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Author Topic: Formatting with EPDOS 1.9 (Read 3701 times)

Offline jltursan

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Formatting with EPDOS 1.9
« on: 2016.May.15. 10:38:36 »
I'm trying to get higher capacity formats with the help of EPDOS 1.9 and I'm not getting anything good from it. When I try to format a floppy, it always fails in the first track throwing a "Sector not found" error. I've even tried the standard format (80/9) without success, same error. If I format the disk from IS-BASIC it works flawlessly.

EPDOS is burnt in a multirom along EXDOS14ISDOS10UK-1772.

Has anyone idea if I need something special to get EPDOS's format working?

Offline geco

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Re: Formatting with EPDOS 1.9
« Reply #1 on: 2016.May.15. 21:03:23 »
Zozo is the expert of higher capacity formats, he formatted DD disk in the past near to 900Kb, or over? sorry Zozo if I remembered wrong.

Offline jltursan

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Re: Formatting with EPDOS 1.9
« Reply #2 on: 2016.May.16. 12:24:39 »
Using NEC drives he has reported to format at least 84 tracks :shock:. I'm using an Alps drive so I don't expect anything close.
Right now I would be happy formatting to 720K :roll: 

I haven't tried with FAFO, maybe it works better than EPDOS.

Offline Zozosoft

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Re: Formatting with EPDOS 1.9
« Reply #3 on: 2016.May.16. 13:12:09 »
I haven't tried with FAFO, maybe it works better than EPDOS.
Yes, I started wrote FAFO after the EPDOS formating not enough good for me.
It is available in Zozotools ROM, and now also in loadable format.
The latest 2.5 version use make a updated boot sector which is compatible with EXDOS and the latest PC specifications.

Which higher capacity want you use it?

For HD capacities need a Turbo EXDOS card, and also least 6MHz machine.
13 sectors formating also need a Turbo EXDOS card, it is use normal DD disks and drives. (WD177x overclocked to 10MHz).

10/11 sectors are possible with standard hardware, for 11 sectors need a updated EXDOS ROM.
10 sectors without extra tracks (800K) are handled by todays Windows on PC.

The extra tracks are depend from disk drive. TEAC FD55 series usualy can handle up to 84 tracks. NEC FD1035 can handle up to 90 tracks!

The EPDOS 1.9 are in beta phase :oops: I will try what about the formating.

Do you tried it the 1.7 (latest stable) version?

Offline jltursan

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Re: Formatting with EPDOS 1.9
« Reply #4 on: 2016.May.16. 14:07:37 »
Thankz Zozo, as always useful info!

To make the long story short, I'm trying to setup a 64KB EEPROM in a new FDC I've recently built (http://www.retrowiki.es/fororw/viewtopic.php?f=679&t=31209, a project reported some time ago and finally ended!). The objective is to have the latest EXDOS and an extra 32KB set of tools. EPDOS 1.9 was the preferred one as it's a nice file manager + tools :-)
Something strange seems to happen as I cannot format floppies neither using extra formats nor standard format.

My machine has 10Mhz and I hope that soon I'll dig up that w177x overclocking :-); but for now, I'll be happy formating 800K-840K floppies :-)



Offline Zozosoft

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Re: Formatting with EPDOS 1.9
« Reply #5 on: 2016.May.16. 15:17:09 »
For floppies enough use the EPDOS 1.7 (Z12 version are the latest from 2012).
The 1.9 started developed for hard disk, handle the bigger clusters/FATs.

Offline jltursan

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Re: Formatting with EPDOS 1.9
« Reply #6 on: 2016.May.16. 16:41:27 »
Success!
After some tests I sorted out the problem in the EXDOS rom used: EXDOS14ISDOS10UK-1772
Right now, using EXDOS13ISDOS10 and EPDOS 1.9, formatting works as expected.
As I have a W1772 I supossed that this rom would be the one; but seems that there's something wrong with my setup...

I have also tested FAFO25 as a loadable executable and have failed all attempts to format a floppy. It simply hangs with black screen when checking number of tracks :cry: . I've just copied executable FAFO25UK.COM, does I need something more to make it work?

About the drive, I've reached a safe maximum of 84 tracks (85 sort of works here giving 935K; but the drive makes a subtle bump noise when arriving to track 85 that sounds extremely suspicious) and 11 sectors, giving a whopping 917K once formatted. Eat that Amiga! :-)

EDIT: Btw, the drive model is ALPS DF354H090F
« Last Edit: 2016.May.16. 18:34:46 by jltursan »

Offline Zozosoft

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Re: Formatting with EPDOS 1.9
« Reply #7 on: 2016.May.16. 18:16:58 »
After some tests I sorted out the problem in the EXDOS rom used: EXDOS14ISDOS10UK-1772
Right now, using EXDOS13ISDOS10 and EPDOS 1.9, formatting works as expected.
Thanks for the error report, I will look about the issue!

Offline Zozosoft

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Re: Formatting with EPDOS 1.9
« Reply #8 on: 2016.May.17. 21:42:20 »
Ok I found the problem. With EXDOS 1.4-1772 and EPDOS 1.9 try enter :VAR 73,3 before formating. Or use -1770 version, which is use the original 0 value

The 1.4-1772 set the head step with simply INC instruction, then it is will be 255. It is same result with value 3 in the most of programs. But the EPDOS used it directly and not masked it the lower two bits, this make the problem.

Offline Zozosoft

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Re: Formatting with EPDOS 1.9
« Reply #9 on: 2016.May.17. 22:07:25 »
And there is fixed ROM version (use value 3).

Offline jltursan

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Re: Formatting with EPDOS 1.9
« Reply #10 on: 2016.May.19. 21:24:16 »
You Sir, you're a genius!, it worked flawlessly, thanks Zozo!

Now, having an SD interface compatible with EXDOS FDC and I would be the happiest man ever :ds_icon_cheesygrin: