> > Has anybody ever actually SEEN and USED any software for the catweasel
> > that will make an Amiga disk (NOT duplicate one that is present)?
On Mon, 31 Dec 2001, Christopher Smith wrote:
> Not me, though, I've seen documents (probably in UAE) that say you can
> write disks to images and images to disks if you use it. The
> linux/netbsd/freebsd drivers, from all I've seen and heard, should
> access disks fine for making images and the like.
That sounds promising. I'd still like to know if anybody has been
successful.
> > I think that "MatchPoint" might be their board that you're
> > thinkking of.
> I was thinking of compati-card, actually. I was un-aware that it had
> this same limitation.
Yes. It's a very nice 765 implementation. It can handle single density
(I don't know off-hand whether they used a 37C65, or added extra logic),
can handle 4 drives, can operate at other addresses to permit use as a
second controller, etc.
But it's still a 765. As such, it can not do GCR, can't do hard sectors,
can't do MFM without WD style sector headers (AMIGA!), and can't even do
some WD MFM formats that start the first sector too early.
Allison could tell you EXACTLY what its capabilities and limitations are.
> I may have to see if I can find one of these "MatchPoint" boards now,
> though. What are my chances?
I see them occasionally, but not often.
> > What software is available for Mac to do Amiga disks?
> Again, I seem to remember from docs that UAE will use it directly.
> So you'd be stuck with a chicken-egg scenario where you need an image
> of the O/S (or boot disk) to get it working. :) Otherwise it would
> work fine.
Hmmm. I'd like to hear if anybody has ever succeeded (as opposed to
theoretical possibilities)
> I have seen mappings for the linux fdparam (I think that's the
> program..) which will make your system use the format at a low level,
> and have heard that catweasel works with linux. In that case you can
> image/unimage the disks pretty simply.
Certainly the PC hardware, regardless of OS or other software can NOT do
Amiga.
Can the Linux catweasel drivers actually use the catweasel as its disk
controller for the file system? Or is this an issue that the catweasel
software (that does NOT work at a filesystem level) can also RUN under
linux?
> As for a program that reads/writes the filesystem (I assume that's
> what you're asking...), I don't know of one, but I believe that given
Yes, that's exactly what I'm interested in. Sorry, I should have been
clearer.
> the number of people interested in amiga emulation, somebody must have
> written one. If they havent, get an amiga emulator set-up, and
> chances are that will do it for you. (Again, I seem to remember
> mention of this in the UAE docs)
Has anybody, anywhere, EVER gotten a catweasel to work as a controller to
do file system level operations?
> I would, of course, be interested to hear from anyone who's really
> tried it. :)
Yes.
I've heard a LOT of people say things like "it can do it" (without having
actually tried) or "it could do it", or "it should be able to do it". But
never that it DOES do it.
I've yet to see any word from anybody who has successfuly gotten the
catweasel to work in ANY way other than the most low level track read.
It certainly SHOULD be capable. But there seems to be some problems
getting the software working.
--
Grumpy Ol' Fred cisin_at_xenosoft.com
Received on Mon Dec 31 2001 - 15:34:09 GMT