Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 21:25:51 -0500 Message-Id: <200102130225.VAA00462@envy.delorie.com> X-Authentication-Warning: envy.delorie.com: dj set sender to dj AT envy DOT delorie DOT com using -f From: DJ Delorie To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com In-reply-to: <3a8896fa$0$96557$272ea4a1@news.execpc.com> (NoEmailAds AT execpc DOT com) Subject: Re: 18-sector limit with biosdisk() References: <3jo78to69hpd1d0m128fcgk26a3th2qggv AT 4ax DOT com> <2593-Fri09Feb2001165411+0200-eliz AT is DOT elta DOT co DOT il> <3a8896fa$0$96557$272ea4a1 AT news DOT execpc DOT com> Reply-To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com Errors-To: nobody AT delorie DOT com X-Mailing-List: djgpp AT delorie DOT com X-Unsubscribes-To: listserv AT delorie DOT com Precedence: bulk > >> > Does this mean that if we bump the limit to 21 sectors, programs might > >> > choke with som BIOSes? > > I don't believe it will. Most programs assume every floppy disk > is 1.44 meg. These programs will read/write, at most, 18 sectors; > blissfully unaware of the extra capability of biosdisk() Besides, the 18-sector limit is only there because biosdisk() needs to allocate real-mode memory for the buffer. It won't hurt to allocate a little more; nobody will know unless they ask for more than 18 sectors anyway, and the program will just get whatever error code the BIOS would return to a real mode program.