Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!apple!portal!atari!apratt
From: apratt@atari.UUCP (Allan Pratt)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st.tech
Subject: Re: Hard Disk Sector 0 Questions
Message-ID: <2866@atari.UUCP>
Date: 22 Mar 91 02:06:34 GMT
References: <5208@mcrware.UUCP> <2231.03.91@drdhh.hanse.de>
Organization: Atari Corp., Sunnyvale CA
Lines: 17

Somebody asks:
>>[How do I read device sector 0?]

bjoern@drdhh.hanse.de (Bjoern Kriews) writes:
>If you detect an AHDI or compatible driver, you can set bit 3 in the
>Rwabs() mode-word to read physical sectors, but to be safe you will
>have to use direct DMA access. (Ask your Microware devdrvr writers)

Yikes!  Do I really have to go into the dangers of this kind of thinking?
NEVER use direct DMA access.  You are SURE to get it wrong and screw up
something.  Who has drivers which DON'T support the raw-device bit? 
Whoever they are, their drivers are not complete, at least as defined by
Atari's documentation of the Rwabs() call.

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Opinions expressed above do not necessarily	-- Allan Pratt, Atari Corp.
reflect those of Atari Corp. or anyone else.	  ...ames!atari!apratt