Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!uunet!isis!jhensley
From: jhensley@isis.cs.du.edu (John Hensley)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.applications
Subject: Re: SUN Sparc Format Conversion
Message-ID: <1991Feb6.190612.24538@isis.cs.du.edu>
Date: 6 Feb 91 19:06:12 GMT
References: <1347@richsun.cpg.trs.reuter.com> <1991Jan30.221511.19427@parc.xerox.com>
Reply-To: jhensley@isis.UUCP (John Hensley)
Organization: Math/CS, University of Denver
Lines: 36

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