Looking for BBC Micro ADFS formatting program.

[spodula]

I got a BBC master last week.

Unfortunately it came with no disks.

From what i have gathered, the ADFS format command is supposed to be on a disk of utilities that you get with it. (The standard advice seems to be copy it *everywere* so you dont loose it)

Would anyone be prepared to do me a copy of a disk with either the format command, or preferably, the whole utility disk, and post it to Halifax UK for a nominal fee?

Thanks

Graham.

[dongfeng]

I have that disk for a BBC-B... but there's also a problem. There is NO way for me to copy it as it doesn't include a diskcopy utility... I really would like to make a backup of it.

On a Master, the Format command should be built in to ROM? There was a command to bring up a menu for things like that. I can't for the life of me remember how though. Mine is a BBC-B and I haven't used a Master for years...

[dongfeng]

The format command (from the disk) was *FORM40 or *FORM80 (depending on DD/HD). Maybe worth trying?

[carlsson]

On my Master Compact, I use *FORMAT (S,M,L), built into ROM. Does a regular Master typically come with 3.5" or 5.25" floppies?

Omnidisk/Omniflop on the PC should in theory be able to format, write and read disks too. I got it to work on one computer, but not my main one. I'll pick up an old graphics card soon and bring my old P200MMX to life, in case its disk controller is more flexible than the one integrated on my current XP2000+.

By the way, *HELP is a good start on the BBC. *HELP ADFS will show you all (?) the commands associated with this file system.

[spodula]

The format command (from the disk) was *FORM40 or *FORM80 (depending on DD/HD). Maybe worth trying?

Tried, that. It seems to work with DFS, but not ADFS.



On my Master Compact, I use *FORMAT (S,M,L), built into ROM. Does a regular Master typically come with 3.5" or 5.25" floppies?

...

By the way, *HELP is a good start on the BBC. *HELP ADFS will show you all (?) the commands associated with this file system.

I will try both of those suggestions tonight and see.
My Master came with a 5.25" floppy drive, but its obviously been sourced seperately.

Thanks all.

[spodula]

THe format command does not seem to be recognised, and if i do a "*Help ADFS", there is no format or format-like command (However, there is a diskcopy command)

[carlsson]

Ok. The Master Compact comes with a default 3.5" drive, so perhaps it has a different ROM set than the Master 128. On my computer:


>*HELP ADFS

Advanced DFS 2.10
ACCESS <List Spec> (L)(W)(R)(E)
BACK
BACKUP <Drive> <Drive>
BYE
CDIR <Ob Spec>
COMPACT
COPY <List Spec> <*Ob Spec*>
DESTROY <List Spec>
DIR <Ob Spec>
DISMOUNT (<Drive>)
DRIVE (<Drive>)
FORMAT <Drive> <S,M,L>
FREE
LCAT
LEX
LIB <*Ob Spec*>
MAP
MOUNT (<Drive>)
RENAME <Ob Spec> <Ob Spec>
TITLE <Title>
VERIFY (<Drive>)

My machine has MOS 5.10, UTILS 1.10 and as you can see, ADFS 2.10. I'm no BBC expert, but I know some websites, other forums and mailing lists where the true experts hang around.

[nige the hippy]

I have a hex listing of the ADFS rom which i can email to you, I would do you a copy in rom, but I used the last 27128 i had a couple of weeks back doing a copy for BBCmicro, Alternatively, if you wait a while, I'll see about getting some 128s or if it'll work in a bigger chip in a master (model B doesn't bring all the address lines out to the EPROMS)

Nig.

[spodula]

Mine is:

>*HELP ADFS

Advanced DFS 1.50

ACCESS <List Spec> (L)(W)(R)(E)
BACK
BYE
CDIR <Ob Spec>
COMPACT
COPY <List Spec> <*Ob Spec*>
DESTROY <List Spec>
DIR <Ob Spec>
DISMOUNT (<Drive>)
FREE
LCAT
LEX
LIB <*Ob Spec*>
MAP
MOUNT (<Drive>)
RENAME <Ob Spec> <Ob Spec>
TITLE <Title>


I also am lacking a way of transfering information between my PC and the master. Having tried a loopback connection on the master, I suspect the RS423 port may be fried. However, i need to spend some more time investigating that.

[spodula]

I think i now have it sorted. I have found a disk image of the BBC master welcome disk, and it seems my serial problems are due to the RS232-423 voltage differences.

Most of the serial line diagrams i have found on the internet for the BBC say that you can basically directly connect a crossover, however, It seems that if you do that with the Master, it doesnt work. And if you connect a loopback directly after that to do some testing, it wont work.

I have now got the loopback working after leaving the machine off for half an hour (Dont know how that works, but it seems to), and will wire something up with a resistor network to cut the voltages to something more reasonable at the BBC end.

I need to find out if the voltages are -5v - +5v or 0v- +5v for the port and I need to clamp them at 0v. any one know?