5.25 drive on a PC to write ATR images?

[Atari-Jess]

If I placed a 5.25 drive on my PC is there an application that allows me to write ATR disk images to these floppies?

 

I understand some fashion of 1050 to PC or SIO 2 PC or whatever cable would be better

for this sort of thing, but I'm looking for a short term solution, I have my drive and my

cables ready, but I don't want to bother if its not possible to get this working.

 

Thanks

[+remowilliams]

For linux there is (I believe) software that will allow you to write DD (180K) ATR images. I don't think there is anything to write SD (90K) ATR images. I think that kind of stuff runs into the Catweasel territory.

[ijor]

If:

 

1) The ATR image is in double density

2) You can use Linux

3) Your PC drive is an older DD one (40 tracks)

4) You don't want to write to the flippy side.

 

Then yes, use WriteAtr.

 

Otherwise, it is still feasible, but it's more complicated.

[Atari-Jess]

ahhh crabs, the drive I happen to have is a 1.2mb 5.25 drive...

 

I doubt I have anything older than this anymore...

[ijor]

ahhh crabs, the drive I happen to have is a 1.2mb 5.25 drive...

 

It is still possible, but ...

 

The software must be ready to deal with an 80 tracks drive (must implement double stepping) and set the correct drive density. I don't know for sure if WriteAtr does or not.

 

You must use virgin unformatted disks as they come from factory. If they were ever written by any kind of drive, or if they come factory pre-formatted then they won't work.

 

There is no way to restore disks to a virgin state with a disk drive. The only way is to degauss the disk. Ideally this requires a special expensive equipment, a degausser. But some people had luck using a bulk eraser, or manually using a strong magnet.

[Atari-Jess]

hmm, I have plenty of NEW disks, but if they are unformatted I am not sure.

 

I've about three different kinds, my blue boxes, which have never been

opened. my beige boxes which are open but all blank, and then my grey

boxes which are likely factory pre-formatted...

 

If ANY are unformatted it would be nice, but the fact that once I use them

I can't return them to the PC is a little too much. It would be easier if I just

bought an SIO2PC cable it sounds like.

 

*re-counts his pile of dimes*

[ijor]

You can reuse the disk as long as you write them in double step mode only.

 

When you access a disk in double stepping mode, every other track of the disk is skipped (usually odd ones). This way, the skipped tracks keep their original virgin state.

 

So you can write the disk with the PC, take them to the Atari and read them, write them back on the PC, etc ...

 

As soon as you write them on the Atari, or in the PC using a standard (non double stepping application); then those disks are not usable anymore for this purpose until you degauss them.