Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.misc,comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: DRIVPARMS, DEVICE.SYS, INDSKBIO.SYS - which to use to add 3.5" HD?
From: G.Moretti@massey.ac.nz (Giovanni Moretti)
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 92 22:45:09 GMT
Organization: Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
X-Reader: NETNEWS/PC Version 2c

Hi

I have one of the early HP Vectra's and am trying to add a 1.44MB 3.5"
drive to it (as DRIVE A:).  I have the INDSKBIO.SYS from HP (their
3.5" disk driver) and have added the following lines to CONFIG.SYS:

   DRIVPARM=/d:0 /f:7 /t:80 /s:18 /h:2 /c
   DEVICE=INDSKBIO.SYS /d:0

The CMOS has been set to a 3.5" by a version of HP's SETUP program.

With the above config, I can read/write 1.44MB disks but can't format them. 
I'm using DRDOS6 (but two days ago it was MSDOS4.01) and the results were
much the same:

     o DRDOS6's "format" gives me a "bad disk" or "write protected" error 
       and then seems to leave a large part of itself resident as I
       have only 288K free, out of ~550K, prior to running the format.

     o PCTools V7.1 "PCFORM" refuses, saying something like 
       "Unknown device type - 00".  

Giving format track and sector options on the format command makes no
difference, usually getting a response like "INCOMPATIBLE OPTIONS" ... 


TRYING DRIVER.SYS ...
Adding the lines:

device=driver.sys /d:0 /f:2 /t:80 /s:9  /h:2 /c
device=driver.sys /d:0 /f:7 /t:80 /s:18 /h:2 /c

to CONFIG.SYS should give:  (A: is 3.5", B: = 360K, C: = HD)

    D: as a 720K drive   (which it does)   
    E: as a 1.44MB drive (which it doesn't).  

PC Tools SI (SYSTEM INFORMATION) correctly reports D: as a 720K drive. 
E: exists but its type is UNKNOWN but it will read but not format 1.44MB 
disks (see messages above re unknown device type ...).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
INTENTION: to install a 3.5" HD drive *** AS DRIVE A: *** in an HP
           Vectra whose BIOS only knows about 360K and 1.2MB drives.

           I want the drive to be able to read and format both 720K
           and 1.44MB disks. 

QUESTIONS:

  a) If the PC will already read 1.2MB HD disks why is INDSKBIO.SYS needed?

  b) If A: is already set to 1.2MB wouldn't just DRIVPARM with F:7 work?

  c) Does DRIVER.SYS set for 720 or 1.44MB effectively replace INDSKBIO.SYS?

  d) If in the DRIVER.SYS and DRIVPARM lines you specify /F:7 do you still
     need to specify tracks, sectors and heads (/T /S /H) - after all it
     knows it's a 1.44MB drive?

  e) Should I be able to format drives set up with device drivers (D: and E:)
     If so HOW?

  f) Any clues as to why D: comes up as 720K but E: is unknown?

One inconsistency is that various system checkout utilities (PCTools
SI, CHECKIT, QAPLUS) always report A: as a 3.5" drive but with some
its a 720K, with others 1.44MB. 

As you can tell, I'm puzzled.  
Your help would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Giovanni

-- 
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Giovanni Moretti,  Computer Science Dept.     |Email: G.Moretti@massey.ac.nz 
Massey University Palmerston North,New Zealand|Packet Radio  : ZL2BOI@ZL2TCX
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Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.misc