• Please review our updated Terms and Rules here

Tandy 1000TX 3.5" floppy drive only formatting disks at 360KB

VERAULT

VERAULT

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2012
Messages
8,605
Location
Connecticut, USA
So I picked up a tandy 1000TX machine complete with keyboard. The smartwatch battery IC is dead of course. Would like to buy a smartwatch replacement I saw on a @vwestlife video but the seller is away: https://www.tindie.com/products/cyberneticsys/smartwatch-clock-calendar-module/


The problem I am having is the 3.5" floppy drive is only formatting floppy disks at 360kb. Regardless of double density or High Density floppy disks.

Is there a setup disk for the TX I need to set these features in? I thought the TX didnt have a setup disk.

Also a question. This computer doesnt have DOS in ROM, so should I get the Lo-tech 1mb ramcard or Lo-tech 2mb EMS card to utilize those top memory addresses?

Could use some insight on this.
 
Last edited:
VERAULT said:
So I picked up a tandy 1000TX machine complete with keyboard. The smartwatch battery IC is dead of course. Would like to buy a smartwatch replacement I saw on a @vwestlife video but the seller is away: https://www.tindie.com/products/cyberneticsys/smartwatch-clock-calendar-module/


The problem I am having is the 3.5" floppy drive is only formatting floppy disks at 360kb. Regardless of double density or High Density floppy disks.

Is there a setup disk for the TX I need to set these features in? I thought the TX didnt have a setup disk.

Also a question. This computer doesnt have DOS in ROM, so should I get the Lo-tech 1mb ramcard or Lo-tech 2mb EMS card to utilize those top memory addresses?

Could use some insight on this.
Click to expand...

What version of DOS? It's been a minute since I had my TX out, but I remember with some of the older machines and dos versions I had to use a drivparm statement in the config.sys to get them to play nice with the 720k format.
 
almoerman said:
What version of DOS? It's been a minute since I had my TX out, but I remember with some of the older machines and dos versions I had to use a drivparm statement in the config.sys to get them to play nice with the 720k format.
Click to expand...
6.22. Just about all I run for Dos versions on all my old stuff.
 
You'll have to use driveparm for the Tandy 1000EX/HX/TX/SX with 720k 3.5 inch drives, or use Tandy MS-DOS which will detect the drive correctly.

I think MS-DOS 3.30 was the last to have a Tandy OEM version on 720k floppy. There was a 5.0 but it's on a high density, you'd have to make a boot disk for it.
 
HoJoPo said:
You'll have to use driveparm for the Tandy 1000EX/HX/TX/SX with 720k 3.5 inch drives, or use Tandy MS-DOS which will detect the drive correctly.

I think MS-DOS 3.30 was the last to have a Tandy OEM version on 720k floppy. There was a 5.0 but it's on a high density, you'd have to make a boot disk for it.
Click to expand...
Its strange. The 1.2Mb drive is second on the change but it seems to default to it so I can boot from it. If I install my XTIDE card (which I think I will end up putting in permanently) I can also boot without the floppy drives.

This will be the only way huh? Adding the Driveparm in config sys.. I take it the smartwatch battery has nothing at all to do with it? Just seems strange its the stock setup but it doesnt default to a 3.5" format. Can you guys answer. Is this a 720KB or 1.44MB drive for the 1000tx?
 
Chuck(G) said:
Depends--if you've got a lot of 360K 3.5" disks, it might be more convenient. Besides, people don't do things here for "benefit" anyway.
Click to expand...
Well sometimes we do. But I dont have alot of single sided double density disks (possibly none) so thanks for explaining that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top