Amiga Format - Coverdisk hunt

[prowler]

Originally Posted by dirkies

as I am the author of DiskSqueeze, I may be of help investigating why some files will not unpack correctly.

Hi dirkies,

There were some DiskSqueeze archives on the EAB File Server which were supposedly Amiga Format Subscriber disks 81-87. They are no longer there, but I could upload an archive containing them to the Zone for you.

The files were rejected as DiskSqueeze archives by the DiskSqueeze program, but I managed to unpack them with the LZX command line tool, but the resulting files were still not accepted as DiskSqueeze archives.

The original files have an LZX header and the unpacked files have a PKD header. Following the header, the unpacked files look very ADF-like in their structure, but they are not valid disk images and they are not the correct size either (some are larger, some are smaller).

I can upload another archive containing the unpacked files if you are interested.

Thanks.

Edit: AF132 ADFs in the Zone, TCD!

[TheCyberDruid]

And added to the file server
Gonna do 131 as well now and then call it a night

Edit : AF 131 coverdisks plus some others that are only available in dms format in the zone now prowler

[prowler]

Various Amiga Format ADFs in the Zone for you now, TCD!

Goodnight, mate!

[TheCyberDruid]

Thanks a lot prowler for converting them Added the lot now and more for you tomorrow mate
Oh and here as well now

Edit : I got some more stuff for you prowler When you get back, just let me know.

Edit 2 : The CD for issue 122 (#38) doesn't contain a DMS for the first disk. Just the data as folders, with some special Amiga formatted names for ShapeShifter.

Edit 3 : After checking 120 and 121, I'm pretty sure that the first one that included the coverdisks in DMS format was 122 (and that only for the second one).

[prowler]

Hi TCD,

I've just downloaded the archive from the Zone, thanks. I'll convert them for you shortly.

Those DiskSqueeze archives on the server were basically sound, but they had broken headers so wouldn't extract. I'll soon be be posting a question for dirkies about the header format to allow me to fix similar archives in future, but I'll unpack your ADF images first.

[TheCyberDruid]

Cheers prowler That will reduce the MIA list quite a bit. Seems like the last ones are rather hard to come by, as those are all within the 'CD/disk on cover' range.

[prowler]

Time to check the Zone again, TCD!

Originally Posted by TheCyberDruid

Seems like the last ones are rather hard to come by, as those are all within the 'CD/disk on cover' range.

Hard, but not impossible. Someone must have them. Let us hope that as the MIA list gets smaller, the effort to find them becomes more determined!

[antonvaltaz]

Just a thought, I think Amiga Format actually included the coverdisks on the CDs, possibly as DMS files or maybe just folders, I can't remember. It should in theory be possible to manually create the floppy images from the CD ISOs.

[TheCyberDruid]

Originally Posted by antonvaltaz

Just a thought, I think Amiga Format actually included the coverdisks on the CDs, possibly as DMS files or maybe just folders, I can't remember. It should in theory be possible to manually create the floppy images from the CD ISOs.

Those folders (which are the only thing that's available before issue 122) are incomplete. At least they lack the startup-sequence, but for example on issue 121 there are only 3 kb of data for the first disk. You can have a look yourself of course, as all cover CDs are available

@prowler
All added now

[antonvaltaz]

TCD,

Sorry, I've just realised I didn't read some of your previous posts properly, so my last post was irrelevant.

My bad!

[prowler]

Originally Posted by antonvaltaz

Just a thought, I think Amiga Format actually included the coverdisks on the CDs, possibly as DMS files or maybe just folders, I can't remember. It should in theory be possible to manually create the floppy images from the CD ISOs.

TCD has posted above that the first AFCD to include the coverdisks as DMS images was CD39 (Issue 123), and that was only for the second disk.

In other cases where the coverdisk files are included on the CD, they appear as a directory tree for each disk.

Although it would be possible to recreate the coverdisks from these files, it would not be easy for the reason that some of the files have had their default tools reassigned to point to those included on the CD.

Edit: Don't worry, antonvaltaz, your thoughts are not completely irrelevant. The only reason I realize the difficulties involved is because I have tried to use CD files in the past to repair corrupted coverdisks.

[TheCyberDruid]

Originally Posted by prowler

TCD has posted above that the first AFCD to include the coverdisks as DMS images was CD39 (Issue 123), and that was only for the second disk.

Actually it's CD38 (Issue 122) Like I said, there could be some possibility to create disks from the folders on the CDs, but we can never be sure how complete those are, so I guess that's a no-go.

[ElectroBlaster]

I found my adf'd sub disks if they are of any use. They are numbered but I cannot be 100% sure if the numbers are accurate. I need to find the actual disks and then I can scan the labels:

04
50
50a
51
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
74
75
76
77
78
79
80

[TheCyberDruid]

Thanks for having a look ElectroBlaster, but we got those already

[antonvaltaz]

Originally Posted by TheCyberDruid

Thanks for having a look ElectroBlaster, but we got those already

Although I don't think AMR has scans for all of them? That would be useful (at least to me )

[TheCyberDruid]

No idea You could check AMR and PM ElectroBlaster what's missing

[antonvaltaz]

Originally Posted by TheCyberDruid

No idea You could check AMR and PM ElectroBlaster what's missing

I'll do that... at some point...

[ElectroBlaster]

I suspect my adf's are already in that collection but I never got around to scanning them... I will try and hunt them out and scan them at the weekend. We have a decent scanner aswell this time

[prowler]

Airey36 on eBay makes the following claim:
"I have several thousand magazine coverdisks in stock at 50p each saving you £1.50 per disk on recent listings. Let me know the disks you require to complete your collection."

Always on the lookout for a bargain, I have just sent him a PM requesting the coverdisks required to complete our AF collection.

[TheCyberDruid]

Nice one prowler Fingers crossed that you get them

[prowler]

...and if he comes up with the goods this time, I'll approach him again when our other collections reach exhaustion.

[prowler]

So far, I've only had a reply from Airey saying he'll have a look for me and thanks, but I suppose it takes a while to go through several thousand disks.

I hope he's taking the opportunity to catalogue them to speed up his response to my next request.

[TheCyberDruid]

Thanks for asking him and fingers crossed that he has some of the missing ones

[brownb2]

Originally Posted by TheCyberDruid

Here's the list of missing Amiga Format coverdisks :

Amiga Format #105 (Disk 2 of 2) - af105b
Amiga Format #106 (Disk 2 of 2) - af106b
Amiga Format #107 (Disk 1 of 2) - af107a
Amiga Format #108 - #109 (all disks)
Amiga Format #110 (Disk 1 of 2) - af110a
Amiga Format #111 - #116 (all disks)
Amiga Format #118 (Disk 2 of 2) - af118b
Amiga Format #119 - #121 (all disks)
Amiga Format #122 (Disk 1 of 2) - af122a

Compared to the newest TOSEC set (and added with the various contributions in this thread)
The last bit is the name the disk will mostly likely have.

You also appear to be missing Amiga Format 99's "Phase 1 Fonts, Clipart and Images" - a supplementary CD. I have a copy, am new here, and am ready to upload a 7zipped ISO...

Unless of course despite AF branding the Phase 1 cd is hidden elsewhere on the file server...?

[TheCyberDruid]

Have a look in 'CD/AmigaCD/Compilation/EMC' -> EMC_Phase1 (Fonts, Clipart & Images).rar
Thanks for the offer nonetheless and if you have something else missing, please consider sharing it
Welcome to EAB btw

[brownb2]

Originally Posted by TheCyberDruid

Have a look in 'CD/AmigaCD/Compilation/EMC' -> EMC_Phase1 (Fonts, Clipart & Images).rar
Thanks for the offer nonetheless and if you have something else missing, please consider sharing it
Welcome to EAB btw

Drat. Here's me coming in all Rambo style thinking I've got an MIA Unfortunately(?) EAB appears to have the rest of mine (just 13 cover cds).

[TheCyberDruid]

Hehe Nothing wrong with the Rambo style even if it turns out that it's not really needed If you're bored enough, you could check if the content on the EMC and the AF version are the same.

[prowler]

Originally Posted by TheCyberDruid

If you're bored enough, you could check if the content on the EMC and the AF version are the same.

No need. They are the same. All those extra CDs which were given away free with Amiga Format magazines are true copies of the official CDs.

The free CDs were intended to promote the others in the series.

[TheCyberDruid]

Ah, good to know prowler
Well, if someone has Phase 3...

[TheCyberDruid]

Issue 105 disk 2 found thanks to 1time

[cpiac64]

have hall or not?

[TheCyberDruid]

Originally Posted by cpiac64

have hall or not?

Scusi? Not sure what you mean.

[cpiac64]

ops, you have all number or not?

[TheCyberDruid]

Originally Posted by TheCyberDruid

Here's the list of missing Amiga Format coverdisks :

Amiga Format #106 (Disk 2 of 2) - af106b
Amiga Format #107 (Disk 1 of 2) - af107a
Amiga Format #108 - #109 (all disks)
Amiga Format #110 (Disk 1 of 2) - af110a
Amiga Format #111 - #116 (all disks)
Amiga Format #118 (Disk 2 of 2) - af118b
Amiga Format #119 - #121 (all disks)
Amiga Format #122 (Disk 1 of 2) - af122a

Those are the missing ones If you have one of them, please share

[cpiac64]

thanks for reply and for new list, i now look in my disk