Date   : Sat, 30 Mar 1985 10:01:00 PST
From   : Alan Bomberger <ACB.TYM@OFFICE-2.ARPA>
Subject: 5 inch formats

[]

The multiple disk format problem is mostly one of information.  Almost any disk
formatter can be made to format for a wide variety of 5 inch formats provided 
you have the source.  The AMPRO MULTIDSK is a fine example.  I have expanded it
to handle many more disks simply by changing the tables in it.  However, 
finding out the formats of disks is a problem.  I wonder if there is a document
of the various 5 inch formats available through this list.  If not I propose to
solicit the information and prepare such a document.  I unfortunately expect to
lose access to ARPANET within a few weeks, but would be happy to do what I can.

Include the following information, I will figure out the best way to present it
when I see the information.

   Name of system and format

   Size of Physical sectors

   Number of physical sectors per track

   Number of the "first" sector (ie  0 or 1 or 16)

   If two sided or not

   If two sided the number of the first sector on the second side (some offset 
   them so that the numbers appear continuous)

   If two sided, whether or not the tracks are treated as cylinders or not (ie 
   up one side and down the other or alternating side to side)

   The number of reserved tracks

   The number of CP/M sectors per track (not totally redundant when combined 
   with the above.  The QX-10 has 2 reserved tracks but believes that there are
   80 sectors per track (both sides) thus reserving much to much )

   The allocation size

   The number of directory allocations

If you know all this is is possible to format the disks and to modify the BIOS 
disk blocks to use the format.