Atari Dos -- 8 drives?

[+Larry]

The distribution versions of Atari Dos 2.0 and 2.5 recognize D1: and D2: only. They can be modified easily to recognize D1: - D4:.

 

Does anyone know of any patched version that allows 8 drives?

 

-Larry

[Tempest]

Shouldn't the version that came with the 815 recognize 8?

 

Tempest

[Rybags]

I think I've heard of one but don't seem to have it.

 

If anyone, Metalguy would probably have it, although I doubt he'd use DOS 2.x as a matter of course.

 

The 2.0 versions IMO should be avoided. The patches to allow them to use more sectors on ED floppies IIRC is a bit of a kludge and produces disks incompatible with 2.5.

 

Also, fairly sure each new drive entry will eat 128 bytes or so of your free RAM - each drive needs it's own buffer. Although if you use a more advanced DOS that supports >4 drives by default, then it's probably using more RAM to start with anyway.

[drac030]

Although if you use a more advanced DOS that supports >4 drives by default, then it's probably using more RAM to start with anyway.

 

More advanced DOS (e.g. SpartaDOS, both X and not X) does not assign buffers to drives in a fixed manner. So you can declare 2 buffers and still have access to all (8, 9, 15) drives.

[+bob1200xl]

Atari DOS 2.0D (which, I assume came with the 815) recognizes 4 drives, at least. Hard to tell since the 1050 and XF551 can only be set to D1:-D4:.

 

Bob

 

 

 

Shouldn't the version that came with the 815 recognize 8?

 

Tempest

[Tempest]

Atari DOS 2.0D (which, I assume came with the 815) recognizes 4 drives, at least. Hard to tell since the 1050 and XF551 can only be set to D1:-D4:.

 

Bob

I was thinking that it recognized four 815's so that would be eight drives total.

 

Tempest

[+bob1200xl]

As shipped, it is set to recognize D1:-D4:, which would be two 815 drives. (each drive has two addresses) I tried it on my CF card, which recognizes D1: to D8: and, after setting 70A to $FF, I have 8 drives. So, it does work on all 8 - you just need drives that 'talk' D4: to D8:.

 

I would guess that 2.0S, which is configured for D1:-D2: (two 810 drives) would also see 8 drives. (I'll go try that...)

 

Bob

 

 

 

Atari DOS 2.0D (which, I assume came with the 815) recognizes 4 drives, at least. Hard to tell since the 1050 and XF551 can only be set to D1:-D4:.

 

Bob

I was thinking that it recognized four 815's so that would be eight drives total.

 

Tempest

[+bob1200xl]

DOS 2.0S and DOS 2.0D both access 8 drives, although you cannot format any but D1:-D4:. Set $70A to $FF and write a new DOS to disk. You will have to format the 'disk' in D1:-D4: and then put it in D5:-D8:.

 

Wowie!! 512 directory entries online!

 

Bob

 

 

 

The distribution versions of Atari Dos 2.0 and 2.5 recognize D1: and D2: only. They can be modified easily to recognize D1: - D4:.

 

Does anyone know of any patched version that allows 8 drives?

 

-Larry

[dwhyte]

DOS 3 handles eight drives. DOS 4 can as well...

[+Larry]

Thanks, Bob! Why am I not surprised that you would have the answer about Dos 2.0!

 

Occasionally, one must use Dos 2.0 or 2.5 with some specific App. (for instance, Frost Basic with its hard-coded Dos 2.0). But when using it with APE, then that sometimes can cause issues with the drives mounted. I'll give this a try -- good to know little "trick!"

-Larry

 

 

DOS 2.0S and DOS 2.0D both access 8 drives, although you cannot format any but D1:-D4:. Set $70A to $FF and write a new DOS to disk. You will have to format the 'disk' in D1:-D4: and then put it in D5:-D8:.

 

Wowie!! 512 directory entries online!

 

Bob

[walter_J64bit]

I think DOS XE does access to 8 drives, too bad that it didn't have a hard drive format App.

Edited September 4, 2010 by walter_J64bit