Re: Problems

[ddoms@qni.com (Dennis Doms)]

jeff.brielmaier@yob.com (Jeff Brielmaier)  wrote:

>KH>: That's an inherent problem with the 5.25" drive.  The computer has no
>KH>: way of knowing for certain how many 5.25" drives are connected.  So if
>KH>: you are in P8 or DOS 3.3 or Pascal, the software should assume two 5.25"
>KH>: drives and give you the option of not using S6,D2.

>KH>No way to fix it under P8?

>Actually, there is a very short ml routine that can be used to determine if a
>5.25" drive is connected to a disk controller.  Note: You do not have to have
>a diskette in drive for the routine to work !!!

>If merged into the P8 kernal, P8 could eliminate non-existant 5.25" drives
>from the device list.

Uh, it's been tried (even by Apple). The fact is that various
combinations of drive controllers and software do not respond reliably
with the "watch data latch" test those types of routines use. (A _lot_
may, but the few that don't cause too many problems to depend on that
test.)


* Dennis Doms   MAIL:ddoms@qni.com   HTTP://www.qni.com/~ddoms) *
*     "Into this night I wander, it's morning that I dread      *
*      Another day of knowing of the path I fear to tread..."   *
*     - S. McLachlan, "Possession", _Fumbling Toward Ecstacy_   *