Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!eecae!conklin
From: conklin@eecae.UUCP (Terry Conklin)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: Re: XF551 Disk drive
Summary: XF551 "sleeps"? Design problems?
Message-ID: <11045@eecae.UUCP>
Date: 23 Aug 88 22:48:10 GMT
References: <880815-162514-1059@Xerox>
Reply-To: conklin@eecae.UUCP (Terry Conklin)
Organization: Michigan State University, ERDL
Lines: 24


I have an XF551 (which I am very pleased with, folks. When you get used to
IBM / TRS drive quality) and it has exhibited a similar behavior.

Using SpartaDOS to create a double-sided disk, I have noted thatyou have to
"teach" the XF551 to recognize double-sided mode after it's been turned on.
When you first power the drive on, it will not recognize double-sided boot
disks. If you boot under the appropriate dos, however, and then READ from
a double-sided disk, the drive "realizes" that it's double-sided. You can 
then turn off the computer, disconnect lines, etc. and still be able to 
boot from DSDD disks.

My solution? My XF551 has been on now for oh, a month or two? That's ok, 
my TRS Mod I that runs the Club BBS has been on 8 -years-!

Still, I find this distressing. It may have been on purpose, however, as
some mutant software perhaps was found checking for a double sided drive?

A little news from Atari Eng. group on this would be appreciated.

Terry Conklin
ihnp4!frith!conklin
conklin@egr.msu.edu
The Club (517) 372-3131   3/12/24