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Formatting a 3.5" disk

Started by tjohnson, 22:27, 06 May 17

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Bryce

It has nothing to do with whether the physical USB drive can handle 720K disks or not. It's the fact that programs such as CPCDiskXP and others attempt to send commands directly to the drive and windows doesn't allow this. The solution was a DLL which allowed raw data to be sent to the floppy controller, but this DLL can't handle USB drives because it tries to address a real floppy controller and not a USB node.

Bryce.

CraigsBar

Quote from: tjohnson on 10:39, 07 May 17
Cool is that a desolder the ROM and replace job?  Where do I get a Parados ROM from as I don't have any means to burn one myself?
Yes it's a desolder and fit a socket for parados 1.2.

I can burn the EPROM and post it to you, F.O.C. I just need your address.

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tjohnson

Quote from: CraigsBar on 00:37, 08 May 17
Yes it's a desolder and fit a socket for parados 1.2.

I can burn the EPROM and post it to you, F.O.C. I just need your address.

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That's very generous of you, thank you, I'll ping across my address shortly.  What size socket do i need is it 2x14? Cheers Trevor

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CraigsBar

Yeah, that will do it.

https://goo.gl/images/vvmHBS

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CraigsBar

Quote from: tjohnson on 09:49, 08 May 17
That's very generous of you, thank you, I'll ping across my address shortly.  What size socket do i need is it 2x14? Cheers Trevor

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Burned, tested, ready to post.

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VincentGR


tjohnson


:D :D :D PM sent, looks cool with the sticker, can't wait to get this installed and fingers cross be able transfer files on the Amstrad.
Cheers Trevor


Quote from: CraigsBar on 20:15, 08 May 17
Burned, tested, ready to post.

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Bryce

Quote from: CraigsBar on 20:15, 08 May 17
Burned, tested, ready to post.

Sent from my ONEPLUS 3t using Tapatalk

Welllll, look at you with your fancy yellow stickers. :D

Bryce.

tjohnson

#33


Hi all, I've been progressing my endeavour to get a 3.5" floppy drive working, but it is been a bit 2 steps forward,  1 step back.   I've really put some time into this and sourced an ancient pc that will allow me to format floppy disks and after some efforts have got an old copy of cpcdiskxp working - this PC is running an old Pentium 1 and Windows 98SE, upgraded to Windows 2000 and the latest version won't run but 1.6 does.

On the drive front it looks like both my spare floppy drives have got some sort of fault.  I've made up a basic adapter from 34pin to 28pin plus power, there are no other components on the PCB other than linking the appropriate pins,  connecting the power the 28pin socket and the ground lines.   The first drive seems to have an issue that when inserting a disk the drive never stops spinning.  The second drive doesn't have that issue, spins the disk for a couple of seconds before stopping.  I had a bit more luck with this drive and even got it to cat a disk and show it was empty but it has a weird thing going on that upon inserting a disk the head moves back to the start and then it starts glitch.  I am powering the drive using a jst connector from a bench power supply set to 5v.  Upon glitching it seems to affect the power supply too like it has a short but it doesn't trip the supply.  I'm wondering if my adapter is causing the issue, I made it by hand soldering wires between the appropriate pins but seems ok.


My saga continues, I hope to get there soon with this!

Cholo

Quote from: Bryce on 20:09, 07 May 17
It has nothing to do with whether the physical USB drive can handle 720K disks or not. It's the fact that programs such as CPCDiskXP and others attempt to send commands directly to the drive and windows doesn't allow this. The solution was a DLL which allowed raw data to be sent to the floppy controller, but this DLL can't handle USB drives because it tries to address a real floppy controller and not a USB node.

Bryce.
Does this also apply to the USB-mode in Cpcdiskxp? Wasnt the whole CPCDiskXP trick that instead of trying to force a odd small 360k format amsdos onto a 720k floppy (using controller trickery & low level driver) .. then instead "hide" the little format inside a pseudo 720k pc floppy image .. so it can be written back to USB floppy. Aka the pc thinks its a normal 720k pc image it writes, but the amstrad reads it as a normal dual 180k floppy.


I mean the pseudo "usb" image writing has worked ok on both my old pc and my current win7 one just using a usb drive. Then again i do recall it got a mixed reception back when the usb mode was added to CPCDiskXp where some could get it working and some couldnt. Dont think the reason was found back then .. people was comparing usb drives back then .. so perhaps its actually a motherboard (or similar) compatible issue aka im pretty sure the usb drive needs to be connected directly to the mobo aka not thru a frontpanel hub or similar.


Found the old thread when the pseudo usb thingy was launched with v2.5 (skip to page 2):
http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/news-events/cpcdiskxp-v2-1-released/


Definately not trying to lure anyone to run out and purchace a bunch of usb-drives and getting a old pc for floppy handling is definately a good way to go (for other systems like amiga as well). If the pc is old enough you might even link up serial ports for transfter or 5,25" drive for even easier compatability as ye olde 5,25" pc drives usually have the ready signal & is 99,9% compatible with a 6128 & a unmodded floppy cable (there can be speed issue i think).

Cholo

#35
Quote from: tjohnson on 10:21, 11 May 17

..  I've made up a basic adapter from 34pin to 28pin plus power, there are no other components on the PCB other than linking the appropriate pins,  connecting the power the 28pin socket and the ground lines.   The first drive seems to have an issue that when inserting a disk the drive never stops spinning...


If its a normal 6128/664 (if its a 6128+ then hopefully someone can help), then all you need is a normal pc floppy cable & then short pin 33 with 34 to fake the missing "Ready signal". It a bit crude solution but it works:
http://cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Guide_on_how_to_connect_a_3.5%22_drive_to_a_CPC6128/664


oh and if you get stuck there are people on ebay (the UK one) selling premodded 6128 floppy cable ;) (or 6128+ cables too)

rpalmer

cholo,

Be aware I think tjohnson is trying to connect an internal floppy drive and not an external one as the link infers.

rpalmer

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