Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!pacbell!att!chinet!mpcook
From: mpcook@chinet.chi.il.us (Michael P. Cook)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: 1.44 on IBM-PC
Message-ID: <8031@chinet.chi.il.us>
Date: 25 Mar 89 15:52:36 GMT
References: <6665@ecsvax.UUCP> <7957@chinet.chi.il.us> <13499@ncoast.ORG>
Reply-To: mpcook@chinet.chi.il.us (Michael P. Cook)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Chinet - Public Access Unix
Lines: 40


 
<As quoted from <7957@chinet.chi.il.us> by mpcook@chinet.chi.il.us:
<< However, I have *not* been able to get the whole thing working without using
<< a third party software driver (using Bastech).  My understanding was that 
<< DOS 3.3 or above with the DRIVER.SYS loaded should do it.  It does *not* do
<< it for me!  Anyone out there know how?  Try your DRIVER.SYS from DOS 4 
<
<It won't.  DRIVER.SYS and/or DRIVPARM merely tell DOS about the drive's form
<factor.  You still need a driver; DOS normally uses the driver in the BIOS,
<which on a PC or XT won't know about 1.44MB disks.  (Since a 720K disk is
<logically just an 80-track version of a 360K disk, the BIOS has a greater
<chance of getting them correct.  It is, however, possible that some "clone"
<BIOSes might not work with them.)  You need to add a driver to DOS to use the
<disk, or possibly find a replacement BIOS which groks 1.44MB disks.
<
<++Brandon
Some of my relevant recent experiences...
 
 1. I am using an IBM PC. The original IBM floppy controller with PC DOS 3.3
    has no problems whatsoever driving a 3 1/2" disk drive at 720K.  Just 
    drop it in...no drivers required.
 
 2. I purchased the Western Digital FOX 3 card as it was positioned as the
    solution to adding a high density (1.44MEG) in a pc.  It does not work
    without a third party software driver because the BIOS on the card is
    *not* fully compatible with a PC/XT type computer (AT's may be just fine).
    
    The vendor of my controller (Western Digital) says that they
    *may* be working on an upgrade to the BIOS on the controller card
    so that it will work with an "xt" without any third party software
    installed.  
 
    Others have apparently had better luck with other controllers
    (the DTK has been mentioned) but I can't vouch for them, I'm stuck
    with my WD card if/until they can fix the BIOS.
    ____________________________________________________________
 
    Mike Cook                                       Oak Park, IL
    usenet: ...!(who knows anymore?)!...!chinet!mpcook     or...