[Coco] Formatting L.R. Tech Hard Drive in OS9 Level II

[Barry Nelson]

I agree that a separate low level format is probably not needed. I would try using the program dmode to adjust the disk parameters to match the disk you are formatting. Note that the parameters to dmode are in hexadecimal, so 615=267 in hex. You can "steal" dmode from a NitrOS9 system disk if you don't have it, just copy it to your CMDS directory, it should work fine with OS-9 level II. The old way would have been to use debug to edit the bytes and then re-verify the module to fix the CRC, but I strongly recommend using dmode instead.

For your disk if the information I looked up the settings and the dmode command that is correct, that should be:
dmode /hd cyl=267 sid=4 sct=11 t0s=11 dns=80
If that does not work, or you only see half the disk capacity, try doubling the sct and t0s settings due to OS9 using 256 byte sectors rather than 512 bytes.
Then to save these settings permanently:
cobbler /d0

Here is a link to the SCSI System V2.2 manual. I do not know if this is the software you have, but it says this software works with the LR Tech controller:
https://ia801709.us.archive.org/27/items/SCSI_System_v2.2_19xx_Randsoft/SCSI_System_v2.2_19xx_Randsoft_text.pdf
You could always format the drive using NitrOS9 and then install the OS9 level two software on it. That should work too.

I found this information about the Miniscribe M3425 drive. Good luck.

M3425    MINISCRIBE
                                                      Native|  Translation
                                                      ------+-----+-----+-----
Form                 5.25"/HH              Cylinders     615|     |     |
Capacity form/unform    20/   25 MB        Heads           4|     |     |
Seek time   / track  85.0/15.0 ms          Sector/track   17|     |     |
Controller           MFM / ST506           Precompensation   128
Cache/Buffer               KB              Landing Zone
Data transfer rate    0.625 MB/S int       Bytes/Sector      512
                      0.625 MB/S ext
**********************************************************************
                        L   A   Y   O   U   T
**********************************************************************
MINISC.  3425/3212PLUS  PRODUCT MANUAL P/N 1008 REV. H, MAY 6, 1987

  +-------------------------------------------------------+
  |                                                       |XX Power
  |                                                       |XX
  |                                                       |
  |                                                       |XX
  |                                                       |XX Control
  |                                                       |XX Cable
  |                                                       |XX J1
  |                                                       |XX
  |                                                       |XX
  |                                                    TERMXX
  |                                                 +-8 ++|
  |                                              DIP| | |||XX
  |                                                 | | |||XX
  |                                                 | | |||XX
  |                                                 | | |||XX Data
  |                                                 | | |||XX Cable
  |                                                 +-1 RP1XX J2
  +-------------------------------------------------------+


> Bill Pierce ooogalapasooo at aol.com 
> Sun Jan 10 21:10:41 EST 2016
> 
> Mark, try Nitros9 L2 and use the superdriver "rbsuper" along with it's sub, "llktLr" (it may have to be custom built). This is the scsi driver for bot kenton and lr tech. In fact, the TC^3 driver "may" work (all 3 are scsi drivers). You will need to know the drive specs to set up the descriptors, but once set, these drivers are almost automatic. I use the ide versions for my 2 x 4gig partitions on my glenside ide. The super driver white paper and TC^3 manual on cloud9's site will be helpful.
>  Setting up boot disks for HDs in OS9 is no trivial matter and not for the faint at heart for sure... it's a confusing process.
> 
> And YES, the nitros9 format cmd WILL do low level formatting. That part of the process is part of the drive and controller, not the OS. The OS just needs to know the proper cmds to issue and when the right driver is used, NitrOS9 knows the right cmds :-)
> 
>  
> 
> 
> Bill Pierce
> "Charlie stole the handle, and the train it won't stop going, no way to slow down!" - Ian Anderson - Jethro Tull
> 
>  
> 
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