If you have been a DOS 2 user in the
past and made the mistake of transferring all your files to DOS 3 when
you bought a 1050 you are probably now regretting it. Whilst DOS 3
allows you to convert from DOS 2, it does not allow conversion back
(Perhaps Atari really did know what DOS 3 was like!).
If your first drive was the 1050, then
you probably don't know about DOS 2 anyway. DOS 3 is fine for
beginners but once you have passed the learning stage, you will want a
DOS that is a utility and nothing more. You will need a fast and
functional DOS. DOS 2 may not be the best but it is certainly better
for the experienced user than DOS 3. You will have to trade off the
enhanced density of the 1050 drive as DOS 2 will not support it but
you will benefit from more time and less frustration when doing those
disk housekeeping chores. In addition you will get greater compatibility
with other users for DOS 2 is still the accepted standard for all
systems.
HOW DO I DO IT?
Until now you couldn't but ACCESS III
will allow you to convert all your DOS 3 files to DOS 2. It is quite
simple to use. Type in the listing and, having checked it with TYPO
II. SAVE a copy before running it. RUN the program and you will be
prompted to insert a DOS 2 formatted disk in the drive whereupon a
file called ACCESS.III will be written to the disk. This file can be
loaded with Option L (Binary Load) of the DOS 2 menu and will run
automatically.
The program fully prompts you to insert
disks and type filenames in the correct order. Note that the program
does not copy an entire disk, each file must be copied individually.
It will also work with other DOS systems if, for example, you use true
double density and wish to use one of your programs on a
single-density drive.
Atari's next revision of DOS will be an
upgraded version of DOS 2 so it looks as if DOS 3 is destined for
oblivion. With ACCESS.III in your utility collection however, all is
not lost!
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