[comp.sys.misc] CRDS floppy driver spec/info needed

crds@ncoast.UUCP (Glenn A. Emelko) (02/07/88)

Ok, all you "techno-hacks" -- I've got a good one for you.  I have a Charles
River Universe 68/35 running UNOS 5.1.1, it currently has one Quantum 40Mb
hard drive (35Mb -- sorry) and an 8 inch floppy, and I believe the 8 inch is
using standard IBM format (ie 77 track 128 byte/sector 26 sectors/track) with
the "cfd0" device driver.  What I want to do is this:  Use a 5.25 inch drive
instead, in ANY format that will work, I only need to be compatible with me.
(I have 2 crds's).  This is what I've found so far.

I can unplug the 34-pin berg connector from the CC-1 controller, and put on my
own 34-pin berg to 34-pin edge-slot connector, and plug that into my 5.25" disk
and it DOES drive select, head step, and the whole bit.  In fact, I can attempt
a format using ANY of the standard UNOS5.1.1 drivers (cfs0, cfd0, cfssdd0, etc.)
and it works fine, except when I go to use the disk.  Now by fine, I mean that
it actually goes out there and accesses/writes a format onto the disk -- that 
is not to say that the disk is usable yet, however MOSTLY it is.  I also found
that if I use makedev, I can create a format that is even MORE compatible, but
still doesn't give me the full usage of a double sided disk.  I use the makedev
to create device 4,231 (rfl0 and fl0 unbuffered and buffered respectively), and
that driver in to os seems to only use 16 sectors/side of the disk, which is
at least readible.  However, fmtdisk is STILL trying to put 77 tracks on the
disk, which has the negative effect of ruining the format on the inner-most
track of the disk, making it unusable (as well as trying to step my drive past
the physical stops on it, which isn't real healthy for it).  What I would like
is this:  18 sectors/side (256 bytes/sector), double sided, 40 tracks, which
should give me about 360k on the drive.  I'd even settle for 320k if I had to.

Ok, is that a challenge for you folks?  :->
Glenn A. Emelko
(crds@ncoast, aka ...!ihnp4!cbosgd!mandrill!hal!ncoast!crds in bad weather)

gerry@syntron.UUCP (G. Roderick Singleton) (02/10/88)

In article <7204@ncoast.UUCP> crds@ncoast.UUCP (Glenn A. Emelko) writes:
<>Ok, all you "techno-hacks" -- I've got a good one for you.  I have a Charles
<>River Universe 68/35 running UNOS 5.1.1, it currently has one Quantum 40Mb
<>hard drive (35Mb -- sorry) and an 8 inch floppy, and I believe the 8 inch is
<>using standard IBM format (ie 77 track 128 byte/sector 26 sectors/track) with
<>the "cfd0" device driver.  What I want to do is this:  Use a 5.25 inch drive
<>instead, in ANY format that will work, I only need to be compatible with me.
<>(I have 2 crds's).  This is what I've found so far.
<>
<>I can unplug the 34-pin berg connector from the CC-1 controller, and put on my
<>own 34-pin berg to 34-pin edge-slot connector, and plug that into my 5.25" disk
<>and it DOES drive select, head step, and the whole bit.  In fact, I can attempt
<>a format using ANY of the standard UNOS5.1.1 drivers (cfs0, cfd0, cfssdd0, etc.)
<>and it works fine, except when I go to use the disk.  Now by fine, I mean that
<>it actually goes out there and accesses/writes a format onto the disk -- that 
<>is not to say that the disk is usable yet, however MOSTLY it is.  I also found
<>that if I use makedev, I can create a format that is even MORE compatible, but
<>still doesn't give me the full usage of a double sided disk.  I use the makedev
<>to create device 4,231 (rfl0 and fl0 unbuffered and buffered respectively), and
<>that driver in to os seems to only use 16 sectors/side of the disk, which is
<>at least readible.  However, fmtdisk is STILL trying to put 77 tracks on the
<>disk, which has the negative effect of ruining the format on the inner-most
<>track of the disk, making it unusable (as well as trying to step my drive past
<>the physical stops on it, which isn't real healthy for it).  What I would like
<>is this:  18 sectors/side (256 bytes/sector), double sided, 40 tracks, which
<>should give me about 360k on the drive.  I'd even settle for 320k if I had to.
<>
<>Ok, is that a challenge for you folks?  :->
<>Glenn A. Emelko
<>(crds@ncoast, aka ...!ihnp4!cbosgd!mandrill!hal!ncoast!crds in bad weather)
<
<
Boy that's a problem.  I have a solution that might make you happy.  Just
replace your 8-inch drive with the equivalent of a Shugart 475.  These
are 1.2 Mbyte drives the same as a double-density 8-inchers.  One small
hitch you must adapt the 50 pin header to the 34-pin header of the
5.25, for that you need the manual for the drive.  Everything else is
the same as an 8-incher.  Maybe you could get the connection data from
an AT Technical Reference.

Good Luck,

-- 
G. Roderick Singleton              |  "ALL animals are created equal,
   <gerry@syntron.uucp>,           |   BUT some animals are MORE equal
or <gerry@geac.uucp>,              |   than others." a warning from
or <gerry@eclectic.uucp>           |  "Animal Farm" by George Orwell