Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!natinst!rpp386!aubrey
From: aubrey@rpp386.cactus.org (Aubrey McIntosh)
Newsgroups: comp.os.minix
Subject: Re: Booting Minix from 1.44m floppies (long)
Keywords: Media description block; Format program; Media size determination.
Message-ID: <17631@rpp386.cactus.org>
Date: 11 Jan 90 15:03:55 GMT
References: <7806@nigel.udel.EDU>
Reply-To: aubrey@rpp386.UUCP (Aubrey McIntosh)
Organization: vima, Austin TX
Lines: 23
Summary:I like media descriptor blocks.

I think Glen Overby first mentioned using a descriptor block on a disk.

I agree that a disk description should be in the first sector on the disk.
Also, that it is the job of the Format program to place it there, as well
as doing any interleaving.

The MS-DOS diskette description is a useful one, since there are tools
such as Norton's utilities, that let us repair boo boos in an environment
that many of us are fluent in.  Other descriptions exist, such as the one
from OS-9.  That one is excellent, but there is no provision for the block
 to be executable.  So I'd go for the MS descriptor, but I'd also like to
hear what else is out there.

Also, about grinding heads...   I get the impression that people are
seeking out to track 79 to see if its a big disk.  My machine sounds
like it will explode or something, the dog runs under the sofa, the wife
comes in to help...
Why not just seek to track 40?
-- 
Aubrey McIntosh        
comp.os.minix, comp.lang.modula2, soc.culture.celtic         
Austin, TX 78723 
1-(512)-452-1540  (v)