
ljdickey@water.waterloo.edu (Lee Dickey) (12/10/88)
In article <672@stag.UUCP> to_stdnet@stag.UUCP writes: >From: dynasoft!john@stag.UUCP (John Stanley) >[wfp5p@euclid.acc.Virginia.EDU (William F. Pemberton) writes...] >> Does any one out there know of a way to for a ST and an IBM PC to >> read/write each others disk formats? John gave I nice, clear explanation of a solution, and a discussion of a better solution to come in the future. I think that he did not mention there are a couple of formatters that are free that will allow you to format IBM style formatted floppies using your ST. One that comes to mind is IBMFMT by Moshe Braner. -- L. J. Dickey, Faculty of Mathematics, University of Waterloo. ljdickey@WATDCS.UWaterloo.ca ljdickey@water.BITNET ljdickey@water.UUCP ..!uunet!watmath!water!ljdickey ljdickey@water.waterloo.edu
ljdickey@water.waterloo.edu (Lee Dickey) (12/10/88)
In article <1572@ssc.UUCP> fyl@ssc.UUCP (Phil Hughes) writes: >Or, you can put a 720K, 3-1/2" floppy on the DOS system. Then just format >the disks on the DOS system and all work fine. Someone mentioned to me that it is cheaper to upgrade a PC to take 3.5 inch disks than it is to "downgrade" the ST so that it takes 5.25 inch floppies. -- L. J. Dickey, Faculty of Mathematics, University of Waterloo. ljdickey@WATDCS.UWaterloo.ca ljdickey@water.BITNET ljdickey@water.UUCP ..!uunet!watmath!water!ljdickey ljdickey@water.waterloo.edu
poole@forty2.UUCP (Simon Poole) (12/16/88)
In article <675@stag.UUCP> to_stdnet@stag.UUCP writes: ... > The beta-test version of TOS 1.4 is only currently available to >'registered developers' (them tha's paid Atari for the title). It will >be released when it's released and I'm positive you'll hear lots about >it here. (probably 3-6 months...) According to Atari Germany, TOS 1.4 was released >>>> last month! (they even quote a retail price for it). (Naturally TOS 1.4 hasn't been released yet, but since when has Atari Germany let themselves be stopped by facts...) -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- UUCP: ...mcvax!cernvax!forty2!poole Simon Poole BITNET: K538915@CZHRZU1A ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
ralph@cc.brunel.ac.uk (Ralph Mitchell) (12/21/88)
In article <675@stag.UUCP> to_stdnet@stag.UUCP writes: >From: dynasoft!john@stag.UUCP (John Stanley) > > >> Boy, do I wanna talk to you! Where do I line up to get TOS 1.4? > > The beta-test version of TOS 1.4 is only currently available to >'registered developers' (them tha's paid Atari for the title). It will >be released when it's released and I'm positive you'll hear lots about >it here. (probably 3-6 months...) Back in 1985 we bought 3 520ST's and the developer's kit. At first, we received some info from Atari about the dev.kit, the last of which (I think) was the eprom set. Since then, approx 2-3 years, there has been nothing at all. Does the dev.kit require re-registration annually ?? Has there been any further info distributed in the last 2-3 years ?? The last I heard was that the bug-ridden C compiler was not to be replaced and the appallingly badly photo-copied documentation was all there was... Oh, and there was a compiler bug-list with workarounds... Does anyone from Atari(UK) read this news-group ?? From: Ralph Mitchell at Brunel University, Uxbridge, UB8, 3PH, UK JANET: ralph@uk.ac.brunel.cc ARPA: ralph%cc.brunel.ac.uk@cwi.nl UUCP: ...ukc!cc.brunel!ralph PHONE: +44 895 74000 x2561 "There's so many different worlds, so many different Suns" -- Dire Straits