🚀 go-pugleaf

kylscott@mksol.dseg.ti.com (kyl w scott) writes:
>I am writing some simple software to work my QIC-80 tape drive.
>In doing so, I need exclusive use of the floppy diskette controller,
>addresses 03f0-03f7.  DOS seems to poll the controller periodically
>(every 30-60 seconds or so), writing to 03f2, and occasionally to
>03f6. 

If it's that frequency (a few times per minute), my guess is that it's
the floppy motor turn-off. This byte-counter keeps counting down continuously
and turning the floppy motors off at 00, despite the fact that the motors are
already turned off. This happens every 256/18.2 seconds.

As a quick fix you might try setting 40h:40h to some fixed value every
clocktick (don't set it to 1 or 0! ;). But then of course, your floppy
motors will never turn off after using them...

>(I tried calling Microsoft, and they couldn't
>help without setting up an expensive tech support contract :( ).

%!*!@!*^H^H^H
No, let's not turn this into a microsoft-bashing thread (but do remember
the old saying: "If it's from microsoft, don't buy it.")

Greetings,
-- Jan-Pieter
cornet@duteca.et.tudelft.nl