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From: bluneski@pogo.WV.TEK.COM (Bob Luneski)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st.tech
Subject: Re: Reading ST disks on a Mac SE/30
Message-ID: <9507@pogo.WV.TEK.COM>
Date: 25 Jul 90 22:55:53 GMT
Reply-To: bluneski@pogo.WV.TEK.COM (Bob Luneski)
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Wilsonville,  OR.
Lines: 40


To read a MS-DOS/ST type disk on a Mac you need the following things:

1) A Mac with a high density drive (FDHD) 
2) Apple File Exchange(AFE) Utility (comes with system software 6.0+)
3) The disk must be formatted on the Mac using the AFE routine.
   You can then take the disk to a ST or IBM copy files to it and get the
   files onto the MAC via AFE. Kind of a pain. Plus the disk performance is
   poor because the AFE is a standard in sequence formatter(i.e. it does
   not skew the sector numbers to achieve higher seek/transfer rates)

   Currently, the disks must be formatted on the MAC because the AFE formats 
   the disk slightly differently(3 sector FAT tables, hidden desktop files 
   etc.).  The AFE requires these to be before it will recognize the disk. 
   You cannot simply write an MS-DOS boot sector to a previously formatted 
   disk and have it work.
   
   Because I have a Mac IIci at work(their choice not mine, although the 
   speed, memory, 19" color monitor, and 24 bit accelerated graphics board
   are very nice especially since I didn't have to pay for them)    I also 
   had the need to transport files to and from the Mac.  However, I found that 
   whenever I REALLY needed to bring something in I never seemed to have one
   of the AFE preformatted disks around and an ST formatted disk wouldn't
   work. So, I pulled the custom formatter I wrote for Diamond Back II out
   and made it a stand alone program that supports AFE format in addition 
   to all the other formats.  It will also format AFE disks in twisted format
   for faster access and Power Drive 1.44 meg floopy support has been added.

   I was originally just going to include it as an extra freebee with 
   Diamond Back II.  However, because it addresses several specific needs
   in the ST community, I have deceided to release it to a wider audiance.
   I will be posting it to Genie and the binaries as soon as the testing
   of the 1.44/1.6 meg high density Power Drive is complete. When it appears
   you will be able to format AFE compatible disks on your ST.

 ____                                                                    ____
/\/\/\    Bob Luneski                                                   /\/\/\
\/\/\/    Diamond Back II Support Hotlines:  bluneski@pogo.WV.TEK.COM   \/\/\/
 \/\/     Genie: B.LUNESKI1  CompuServe: 76635,2310                      \/\/
  \/                                                                      \/