Tests with IBM PC DISKS
#1
[*]Hi,

A couple of weeks ago I got my SCP board and now I'm running some tests with 360kb and 1.2mb IBM PC disks using 5.25 disk drives. Hope this help someone in trouble.

My setup :
  • Al these drives works/tested on a real IBM PC machine. I can't say all are 100% aligned, but no issues reading/writing across the drives.
  • Installed and running  SPC software as administrator in a 8.1 Windows machine
  • Used 4 x 1.2MB drives models : 1x Panasonic JU-475-2 C8; 1x Mitsumi/Newtronics D509V3; 2 x Mitsubishi MF504C - 2268u; 1x TEAC FD55-FR-511-u , all these drives are 1.2mb drives and configured as AT . It is expected some test fails with 360kb disks.
  • Used 4 x 360kb drives models : 2x Chinon FZ-502; 1x Teac FD-55BV-06-U; 2x Fujitsu M2551A; 1x Panasonic JU-455-4 AAB
  • Used 1 x 720 kb drive model : Teac FD-55FR-511-U ( originally for Atari, not for IBM PC, as there is no 720kb disk support for 5.25 on IBM PC )
  • Setup the drives a DS2 or D1 as appropriate
  • There are no TM jumper on Mitsumi or Mitsubishi drives ( at least visually I couldn't find it ) . Panasonic JU drive should have the TM jumper, based on the diagram you can find in the Hardware section. My Drive is exactly the same model listed on the guide, but it has no TM jumper. All others with the proper TM as needed
  • I created 2 sets (360kb and 1.2mb) of 2 disks in a real IBM PC machine.  All disks are new ( IBM brand for 1.2MB and BASF brand for 360kb). Scandisk says it has no errors and I can access the disks (read/write) on the real machine. One disk is error free and one disk has error on cluster 38. The disk wiht error is a "control" disk test.I use this disk to also check the ability to duplicate the errors from the source disk. This "error" disk is a 3M disk for 360kb and IBM for 1.2mb. So the total test disks are 4 : 2 x 360kb and 2 x 1.2mb ( 2 with errors and 2 error free )
  • Using a Packard Bell CD 70 with Win95 with a 5.25 disk drive to read tests ( DIR, .DOC load ) and SCANDISK ( No "Fix errors" and No "Test writing" )
[*]

Basic Configuration :
  • I'm using the SDC Disk Achiever v1.51; HW 1.1; FW 1.1, running on a WIN8.1 machine, USB 3.0 connected directly ( no USB HUB )
  • Disk drive power is connected directly to an independent power source.
[*]

Tests scripts  :
  • always using a FORMATED disk as TARGET
  • A. Using only DRIVE 0 OR DRIVE 1 ( only one drive connected to the board )

  1. T1. Copy IBM PC disk to .SCP and then .SCP back to a DRIVE 0.
  2. T1a. Copy IBM PC disk to .SCP and then .SCP back to a DRIVE 1
  3. T2. Copy IBM PC  disk to IBM PC disk using only DRIVE 0
  4. T2a. Copy IBM PC  disk to IBM PC disk using only DRIVE 1
  • B. Using TWO drives connected to the board ( Both drives connected to the board all time )

  1. T3. Copy IBM PC  disk to IBM PC disk using DRIVE 0 as a source and DRIVE 1 as a target
  2. T4. Copy IBM PC  disk to IBM PC disk using DRIVE 1 as a source and DRIVE 0 as a target
  3. T5. Copy IBM PC disk to .SCP and then .SCP back to a DRIVE 0
  4. T6. Copy IBM PC disk to .SCP and then .SCP back to a DRIVE 1
[*]

TEST RUN with 360kb disks :

  1. Using 360kb disks with 360kb drives
  • SDP "Disk Types" option as "IBM 360kb", "Preservation" , "Wipe Tracks" and "index" ( all other options are blocked )
  • Worked on all tests ( T1 to T6) and all drives, except on : both Fujitsu M2551A. All copies with several cluster errors on scandisk. It is possible to DIR, but the files are corrupted. Panasonic JU-455-5 AAB - Files can't be read -  Disk not formatted message on WIN95. This Panasonic Floppy has a different jump board than the  JU-455-5 C09 , but I used the same settings as described on the guide (https://www.cbmstuff.com/downloads/5.25-jumpers.pdf)
  • May be these drives are not compatible with SCP board. So, if you are looking for one 5.25 drive, avoid these models.
  • When I plugged a Chinon FZ-502, the SCP software always shows DRIVE 0 and DRIVE 1, although there are ONLY one drive connected to it. Probably a wrong termination. The JUMPERS for this drive type are on the drive side, near to the flat cable pin 1. I couldn't find a JUMPER guide, so , based on try and error, the correct jump settings are: ON™-OFF(0)-ON(1)-OFF(2)-OFF(3) ( the first jumper is the nearest to flat cable pin 1 ).  Or OFF-ON-OFF-OFF-OFF if you are using the drive as a DRIVE 1 and with another drive.
  • Minor issue when loading the .SCP file to copy to disk, the "Disk Types" option changes to "TI-99/4A" 
  • The disk with error on cluster 38 are also duplicated correctly. ( I  mean, the error is also duplicated )
[*]

      2. Using 360kb disk with 1.2MB drives.
  • SCP "Disk Types" option as "IBM 360kb", "Preservation" , "Wipe Tracks" and "Index" ( all other options are blocked )
  • T1. I can duplicate the 360kb disk with no errors on SCP Archiver software ( DIR on a real machine). But the scandisk shows errors on cluster > 176. 
  • T1a.I can duplicate the 360kb disk (DIR on a real machine). Same issue with the scandisk and when loading the .SCP file, the disk type changes to "TI-99/4a". 
  • T2. Same issues as T1
  • T3. Same issues as T1
  • All these issues above were expected as I'm using a 1.2MB drive to save 360kb disks.
[*]

      3.   Using 360kb disk with 720kb drives (Teac FD-55FR-511-U)
  • SCP "Disk Types" option as "IBM 360kb", "Preservation" , "Wipe Tracks" and "Index" ( all other options are blocked )
  • T1. I can duplicate the 360kb disk with no errors on SCP Archiver software ( DIR on a real machine). But the scandisk shows errors on cluster > 176. 
[*]
 
TEST RUN with 1.2MB disks  with 1.2BM drives
  • Opps!  Not supported ? There is no "IBM 1.2MB" option on SCP Archiver software. So no test were performed with 1.2MB disks.
[*]

      5. Summary of issues found:
  • Missing IBM 1.2MB support for 5.25 drives (no work around found - this is a major issue for IBM PC)
  • There is no ".img image file" support ( like you have for Amiga - ADF image file or C64/128 - ".g64 image file" ). .img is "standard" image file for IBM PC. So you can't test your image on a drive emulator or mount your floppy in a VM. You need a real PC with a real floppy drive to make sure you image is dumped. (no work around found - this is a major issue for IBM PC)
  • I couldn't  find a way to convert a .SCP image to ".img" . Tried several conversions software mentioned in the forum, with no success. (no work around found )
  • When 2 drives connected to SCP board, there is no option to create a .SCP file. You can only duplicate the disk TO/FROM the drives (minor issue )
  • When loading the .SCP file, the disk type changes to "TI-99/4a".  ( minor issue)
  • Couldn't find a way to re-scan the bus . So you need to close and open the software every time you change your configuration (minor issue)
  • The maximum track test shows 85 track for my Panasonic and Mitsubishi 1.2MB drives. I'm pretty sure they are 83 tracks. (minor issue)
  • The test track ask for a disk, but it's seems to work without a disk in the drive. (minor issue )
[*]

So, overall everything is good and working as expected ( except the missing formats), but the board is very good. Hope we will have some new functionalities and supported formats too.

Recommendations :  
  • If you have 360kb disks, use a 360kb Drive to dump or setup your 1.2mb drive as XT ( didn't performed this test )
  • Use 2 disks drives setup only if you want to duplicate the disk on the fly. You can still use only one drive, just need to replace the disk during the copy process
  • Use the correct TM. Usually the drive will make a weird sound or you will see 2 drives on SDC software. If you have this, probably is a TM problem
  • Use the right drive number. ( D1,  DS2 ) . In other words, use the second option  ( D0,D1,D2,D3  or DS1,DS2,DS3,DS4 or 1,2,3,4 or 0,1,2,3,4 ) depending on how is your driver label. If you receive a message of "Index not found" probably is because you are using a wrong jumper for these settings.
[*]

Hope this help.
Reply
#2
For 1.2MB disks, you can use the 1.44MB setting - it's the same track layout.

For converting .scp images to .img format, use the HxC Floppy Drive Emulator software. That will convert a variety of image formats to/from .scp format.

If a drive does not seem to work, it is either an improper jumper setting, out of alignment, a bad disk, or dirty heads. The SCP mimics the exact same PC controller interface so every drive should be compatible.

360K disks should be imaged using the C64 disk format (this is a known issue that will be resolved).
Reply




Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)