PureBasic Forums - English

Hi there,

I have been experimenting with some disk routines programmed using the Windows API (IOCTL). I have been able to successfully format and verify floppy disks, but I am unable to initialise them with the FAT, etc. I have been trying to use IOCTL_DISK_CREATE_DISK which works for things like compact flash cards, but not floppies which throws up a "The request is not supported" error.

Does anyone know how I can initialise a floppy disk for use using the Windows API?

Kind regards,

Francis

able to successfully format

Sounds like you are nearly there - have you searched the forum? I remember someone trying to do the same thing about a year or so ago. I assume the Windows API still supports floppy disks.....

IdeasVacuum wrote:

able to successfully format

Sounds like you are nearly there - have you searched the forum? I remember someone trying to do the same thing about a year or so ago. I assume the Windows API still supports floppy disks.....

I have searched the forum, but the only thing I found was using the fmifs.dll which doesn't give me the level of control I am looking for. I'm assuming that the Windows API still supports floppy disks to some degree as I can still format floppies through explorer, but who knows.

Kind regards,

Francis

What are you using to do the format, Windows Shell? SHFormatDrive()? I thought that might be good but it's depreciated.

Again old, but interesting: NTAPI Edit: No, it isn't, sorry.

I'm using the IOCTL functions such as IOCTL_DISK_FORMAT_TRACKS which are called under DeviceIoControl().

Kind regards,

Francis

Take a look at this: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/librar ... 85%29.aspx

How about
for all windows versions

IdeasVacuum wrote:Take a look at this: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/librar ... 85%29.aspx

I did look at this earlier, but I wasn't sure how to implement it in PB. I'll give it another look tomorrow.

Kind regards,

Francis

RASHAD wrote:How about
for all windows versions

Code: Select all

RunProgram("Format"," a: /V:Test /F:1.44 /S","")

Thanks, but that doesn't give me the level of control that I am looking for.

Kind regards,

Francis

It is worth sending a pm to JHPJHP - may have experience in this area.

Dreamland Fantasy wrote:Hi there,

I have been experimenting with some disk routines programmed using the Windows API (IOCTL). I have been able to successfully format and verify floppy disks, but I am unable to initialise them with the FAT, etc. I have been trying to use IOCTL_DISK_CREATE_DISK which works for things like compact flash cards, but not floppies which throws up a "The request is not supported" error.

Does anyone know how I can initialise a floppy disk for use using the Windows API?

Kind regards,

Francis

Isn't formatting the same as initializing a floppy?

FAT12 remains in use on all common floppy disks, including 1.44 MB and later 2.88 MB disks (media descriptor byte 0xF0).

I'm probably missing something, or perhaps it's mounting a floppy drive that you seek?

Formatting a disk, from the point of view of the IOCTL_DISK_FORMAT_TRACKS function, only formats the tracks.

Initialising (perhaps I'm using the wrong term here) the disk sets up the file system. Unless the disk is initialised it will not be accessible to Windows.

Kind regards,

Francis

There is some nice source code: Floppy Disk Format
It creates FAT12 for manually, but only supports the default 1.44 MB floppy.

Have to ask, why in the year 2016 you need floppies

fryquez wrote:There is some nice source code: Floppy Disk Format
It creates FAT12 for manually, but only supports the default 1.44 MB floppy.

Have to ask, why in the year 2016 you need floppies

Thanks for that link. Although it might be more complicated that doing a IOCTL_DISK_CREATE_DISK call, it may be just what I am looking for!

As for why I need floppies, I still use them for my Amigas (3.5") and BBC Micro (5.25" & 3.5"), plus my music keyboards uses 3.5" floppies.

Kind regards,

Francis

Hi Dreamland Fantasy,

I included an example in my Services, Stuff, and Shellhook post that may provide a solution.
- Stuff\OtherStuff\FormatDevice.pb