Disk Format Info Please

[Audronic]

Hi All


I am interested in what the disk format is for the Amstrad 6128


Number of Tracks, Number of Heads, sectors per track, size of sectors, single or double density -----etc


I am new to Amstrad (come from TRS-80 World Model 1/3/4/4p - Z80).
Or if someone can point me to a link with the info on it


Thanks


Ray W

[TFM]

Well, the internal 3" drive usually uses:

- Data format: 1 head, 40 tracks, 9 sectors &C1-&C9 with interleave, 178 KB free each side of disc.
- System format: 1 head, 40 tracks, 9 sectors &41-&49 with interleave, 2 reserved tracks, 169 KB free each side of disc.
- IBM format: 1 head, 40 tracks, 8 sectors &01-&08 with interleave, 1 reserved track, 154 KB free each side of disc.


On 3.5" or 5.25" drives (at least in Germany) Vortex format is common:
- 2 sides, 80 tracks, 2 reserved tracks, sectors &01 to &09, 704 KB free on every disc, 128 DIR entries.


Some speed checks / benchmarks can be found here:
http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Speedcheck

[Audronic]

Thanks TFM


the sector size ? is it 512 bytes.


You mention IBM Format can this format with 8 Sectors from 01 -- 08 be used


Thanks


Ray W

[TFM]

Yes and yes.


BTW.: Data, System and IBM have space for 64 DIR entries, so the DIR is 2 KB long, and located on the first two blocks. Yes, block size is 1 KB.


On Vortex (or other big formats) block size is 4 KB.


You can use an CPC emulator and format a DSK then check the format with Discology, it will tell you quite a lot.