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From: bobc@killer.UUCP (Bob Calbridge)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.cbm,comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: is it possible to read/write Commodore disks on an IBM PC?
Message-ID: <4321@killer.UUCP>
Date: 3 Jun 88 03:18:01 GMT
Article-I.D.: killer.4321
References: <4760@watdcsu.waterloo.edu> <719@lakesys.UUCP> <10473@ism780c.isc.com>
Distribution: comp
Organization: The Unix(R) Connection, Dallas, Texas
Lines: 21
Summary: perhaps not

In article <10473@ism780c.isc.com>, mikep@ism780c.isc.com (Michael A. Petonic) writes:

[regarding a prior question regarding reading Commodore disks on a PC.]

> Almost no chance that you can read IBM diskettes in a Commodore disk drive.
> There's a better chance that you can write Commodore disks on an
> IBM.  The reason for this is because the Commodore disk drive has the
> controller built into the disk drive, thereby making it a "smart" disk
> drive.  "Smart" disk drives rarely provide operations other than
> read sector, write sector, format, etc.  No low level interleave/sectoring
> commands.  

This is not necessarily true.  Under CP/M on the C-128 the operating
system takes direct control of the disk drive without using the
smart disk drive.  In this manner the operating system can read or write
a number of different formats including Osborne and Kaypro.
I also have a program that can do an IBM format on the C-128.  However,
the system still cannot read or write the IBM format.
This does suggest that a program could be written that would do the read/write
operations.  I am not the one to undertake the project.
Best,
Bob