A Guide to Using DRIVER.SYS and Formatting Floppy Disks

Floppy disks have been around for decades, serving as a primary means of storing and transferring data between computers. One of the essential tools used to manage these floppy disks is the `DRIVER.SYS` file, which allows users to format their disks using various parameters. In this article, we'll explore the different parameters that can be used with `DRIVER.SYS`, as well as the MS-DOS versions that support these formats.

Supported Formats

The following table lists some of the standard floppy disk formats supported by MS-DOS:

| Format | Switches Used for DRIVER.SYS and FORMAT.EXE |

| --- | --- |

| 360K, 1.2MB, 1.44MB (PC/XT) | /f:360 /v /n:9 /s:18 |

| 720KB (PS/2) | /f:720 /v /n:12 /s:36 |

| 1.2MB (PS/2) | /f:1200 /v /n:15 /s:45 |

Recording Density

The recording density used to create these floppy disks varies depending on the format. For example, a 360K floppy disk has a recording density of approximately 250 tracks per inch (TPI), while a 1.44MB disk has a recording density of 800 TPI.

Media Descriptor Byte

Each floppy disk format has its own unique media descriptor byte. This byte is used to identify the type of disk and its capacity. The following table lists the media descriptor bytes for each of the formats mentioned above:

| Format | Media Descriptor Byte |

| --- | --- |

| 360K, 1.2MB, 1.44MB (PC/XT) | 00h |

| 720KB (PS/2) | 20h |

| 1.2MB (PS/2) | 40h |

Number of Sectors per FAT

The number of sectors per file allocation table (FAT) also varies depending on the format. For example, a 360K floppy disk has 9 sectors per FAT, while a 1.44MB disk has 18 sectors per FAT.

In conclusion, `DRIVER.SYS` is an essential tool for managing floppy disks under MS-DOS. By using the correct switches and parameters, users can format their disks to the desired capacity and use them with various versions of MS-DOS. Whether you're working on a PC/XT or PS/2 system, understanding the different formats and parameters available will help you get the most out of your floppy disks.

Formatted floppy disk