[comp.os.msdos.programmer] Trouble formatting 1.44 meg. disk

grandin@tramp.colorado.edu (Keith T. Grandin) (01/23/91)

	I am having trouble formatting a 1.44 meg. disk.  My format routine
works with 360K 720K and 1.2 meg. disks, but fails with 1.44 meg.
	The most likely problem seems to be my use of interrupt 13h function 18h
to set the media type.  Is this the correct procedure for letting the
BIOS know that the disk is a high density (1.44 meg.)?

	Here is the basic structure of the format routine :
		- set media type (int 13h function 18h).  I assume this will
let the BIOS know that there is a high density disk in the drive.
		- begin to format each track calling int 13h function 5.  The
error occurs when I try to verify the track (int 13h function 4).
Error code 4 is returned by the verify (requested sector not found).

	Note : My problem is with the format alone.  I know that this procedure
will not allow DOS to read the disk yet since the FAT and other DOS
overhead structures will not be initialized.  My problem is with getting 
the format to work in such a way that the disk can be written to and 
verified.

	I would appreciate any helpful sugestions, or source code which already
does the format (preferably C or TurboC).  If you would like I can mail you 
the source code for my program (it is written in TurboC).

	Thanks in advance,

	Keith Grandin
	grandin%tramp@boulder.colorado.edu
	grandin@tramp.colorado.edu
	....ncar!boulder!tramp!grandin