Catweasel online manual for the Amiga versions

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Contents of the disk

The exec-driver itself, it will be copied to your DEVS: directory by the installation disk.

This is a replacement for the mfm.device shipped with the Amiga OS. It redirects accesses to mfm.device to multidisk.device thus making programs using the mfm.device compatible to the Catweasel controller. You can choose the type of disk by the unit number you open: Units 0 and 1 access PC-HD disks in Catweasel drives 0 and 1. If you want to access PC-DD disks, use Unit numbers 2 and 3, where Unit number 2 accesses a DD-disk in Drive 0, and Unit 3 accesses a DD-disk in drive 1. Caution: The only way to recognise this "redirection device" is the filesize. Programs can't decide whether they're working with the real mfm.device or with this replacement, so this may cause confusion. Unfortunately, not every emulator uses mfm.device to access PC-disks, so this device won't solve all compatibility problems. Most of the times, it'll be necessary to write a letter to the programmer.

This is the filesystem for easy access to C-64 disks. The version optimised for your CPU will be copied to your L: directory by the installation script. Please read the file "changelog" in the L: directory for latest information and 1571-disk support.

Please don't use - if you want to boot, consider buying the Kylwalda bootadapter! A program to make Catweasel unit 0 bootable. It will set itself reset-proof and patch a few system routines to accomplish this. If you have more than 2 floppies connected to the standard floppy connections, df2 and df3 will disappear after reset. It will mount TD0: and TH0: This program can only be run from a Shell. See also Utilities/FreeSystem.

The preferences-program for multidisk.device is self-explaining. The sliders for the step-rate are only meant for older 5,25" drives that can't handle the standard-steprate of 3ms. This program will be copied to your prefs-directory by the installation script.

Due to a bug in CrossDosFilesystem, the filesystem will not detect diskchanges an any device other than the ones that existed when it was programmed. This program will modify it in a way that it will work with multidisk.device, but after modification, it will no longer work with mfm.device. You should make a safety-copy of the original file, because this program doesn't do this. Start this program only once.

A small tool, that opens a window allowing you to see the head-position of the floppies controlled by multidisk.device Use a parameter '0' or '1' to set the unit-number. It will end by clicking the window's close-gadget. If you wish to start it from a shell without loosing control of that shell, use run TrackWindow 0

A handy little tool that removes all pointers to any type of reset-proof structure in RAM. This includes reset-proof drivers like BootCat, the recoverable RAM- disk and viruses. A reset after executing this will start a clean system.

This tool tests the controller and a 3,5" drive connected as unit 0. First, the controller's memory is tested, then two cylinders of kickstart data are written to a DD-disk inserted in unit 0, afterwards the data is verified. This tool only works properly on the clock-port of the A1200, and it only works once after a reboot. It does not work if the Catweasel is connected to the Buddha or the X-Surf boards, and it will fail if multidisk is already open.

There are several mountlists in the Devs/DosDrivers drawer. To support different diskformats, you will need different mounts. Please note that there will be more than one mount to one physical drive, but the system will not notice that. Formatting a PC-disk in PD0: will loose a disk in TD0:, since that is one single disk, you are just changing formats. A disk inserted will be tested by all mounted drives. One will detect the format and show up with an icon. The others will report an unreadable disk. This is normal and should not be considered as a bug (Amiga OS has the same habit with DF0: and PC0:).

Please mind the correct drivetype when making your own mountlists, because the drivetype can't be identified by the controller. If you're using a mountlist for 3,5" drives on a 5,25" drive, you may experience funny errors. Reading disks may be possible, but writing to disks may destroy data without a chance of restoring it!

This document © Copyright 2000 Jens Schönfeld, individual Computers.