Macintosh-to-MS-DOS Connectivity: AFE and SuperDrive Problems




Some 1) Users of PS/2 systems routinely format double-
sided, double-density disks as 1.44MB (high-density). Apple File
Exchange won't mount these disks. Is this a hardware limitation, or
could a software patch be issued?

2) When storing Microsoft Word 5.0 for the PC documents on an AppleShare
File Server (using AppleShare PC 1.2), I have not been able to get
Microsoft Word 3.01 or 4.0 on the Macintosh to open the files. AFE
routinely does an incorrect WordPerfect translation of these documents.

3) Excel 2.x on the PC and Macintosh seems to use the same file format, so
that using AFE with default translation easily converts documents from
the disk. Is there a simple way to move from Microsoft Word 5.0 on the
PC and Word 3.01 or 4.0 on the Macintosh, which preserves style sheets?

High-density disks are physically different and tested to a different
specification than double-density disks. The high-density disks have a
special, thin recording surface that allows the higher data rates used in MFM
(Modified Frequency Modulation). The 800K or 400K disk may not be sensitive
enough to properly pick up and align the magnetic particles when the Apple
SuperDrive (formerly Apple FDHD) writes in MFM. This could cause corruption
of the stored data and may result in errors. The SuperDrive looks for the
additional "bonus hole" in the upper left-hand corner of the disk. If the
hole is not there, the drive will not recognize the MS-DOS disk as a high-
density disk. It is not a hardware limitation. This practice is unreliable,
unsupported, and not suggested. For more information, use keyword
"SuperDive" to search the Tech Info Library.

We do not have Microsoft Word 5.0 on PC to test the conversion. We are not
sure why you mentioned WordPerfect translation in your question either.
Microsoft told us that Word on the Macintosh should be able to directly read
the document and do the translation. Here are a couple things you might want
to try:

1) In Word 4.0, see if you can read your MS-DOS document this way: Hold
down the Shift key while going into "File" to open the file. "Open"
will change to "Open any file".

2) Make sure you use the latest and correct AFE translator file. The
DCA-RTF/Microsoft Word translator file is on the Microsoft Word
Utilities 1 Disk.

Because of the differences in the program on MS-DOS and Macintosh, features
such as outlining levels, styles, and tables may not be transferable.



Published Date: Feb 18, 2012