How to read DOS floppy in cp/m? Is it possible at all?

[Laszlo Szolnoki]

Hi,

I am able to read the floppy sectors (IBM 720k 5.25" DD disk). However I was not able to figure out, how to access the DOS file system. I use RomWBW  dev branch. Any kind of help and suggestion would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Laszlo
p.s. Floppy access only with RomWBW.

[Alex K]

Have you used the FAT utility included with RomWBW? It may be useful. I would try however formatting the floppy on the RomWBW system first, and then trying it in a DOS system if possible. Then copy your files and move the disk back to your RomWBW system.

This is the method I use with 1.44MB floppies with the FLOCK controller. When I format them in RomWBW using the FAT utility, they can be used in modern systems with a USB Floppy drive as FAT12 disks. I have no problem adding files to the disk from say a new mac or windows system. 

In CP/M, the util is used using numeric IDs for the FAT device and letters for the CP/M drive. Off the top of my head, if you had a floppy in your RomWBW system and your floppy drive is unit 2, you would run

A>FAT COPY 2:/*.* F:

This should copy everything on the disk to the F user area, adjust as needed. I hope this helps in some way. 

[Laszlo Szolnoki]

Hello Alex,
not yet. I only have floppy drives on my RomWBW cpm22. All my desktops do not have floppy interfaces anymore. I am currently modifying FDU to access my particular floppy formats. In the meantime it works for almost all of my floppies. Then I have to add the basics to fd.asm. And then I will try again with FAT.COM. Anyway, thanks for your suggestions. 

Cheers

Laszlo