Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!mcsun!ukc!dcl-cs!gdt!exspes
From: exspes@bath.ac.uk (P E Smee)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: ibmpc-->st?
Message-ID: <1990Feb20.095448.2087@bath.ac.uk>
Date: 20 Feb 90 09:54:48 GMT
References: <36263@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu>
Distribution: comp
Organization: University of Bristol c/o University of Bath
Lines: 31

In article <36263@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu> cline@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Nicholas Cline) writes:
>This is probably a novice question, but... Could anyone tell me how
>I can transfer files from a PC to an ST? Are the disk formats 
>compatable? Is there a program for either that will allow it to
>read the other's disks? Thanks,

The disk formats are compatible-ish.  You must, of course, have
compatible physical media on both machines.  Normally, this means that
your ST must have a double-sided (3.5 inch) drive -- PC 3.5 inch drives
are all double-sided.

For ANY version of TOS you can then transfer files by swapping disks
between the two machines, if you follow two rules.  First, the disk
MUST be formatted on the IBM PC; ST's are happy with PC-formatted
disks, but PC's don't like standard (desktop-formatted) ST disks.  (If
your PC has a Quad (or High) Density drive -- 1.4 Meg -- you must make
sure you format in 'normal' density mode.) Second, you must not use
subdirectories.  Put all the files on the top level of the disk (the
root), not in folders.  (Folders sometimes work and sometimes not when
interchanging.  Best to avoid them.)

For some of the later versions of TOS these restrictions are not
necessary and you can simply swap disks with no problem.  Also, some
public domain formatters on the ST will format a disk so that a PC will
accept it.  However, if you heed these restrictions, you don't have to
worry about your TOS level, and you can do the swap using only standard
parts.

-- 
Paul Smee, Univ of Bristol Comp Centre, Bristol BS8 1TW, Tel +44 272 303132
 Smee@bristol.ac.uk  :-)  (..!uunet!ukc!gdr.bath.ac.uk!exspes if you MUST)