Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!HNYKUN52.BITNET!TOXICO
From: TOXICO@HNYKUN52.BITNET
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Problems with new DCFORMAT.
Message-ID: <8902281839.AA22816@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Date: 28 Feb 89 17:17:00 GMT
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        "info-atari16@score.stanford.edu"



I used to format my disks with DCFORMAT 2 at the maximum size of 10 sectors, 82
tracks without any problems. A few weeks ago I got the new DCFRMT30 from the
ssyx archive server. I tried this on a box of brand new SONY DS/DD disks. I
decided to use the new VERIFY option but otherwise chose the same options I was
used to (10 sectors, 82 tracks fast (skewed) format. To my surprise three out
of seven disks gave an "ERROR during FORMAT". I reformatted this disks at
smaller sizes (one at 10 sectors, 80 tracks; the other two at 9 sectors,
80 tracks). I did keep the verify option on, and did not leave the program
before all disks had been formatted and verified. DCFMT30 did not complain
about any errors when the options were chosen as shown.

So far so good. I did not really like the idea that the disks could not be
formatted at maximum size, especially because I had always used that size
before. HOWEVER, THE SMALLER FORMATTED DISKS ARE NOT USABLE. The ST refuses
to write to those disks. The desktop shows an empty disk, and that's it.

I do not known whether the smaller disk formats will work, when you use
them immediately. I do know that they will not work when you first try to
format at 10/82 and thereafter, without leaving the program, format them
with less tracks (sectors?). Disks formatted even later at 10/82 (still
without leaving the program) were allright.

Two questions:
        1) Is this really a bug in DCFRMT30, or am I doing something
           wrong.
        2) What exactly does the verify option do, are these disks
           really bad?

P.S. I reformatted one of the not writable disks with the old DCFORMAT 2.0.
     No problem!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

                             Chris Evelo

                             TOXI_CE@HNYKUN51 (BITNET/EARN)
                                 |
                                 an underscore _ not -.

               Mail address: Department of Toxicology
                             University of Nijmegen
                             Kapittelweg 54
                             6525 EP Nijmegen
                             The Netherlands
                             tel. 080-517184/514206

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