Read 5.25" DOS floppies on A1200 possible?

[nyteschayde]

I have an unbranded 5.25" drive on my A1200 and I wrote this mount file

For PC1 with info set at C:Mount Activate=1 Unit=1 [ thats the info file ]
PC1 in DOSDrivers Devs
FileSystem = L:CrossDOSFileSystem
Device=mfm.device
Unit=2
Flags=1
Surfaces=2
BlocksPerTrack=9
Reserved=1
Interleave=0
LowCyl=0
HighCyl=39
Buffers=20
BuffMemType=1
StackSize=600
Priority=5
Glovec=-1
DosType=0x4D534400
Mount=1

I have it switched on and with 80 track

I tend to use Double Sided Double Density. I can read all my PC DOS disks no problem. I also have the 1060 hooked up to the A1000 so I read PC disks on that machine also. My Checkmate also has 5.25 floppy drive and thats running 2.04. On the 1200 in the main room I only have a 5.25" drive as an external and it runs IFF anim as a kinda screen saver most of the time. I actually prefer the 5.25" drive as I use as a general drive. Floppies last a lot longer than people would have you believe. I have about six drives connected to everything from VICs, C64s and C128s here and they all work without fault. I use a disk head cleaner when I've used an old degraded disk and clogged the head. Another trick is to simply turn the unit upsidedown and back the right way. Works a charm on one drive I have.

I move the 5.25" drive around from machine to machine and use it quite regularly. The trick as I keep saying here is to get your kit working and keep running it. It only degrades through lack of use. Seriously. I have a 1571 hooked up to a C64C mucking around with Simons Basic and it playing up something dreadful when I first used it but after continuous daily use works without fault. Reads and runs all my GEOS stuff no issue. I have a pair of 1570s on another C64 and they also run daily without fault.

So if you do get the drive working keep it oiled by using regularly and it'll keep working.

I recently fitted a 5.25 drive to an IBM PC/1 and runs without fault. Allows me to create DOS disks and the like for the 1060 Sidecar. Amazing that all the manuals were still online and I was able to configure the many jumpers to get the unit working. Great tool. The 5.25" lives on .

I am interested in this unbranded 5.25" drive and how you ended up connecting it to your Amiga. Can you provide any details on the drive and connection itself?

[nyteschayde]

I have spent some time tonight taking photographs and have edited them for a webpage which I will create tomorrow. Sadly its nearly 2 in the morning and I promised myself an early night.

Back tomorrow.

Thanks for that!

[nyteschayde]

Never heard of this Checkmate thing you're talking about. I saw something about PowerPC as well. You're description making it work felt a little like, "time travel is easy, just plug the flux capacitor into your 23 pin floppy port and press Ctrl-Amiga-Amiga." Lol