[HECnet] DECmate II and OS/278...

[Tim Sneddon]

On 8/07/2017 11:31 PM, Johnny Billquist wrote:
> Ah! Teledisk images.
> Basically, that's a proprietary format which is intended to be able to 
> restore the disk including the low level format. It's a bit difficult to 
> deal with if you are not using Teledisk. I know I have a tool somewhere 
> that can extract the actual data from such an image, which is what would 
> be more useful when you are writing it on an actual RX50 drive. I 
> believe I found it somewhere on the internet many moons ago, but 
> hopefully others have it too.

Yeah, I saw some details about the format described. I was only browsing 
so I didn't notice a tool, but there were details of the file structure.

> 
> In addition, RX50 drives in general only accept preformatted media, and 
> RX50 low level format is unlike any other disk format, so you either 
> need real RX50 floppies, or else some machine that is able to format 
> RX50 floppies. Of DEC equipment, only the Rainbow were actually able to 
> format RX50. Generic PCs can sometimes do it, if you have the right type 
> of controller and drive, and appropriate floppies. But success with that 
> have been a bit random when I've read about it. But I suspect it's your 
> best chance, since getting genuine RX50 floppies nowadays is even harder.
> 

I have genuine RX50 floppies that have been used in DECmate II and 
PRO350 systems.  I believe they should be adequately formatted.

Regards, Tim.