Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!bbn!mit-eddie!bloom-beacon!gatech!ncar!noao!mcdsun!mcdchg!clyde!mtunx!whuts!homxb!homxc!rps From: rps@homxc.UUCP (R.SHARPLES) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc Subject: Re: 3.5 inch and 1.44 Meg Message-ID: <2085@homxc.UUCP> Date: 4 May 88 18:45:37 GMT References: <983@tjalk.cs.vu.nl> Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Holmdel Lines: 30 Keywords: 3.5 inch 1.44 Meg FORMAT.COM, doesn't work Summary: Yes, you need DOS 3.3 In article <983@tjalk.cs.vu.nl>, se6@cs.vu.nl (Houweling E) writes: > I've just installed a 3.5 inch, 1.44 Mb disk drive in a XT clone > with DOS 3.2. > The drive works all right, but FORMAT.COM formats it at just 720 Kb and > refuses to give me the full 1.44 Meg capacity. > (Yes, I used high-density disks) The manuals gave no answers, so I'm stuck. > I wonder if maybe DOS 3.3 is needed for those high-density 3.5 disks ?? Yes, DOS 3.3 is needed. Microsoft as well as many hardware vendors will tell you flat out that DOS 3.2 won't support 1.4 meg format. Some drives come with a CONFIG.SYS device driver that will allow 1.44 meg format but this driver generally costs $100 - $150. For $120, DOS 3.3 is a better deal. HOWEVER! You must be sure that your controller will support 1.44meg. The standard XT controller will not! Just like an XT controller won't support 1.2meg 5.25" drives, it won't support 1.44meg on 3.5" drives, even if the disk drive will. The controller must send a special command to the drive to switch it into the higher density mode. A number of companies make disk drive controllers that support this, COPY II PC Deluxe Option Board comes to mind, SYSGEN, Tigertronics also. Russ Sharples homxc!rps NOTE: The above in NO WAY reflects the opinions of AT&T. These opinions are my own and the results of un-scientific and highly irregular analysis methods.