Hard sector format
Re: Hard sector format
kf loader fixed. Now starting to work on the hard sector importation.
Re: Hard sector format
That is EXCELLENT news. Thanks, Jeff! Quite a number of us in the Heath & Northstar communities are looking forward to this. Please keep me in mind for Beta testing?
Re: Hard sector format
Re: Hard sector format
Thanks, Jeff. Unfortunately, the HxC fails to recognize those HFE files. I copied them to the SD card, but I cannot select them on the HxC - it never shows them.
Re: Hard sector format
... i thought you got the HxC firmware for Gotek...
You should have mentioned this since the beginning because hard sector support into the sd hxc is another story...
Re: Hard sector format
"can the HxC (STM32 USB)". Why you are testing it on SD HxC now ?snhirsch wrote: ↑Tue Dec 08, 2015 3:18 amThere's a comment in the floppy emulator changelog about the AFI format supporting hard sector emulation. If I am able to generate an appropriate AFI file, can the HxC (STM32 USB) properly act as a hard sector diskette? If it can, where can I find documentation for this format?
There are a number of us out here who would like to use the HxC with Heath and Northstar computers. I have documentation on the track format for both of these.
Re: Hard sector format
I thought hard-sector support was just a matter of the HFE format and didn't realize it was also firmware dependent. Now that I know, I'll be glad to test on the Gotek. I assume I need the very latest firmware for it?
Re: Hard sector format
I updated one of my Gotek units to the latest Beta firmware and tried the Heath image. Unfortunately, it does not work. Any attempt at reading or booting from it results in a disk error message. I tried formatting it, but the format program hangs.
Not sure what information you will need to diagnose this. If it will help, I have a logic analyzer and can capture traces from both a working floppy and the Gotek.
It will take me a day or two to setup for testing on the Northstar. Will let you know what I find.
Not sure what information you will need to diagnose this. If it will help, I have a logic analyzer and can capture traces from both a working floppy and the Gotek.
It will take me a day or two to setup for testing on the Northstar. Will let you know what I find.
Re: Hard sector format
My spare Northstar Advantage was more accessible than I thought. I was able to set it up and try the Northstar images. Neither of them could be read, booted nor formatted . There's an immediate disk error on the first sector it tries to access.
I definitely won't have time to setup the logic analyzer until next weekend. If you're looking for anything in particular, please let me know. Otherwise I'll setup to trigger on active drive select and capture the index and read-data signals. The analyzer should have enough memory to capture a full track.
I definitely won't have time to setup the logic analyzer until next weekend. If you're looking for anything in particular, please let me know. Otherwise I'll setup to trigger on active drive select and capture the index and read-data signals. The analyzer should have enough memory to capture a full track.
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Re: Hard sector format
This is a different hardware. Writing/Formatting is working with the Gotek USB HxC firmware.Dutchacorn wrote: ↑Wed May 16, 2018 7:20 amFrom the information on the HxC site I understand that the USB gotek is read-only? So formatting would never work?
BUT as i said in a previous post, the write support will not work yet with hard sectored images. Don't even try otherwise you will probably corrupt the image.
Re: Hard sector format
Would be nice to have the exact specifications of the Northstar drives (Number of tracks, double step needed ?, rpm...) .snhirsch wrote: ↑Wed May 16, 2018 12:40 amMy spare Northstar Advantage was more accessible than I thought. I was able to set it up and try the Northstar images. Neither of them could be read, booted nor formatted . There's an immediate disk error on the first sector it tries to access.
I definitely won't have time to setup the logic analyzer until next weekend. If you're looking for anything in particular, please let me know. Otherwise I'll setup to trigger on active drive select and capture the index and read-data signals. The analyzer should have enough memory to capture a full track.
Re: Hard sector format
Just checked the index signal with the ns images, all index are there. But tons of parameters must be checked : index duration, index offset vs the sector data, bitrate/rpm, out data duty cycle, are the sectors valid ?...snhirsch wrote: ↑Wed May 16, 2018 12:40 amMy spare Northstar Advantage was more accessible than I thought. I was able to set it up and try the Northstar images. Neither of them could be read, booted nor formatted . There's an immediate disk error on the first sector it tries to access.
I definitely won't have time to setup the logic analyzer until next weekend. If you're looking for anything in particular, please let me know. Otherwise I'll setup to trigger on active drive select and capture the index and read-data signals. The analyzer should have enough memory to capture a full track.
btw you are using a special version of the kf dtc to dump the hardsectored disks ?
Re: Hard sector format
Hi, Jeff. I've sent you full information on the N* and Heath format several times - at your request. Re: your questions above:Jeff wrote: ↑Wed May 16, 2018 9:08 amWould be nice to have the exact specifications of the Northstar drives (Number of tracks, double step needed ?, rpm...) .snhirsch wrote: ↑Wed May 16, 2018 12:40 amMy spare Northstar Advantage was more accessible than I thought. I was able to set it up and try the Northstar images. Neither of them could be read, booted nor formatted . There's an immediate disk error on the first sector it tries to access.
I definitely won't have time to setup the logic analyzer until next weekend. If you're looking for anything in particular, please let me know. Otherwise I'll setup to trigger on active drive select and capture the index and read-data signals. The analyzer should have enough memory to capture a full track.
- Standard track spacing (no double-step)
- 35 tracks per side
- Standard floppy speed
Both Northstar and Heath use absolutely standard Shugart SA-400 style mechanisms. Nothing out of the ordinary.
If there is anything else you need, please ask. I can re-send (again) all the information on both formats if you are unable to locate it.
Re: Hard sector format
Yes, I did mention this before. This is a Beta test version of dtc with changes to make it play better with hard-sector diskettes. It is very possible they have extended the file format in some manner. Please contact the KF folks if you need input on that - they are very interested in getting the hard-sector capture / emulate flow working.Jeff wrote: ↑Wed May 16, 2018 9:42 amJust checked the index signal with the ns images, all index are there. But tons of parameters must be checked : index duration, index offset vs the sector data, bitrate/rpm, out data duty cycle, are the sectors valid ?...snhirsch wrote: ↑Wed May 16, 2018 12:40 amMy spare Northstar Advantage was more accessible than I thought. I was able to set it up and try the Northstar images. Neither of them could be read, booted nor formatted . There's an immediate disk error on the first sector it tries to access.
I definitely won't have time to setup the logic analyzer until next weekend. If you're looking for anything in particular, please let me know. Otherwise I'll setup to trigger on active drive select and capture the index and read-data signals. The analyzer should have enough memory to capture a full track.
btw you are using a special version of the kf dtc to dump the hardsectored disks ?
You did not respond to my question about logic analyzer trace. If it will help, I'll setup and capture it. Please let me know?