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- COMPARISON BETWEEN DOS FORMAT, FDFORMAT 1.8 AND 2M/2MF 2.1
- ÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕÕ
-
- Note: If you are a DISKCOPY or FORMAT programs
- programmer, read the note at the end of
- this file as soon as possible.
-
-
- 2M is not only the highest capacity formatter at this moment, but
- also 2M diskettes are the faster ones. This test will show it to you.
- Note that some absolute results may slightly vary from one computer to
- another, but the relation between formatter programs doesn't vary. If
- you decide to use 2M, you will realize that default formats (820/1476K
- and 984/1804/3608K) are also as reliable as DOS standard 360K/1.2M and
- 720K/1.44/2.88M).
-
-
- 1. - MAXIMUM STORAGE AFTER FORMAT.
- ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ
- Physical limits are 1,025,000 for 5¨-DD (with 82 tracks) and 1,708,224
- bytes in 5¨-HD. In 3´-DD (high density controller card at 300 Kbit/sec)
- the limit is 1,230,000 bytes; in 3´-HD, 2,050,000 bytes.
-
- ⁄ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¬ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒø
- ≥ Double Density ≥ High Density ≥
- ⁄ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒø
- ≥ FORMAT (40/80t) ≥ 368,640 (360K) ≥ 1,228,800 (1,200K) ≥ ≥
- ≥ FDFORMAT (82t) ≥ 839,680 (820K) ≥ 1,511,424 (1,476K) ≥ 5.25 ≥
- ≥ 2MF /F (82t) ≥ 839,680 (820K) ≥ 1,511,424 (1,476K) ≥ ≥
- ≥ 2MF /M (82t) ≥ 923,648 (902K) ≥ 1,595,392 (1,558K) ≥ (5¨) ≥
- √ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒ¥
- ≥ FORMAT (40/80t) ≥ 737,280 (720K) ≥ 1,474,560 (1,440K) ≥ ≥
- ≥ FDFORMAT (82t) ≥ 839,680 (820K) ≥ 1,763,328 (1,722K) ≥ 3.5 ≥
- ≥ 2MF /F (82t) ≥ 1,007,616 (984K) ≥ 1,847,296 (1,804K) ≥ ≥
- ≥ 2MF /M (82t) ≥ 1,091,584 (1,066K) ≥ 1,931,264 (1,886K) ≥ (3´) ≥
- ¿ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¡ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¡ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¡ƒƒƒƒƒƒŸ
-
- ⁄ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒø
- ≥ Extra High Density ≥
- ⁄ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒø
- ≥ FORMAT (40/80t) ≥ 2,949,120 (2,880K) ≥ ≥
- ≥ 2MF /F (82t) ≥ 3,694,592 (3,608K) ≥ 3.5 ≥
- ≥ 2MF /M (82t) ≥ 3,862,528 (3,772K) ≥ (3´) ≥
- ¿ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¡ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¡ƒƒƒƒƒƒŸ
-
-
- 2. - PERFORMANCE AT DOS LEVEL.
- ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ
- In order to compare the real performance of different diskette formats,
- here are the results of a simple test. To simplify, only 3.5-HD diskette
- results are shown. The TEST directory of hard disk contained two files of
- 256 Kb, 3 files of 128 Kb, 4 files of 64 Kb, 5 files of 32 Kb, 6 files of
- 16 Kb and 1 file of 15.5 Kb, totalling 1423.5 Kb on 21 files.
-
- Write test: COPY C:\TEST\*.* B:
- Read test: COPY /B B:\*.* NUL
-
- ⁄ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¬ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¬ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¬ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¬ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¬ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¬ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒø
- ≥ Disk Size ≥ 1.44 ≥ 1.44 ≥ 1.64 ≥ 1.72 ≥ 1.80 ≥ 1.88 ≥
- √ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¥
- ≥ Formatter ≥ FORMAT ≥FDFORMAT ≥FDFORMAT ≥FDFORMAT ≥ 2MF ≥ 2MF ≥
- √ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¥
- ≥ Write time ≥ 1:17.27 ≥ 1:06.72 ≥ 1:00.74 ≥ 1:27.05 ≥ 1:15.30 ≥ 1:23.93 ≥
- √ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¥
- ≥ Read time ≥ 0:59.82 ≥ 0:48.50 ≥ 0:44.11 ≥ 1:05.69 ≥ 0:43.78 ≥ 0:54.16 ≥
- √ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¥
- ≥ Free space left≥ 0 ≥ 0 ≥ 203,776 ≥ 287,744 ≥ 370,688 ≥ 454,656 ≥
- √ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¥
- ≥ Write (Kb/sec) ≥ 18.42 ≥ 21.34 ≥ 23.44 ≥ 16.35 ≥ 18.90 ≥ 16.96 ≥
- √ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¥
- ≥ Read (Kb/sec) ≥ 23.80 ≥ 29.35 ≥ 32.27 ≥ 21.67 ≥ 32.51 ≥ 26.28 ≥
- √ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¥
- ≥ Kb/sec average ≥ 21.11 ≥ 25.35 ≥ 27.86 ≥ 19.01 ≥ 25.71 ≥ 21.62 ≥
- ≥ Relative Index ≥ 100.00 ≥ 120.09 ≥ 131.98 ≥ 90.05 ≥ 121.79 ≥ 102.42 ≥
- ¿ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¡ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¡ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¡ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¡ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¡ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¡ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒŸ
-
- Notes:
- - The test was executed on MS-DOS 6.2 with only 2M and FDREAD in memory.
- - /B switch is necessary to COPY binary files onto character device as NUL.
- - Reading from hard disk takes 5.5 sec (measured with the command COPY /B
- C:\TEST\*.* NUL), this time was subtracted from write test's time.
- - Diskette drive motor was on when COPY started.
- - FDFORMAT diskettes were formatted with /X:2 and /Y:3 switches.
-
-
- 3. - PERFORMANCE AT FULL-TRACK ACCESS LEVEL.
- ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ
- This results are obtained with the 2M-FDTR (Floppy Data Transfer Rate)
- utility, which reads/writes a complete diskette in whole-track blocks,
- always taking care on never using buffers across 64K DMA frontier (which
- will results in less performance). All statistics shown are in Kb/sec.
- The physical limits are: 36,62 Kb/sec at 300 Kbps (5¨-DD and 2M 3´-DD)
- and 61,03 Kb/sec at 500 Kbps (5¨-HD and 3´-HD). This results are only
- possible on AT computers.
-
- ⁄ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¬ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¬ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒø
- ≥ Double Density ≥ High Density ≥ Extra High D. ≥
- √ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¥
- ≥ Read Write ≥ Read Write ≥ Read Write ≥
- ⁄ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒø
- ≥ FORMAT ≥ 18.16 18.16 ≥ 30.13 30.13 ≥ ≥ ≥
- ≥ FDFORMAT (*) ≥ 22.11 22.12 ≥ 39.73 39.73 ≥ ≥ 5.25 ≥
- ≥ FDFORMAT (**) ≥ 25.00 25.00 ≥ 25.26 25.23 ≥ ≥ ≥
- ≥ 2MF /F ≥ 25.04 25.00 ≥ 46.33 46.33 ≥ ≥ (5¨) ≥
- ≥ 2MF /M ≥ 16.49 16.49 ≥ 28.50 28.47 ≥ ≥ ≥
- √ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒ¥
- ≥ FORMAT ≥ 15.05 15.05 ≥ 30.14 30.14 ≥ ??.?? ??.?? ≥ ≥
- ≥ FDFORMAT (*) ≥ 19.32 19.32 ≥ 39.58 39.53 ≥ -- -- ≥ 3.5 ≥
- ≥ FDFORMAT (**) ≥ 21.78 21.75 ≥ 24.79 24.79 ≥ -- -- ≥ ≥
- ≥ 2MF /F ≥ 25.72 25.76 ≥ 48.49 48.50 ≥ ??.?? ??.?? ≥ (3´) ≥
- ≥ 2MF /M ≥ 16.25 16.25 ≥ 28.74 28.77 ≥ ??.?? ??.?? ≥ ≥
- ¿ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¡ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¡ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¡ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¡ƒƒƒƒƒƒŸ
- (*) DOS standard formats (360-720-1.2-1.44) and best /X and /Y.
- (**) Maximum capacity formats (820-1.48-1.72) and best /X and /Y.
-
-
- 4. - FORMAT TIME.
- ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ
- All results are been obtained in a 386-25 computer.
-
- ⁄ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¬ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¬ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒø
- ≥ Double Density ≥ High Density ≥ Extra High D. ≥
- ⁄ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒø
- ≥ FORMAT ≥ 0:37 ≥ 1:13 ≥ ≥ ≥
- ≥ FDFORMAT (*) ≥ 0:42 ≥ 1:24 ≥ ≥ 5.25 ≥
- ≥ FDFORMAT (**) ≥ 1:28 ≥ 1:52 ≥ ≥ ≥
- ≥ 2MF /F ≥ 1:24 ≥ 1:30 ≥ ≥ (5¨) ≥
- ≥ 2MF /M ≥ 2:33 ≥ 2:34 ≥ ≥ ≥
- √ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒ¥
- ≥ FORMAT ≥ 1:24 ≥ 1:34 ≥ ?:?? ≥ ≥
- ≥ FDFORMAT (*) ≥ 1:38 ≥ 1:42 ≥ -- ≥ 3.5 ≥
- ≥ FDFORMAT (**) ≥ 1:46 ≥ 2:17 ≥ -- ≥ ≥
- ≥ 2MF /F ≥ 1:37 ≥ 1:45 ≥ ?:?? ≥ (3´) ≥
- ≥ 2MF /M ≥ 2:46 ≥ 3:19 ≥ ?:?? ≥ ≥
- ¿ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¡ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¡ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¡ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¡ƒƒƒƒƒƒŸ
- (*) DOS standard formats (360-720-1.2-1.44) and best /X and /Y.
- (**) Maximum capacity formats (820-1.48-1.72) and best /X and /Y.
-
-
- 5. - PROGRAMMERS NOTE.
- ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ
- The /X and /Y switches of Christoph H. HochstÑtter FDFORMAT used in all
- the above tests are listed here, and are the best options in most cases in
- the AT systems (not in PC/XT):
- ⁄ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒø
- ≥ /X /Y ≥
- ⁄ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ≈ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¬ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¥
- ≥ 5¨-DD ≥ 1 ≥ 3 ≥
- ≥ 5¨-HD ≥ 2 ≥ 3 ≥
- ≥ 3´-DD ≥ 1 ≥ 2 ≥
- ≥ 3´-HD ≥ 2 ≥ 3 ≥
- ¿ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¡ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¡ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒŸ
-
- Too many disk copy programs I have tested until now don't get the
- maximun speed possible. When a 1.44M diskette is formatted with a correct
- sector sliding (using /X:2 and /Y:3 FDFORMAT options for example) a whole
- diskette must be read or write in 36 seconds, at sector access level. If
- the read/write buffer cross a 64K DMA frontier, the access is divided in
- some phases and many tracks needs more than one disk revolution. Some of
- the copy programs also write the tracks in a temporary file on hard disk
- just when read it from diskette, instead of wait until all memory becomes
- full. So, these programs are all slow because each track requires more
- than one disk revolution to be accesed. Also while using the DOS standard
- (incorrect) sector sliding of /X:0 and /Y:0, a whole disk read or write
- time is never above 48 seconds in 1.44M media.
-
- The sector sliding consist in a different numbering order of sectors in
- the tracks. Example with /X:2 (in head changes) and /Y:3 (track changes):
-
- Cyl 0 Side 0: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
- Cyl 0 Side 1: 17 18 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
- Cyl 1 Side 0: 14 15 16 17 18 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
- Cyl 1 Side 1: 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
-
- When diskette drive changes the side or cylinder active, some time is
- spent ... and may be sufficient to can not read or write the next track
- when drive head begins the operation (needed wait to next revolution).
-
- The memory is also divided in 64K areas by the DMA controller. No disk
- operations are possible involving two of this areas. For example, in the
- direction 1FE3:0000 a sector can not be read or write, because the memory
- directions involved are from 1FE3:0000 to 1FE3:01FF (from absolute 1FE30
- to absolute 2002F, in DMA pages 1 and 2). When DOS is loaded in computer,
- the BIOS INT 13h is fixed, maybe using an internal buffer... but disk
- performace get down, because disk operation is divided in some phases.
-
- Remember: use the correct sector sliding in your disk formats and never
- lets your program to cross any DMA frontier, if possible. If you think
- that is impossible to read or write 1.44M FDFORMAT /X:2 /Y:3 diskette in
- only 36 seconds ... or 1.80M 2M diskette in 37 seconds... execute 2M-FDTR
- on it!.
-