Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!bbn!rochester!PT.CS.CMU.EDU!cadre!pitt!cisunx!cmf
From: cmf@cisunx.UUCP (Carl M. Fongheiser)
Newsgroups: comp.os.vms
Subject: Re: RX50 on the AT (I got the driver)
Message-ID: <6157@cisunx.UUCP>
Date: 13 Jan 88 00:07:19 GMT
References: <8801120919.AA16437@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Reply-To: cmf@cisunx.UUCP (Carl M. Fongheiser)
Organization: Univ. of Pittsburgh, Comp & Info Sys
Lines: 22

In article <8801120919.AA16437@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> IUS@DACTH51.BITNET (Eberhard W. Lisse) writes:
>Unfortunately the DOC file states that one can NOT format RX50
>floppies even on the AT.
>
>regards, el

Well, fortunately, the DOC file is WRONG!  Any PC/AT with a 1.2M floppy drive
is completely capable of formatting a floppy in RX50 format.  The basic
approach is to read the source to the INT 13 handler, which describes what
all the numbers in the drive parameter block in the BIOS common area mean.
The step factor and density are orthogonal parameters.  Just twiddle the bits
to say 96tpi, normal density. Then, in order to format, just call the 
INT 13 format function, specifying 10 sectors.

I'd be more specific, but it's been two years since I did this.  I'm afraid
my memory's not THAT good.

					Carl Fongheiser
					University of Pittsburgh
					Computing & Information Systems
					...!pitt!cisunx!cmf  cmf@pittvms.BITNET
					cmf%vms.cis.pittsburgh.edu@vb.cc.cmu.edu