joshua@fluke.UUCP (J.B. LaRue) (12/01/84)
I am interested in finding some way to use software that is for the
IBM and use it on the DEC Rainbow (or visa-versa). If anyone has any
information, I would appreciate it if you could mail me some.
Thanks,
jbl
*******
John LaRue; John Fluke Mfg. Co MS 227E; PO Box C9090 Everett WA 98206
{uw-beaver,decvax!microsof,ucbvax!lbl-csam,allegra,ssc-vax}!fluke!joshua
(206) 356-5409hohensee@uiucdcs.UUCP (12/09/84)
I think you might try first formatting your IBM disk on the
IBM using the "1" (single-sided) and "8" (8 as opposed to the
9 by default sectoring) options ... format a:/1/8
Copy the software to the disk and then try running it on the
Rainbow under MS-DOS. I've had considerable success doing this
with non-hardware specific software, such as a C compiler and
a well known Pascal compiler.
Good Luck!
Bill Hohensee
{pur-ee,ihnp4}!uiucdcs!hohensee
-- or --
hohensee%uiucdcs@csnet-relay
PS Going the other way (Rainbow ==> IBM-PC) does not appear to be
as easy.bussell@ucla-cs.UUCP (12/09/84)
> I am interested in finding some way to use software that is for the > IBM and use it on the DEC Rainbow (or visa-versa). If anyone has any > information, I would appreciate it if you could mail me some. > > Thanks, > > jbl > > ******* > John LaRue; John Fluke Mfg. Co MS 227E; PO Box C9090 Everett WA 98206 > {uw-beaver,decvax!microsof,ucbvax!lbl-csam,allegra,ssc-vax}!fluke!joshua > (206) 356-5409 *** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE ***
drw@ecsvax.UUCP (Don Wright) (12/11/84)
<> For the guy who wanted to swap stuff between the IBM PC and the Rainbow, there's this neat little program for the Rainbow called MEDIA MASTER. It allows the Rainbow not only to read but also to format and write disks for at least 24 different systems including the IBM pc. The only significant restriction is that only single-sided, double density formats are available. You can get yours from MDG and Associates, 4573 Heatherglen Court, Moorpark, Ca. 93201. Phone (805) 529-5073. (put your favorite disclaimers here) -dw
tony@ur-cvsvax.UUCP (Tony Movshon) (12/16/84)
Ok, folks, here's the scoop on Rainbow <==> IBM file transfer.
1. Reading IBM diskettes on the Rainbow
This works fine as long as you format the IBM disk (on the IBM)
using the command "format drv:/1". This makes the disk a PCDOS
2.0, 9-sector, single-sided, 180 kbyte format. The Rainbow will
read these fine as long as the MEDIACHK function is on (the de-
fault). A disk formatted in this way may be read and written on
the Rainbow. Once written on the Rainbow, however, it is no
longer readable on the IBM, hence ...
2. Reading Rainbow diskettes on the IBM
The problem here is that the Rainbow's 96 tpi drive has a head
narrower than the PC's 48 tpi drive. If you format on the IBM,
the Rainbow will only rewrite part of the track. Then the IBM
sees only gibberish. The Rainbow's utilities do not permit
formatting a disk in IBM PC format. You need to get a program
called "Media Master" (MDG Associates, 4573 Heatherglen Ct.,
Moorpark, CA 93021, 805 529-5073). This is a CP/M-80 package
that will format, read and write disks in about 25 different
formats. Now, having to copy all your disks under CP/M is a pain
if you use MSDOS, BUT ... it turns out that if you take a brand
new unformatted diskette (i.e. NOT a preformatted RX50), format
it in PCDOS 2.0 format using Media Master, you can write that
disk under Rainbow MSDOS and it will read on a PC 99% of the
time. So all you do is crank up Media Master, format yourself
a bunch of disks, and use these for transfer. Beware: you cannot
write these disks successfully on a PC.
3. So ...
What you end up with is two sets of disks: formatted and written
on the PC, NOT TO BE WRITTEN ON THE RAINBOW; and formatted and
written on the Rainbow, NOT TO BE WRITTEN ON THE PC. Works fine,
it's just a little tedious.
4. Software for the IBMPC almost never runs on the Rainbow unless it's
really just generic MSDOS.
Tony Movshon
uucp: ... {ihnp4|seismo|allegra}!cmcl2!hipl!tonyac4@pucc-h (Tom Putnam) (12/19/84)
Tony Movshon notes in <152@ur-cvsvax.UUCP> that you can take "a brand new
unformatted diskette" and format it on the 96 tpi drive of the Rainbow.
You may also be interested to know that you can readily convert any old
diskette to "brand new unformatted" condition using one of those inexpensive
($15) bulk tape/diskette erasers available as such places as Radio Shack.
I have 96 tpi drives on my IBM PC, and I use this technique to create 48tpi
formatted diskettes that I can then read on a typical 48tpi drive. I have
never had any difficulty doing this, even though the format of the track
must be much narrower than the 48tpi drive would normally create.
--
Tom Putnam
{decvax|harpo|ihnp4|inuxc|seismo|ucbvax}!pur-ee!pucc-h:ac4