A PC floppy drive and an STF

[Peri Noid]

Hello there.

I have a (potentially) simple question: is it enough to switch a PC drive from default DS1 to DS0 to make it compatible with an STF and use it as its internal drive? Or does it need other adjustments?

I know about a ribbon, that it needs to be rotated - it's a competly secondary problem. And, of course, I want to use it only in DD mode.

[TGB1718]

I have used old PC floppy drives in the past (720K ones), still have some today, one is fitted internal in my STE.

As long as the ribbon cable is attached the correct way, (I am using the standard ribbon in the STE), I was lucky to have

PC floppy drives that didn't need the cable rotating, otherwise it's a bit short for the job and you'll need a short extender

if you don't want to strain the ribbon.

 

You only need to ensure the drive is set to DS0.

 

At one time I had 2 * 720K PC external floppy's attached to my old STM and a 5 1/4 DSDD (switchable as D0).

 

I've never managed to get a 1.44MB floppy to work in 720K mode, I know a mod is needed to use one

in 1.44MB mode, but it appears that it's also needed for one to work in 720K mode.

[Peri Noid]

Right now I took a Samsung drive, switched it do DS0 and it seems to work in this STF I'm repairing. I tried an Epson SMD-300 which had a simple drive selection jumper but it seems it's misaligned or has some other problems with disks - it read them but sometimes had problems with formatting. So I went on with a Samsung. The only thing that bothers me is... what will not work

2 hours ago, TGB1718 said:

I've never managed to get a 1.44MB floppy to work in 720K mode, I know a mod is needed to use one

in 1.44MB mode, but it appears that it's also needed for one to work in 720K mode.

It's possible to format a HD disk to DD and use it with Atari (especially with a good PC drive) - you need to cover a density selection window with a bit of sticky tape for instance.

Edited October 18, 2022 by Peri Noid

[TGB1718]

57 minutes ago, Peri Noid said:

It's possible to format a HD disk to DD and use it with Atari (especially with a good PC drive) - you need to cover a density selection window with a bit of sticky tape for instance

I must admit, I've never managed to do that, although they seem to format 720K, the ST refuses to read.

 

I have tried several different drives in the PC (mostly Sony and Teac drives, so good makes).

 

The drive I use to make floppy's from images in a PC (using PP's Floimage ?) works really well with 720K

disks, but again if I try an image to a 1.44MB floppy with the hole covered, it makes the disk, but

the ST fails to read it (really strange)🙃

[Peri Noid]

If the drive you mentioned is an USB one, it's possible. Many of them do not correctly handle DD data. I have one like this, it's not possible to properly write the data and then read it on an ST (data is written and is available ona PC using this drive but ST doesn't recognizer it).

 

Though you wrote, it can handle DD disks... Hmmm... Mine has the same problems with them as with HDs. 

Edited October 18, 2022 by Peri Noid

[TGB1718]

50 minutes ago, Peri Noid said:

If the drive you mentioned is an USB one,

No, it's a "proper" 1.44MB PC floppy drive, I keep an old PC just for this purpose as USB floppy's just can't cut it.