Date : Mon, 01 Apr 1985 00:47:00 MST (Mon)
From : Keith Petersen <W8SDZ@SIMTEL20.ARPA>
Subject: FBAD60 non-destructive disk test program
FBAD60 is now available from SIMTEL20 as:
Filename Type Bytes CRC
Directory MICRO:<CPM.DSKUTL>
FBAD60.LBR.1 BINARY 30208 0393H
FBAD is a NON-DESTRUCTIVE disk test program for CP/M-80. It will find
all bad blocks on a disk and build a file [UNUSED].BAD to allocate
them, thus "locking out" the bad blocks so CP/M will not use them.
This allows continued use of the disk as though it had no bad areas.
If an [UNUSED].BAD file is found on the disk before the test you will
be prompted to keep the existing file (and all currently flagged bad
blocks) or erase it and only flag the bad blocks found on the current
pass.
Good news for CP/M+ users! You can use FBAD60. Dave Mabry says: I
have included a file in the LBR called BIOS2RSX.RSX which is an RSX
for CP/M Plus that will allow FBAD to work on CP/M Plus operating
systems. In order to use FBAD on CP/M Plus you must attach the RSX to
FBAD.COM as follows:
GENCOM FBAD60 BIOS2RSX
Then the resultant FBAD60.COM will then run properly on CP/M Plus
but will not run on CP/M V2.2 or earlier without removing the RSX.
Here is what's new in recent updates to FBAD:
; 03/28/85 Cleaned up some code that sends messages.
; v60 Modified STOP routine so that you really can abort the
; program with ^C. - Dave Mabry
;
; 03/16/85 Program will ask you if you want to continue checking on the
; v59 same drive as originally entered - added a byte at the end of
; the code (ORIGDR) to store the value from the FCB.
; ( Ken Kaplan )
;
; 12/12/84 Added the ability to keep bad blocks that were flagged in a
; v58 previous [UNUSED].BAD file. If a block was ever flagged as
; bad by this program, it is probably weak. If on a subse-
; quent test, it makes it through the BIOS retires and is read
; successfully, I want the block to stay in the [UNUSED].BAD
; file. Removed the coded in LTOP which cleared the high byte
; of HL after a call to RECTRN. My BIOS (Morrow DJDMA) sets
; the high bit of HL to indicated side 1 of a double-sided
; drive. - Ron Schwabel (Ron Schwabel)
;
; 11/29/84 Integrated Mike Webbs idea to display Track-Nr. Changed DOC
; v57 up front accordingly. - BGE
;
; 07/04/84 Added Ted Shapin's fixes from 1981 that were not included in
; v56 the 06/07/84 version. Reformatted.
; - Irv Hoff
;
; 06/07/84 Added code at CHKSYS to skip system tracks if more than 5
; v55 are present (most systems use 1 or at most 2 tracks for the
; system). This makes the program practical for both floppy
; and Winchester systems. Cosmetic change for printer logging
; to add CR/LF after 76 *'s. Fixed problem in DECOUT to give
; correct total for max size Winchester disks.
; - DHR
--Keith