sks@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Dan Schikore) (02/04/90)
I recently downloaded fdform15.arc from simtel20's <msdos.dskutl> directory. I've been able to format my 360Kb disks to 410Kb using this utility. I would like to hear about experiences anyone else has had with using this program regarding how reliable data retrieval has been, etc. Thanks, Dan Schikore sks@mentor.cc.purdue.edu
LC.YRS@forsythe.stanford.edu (Richard Stanton) (02/05/90)
In article <7057@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>, sks@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Dan Schikore) writes: >I recently downloaded fdform15.arc from simtel20's <msdos.dskutl> directory. >I've been able to format my 360Kb disks to 410Kb using this utility. I >would like to hear about experiences anyone else has had with using this >program regarding how reliable data retrieval has been, etc. Thanks, > >Dan Schikore >sks@mentor.cc.purdue.edu I regularly use this program to format DS/DD disks to 800k and DS/HD disks to 1.48Mb, and I have NEVER had any problems at all. It's a great program. Richard Stanton
banshee@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (Wailin Through The Nets) (02/07/90)
In article <7857@lindy.Stanford.EDU> LC.YRS@forsythe.stanford.edu (Richard Stanton) writes: >In article <7057@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>, >sks@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Dan Schikore) writes: >>I recently downloaded fdform15.arc from simtel20's <msdos.dskutl> directory. >I regularly use this program to format DS/DD disks to 800k and DS/HD >disks to 1.48Mb, and I have NEVER had any problems at all. It's a >great program. Can you make the disks bootable? I have a program called MAXI V1.51 which formats 360K to 420K and have never had a problem with it. The registered version allows you to make the disks bootable. -- |========================================================================| | banshee@ucscb.UCSC.EDU | YOU CAN BE ONE WITH SATAN, JUST CALL | | ucbvax!ucscc!ucscb!banshee | HIS NEW NUMBER (976) MR SATAN CALL NOW | |-------------------------------| OPERATORS ARE STANDING BY TO TAKE YOUR | | Smail to: Banshee | SOUL TO THE DEPTHS OF HELL WHERE YOU | | UCSC, Cowell College, 705 | WILL BURN AND WRITHE FOREVER! HAHAHAHA | | Santa Cruz, CA, 95064 | --No Subliminal Messages Here | |========================================================================|
LC.YRS@forsythe.stanford.edu (Richard Stanton) (02/08/90)
In article <1097@darkstar.ucsc.edu>, banshee@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (Wailin Through The Nets) writes: > >In article <7857@lindy.Stanford.EDU> LC.YRS@forsythe.stanford.edu (Richard Stanton) writes: >>In article <7057@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>, >>sks@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Dan Schikore) writes: >>>I recently downloaded fdform15.arc from simtel20's <msdos.dskutl> directory. >>I regularly use this program to format DS/DD disks to 800k and DS/HD >>disks to 1.48Mb, and I have NEVER had any problems at all. It's a >>great program. > Can you make the disks bootable? I have a program called MAXI V1.51 >which formats 360K to 420K and have never had a problem with it. The >registered version allows you to make the disks bootable. You can in principle use the DOS SYS command. However, most machines require you to have the memory resident program FDREAD.EXE installed before they will read the HD disks formatted with 18 sectors per track, so if this is the case you won't be able to boot from this disk. In the case you mention, there should be no problem, as I don't think the difference in formats would require the TSR, so you should be able to boot from the disk OK. Richard Stanton
pryor@uunet.UUCP (Paul Pryor) (02/09/90)
In article <7929@lindy.Stanford.EDU> (Richard Stanton) writes: > >You can in principle use the DOS SYS command. However, most machines >require you to have the memory resident program FDREAD.EXE installed >before they will read the HD disks formatted with 18 sectors per >track, so if this is the case you won't be able to boot from this >disk. > ...etc... >Richard Stanton After reading the documentation that came with 800kb.arc (available on SIMTEL), I was led to believe that some BIOS had bug which prevented one from using 800kb disks without the TSR program. So I tried 800fmt without using the supplied TSR program, and got a clean format, and DOS was able to read and write to the new format without difficulties. So I believe my BIOS (AWARD) does not have the bug. I was wondering if anyone who has 96 tpi drive could tell us if they also had to use TSR or not, and also to indicate their BIOS, and version, if possible. Thanks !!! Paul. -- Paul T. Pryor (uunet!imspw6!pryor) Integrated Microcomputer Systems, INC. Rockville, MD
rspangle@jarthur.Claremont.EDU (Randy Spangler) (02/09/90)
In article <243@imspw6.uunet.UUCP> pryor@imspw6.UUCP (Paul Pryor) writes: >So I tried 800fmt without using the supplied TSR program, and got a clean >format, and DOS was able to read and write to the new format without >difficulties. So I believe my BIOS (AWARD) does not have the bug. > >I was wondering if anyone who has 96 tpi drive could tell us if they >also had to use TSR or not, and also to indicate their BIOS, and version, >if possible. Well, I started using 800kfmat with Phoenix BIOS 1.10, and I could read the disks it formatted with no problems. Norton Utilities still had some problems, but I still managed to look at clusters, etc. Then I got an update to my BIOS to 1.10 10A, and now I can't read my disks without the TSR. Norton Utilities also barfs, and asks what kind of disk it is (from the standard 360K 720K 1.2MB choices). I always thought updates were for taking OUT bugs... :-) -- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Randy Spangler | The less things change, the | | rspangle@jarthur.claremont.edu | more they remain the same | --------------------------------------------------------------------------
LC.YRS@forsythe.stanford.edu (Richard Stanton) (02/09/90)
In article <243@imspw6.uunet.UUCP>, pryor@uunet.UUCP (Paul Pryor) writes: >So I tried 800fmt without using the supplied TSR program, and got a clean >format, and DOS was able to read and write to the new format without >difficulties. So I believe my BIOS (AWARD) does not have the bug. > >I was wondering if anyone who has 96 tpi drive could tell us if they >also had to use TSR or not, and also to indicate their BIOS, and version, >if possible. My machine is an Epson Equity II+, which definitely insists on the FDREAD TSR being installed. If not, I can list the directory OK, but if I try to read or write a file, after a few sectors I get a "sector not found" message. By the way, this is with disks formatted to 82 tracks, 18 sectors per track. As far as I know, the BIOS is Epson specific, though this may be wrong Richard Stanton