HxC and Parados

[MartinW]

Will start a separate thread for this so as not to confuse things in the other one

My HxC works perfectly when set as drive B and using an AB/BA switch. As long that is as I'm using AMSDOS. If I switch to PARADOS (I have a dual OS) then switching to drive B and doing a directory listing returns some corrupted junk in addition to the actual files.

Is this to be expected? Is there some known incompatibility with the HxC and PARADOS?

Thanks

[MartinW]

Hmm, I just formatted the internal drive (drive B because of the AB/BA switch) using Parados |drive utility and I noticed as I was doing it that the HxC was displaying that it was merrily switching from side 0 to side 1 at the same time as the internal drive was so I've got something set up wrong here I think.

Looks like I may need to go over my setup again!

[TFM]

Is this to be expected?

Yes, if you suddenly switch drives, then you also have to tell ParaDos that you did that. Adjust the formats in the appropriate menu.

[MartinW]

I don't entirely understand the reply here to be honest. What menu? I'm not talking about the "|DRIVE" utility, I'm just talking about the command line OS, same as AMSDOS.

How about the fact the HxC is merrily swapping sides when I'm formatting a disc in the 3" drive, is that significant? (Now at that point I am in the "|DRIVE" utility!)

[Bryce]

I'm not 100% sure, but I believe ParaDOS has several issues with drive B:, I don't think it can handle the larger formats on B: for example. But maybe someone with more knowledge on this could confirm.

Bryce.

[TFM]

Yes, adjust the formats in IDRIVE utility for drive A.

[Executioner]

ParaDOS has a default setting bytes (at #DC00 and #DC02), these are copied to #BFAD and #BFAC respectively, which are then copied to #BAFE and #BAFF. These bytes define the sided-ness, cylinders and stepping of each drive, and also which formats are enabled by default. The standard settings are to Enable Electro formats and set Drive A: to single-sided 40 tracks, single-step and Drive B: to double-sided 80 tracks, single stepping.

With the Electro formats enabled DATA, SYSTEM and IBM formats on 80 track double-sided drives are around 700K and use more sectors for their directory hence if you insert a standard 40 track single sided disc into the drive it will read part of the first file on the disc as the directory.