CompuServe Thread

#Program needs.

8 messages in this thread
#67460From: Steve jonesAug 27, 1992 12:17 PM
I have two program needs. The first need is for a utility that will allow me to insert an IBM 720k 3-1/2" floppy into my Amiga drive and read the information from it. I seem to recall something about a program that would allow me to do this. The IBM floppy is reffered to as if1: or something like that. I can't remember what the program was called. Possibly Ambassador or Cross-Dos? The second need is for a hard-drive utility program that will allow me to correct errors on my drive. Every so often I get a file that is deleted by a program but the file name still exists if I do a directory. If I try to delete this file, I get a file not found error. I can even have another file with the same name in the same directory. AmigaDOS does not "see" the problem file but it still lists it in the directory. I have used diskdoctor on my harddrive but after that I get a drive not validated error. I figure they're must be an easier way to fix my hard drive. Something like the Norton Disk DOctor for the Amiga would probably do the trick! Thanks, Steve
#67474From: Christopher TolmieAug 27, 1992 3:18 PM
CrossDOS a commercial product will do just what want. It works great and now version 5.0 has added support for high density floppy drives, if and when C= starts shipping its HD floppy drive. There is also something called Multi-Dos here in our libraries that is similar in its workings. To fix your hard disk take a look at Quarterback Tools a commercial product. Or in Library 9 there are several fix disk utilities. Most notably is DiskSalv1.42 which can salvage a damaged disk and copy files to other hard drives and/or floppy disks. Also Moonlighter Software Development, publishers of Ami-Back a disk backup program will soon be releasing a new product which will be a hard disk tool kit. As for Diskdoctor, (known to me as DiskQUACK), my recommendation is to delete it from your hard drive, and never use it again. But that is My Humble Opinion. Chris
#67486From: Michael GerardAug 27, 1992 3:46 PM
Steve: While there are a couple of PD or Shareware products out there that you can use, CROSS-DOS from Consultron is the best for reading/writing MSDOS disk in the Amiga 3.5" and 5.25" disk drive. And it is very inexpensive. Version 4.02 retails for well under $30 and the latest version (5.0), which will also read/write 1.44 High Density MSDOS disks (if you have a CBM high density floppy drive) isn't much more. I'll let someone with more experience in file recovery and disk manipulation (like Betty Clay) handle the second part of your question. // Michael \X/ …on AutoPilot
#67510From: David ArtAug 27, 1992 7:49 PM
Steve, CrossDOS is a commercial package that will do exactly what you want for the IBM floppies. There are freely distributable equivalents, although I've never used them myself. CrossDOS is quite reasonably priced. One way you could correct your hard drive is to do a backup, reformat, restore on it. Even if you use a hard disk utility and attempt to repair, it's highly recommended to do a backup first, so you're halfway there already. (There are times when problems can crop up when you attempt a repair, and if you've got no backup, you're out of luck.) QuarterBack Tools is one such hard disk utility package. Hope this helps, 8) David
#67593From: Steve jonesAug 28, 1992 11:32 AM
I've grown tired of the backup, reformat and restore cycle. I'm archiving a 40 meg drive onto floppies and its starting to take a while. I can't afford a tape backup unit yet but hopefully soon. thanks Steve
#67608From: David ArtAug 28, 1992 1:28 PM
Steve, I agree with you about the backup–>reformat–>restore cycle being a pain. However, consider this cycle: try.to.repair–>munge.hd–>lose.everything–>start.from.scratch Suddenly, the first choice doesn't seem so bad after all. David
#67542From: Jonathan BlackwellAug 27, 1992 10:49 PM
As everyone has said, CrossDos is a great commercial package for reading IBM formatted disks. There are a couple of PD/Shareware packages here on CIS. There is also speculation about the inclusion of CrossDos or some variation of it in a future Amiga OS. -Jonathan
#67962From: Mathew MowerAug 31, 1992 1:56 AM
Before you buy a commercial package for DOS disks, you owe it to yourself to try Mldos (?), MultiDos is the unpacked name. I've used it for some time now and it works great. It allows for WB file transfers and will read Atari disks too.