Write option for greaseweazle

[Planetinfinity]

Hello,

I have only problem with writing disks with greaseweazle. Maybe I did something wrong or this feature is not yet implemented, but I didn't find any indicator.

What I did is:

1) I check a floppy games whether it is running when booting from the original diskette
2) I used greaseweazle to read the disk "gw read mydisk.scp"
3) I checked the mydisk.scp file in fs-uae -> working and booting fine
4) I used a new disk to write the same file "gw write mydisk.scp" -> no error
5) I tried to boot from the disk -> Amiga 1200 tried to boot from diskette but failed

Afterwards I tried a couple of more games like "Tiny little Slug" etc. and a couple of empty disks without any success.

Does anyone have a hint for me ?

BR Planetinfinity

[lesta_smsc]

The writing is the same as reading just changing option to "write" rather than "read".

To make it easier look up Greaseweazle GUI for a user friendly interface.

Also which version are you using? The older version requires track shift for some disks before they work. The latest Greaseweazle doesn't need this.

[Mikerochip]

You can also read back in the disk image, and look at the surface in something like HxC etc.

The disk you wrote to may not have been clean or a viable disk to begin with.

Just because the process worked ok, doesn't mean the target disk is ok.

[Planetinfinity]

Originally Posted by Mikerochip

The disk you wrote to may not have been clean or a viable disk to begin with.

This might be the reason, I am not sure whether the disks were used before because I checked something or was formatted before.

Should formating the disks in workbench without addition parameter be enough or what do you suggest as parameter ?

[Planetinfinity]

Originally Posted by lesta_smsc

Also which version are you using? The older version requires track shift for some disks before they work. The latest Greaseweazle doesn't need this.

I used version 0.24

[lesta_smsc]

Maybe try converting ADF or IPF to SCP and write that way if you specifically want to test SCP. If not, then you can now write ADF and IPF directly without needing conversion. At least this way you will know if the disks are any good provided the write was correct - I think ADF write has the verify option.

[btp]

Use the erase option of GW on your disk first.
Then write directly an adf disk image (GW will automatically verify the writing). If you use an HD disk and drive make sure you cover the density recognition hole on the disk.

[solarmon]

Always read back the disk that you wrote and view in HxC. Or use disk-analyse to check it.

The source image should also be analysed by HxC or disk-analyse.

Also be aware of whether the disk drive used by Greaseweazle for reading and writing is a known good one. It might not be aligned with he target drive. Reading a known good AmigaDOS disk and analysing it in HxC or disk-analyse is a way to check it.

Always inspect the target disks for mould and damage. View the read back image in HxC or use disk-analyse. Some disks loose it's magnetic properties and can possibly be restored by wiping them with a strong neodymium magnet first.

So the theme really is to always check the image using HxC and/or disk-analyse.

[Planetinfinity]

Hello,

thank you for the hints and comments.

I tried the following:

1) In order to check the disk I use GoADF on my A1200 in order format a disk, write a ADF file and veryify it, afterward I started the game without problems.
2) I used the WB to format the disk
3) I additionall used gw to erase the disk

./gw erase
Erasing c=0-81:h=0-1
Erasing Track 81.1…

Afterwards I tried to write a ADF file to the disk using gw (not a scp as before).

./gw write <my adf-file>
Writing c=0-81:h=0-1
Writing Track 0.0…** FATAL ERROR:
Failed to write Track 0.0

My gw is at version 0.24

./gw info
Host Tools: v0.24
Greaseweazle:
Device: /dev/ttyACM0
Model: F7 (version 2)
Firmware: v0.24
Serial: <my sn>
USB Rate: Full Speed (12 Mbit/s)

I also tried other ADF files but the result is the same. Erase is working, SCP writing looks good but does not verify and ADF writing shows immediately an error message.

The "write"-jumper is set, so the write protect jumper is not the issue here.

[solarmon]

Again, I'll say it again - you need to Greaseweazle read back the written disk and view it in HxC or disk-analyse. That will test whether the disk is actually OK or not.

Post an image of that here and we can help analyse it.

You can also test the read back image in emulation.

[Planetinfinity]

I didn't want to be unfriendly and simply ignore you I did't understand what you exactly meant.

Originally Posted by solarmon

Again, I'll say it again - you need to Greaseweazle read back the written disk and view it in HxC or disk-analyse. That will test whether the disk is actually OK or not.

Post an image of that here and we can help analyse it.

You can also test the read back image in emulation.

In order to do the test in a correct way I would like to summaries the steps

1) Use the physical source disk for example "tiny little slug" and use keirf/Disk-Utilities or HxC (I will find out how to do it)
2) gw read from source disk, gw erase to destination disk, gw write to destination disk
3) Use the destination disk with keirf/Disk-Utilities or HxC

Did I understand you correct ?

For me it will not be possible to use the same floppy drive for gw read/write and keirf/Disk-Utilities/HxC because I only have a notebook and I am not able to install the drive I used with gw.

[Mikerochip]

Follow the steps:

1) get disk image you want to write (lets call it <source_imagename>)

2) Write disk image to destination physical disk. (gw write <source_imagename>)

3) once writing is complete, leave the destination physical disk in the drive. Do not touch it. Don't remove it. Do nothing else.

4) use gw read (eg gw read newimage.scp)

5) open HxC tools: load newimage.scp

You will have then read back in a second copy of the original image from the destination physical disk.

Also:
You can install the GW on a notebook?
Is there something preventing you from installing it?

[solarmon]

@Planetinfinity

Maybe this diagram explains better what I'm trying to say:



You need to be able to view the 'source' and 'destination' SCP images in HxC Floppy Emulator Software (http://hxc2001.free.fr/floppy_drive_....html#download - I recommend the beta version).

I hope this is clearer now?

[Planetinfinity]

Originally Posted by solarmon

@Planetinfinity
I hope this is clearer now?

Yes the graphic described it in details. Unfortunately I don't think that the result helps to find out the reason for my problem.

I did exactly the described step, plus I need to provide you with two additional information.

1) For the test before your test, I used goadf to write the adf game "worthy" to the destination floppy disk.
2) I did a gw erase on the destination floppy disk before I used the gw write command in order to make sure that the destination disk is wiped from previous data (the game worthy).



The result was that after all the described steps I am still able to start the game worthy instead of the game on the source disk (Tiny little Sug).

This means that the gw erase and the gw write command did not write anything to the destination disk.

Please find the graph for the tinylittleslug source disk:



Please find the graph for the destination floppy disk where the old game (Worthy) is on the disk.



For sure that the write protection is disabled on the disk.

[solarmon]

Can you confirm what HxC version you are using.

What are the source and target disks - DD or HD disks? If HD, are you covering the HD tab on them?

Is the floppy drive you using a proven known good one?

Forget about The Tiny Slug disk for the moment. If you write the Amiga Test Kit ADF (https://github.com/keirf/Amiga-Stuff...tKit-v1.16.zip), or a blank ADF (https://github.com/keirf/FF_Images/r.../FF_Images.zip) to the target disk and read it back, what does it show in HxC?

[Planetinfinity]

Originally Posted by solarmon

Can you confirm what HxC version you are using.

No this was not the beta. Both versions are named 2.5.6.6 but I created a new screenshot with the beta version.

Source Floppy
Destination Floppy

What are the source and target disks - DD or HD disks? If HD, are you covering the HD tab on them?

The Source is a DD (one hole at the right side) the Destination Floppy Disk is a HD. But I used a tape to close the left hole, the right side is also close with the normal mechanism in order to enable the writing.

Is the floppy drive you using a proven known good one?

I can not garantie that it is a good one. Over the last month I bought (on ebay) overall four drives and this is the only one that is worked from the beginning

Forget about The Tiny Slug disk for the moment. If you write the Amiga Test Kit ADF (https://github.com/keirf/Amiga-Stuff...tKit-v1.16.zip), or a blank ADF (https://github.com/keirf/FF_Images/r.../FF_Images.zip) to the target disk and read it back, what does it show in HxC?

I need to check this tomorrow. I will provide you with the result as soon as possible.

[Planetinfinity]

If you write the Amiga Test Kit ADF (https://github.com/keirf/Amiga-Stuff...tKit-v1.16.zip), or a blank ADF (https://github.com/keirf/FF_Images/r.../FF_Images.zip) to the target disk and read it back, what does it show in HxC?

Ok I did a couple of tests with the images you recommended. I will provide the steps I did in order to avoid confusions on my side.

1) I tried to write the adf file using "gw write <adf file> but it didn't work.

./gw write ../AmigaTestKit-v1.16/AmigaTestKit.adf 
Writing c=0-81:h=0-1
Writing Track 0.0...** FATAL ERROR:
Failed to write Track 0.0

2) I used my A1200 witth GoADF and created two disks (one with test disk and the blank ADF)

3) I verified that GoADF created the Test Kit disk correctly by booting my A1200 from disk. I was able to see the test kit menu.

4) I used my gw to read the testdisk

./gw read ../AmigaTestKit.scp            
Reading c=0-81:h=0-1 revs=3
T0.0: Raw Flux (120727 flux in 610.74ms)
...
T81.0: Raw Flux (20098 flux in 776.91ms)
T81.1: Raw Flux (342 flux in 764.84ms)

5) I used my gw to read the second blank disk

./gw read ../Leer.scp        
Reading c=0-81:h=0-1 revs=3
T0.0: Raw Flux (160485 flux in 636.66ms)
T0.1: Raw Flux (146 flux in 683.01ms)
...
T81.0: Raw Flux (17600 flux in 777.05ms)
T81.1: Raw Flux (346 flux in 766.01ms)

6) I used another disk (3) to write the Testdisk with gw

./gw write ../AmigaTestKit.scp
Writing c=0-81:h=0-1
Writing Track 81.1.

7) I used gw read to read from the disk (3)

./gw read ../AmigaTestKit_copy.scp
Reading c=0-81:h=0-1 revs=3
T0.0: Raw Flux (129682 flux in 641.40ms)
T0.1: Raw Flux (8456 flux in 702.82ms)
...
T81.0: Raw Flux (21478 flux in 777.24ms)
T81.1: Raw Flux (342 flux in 765.86ms)

8) I used the disk (3) to write the blankdisk-image with gw

./gw write ../Leer.scp 
Writing c=0-81:h=0-1
Writing Track 81.1...
No tracks verified (Reason: Verify unavailable)

9) I used gw read to read from the disk (3)

./gw read ../Leer_copy.scp   
Reading c=0-81:h=0-1 revs=3
T0.0: Raw Flux (136118 flux in 674.92ms)
...
T81.0: Raw Flux (30410 flux in 777.42ms)
T81.1: Raw Flux (300 flux in 761.81ms)

As a result, for me it look like no data were written at all.

[Planetinfinity]

I use a PC floppy drive (Mitsumi Model D359M3D).
I don't need an Amiga Floppy drive, correct ?

[solarmon]

OK, so we need to address the "Writing Track 0.0...** FATAL ERROR:" issue. Even the read back of a disk written on the A1200 is not correct - so it seems both writing and reading is an issue.

So there seems to be something wrong with your Greaseweazle setup. I see that from your GW info output that you have a GW F7 v2. Did you build this yourself of did you buy it already made?

Please show a picture of your setup and cabling.

Greaseweazle works with both Amiga and PC floppy drives - you just need to set the drive select correctly, and provide suitable power to it (some drives may need 12V).

Has the floppy drive been inspected, cleaned and re-greased? Is this a known working floppy drive, or has just been purchased for this GW setup? Are you able to try another floppy drive?

[Planetinfinity]

Originally Posted by solarmon

OK, so we need to address the "Writing Track 0.0...** FATAL ERROR:" issue. Even the read back of a disk written on the A1200 is not correct - so it seems both writing and reading is an issue.

Why do you think reading is not working. When I look at the picture for me it seems to be that reading worked fine.

Originally Posted by solarmon

So there seems to be something wrong with your Greaseweazle setup. I see that from your GW info output that you have a GW F7 v2. Did you build this yourself of did you buy it already made?

I received it completely directly from keirf.

Originally Posted by solarmon

Please show a picture of your setup and cabling.

Originally Posted by solarmon

Greaseweazle works with both Amiga and PC floppy drives - you just need to set the drive select correctly, and provide suitable power to it (some drives may need 12V).

The floppy drive receives the power from the gw.

Originally Posted by solarmon

Has the floppy drive been inspected, cleaned and re-greased? Is this a known working floppy drive, or has just been purchased for this GW setup? Are you able to try another floppy drive?

The last month I bought overall 4 floppy drives from ebay but only this drive was the only one that looked like it is working. The other drives had problems like the led was always on and did not accept any commands or the floppy drive did completely nothing.