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From: tony@ur-cvsvax.UUCP (Tony Movshon)
Newsgroups: net.micro
Subject: IBM => DEC Rainbow???
Message-ID: <152@ur-cvsvax.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 15-Dec-84 23:12:53 EST
Article-I.D.: ur-cvsva.152
Posted: Sat Dec 15 23:12:53 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 18-Dec-84 03:24:53 EST
References: <1971@vax4.UUCP> <10400175@uiucdcs.UUCP>
Organization: Center for Visual Science, U. of Rochester
Lines: 39

Ok, folks, here's the scoop on Rainbow <==> IBM file transfer.

1. Reading IBM diskettes on the Rainbow
	This works fine as long as you format the IBM disk (on the IBM)
	using the command "format drv:/1". This makes the disk a PCDOS
	2.0, 9-sector, single-sided, 180 kbyte format. The Rainbow will
	read these fine as long as the MEDIACHK function is on (the de-
	fault). A disk formatted in this way may be read and written on
	the Rainbow. Once written on the Rainbow, however, it is no
	longer readable on the IBM, hence ...
2. Reading Rainbow diskettes on the IBM
	The problem here is that the Rainbow's 96 tpi drive has a head
	narrower than the PC's 48 tpi drive. If you format on the IBM,
	the Rainbow will only rewrite part of the track. Then the IBM
	sees only gibberish. The Rainbow's utilities do not permit
	formatting a disk in IBM PC format. You need to get a program 
	called "Media Master" (MDG Associates, 4573 Heatherglen Ct.,
	Moorpark, CA 93021, 805 529-5073). This is a CP/M-80 package
	that will format, read and write disks in about 25 different
	formats. Now, having to copy all your disks under CP/M is a pain
	if you use MSDOS, BUT ... it turns out that if you take a brand
	new unformatted diskette (i.e. NOT a preformatted RX50), format
	it in PCDOS 2.0 format using Media Master, you can write that
	disk under Rainbow MSDOS and it will read on a PC 99% of the
	time. So all you do is crank up Media Master, format yourself
	a bunch of disks, and use these for transfer. Beware: you cannot
	write these disks successfully on a PC.
3. So ...
	What you end up with is two sets of disks: formatted and written
	on the PC, NOT TO BE WRITTEN ON THE RAINBOW; and formatted and
	written on the Rainbow, NOT TO BE WRITTEN ON THE PC. Works fine,
	it's just a little tedious.

4. Software for the IBMPC almost never runs on the Rainbow unless it's
really just generic MSDOS.

					Tony Movshon

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