Re: A Solid-State Drive for the ][+

[robc638@startmail.ca (Robert C.)]

robsgreenneon@startmail.ca (Rob Jones) wrote in message news:<bc4b97a8.0410011839.4483998@posting.google.com>...

( ... )

> Can this be done?
> 
> ~Rob J.

You seem to have over simplified the description of what you are
trying to do: Apple Disk ][ drives, and Disk ][ compatible drives,
such as the Elites, although very simple mechanically, are a
complicated software-wise. Woz created a very simple drive, but
required software timing to synchronize the data stream: for one, it
does not use the sectoring hole in the disks to indentify the
beginning of each track's 1st sector. To synchronise with the start of
a sector, it must "bump" the head against the stop (grinding noise we
hear when head re-aligns itself), then very slowly advance the head
looking for a very specific sequence of data. Once this is found, it
now know where Sector $00 of Track $00 is and the drive must calculte
the position of the next track, taking into account the speed of the
drive, and the format (13-sector or 16-sector).

You have Elite drives: Use your software to format them into
Double-Density drives; If you have and Elite 3, you can define this
one as a DS/DD drive which will hold 560K.

My $0.02.

Robert.