(Answer) (Category) SCO UnixWare 7/OpenUNIX 8/OpenServer 6 FAQ : (Category) Media/Device Information, Filesystems, and Disks :
Why are there many references to floppy drivers? For example /dev/fd0 and /dev/dsk/fd03ht.
There are many different floppy devices. Unix needs to know what type of floppy disk is being used in order to make it work properly. fd0... is the first floppy or like the DOS drive A and fd1... is the second floppy or like the DOS driver B. The /dev directory has the following devices.

Block 

     fd0         fd048       fd096ds15   fd1135ds18  fd148ds8    fd196ds18
     fd0135ds18  fd048ds8    fd096ds18   fd1135ds36  fd148ds9    fd196ds9
     fd0135ds36  fd048ds9    fd096ds9    fd1135ds9   fd196
     fd0135ds9   fd096       fd1         fd148       fd196ds15
Raw 
     rfd0         rfd048       rfd096ds15   rfd1135ds18  rfd148ds8    rfd196ds18
     rfd0135ds18  rfd048ds8    rfd096ds18   rfd1135ds36  rfd148ds9    rfd196ds9
     rfd0135ds36  rfd048ds9    rfd096ds9    rfd1135ds9   rfd196
     rfd0135ds9   rfd096       rfd1         rfd148       rfd196ds15

fd0 is the generic floppy install device. The system will use the format it finds on the floppy.
fd0135ds18 is for a 3.5" 1.4 MB floppy.
fd0135ds36 is for a 3.5" 2.88 MB floppy.
fd0135ds9 is for a 3.5" 720 KB floppy.
fd048 is a 5.25" generic double side floppy.
fd048ds8 is 5.25" 8 sectors per track 320 KB floppy.
fd048ds9 is 5.25" 9 sectors per track 360 KB floppy.
fd096 is 5.25" generic double sided double or high density floppy.
fd096ds15 is 5.25" 15 sectors per track High Density 1.2 MB floppy.
fd096ds18 is 5.25" 18 sectors per track High Density floppy.
fd096ds9 is 5.25" 9 sectors per track, double sided, double density 360 KB floppy.

and for each of the above fd0 would be fd1 second floppy with the same characistics.

/dev/dsk/

     f0       f03mt    f05d9    f0d9dt   f13ct    f13nt    f15h     f1q15d
     f03c     f03n     f05d9t   f0d9t    f13d     f15d16   f15ht    f1q15dt
     f03ct    f03nt    f05h     f0q15d   f13dt    f15d16t  f15q     f1q18dt
     f03d     f05d16   f05ht    f0q15dt  f13e     f15d4    f15qt    f1q9dt
     f03dt    f05d16t  f05q     f0q18d   f13et    f15d4t   f1d8d    f1t
     f03e     f05d4    f05qt    f0q18dt  f13h     f15d8    f1d8dt
     f03et    f05d4t   f0d8d    f0q9dt   f13ht    f15d8t   f1d8t
     f03h     f05d8    f0d8dt   f0t      f13m     f15d8u   f1d9d
     f03ht    f05d8t   f0d8t    f1       f13mt    f15d9    f1d9dt
     f03m     f05d8u   f0d9d    f13c     f13n     f15d9t   f1d9t

Remember that f0 is the first floppy and f1 is the second with the following characteristics.

3e is for 3.5" extra high density 2.88 MB floppy.
3h is for 3.5" high density 1.44 MB floppy.
3d is for 3.5 double density 720 KB floppy.
5h is for a 5.25" high density 1.2 MB floppy.
5d16 is for a 5.25" double density, 16 sectors per track 320 KB floppy.
5d9 is for a 5.25" double density, 9 sectors per track 360 KB floppy.
5d8 is for a 5.25" double density, 8 sectors per track 320 KB floppy.
54d is for a 5.25" dbouble density, 4 sectors per track 320 KB floppy.
The rest are left up to the reader.



[Append to This Answer]
Previous: (Answer) What is the device name of the diskette drive?
Next: (Answer) How do I write files to a diskette and list them?
This document is: http://www.zenez.com/cgi-bin/ou8faq/faq?file=217
[Search] [Appearance]
This is a Faq-O-Matic 2.721.