Writing ST Disk with PC?

[Luigi301]

I have a ST disk drive that can read 1.44MB disks. I also have no software for my poor 520ST. Is there any way I can use my PC to write the disk images to the disk so the Atari can read them?

[Saikyo]

Dunno that's what i wanna know

 

Try looking around in the time being and see if we can find something!

[doncleth]

Yes.

 

Search for MAKEDISK. Copy it to a Windows 98 machine (not too reliable on Windows XP). Use MAKEDISK to write the ST files (*.ST) to a 1.44" disk (preferably a DSDD disk). If a file is in *.MSA, find the software MSATOST to convert it to *.ST. Note that you may need to put a tape on one hole of the 1.44" HD disk for it to work although some of the guys here say that is not necessary.

 

Don

[Saikyo]

What about one that works on XP?

you see im thinking about getting the PD roms so i can play them on the real thing!

[doncleth]

@Saikyo

 

Yes you can use MAKEDISK in Windows XP but as I said it is unreliable. I could say it works in 50% of the disks that I create. I have an old Pentium machine that I use for MAKEDISK and also to use APE for Atari 8-bit. Don't throw your old PCs away.

[Gunstar]

here is an even better PCtoST disk maker, I'm pretty sure it works with W95-XP too. BUT DO NOT USE IT FOR FORMATTTING, it will crash. format the disks on the ST with FastCopy 3/pro or the PC. many ST images use a special format, using 9-11 sectors per track and 79-82 tracks. Fastcopy Pro will format any of these, then FDcopy will write these formats to disk for you. The FastCopy image is a standard 720k 9 sector, 80 track format, so you can just format a 720k disk on your PC, write the Fastcopy image to the disk and load it up on your ST, after that, use FastCopy on the ST to format your disks then use the PC&FDcopy to write the images.

fastcopypro.zip

wfdcopy.zip

msatost.zip

[Luigi301]

A 720K disk will work in my 1.44MB ST drive?

[Gunstar]

A 720K disk will work in my 1.44MB ST drive?

 

That's the magic of it , you're 1.44MB ST drive should be able to read all ST and PC formats from 360k(single sided)-1.44MB. Generally the only format options in Windows is either 720k or 1.44MB with 3.5 inch drives, but with special programs like these or makedisk, you can format(makedisk) in many different track&sector formats generally ranging from 80-82 tracks with 9-11 sectors per track which creates disk capacities of 720k to 820k on ST disks. Many MSA or .ST images are in these higher-than-the-norm formats to cram the disks full, generally these are hacker menu disks. FastCopyPro will format 5.25 or 3.5 inch disks in ST compatible formats from single sided 360k to 1.44MB too. You will not find any ST images that come in 1.44MB format generally on the net, they will generally be compatible with Atari's earlier 720k drives (which can go up to 820k with FastCopypro). If you want to use the full capacity of your drive you will have to make your own by copying files from the 7-820k disks to your 1.44MB formatted ST disks.

The text file with FDcopy explains it's use and when you mount an image to be copied to disk, it will tell you exactly how many sectors and tracks and if one or two heads; you then set FastCopyPro on the ST to format in the correct capacity, format the disk on the ST, then put it in the PC drive and write the image to it with FDcopy. The MSAtoST program is for turning MSA images into .ST images for use with makedisk or FDcopy.it also has a text file on how to use it, as does the FastCopyfro zip. FDcopy and MSAtoST are PC programs, FastCopyPro is an ST program that you will get onto your ST by formatting one of your 1.44MB disks in the PC for 720K format instead of 1.44MB. you will then use FDcopy to write FastCopyPro(720k image) onto the disk you just formatted in 720k. This disk will boot up on your ST since your ST can read PC disks. from then on, use FastCopyPro on the ST to format all your disks, and copy those files onto 1.44MB floppies you use Fastcopy to make!

[Saikyo]

Cool ill try it out as soon as i get my ST outta the box