Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!clyde.concordia.ca!nstn.ns.ca!news.cs.indiana.edu!samsung!dali.cs.montana.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sdd.hp.com!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!decwrl!sgi!shinobu!odin!odin.corp.sgi.com!portuesi From: portuesi@tweezers.esd.sgi.com (Michael Portuesi) Newsgroups: comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d Subject: Re: Need to read CBM disks on IBM... Message-ID: Date: 19 Feb 91 09:41:57 GMT References: <10562@aggie.ucdavis.edu> <91.050.12:10:43@ira.uka.de> Sender: news@odin.corp.sgi.com (Net News) Reply-To: portuesi@sgi.com (Michael Portuesi) Organization: Silicon Graphics, Inc., Mtn. View, CA Lines: 36 In-Reply-To: krey@i30fs1.ira.uka.de's message of 19 Feb 91 12:10:42 GMT >>>>> On 19 Feb 91 12:10:42 GMT, krey@i30fs1.ira.uka.de (Andreas Krey) said: > In article <10562@aggie.ucdavis.edu>, w165045@rosie.ucdavis.edu writes: >> >> I am about to upgrade from a Commodore 128 to an IBM AT, and would like to >> be able to take all my word processing files with me. The hard part is >> transfering them from CBM format disks (GCR) to IBM disks (MFM). I know >> that there exist programs for the C-128 that will read/write IBM disks, >> but I would prefer the program to run on the IBM and read the CBM disks >> (the Commodore program runs SLOWLY). >> >> Does anyone know of a program that will perform this feat? >> >> ZB > No way. The standard floppy controllers in any 'good' computer > can only read FM/MFM. Commodore's formats require special designs. > I'm even amazed that one can acces MS-DOS (MFM) floppies in > a Commodore drive/controller. That's not surprising. The Amiga disk controller reads/writes entire tracks of data at a time. The MFM encoding/decoding is done in software on the Amiga, using the machine's bit-blit coprocessor to speed the process. Since most of the process is handled in software, the system can easily handle other formats. m. -- __ \/ Michael Portuesi Silicon Graphics, Inc. portuesi@sgi.com "Never forget what gossips men are, and how they love to feel superior to so-and-so who `is having trouble with his wife.'" --Nina Fischer, "How to Help Your Husband Get Ahead" part of the Amy Vanderbilt Success Program for Women