Any AMIGA users?

From: Don Maslin <donm_at_cts.com>
Date: Mon Dec 31 16:29:04 2001

On Mon, 31 Dec 2001, Fred Cisin (XenoSoft) wrote:

> > > 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.

Fred, though I have never seen one, I have heard that they made some of
the CCIVs with the National Semi FDC chips that were a bit more flexible
than the 765.
                                                 - don


> > 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 - 16:29:04 GMT