Date   : Thu, 05 Apr 2001 21:36:00 -0700
From   : "Chris + Tina Saddler" <csaddler@...>
Subject: Q: BBC Model B + 3.5" FDD 

I recently bought  a BBC Model B. It came with NO disk drive but it does
have the 8271 DFS upgrade and the DFS 0.9 ROM installed.

I'm trying to hook up  a 3.5" 1.44Mb Floppy Drive (from a PC) and I'm
running into some problems. The Floppy Drive that I have is an EPSON
SMD-340. It has several jumpers on the PCB including one to select
DS0/DS1.
I have it set to DS0. I have connected the FDD to the BBC Model B Disk
to
the disk drive edge connector with a 34-way ribbon cable (no twist).

When I try to format a disk with the command *FORMAT, the Beeb responds
after a short pause with the message "Disc fault 18 at 00/00".
I also tried formatting a disk using ANADISK on my PC. This appeared to
work, but when I tried to save a file to that disk from the Beeb it gave
me the
same error message as above.

I have seen some references to DNFS 1.21 or 1.20a which are DFS versions
that
have been patched to allow the use of 3.5" FDD's. Do I need this?

My question is what do  need to do to get a 3.5" FDD to work with the
8271
disk interface?

Any help and advice is welcome. (Please remove NO SPAM form my address
to
respond by e-mail.)

Chris.