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Re: Writing Gotek QL Image Disks

Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2023 12:55 pm
by Jeff$
Thanks, but shouldn't it be 1.44Mb in size as a formatted image?, I tried it anyway and it doesn't show as format and still gives a "Format failed" after about 60 seconds.

I may be missing something and the Thor can't support 1.44mb floppies. It does seem to report 1440 sectors though.

Is it possible to get a blank QL formatted file thats 1.44Mb in size. I may just be wrong and the Thor can't support 1.44Mb.......

Re: Writing Gotek QL Image Disks

Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2023 1:16 pm
by XorA
Isnt 1440 512 byte sectors 720K?

Re: Writing Gotek QL Image Disks

Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2023 1:19 pm
by XorA
blank.zip
(1.71 KiB) Downloaded 101 times
HD disk blank!

Re: Writing Gotek QL Image Disks

Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2023 2:31 pm
by NormanDunbar
Jeff$ wrote: Fri Mar 03, 2023 12:55 pm Thanks, but shouldn't it be 1.44Mb in size as a formatted image?, I tried it anyway and it doesn't show as format and still gives a "Format failed" after about 60 seconds.
Did I screw up? The file was created with the -fhd option which should have worked. There are three options, -fdd gives 720Kb, -fhd gives 1.440MB and -fed which is 3.2M. Hang on, checks bash history....

Code: Select all

qltools ./image_1.44.img -fhd "1.44 Image"
Also:

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ls -l *.img
-rw-r--r-- 1 norman norman 1474560 Mar  3 14:25 image_1.44.img
So that should have been ok? 1474560 bytes being 1.4MB.
Jeff$ wrote: Fri Mar 03, 2023 12:55 pm I may be missing something and the Thor can't support 1.44mb floppies. It does seem to report 1440 sectors though.
1440 sectors? It should be 2880 for a 1.4MB floppy. Hang on, checks with QPC2... dir flp2_ gives:

Code: Select all

1.44 Image QDOS HD
2871/2880 sectors
So it's definitely correct.
Jeff$ wrote: Fri Mar 03, 2023 12:55 pm Is it possible to get a blank QL formatted file that's 1.44Mb in size. I may just be wrong and the Thor can't support 1.44Mb.......
I think you are correct about the Thor, given the above. I obviously can't confirm as I never had one. Wanted one though.


Cheers,
Norm.

Re: Writing Gotek QL Image Disks

Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2023 5:30 pm
by Jeff$
Okay I tried to dig further and tried a few QL emulators to try and generate formatted disk images, finally settled on Qemulator, which when I tried to register for Pro says you can't but gives you a free code for Pro until April, so useful if anyone wants to check it out. Seems to work fine.

So I generated 720k and 1.44k formatted images, when I go to look at them on the Thor they are 1440 and 2880 Sectors, when I format a 720k Disk on the Thor its 720 Sectors.

So does the QL native floppy Disks have a different sector size?.

Curiously if I mount a 720 Sector img on Qemulator it reads it fine, allows me to add files and writes it, which I am then able to load and run on the Thor.

So I'm now more confused :? and think I'll stick with 720k images.

Will attach a Thor formatted 720k disk image with 712/720 Sectors (please note you need to change the file extension back from zip to img, I don't seem to be allowed to upload ".img"), I'd be interested to know if this works on a normal QL and if it still shows 720 sectors.

Or is all this quirks with the Gotek and I need to change some configs........

Re: Writing Gotek QL Image Disks

Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2023 6:09 pm
by RalfR
The Thor just have a WD1772, so no more than 720k.

Re: Writing Gotek QL Image Disks

Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2023 6:16 pm
by Jeff$
RalfR wrote: Fri Mar 03, 2023 6:09 pm The Thor just have a WD1772, so no more than 720k.
Thanks, so I was only mad for trying :(

And I'll use 720 sector disks.

Re: Writing Gotek QL Image Disks

Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2023 6:59 pm
by dex
Jeff$ wrote: Fri Mar 03, 2023 6:16 pm And I'll use 720 sector disks.
360 K, one sided?

Re: Writing Gotek QL Image Disks

Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2023 11:03 am
by Martin_Head
The FDI Driver 2, and the Image files utilities https://dilwyn.theqlforum.com/utils/index.html can create blank floppy disk images.

Also does your Thor have single sided drives, or do you need to enter something special to force it to do double sided.

Re: Writing Gotek QL Image Disks

Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2023 12:58 pm
by RalfR
Martin_Head wrote: Sat Mar 04, 2023 11:03 amAlso does your Thor have single sided drives, or do you need to enter something special to force it to do double sided.
I think he equated sectors and amount of memory.

As far as I know, the Thor has always had 720k floppies.