[comp.sys.next] Help with ST <-> NeXT disk swapping

petcher@wuphys.wustl.edu (Donald N. Petcher) (03/23/91)

This is for people who use a NeXT and also an Atari ST or alternatively 
an MS-DOS machine, and interchange disks between them. I don't know if 
my problem is related to the Atari side or if my NeXT is just not 
behaving properly. 

I myself have a NeXTstation, and an Atari ST, and when I format an IBM 
compatible 720K MS-DOS disk on the Atari, the NeXT seems to have no 
problem reading it. However, if I write anything on the disk with the 
NeXT, and then try to get the Atari to read it, it always acts as if the 
disk is damaged and the files are unreadable. I have been able to get 
the Atari to read a couple of small files but that is all.

For those who know the Atari, I format the disk always 80 tracks, 9 
sectors per track, and sometimes twisted (desktop, TOS 1.4), or 
untwisted (GPshell or DC Formatter) and then add an IBM boot sector with 
DC Formatter. That works fine when swapping disks with a PC.

I would like to know if this is similar to others' experiences or if it
is peculiar to my system. Also is there a way to format an IBM
compatible disk using the NeXT? 

Any help or testimonies of experience (including from NeXT/IBM clone
users) would be appreciated.

Don Petcher
petcher@wuphys.wustl.edu
petcher@wuphys.uucp

pp39184@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Payman Parastaran) (03/25/91)

petcher@wuphys.wustl.edu (Donald N. Petcher) writes:

>I myself have a NeXTstation, and an Atari ST, and when I format an IBM 
>compatible 720K MS-DOS disk on the Atari, the NeXT seems to have no 
>problem reading it. However, if I write anything on the disk with the 
>NeXT, and then try to get the Atari to read it, it always acts as if the 
>disk is damaged and the files are unreadable. 

I have had the same problem, but with swapping between a NeXT and a Mac SE/30
with a superdrive.  If I go from the Mac to the NeXT, everything works just 
fine.  The NeXT reads the MS-DOS disk without any complaints.  But if I write
a file on that same disk using the NeXT, I can't read it on the Mac.  It tells
me that the disk is damaged.  What gives?

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                         ______________________________________________
   Payman Parastaran    / payman@uiuc.edu..............(217) 398-1452 /
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