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+---- Forum: Software (https://www.cbmstuff.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=6)
+---- Thread: Support for hard-sectored disks... (/showthread.php?tid=765)
Support for hard-sectored disks... - geneb - 10-13-2020
So I've searched around the forum and I haven't seen anything about hard-sectored disk support since around '16.
Has progress been made on this that I'm not seeing?
I'm going to have a pretty large volume of disks to image soon and I'd like to be able to use a SuperCard Pro to do the job. I'm looking at needing to do 3.5 (dd/hd), 5.25 (sssd, ssdd, dsdd, dsqd, dshd) both hard & soft sectored, as well as a similar range for 8" disks. Encodings will most likely be GCR, FM, and MFM.
tnx.
g.
RE: Support for hard-sectored disks... - admin - 10-13-2020
I have support for hard sectored disks in the new format that also supports hard drives and tape drives. This has not yet been released though.
Keep in mind that SuperCard Pro only deals in flux, and knows nothing about disk formats (GCR, MFM, FM, etc.)
RE: Support for hard-sectored disks... - geneb - 10-14-2020
I take it that means it'll write out hard-sectored disks as well?
How are you going to connect hard drives (I'm assuming MFM/RLL/ESDI and SCSI?) to the SCP?
Any idea on a release date?
tnx.
g.
RE: Support for hard-sectored disks... - admin - 10-14-2020
Yes, you can write out hard sectored disks. This is a firmware update for the SuperCard Pro hardware as well as new software. MFM/RLL hard drives that are 34 pin typically plug into the board without anything else required. Other drives need a 40 pin to 34 pin adapter. There is no release dates yet.
RE: Support for hard-sectored disks... - geneb - 10-15-2020
(10-14-2020, 05:48 PM)admin Wrote: Yes, you can write out hard sectored disks. This is a firmware update for the SuperCard Pro hardware as well as new software. MFM/RLL hard drives that are 34 pin typically plug into the board without anything else required. Other drives need a 40 pin to 34 pin adapter. There is no release dates yet.
I'm curious to see how that interface will work considering MFM & RLL drives use a 34 pin cable and a 20 pin cable. (control & data I think)
Is the hard-sector support coming soon?
tnx.
g.
RE: Support for hard-sectored disks... - admin - 10-15-2020
At CRX 2019 we tested the dumping of a hard drive for the fist time. I think there is a video of it. I was surprised that the hard drives were controlled just like a floppy, getting flux times.
"Soon" is a relative term. I hope so, but I am also working on the file system for the SuperCard Pro so I can turn it into a floppy drive emulator. That is the last bit of code to work out.
RE: Support for hard-sectored disks... - geneb - 10-16-2020
That's interesting. it's my understanding that the 34 pin cable is for control and the 20 pin cable is for data.
I'm looking forward to seeing the hard sectored disk support. I'm staring down the barrel of a few thousand disks and they're a mix of all densities, sizes, and sector formats.
tnx.
g.
RE: Support for hard-sectored disks... - Callmejack - 01-31-2021
Very interested too, I can’t wait for this new release!