goldstein@aim.dec.com (fred, k1io@FN42jk, +1 617 486 7388) (02/06/88)
Weird stuff.
Okay, I've read it a thousand times. MS-DOS disks are formatted like
TOS disks, the only difference being the MS-DOS boot sector. So I
can exchange files freely, right? Well, usually, but sometimes it
gets very, very strange.
Take this nice, shiny SONY MF2DD sitting next to me. I formatted it
on a NEC Multispeed (MS-DOS 3.2), labeled it, and used it for some
MS-DOS work. Fine. Then I used MS-DOS Kermit to move a couple of
ARC files, one an MS-DOS ARC and one a TOS ARC, to said diskette.
I took it home to the 1040STf and copied the TOS ARC to another
disk for de-arcing. Fine. Then I did some work and copied a text
file back to same disk so I could read it on the NEC as well.
Lo and behold, doing a DIR on the Atari (both GEM desktop and using
PCOMMAND shell) showed only ONE file on the disk, that being the one
which I just put there! So far as the 1040STf is concerned, all
the other files on the disk are gonzo. Todt.
So I take the disk back to the NEC and do a DIR, and lo and behold,
the old files are still in the directory! But not intact; looking
at an old TXT file I see the new one (Atari-generated) and the old
one (NEC generated) intermingled. Yep, the Atari overwrote sectors
used by the NEC. It really didn't see the directory.
It sounds like I have to restrict my floppies to being written only
by one or the other OS. I can format on MS-DOS and read/write
on Atari, but if I want to write under MS-DOS I can't write to the
same disk with the Atari. Boo hiss. Anybody understand what's
really going on? thanx.
fredThomas_E_Zerucha@cup.portal.com (02/07/88)
I don't think anyone could speak for any two specific pieces of hardware, but what may have happened is that the first file wasn't closed for some reason, so that the directory structure was damaged, then when moved the other OS did it's best to fix it. I am using PC-Ditto which abandons TOS entirely and can even make it understand twister disks. I am assuming dos 3.2 or greater - and using IBM/MSDOS drivers. Some drivers may only support 9 sectors or assume them on a 10 sector disk, which the ST might intermingle. (intermangle?:-). By the way, I am using a utility that adds the stuff that MS Dos wants to my ST formatted disks, and am not using PC-Ditto's custom drivers.
john@viper.Lynx.MN.Org (John Stanley) (02/08/88)
In article <8802051651.AA00683@decwrl.dec.com> goldstein@aim.dec.com (fred, k1io@FN42jk, +1 617 486 7388) writes: >Weird stuff. > >Okay, I've read it a thousand times. MS-DOS disks are formatted like >TOS disks, the only difference being the MS-DOS boot sector. So I >can exchange files freely, right? Well, usually, but sometimes it >gets very, very strange. I've been doing it regularly for quite some time with no trouble. No, people are -not- pulling your leg or trying to sell you something, it -does- work...! >[description of problem deleted] > >It sounds like I have to restrict my floppies to being written only >by one or the other OS. I can format on MS-DOS and read/write >on Atari, but if I want to write under MS-DOS I can't write to the >same disk with the Atari. Boo hiss. Anybody understand what's >really going on? thanx. > fred Sounds to me like you got a disk error. Ever hear of one of those? Wierd things happen even when you work on one machine, it doesn't have to mean that machine's incompatable (in some misterious way) with itself.... It could also mean that one of the drives, the one on your ST or the one on your PC (or -both-) are out of allignment, need cleaning, or are in the midst of head failure. Could also be the disk. Even though I regularly buy single sided Sony 3.5" disks and format them double sided with no problem, of maybe 5 disks that have failed (out of ~400) two of them were double sided. It happens... In short, try it again... Maybe with a different ST drive. Maybe after you have your PC and ST drives both checked out by a good shop. It can be done... --- John Stanley (john@viper.UUCP) Software Consultant - DynaSoft Systems UUCP: ...{amdahl,ihnp4,rutgers}!meccts!viper!john
dclemans@mntgfx.mentor.com (Dave Clemans) (02/10/88)
there are two areas to watch out for in moving floppies between
the ST and MS-DOS systems:
1. software
there are some slight incompatibilities between the systems
in boot-block and bpb handling; basically the ST sets the minimum
amount of information necessary, which doesn't match what some
MS-DOS drivers want
2. hardware
formatting/writing done on the ST with it's Western Digital
177x controller chip is not necessarily compatible with the
controller chips used on MS-DOS boxes; this is a case where it
might work, and again it might not
dgc