Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!seismo!hao!hplabs!sri-unix!abc@brl-bmd From: abc%brl-bmd@sri-unix.UUCP Newsgroups: net.micro Subject: Re: Advice wanted to interface 80 track drive to TRS80 Model III Message-ID: <14046@sri-arpa.UUCP> Date: Sat, 26-Nov-83 17:58:16 EST Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.14046 Posted: Sat Nov 26 17:58:16 1983 Date-Received: Mon, 28-Nov-83 23:20:59 EST Lines: 38 From: A B Cooper III Not exactly what you want, but CLOSE- I have interfaced 2 80 track, single-sided drives to a MODEL I. One drive is a TANDON and the other is a SHTEAC. TO get started, I took one drive to a friend and copied a 35-track version of NEWDOS 80 to the 80 track disk. Then I was in business, as NEWDOS 80 will read and write tracks from/for 35/40 track drives. Later, when I purchased the Mapper and CP/M from Omikron in Berkely, CA, at my request, they made the CP/M disks on 80-track format for me. The CP/M disk worked fine; I've not yet tried the MBasic disk. Although I'm running strictly SINGLE DENSITY, my unscientific observation is that you cannot depend upon single density disks on 80 track (96 tracks/inch) drives. However, I've used Elephant, Radio Shack, and Control Data 'double density' disks (as advertised) with virtually no trouble. EDITORIAL COMMENT: It's really NEAT to have 80 track drives. I can keep all sorts of stuff on line with two such drives and wouldn't go to 35/40 track drives for anything. (If someone gave me one, though, I'd accept it to make transfer of programs and data easier.) I hope this has been helpful, even if i my configuration isn't exactly what you run. Good luck! Brint (abc@brl.arpa)