>Here's a writeup for those interested: >http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2017-04-15- adventures-with-an-8-inch-disk-drive-part1.htm
One thing in this project puzzled me. Initially when I was testing the drive I tried to format it for 77-tracks. I used the command FORMAT B: /u /T:77 /N:15 . It wouldn't let me. MS-DOS said " "Formatting 1.15M parameters not supported by the drive" After trying a few other things (unsuccessfully) I just tried a straight FORMAT B: /u It then formatted it without complaint? Listening to the head moving, I counted 77 tracks. The last three tracks the clicking stopped. I'm assuming the head just wrote over that final track 3 times. MS-DOS told me I'd formatted for 1.2MB. I'm puzzled why I couldn't format the disk using the /t:77 and /n:15 switches. Did MS-DOS just go by what was in the CMOS. If that's the case, why have those switches at all? Are they just legacy switches for pre-CMOS machines? Anyone know the answer to this? Terry (Tez) > >
