Technical questions for the MPC2000xl and the MPC2000
By Clint Fri Nov 16, 2012 8:59 pm
dmcsb wrote:Tell me My 2KXL does not see the folder, I use the floppy disk drive.


Okay, your 2KXL does not see the folder, you use the floppy drive...










































































Just kidding lol, can you give some more details?
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By *Pilchard* Fri Nov 16, 2012 9:21 pm
It's been a while since I either used or had a floppy drive in the XL but,
am I not right in thinking you can't create or use folders on the floppy disk but, only on SCSI drives?
I may be mistaken of course :shock: :oops: :oops: :hmmm: :hmmm:

Somebody with a floppy please chime in !
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By JUKE 179r Fri Nov 16, 2012 10:50 pm
Zdrast-voo-tye!
I never used the folder management when I had a floppy drive. But that doesn't mean it can't be done.
I wonder if it depends on the 2000XL's Operating System?
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By JUKE 179r Fri Nov 16, 2012 11:13 pm
Found this but don't know if it refers to just Zip disks and/or Floppy discs... http://www.mpc2000xl.com/fatvsmpc.htm

To FAT or not to FAT?

There's no requirement to format disks on the MPC before use. It is possible to strictly use DOS formated disks only.

If you use DOS disks you have to be aware of the following:

Can't use long filenames. This is easy to work around though. Just remeber to keep it 8 characters or less.

Can't put more than about 500 files in the root directory of a drive. This is a limitation to DOS itself (if formatted on the Akai, there is a higher limit but I have not hit it yet). Note that this applies only to the "root" of the drive and you can place more files in directories.

Can't create folders. However, you can create folders on a PC and the MPC can recognize and use these folders (usually).

Some benefits to using DOS format:

Don't have to worry about accidentally sticking a disk in computer and destroying the data.

Data can be read by computer. (well, a computer can read MPC formatted too, but it is a chance I do not take)

You can use your computer to backup the data.

If do try to read an MPC formatted disk with you PC you may see strange behavior. Akai based the file system for the original MPC's in a DOS3.x fashion. Will the MPC2k, they moved up to a DOS4.x system. Along the way Akai implemented their own format of using long filenames long before Microsoft even dreamed it up. Unfortunately for PC users, Microsoft did not follow Akai's model of using long filenames (imagine that!). So when a Windows reads a disk written to by the MPC, it will only read the first 8 characters. So if you have long filename with the using the first 8 characters they all look the same in Windows.

If you need to backup an MPC2000XL formatted disk that does not have folders, do not use filenames longer than 8 characters, or use a program like disk2file or WinHex that creates a image file of drives like Zip regardless of the file system or folders structure. I have started to prefer Winhex since it does not depend on having an ASPI layfer in the system so it tends to be more compatible with non-SCSI drives, such as USB.

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By *Pilchard* Sat Nov 17, 2012 1:12 am
note: I should add, IDE drives as well.

Hope someone comes along and answers this definitively soon.
I don't want to have to open up my XL and refit the floppy drive again just out of curiosity. :hmmm: :|
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By dmcsb Sat Nov 17, 2012 2:11 pm
Hi, everybody. I Will try to explain once again :) 2KXL OS 1.14
I have only flopy the disk drive!!!!
When I put a diskette i press shift + load that in the right top corner at me there is no ROOT
I create on my diskette of 1.33 Mb for example 5 folders. and on Акаi them it is not visible.
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By SimonInAustralia Sat Nov 17, 2012 11:51 pm
Maybe the MPC2000XL just doesn't support folders on a floppy?

In the Disk Operation section of the manual, it has a section called "Saving to Folders on a SCSI Device".

It says...
Creating a New Folder
If you have a SCSI disk device connected to the MPC2000XL, you can make separate folders that you can save files to, the same as you would on a computer.


...which to me at least, indicates that folders are only supported on SCSI disks, and not on floppy disks.
Last edited by SimonInAustralia on Sat Nov 17, 2012 11:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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By *Pilchard* Sat Nov 17, 2012 11:56 pm
I think that's what I said.
But you put it so much better Simon :-D :-D
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By mr_debauch Sat Nov 17, 2012 11:57 pm
well I know folders work on IDE card readers and that too... never thought to make a folder on a floppy though. What would be the point... a floppy is practically a folder in itself.
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By SimonInAustralia Sun Nov 18, 2012 12:00 am
mr_debauch wrote:well I know folders work on IDE card readers and that too... never thought to make a folder on a floppy though. What would be the point... a floppy is practically a folder in itself.

IDE card readers were probably not an option until after the manual was written, so I guesss that they are treated the same as SCSI drives by the MPC, in terms of files and folders.

I have 2 XLs with floppies here, one with 1.12, one with 1.20, will give them a test when I have a chance.
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By SimonInAustralia Sun Nov 18, 2012 12:57 am
Just tested it.

The MPC2000XL does not support folders/directories on floppy disks, that is just the way it is.

The folder/directory icon and field in the top right of the Disk Mode screen do not appear when the Device is set to Floppy, as it does appear with SCSI and IDE drives.

A folder/directory created on the floppy when connected to a PC, appears on the MPC2000XL as a file of unknown type, it can not be opened and viewed/used as a folder.

Nothing you can do about it, use a SCSI or IDE drive instead, if you want to use folders/directories.
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By mr_debauch Sun Nov 18, 2012 10:04 am
SimonInAustralia wrote:IDE card readers were probably not an option until after the manual was written, so I guesss that they are treated the same as SCSI drives by the MPC, in terms of files and folders.


that is what I suspected... ah well...
By m56p87 Sun Nov 18, 2012 7:40 pm
mr_debauch wrote: What would be the point... a floppy is practically a folder in itself.


+1