Re: Transferring files between PC and GS

[dempson@atlantis.actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

In article <42dmib$ep5@lucky.innet.com>,
Martin Tuck <mtuck@lucky.innet.com> wrote:
> Jeff Brielmaier (jeff.brielmaier@yob.com) wrote:
> 
> : MP>Is there a program on the PC that will read and write 800k HFS floppies?
> : MP>There is no other way I can transfer files back and forth right now, due
> : MP>to my current setup.  Thanks for any info!
> 
> : No.  Due to the way that Apple writes data to it's 800k disks an
> : IBM-PC type disk drive cannot read the data.
> 
> 	Actually I was led to understand by a linux lovin' friend that 
> there is some way with linux to read the HFS format.  I personally have 
> never tried, but you might investigate the possibility.

Reading HFS formatted disks is a separate issue to reading 800k disks.

Any PC with a high density 3.5" drive is physically able to read a
1.44MB HFS disk, or a 720k HFS disk (this was added as a new
formatting option some time around System 7.1, called "compatibility"
mode, or something like that).

In either case, all that is need is a PC-based utility program that
does direct sector-level accesses to the disk and interprets the HFS
directory structures in software.

Any access to a 400k or 800k on a PC is impossible without special
hardware, because the PC disk controller cannot read the data
recording format used on these disks.  The operating system makes no
difference - it is a hardware limitation.
-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand