Rk8e/Rk8l Disk Formatter Program

Summary

The RK8E/RK8L Disk Formatter Program is a diagnostic tool designed for PDP-8 family computers to write and verify the standard DEC surface format on disk cartridges used with RK8E or RK8L disk controllers.

Key Features:

• Functionality: It writes data to every sector of the disk in "Write All" mode and then performs a verification using "Read Data" mode, which checks that the header words are correct and the data area contains the expected information.
• Hardware Compatibility: Supports PDP-8/E, /F, /M, or /A computers with RK8E/RK8L disk controllers and RK05J or RK05F disk drives.

• Operating Modes:

  • Standalone: Standard operation via the computer console.
  • Console Package: Allows control via a terminal (like an ASR-33 teletype) without using the hardware switch register. It also supports running the diagnostic under the APT-8 system.

• Operator Interaction: The program prompts the user to select specific disk drives for formatting. It provides status and error reporting, allowing for selective retries (e.g., recalibrating a disk or re-attempting a format on a specific cylinder) if an error occurs.

• Configuration: Users can adjust various parameters (such as IOT device codes) via the switch register or the "Pseudo Switch Register" when using the Console Package.

The document includes detailed mounting and setup procedures for RK05J and RK05F drives, instructions for running the program, error message descriptions, and a complete assembly listing of the diagnostic code.