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From: petcher@wuphys.wustl.edu (Donald N. Petcher)
Subject: Help with ST <-> NeXT disk swapping
Message-ID: <1991Mar22.211223.15978@wuphys.wustl.edu>
Followup-To: comp.sys.atari.st, comp.sys.next
Summary: ST can't read disks that NeXT writes on
Keywords: NeXT, Atari, ST, DOS format, disk
Reply-To: petcher@wuphys.UUCP (Donald N. Petcher)
Organization: Physics Dept, Washington U. in St Louis
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 22 Mar 91 21:12:23 GMT

This is for people who use a NeXT and also an Atari ST or alternatively 
an MS-DOS machine, and interchange disks between them. I don't know if 
my problem is related to the Atari side or if my NeXT is just not 
behaving properly. 

I myself have a NeXTstation, and an Atari ST, and when I format an IBM 
compatible 720K MS-DOS disk on the Atari, the NeXT seems to have no 
problem reading it. However, if I write anything on the disk with the 
NeXT, and then try to get the Atari to read it, it always acts as if the 
disk is damaged and the files are unreadable. I have been able to get 
the Atari to read a couple of small files but that is all.

For those who know the Atari, I format the disk always 80 tracks, 9 
sectors per track, and sometimes twisted (desktop, TOS 1.4), or 
untwisted (GPshell or DC Formatter) and then add an IBM boot sector with 
DC Formatter. That works fine when swapping disks with a PC.

I would like to know if this is similar to others' experiences or if it
is peculiar to my system. Also is there a way to format an IBM
compatible disk using the NeXT? 

Any help or testimonies of experience (including from NeXT/IBM clone
users) would be appreciated.

Don Petcher
petcher@wuphys.wustl.edu
petcher@wuphys.uucp