Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!ccu.umanitoba.ca!herald.usask.ca!alberta!ubc-cs!uw-beaver!mit-eddie!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!flying!frisbie From: frisbie@flying-disk.com (Alan Frisbie) Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec Subject: Re: RX ****ing 50s; Comments on formatting same. Message-ID: <9321@flying-disk.com> Date: 19 Feb 91 09:56:52 GMT References: <8598.27c1b662@decus.com.au> Organization: Flying Disk Systems, Inc. Lines: 31 In article <8598.27c1b662@decus.com.au>, stewart_andy@decus.com.au writes: > Next Question: Can the RX33 drive format RX50s and/or RX33 diskettes? The DRIVE can, but the controllers (RQDXn) and software DO NOT. There may be a way to coerce an RQDXn to format an RX50-format diskette, but I have never heard anyone claim it could be done, and several claim that it cannot. An RX33 drive is the same as a generic AT-style High Density drive. It is supported by both the RQDX3 and several third-party controllers and can read/write/format both double- and high- density diskettes. The RQDX3/RX33 combination supports formatting of RX33 (only) diskettes, as long as you have firmware ROMs 339E5 and 340E5 (~April 1989). The previous version was 243E5/244E5. If you need the 339/340 ROMs, DEC will charge you $$$ to upgrade your controller. However, the ROMs are ordinary 27128A EPROMs (the E5 designation) and there are no known hardware changes to the board. You can use that drive (RX33) with a third-party controller to format RX50s. I used an Andromeda ESDC (ESDI & floppy) controller just a few weeks ago to format a stack of Double Density floppies in RX50 mode. They work just fine on a real DEC RX50. --- Alan E. Frisbie Frisbie@Flying-Disk.Com (Preferred) --- Flying Disk Systems, Inc. or ...elroy!flying!frisbie --- 4759 Round Top Drive or Flying!Frisbie@Elroy.jpl.nasa.gov --- Los Angeles, CA 90065 or Frisbie%Flying@oxy.edu --- (213) 256-2575 or ...oxy!flying!frisbie