[comp.os.minix] Multiformat floppies Was: ST Minix 1.5 floppy driver and

HBO043%DJUKFA11.BITNET@cunyvm.cuny.edu (Christoph van Wuellen) (01/10/91)

The standard disk format on my 68K MINIX box is:
5 sectors 1024 Bytes each, 80 Tracks, 2 sides.  = 800KB

/dev/fd0..3 correspond to 4 drives

/dev/fd4..7 correspond to the same drives, but to th standard 720K format.

Other formats should not be used: 10 Sectors of 512 Bytes are too long
in my opinion (require a drive with little tolerance on the rot. speed),
AND I WONDER HOW SOMEONE CAN CALL A FORMAT WITH MORE THAN 80 TRACKS 'SAFE'!!!

C.v.W.

klamer@mi.eltn.utwente.nl (Klamer Schutte -- Universiteit Twente) (01/10/91)

HBO043%DJUKFA11.BITNET@cunyvm.cuny.edu (Christoph van Wuellen) writes:

>> stuff deleted <<

>Other formats should not be used: 10 Sectors of 512 Bytes are too long
>in my opinion (require a drive with little tolerance on the rot. speed),
>AND I WONDER HOW SOMEONE CAN CALL A FORMAT WITH MORE THAN 80 TRACKS 'SAFE'!!!

I called this format safe in a atari-st context. The standard disk drives
in a atari are able to read/write upto 11 sectors and 83 tracks. But
due to statistical fluctuations some (above numbers are pushing it)
drives does not support these numbers.
(Some drives (mine :-), but more) support 12 sect. Some drives (do not dare to
 try) support upto 87 tracks)

Going down 1 step in both directions gives the 82/10/2 format i call safe.
Also quite some people do this also as many PD formatter for the ST support
this format.

Klamer.
-- 
Klamer Schutte
Faculty of electrical engineering -- University of Twente, The Netherlands
klamer@mi.eltn.utwente.nl	{backbone}!mcsun!utrcu1!utep!utelmi01!klamer