Date   : Sun, 03 May 2009 18:08:38 +0100
From   : info@... (Sprow)
Subject: ADFS 1.53 patch

In article <m9pqLlBy0b$JFwQn@...>,
   Mike Tomlinson <mike@...> wrote:
> In article <090411205501@...>, Jonathan Graham Harston
> <jgh@...> writes

> >It supports 8-bit and 16-bit /interface/, ADFS is an 8-bit filing
> >system and so just transfers the low byte of each 16-bit data word,
> >so it's irrelavant whether you use an 8-bit interface (with no
> >access to b8-b15) or a 16-bit interface (where b8-b15 are ignored)
>
> Sorry if I'm being dim, but what's the point of the 16 bit interface,
> then?  What does the user gain?

The ATAPI commands need a 16 bit interface, so even if you throw away half
the drive capacity you can't even issue the command without a 16 bit
interface.

The simplest example would be ATA_IDENTIFY which reads the manufacturer id
strings and drive capacity, this makes a formatter rather easier to automate
rather than having to get the user to enter C/S/H geometry.

A more complex example would be reading from CD-ROM, or as hinted in another
thread possible a Domesday-a-like DVD-ROM drive,
Sprow.