Date   : Tue, 31 Jan 2006 22:44:41 -0000
From   : "David Harper" <dl.harper@...>
Subject: Re: BBC Master 512 system discs

"Hereward Hall" <hab_hall@...> wrote:

>I am stuck because I do not know how to format a disc in ADFS. As far as I
> am aware, the utility to do this is on the Master Welcome and Utilities
> disc. I have a disc image of this, but again this is in ADFS(adl file) and
> thus I can not copy it to disc. Basically, I need to know how to use
> Onniflop to initially format the disc in ADFS and then write images in 
> ADFS.
>   Oh by the way, when I said, "Nothing happens," I meant nothing other 
> than
> seeing 80186 512k displayed. Therefore, the 80186 processor is clearly
> working and I just do not have the correct disc format, i.e. ADFS. I do,
> however, have a double 5.25" drive with a copy of Master Welcome and
> Utilities. I could theoretically run the disc and go onto the ADFS
> formatting program, then unplug the 5.25" drive and plug in the 3.5", but 
> I
> suspect disc activity from the 5.25" drive with the volume on it would be
> required to format. I am open to all suggestions.

Actually you could do this. The ADFS format program (called AFORM on the 
Welcome disk) just loads in then runs with appropriate pauses to let you put 
in disks, etc. The disk program does not have to be accessible while it is 
running. You could try running *AFORM, answer its questions (about which 
drive to format on and the size required) and swap the drives before you 
finally tell it to start.

Best of luck.

P.S. I have had no luck using OmniFlop to format either, but perhaps I am 
not using it right.

David Harper