boi@richsun.cpg.trs.reuter.com (Ken Boi) (01/31/91)
Would anyone know if there exists a utility (commercial or PD) to read SUN Sparcstation formatted disks (3.5") on the Amiga?
carpente@parc.xerox.com (Michael A. Carpenter OSBU North) (01/31/91)
In article <1347@richsun.cpg.trs.reuter.com> boi@richsun.cpg.trs.reuter.com (Ken Boi) writes: >Would anyone know if there exists a utility (commercial or PD) >to read SUN Sparcstation formatted disks (3.5") on the Amiga? 1. It isn't possible. The Suns write using high density disks and the Amiga can't read them. (Just like it can't read IBM format 1.44 MB disks.) 2. You could use mtools (PD programs for Unix machines) to make the SparcStation write PC format low density disks and then use CrossDos or MSH (MessyDos) to read them on the Amiga. Caution: I have had trouble with this approach, as have others, primarily because of the difference in alignment and track width of the high density SparcStation drives and the lower density Amiga drives. Michael Carpenter
trasc@dworkin.UUCP (James Trascapoulos) (02/05/91)
carpente@parc.xerox.com (Michael A. Carpenter OSBU North) writes: >In article <1347@richsun.cpg.trs.reuter.com> boi@richsun.cpg.trs.reuter.com (Ken Boi) writes: >>Would anyone know if there exists a utility (commercial or PD) >>to read SUN Sparcstation formatted disks (3.5") on the Amiga? >1. It isn't possible. The Suns write using high density disks and the >Amiga can't read them. (Just like it can't read IBM format 1.44 MB disks.) >2. You could use mtools (PD programs for Unix machines) to make the >SparcStation write PC format low density disks and then use CrossDos or >MSH (MessyDos) to read them on the Amiga. Caution: I have had trouble >with this approach, as have others, primarily because of the difference >in alignment and track width of the high density SparcStation drives and >the lower density Amiga drives. >Michael Carpenter Well, try formatting the low-density disk on the Amiga FIRST, through MSH and then use whatever form of transfer (mtools? never heard of it :) to lay data on the disk. Should work fine. Jim
jhensley@isis.cs.du.edu (John Hensley) (02/07/91)
In article <1991Jan30.221511.19427@parc.xerox.com> carpente@parc.xerox.com (Michael A. Carpenter OSBU North) writes: >In article <1347@richsun.cpg.trs.reuter.com> boi@richsun.cpg.trs.reuter.com (Ken Boi) writes: >>Would anyone know if there exists a utility (commercial or PD) >>to read SUN Sparcstation formatted disks (3.5") on the Amiga? > >1. It isn't possible. The Suns write using high density disks and the >Amiga can't read them. (Just like it can't read IBM format 1.44 MB disks.) > >2. You could use mtools (PD programs for Unix machines) to make the >SparcStation write PC format low density disks and then use CrossDos or >MSH (MessyDos) to read them on the Amiga. Caution: I have had trouble >with this approach, as have others, primarily because of the difference >in alignment and track width of the high density SparcStation drives and >the lower density Amiga drives. > >Michael Carpenter It's been a while since I worked with this stuff, so be kind if I'm being idiotic :). 1. Isn't it possible to format a disk to 720K in a SPARCstation's drive? Of course you'll still need something to read the filesystem with, but that might not be insurmountable, given some UNIX fs experience (don't look at me!). Check the man pages for format (I believe). 2. I had trouble with mtools also -- but only with binary files. Text files worked fine. Perhaps uuencoding would be the answer. Your best bet would be to try and find some HP workstations with floppies. The HP-supplied DOS utilities worked flawlessly for many megabytes of stuff when I first discovered ftp (repent, O thou abuser of the net!). Just didn't want to see this avenue ruled out, as I had been able to use it a few times. John
john@nereid.jpl.nasa.gov (John Veregge) (02/08/91)
>In article <1347@richsun.cpg.trs.reuter.com> boi@richsun.cpg.trs.reuter.com (Ken Boi) writes: >>Would anyone know if there exists a utility (commercial or PD) >>to read SUN Sparcstation formatted disks (3.5") on the Amiga? >1. It isn't possible. The Suns write using high density disks and the >Amiga can't read them. (Just like it can't read IBM format 1.44 MB disks.) >2. You could use mtools (PD programs for Unix machines) to make the >SparcStation write PC format low density disks and then use CrossDos or >MSH (MessyDos) to read them on the Amiga. Caution: I have had trouble >with this approach, as have others, primarily because of the difference >in alignment and track width of the high density SparcStation drives and >the lower density Amiga drives. >Michael Carpenter The problems in MTOOLS have been solved by the latest version. Actually they were solved with 3 patches to the previous version as well. The problems with the low density disks was in MTOOLS and nowhere else. The latest version is 2.0.3 and is available via anonymous ftp from cerl.cecer.army.mil. A word of advice, you will find a devices.c file with definitions for all the MSDOS devices. For a SparcStation there are two device definitions and both are for drive A:. Give the devices different names (A/B) or place the drive you use the most at the top. To format a device with the same name that is not first in the list, you must describe the device (heads, tracks, sectors). I use B: for the low density definition and find it prevents my usual errors due to absentmindedness. {-: I use an older version of Dos2Dos and have had no trouble since upgrading MTO0LS to 2.0.3. I had a lot of trouble with an unpatched MTOOLS 1.6.2. I have SUNOS version 4.1 and I format the diskette with 'fdformat -l' and then with MTOOLS 'mformat b:'. The latter lays an MSDOS file system on top of the UNIX file system. Prior to editing the file devices.c I had to type 'mformat -t 80 -h 2 -s 9 a:'. If you have problems post here or email me (the latter is faster). John Veregge ------------- John R Veregge Section 348 - Flight Command and Data Jet Propulsion Laboratory Management (Technology Development) Calif Institute of Technology Mail stop: T1704, Office: T1704-P 4800 Oak Grove Drive Phone: (818) 354-0511, FAX: 393-4494 Pasadena, CA, USA 91109 john@triton.jpl.nasa.gov