Amiga User International - Coverdisk hunt

[prowler]

Thanks for your work on this, asymetrix.

I've downloaded your archive and will have a look tomorrow.

When I used DiskSqueeze to try to extract the AUI82.dsq file to DS0: in emulation with the diskspare.device (v2.2) and a mountlist in DEVS:, also having entered "echo DS0: >ENV:DSQusr" and "echo DS0: >ENVARC:DSQusr" at the CLI, everything unpacked normally, the disk image was written to the DS0: device and the program terminated normally. However, when I ejected the AUI_104.ADF diskspare image I had
inserted in DF0: to overwrite with the AUI82.ADF image, there was no change to the file! This is caused by the incompatibility of the early version of the emulation, but my experience here tends to indicate that no ADDBUFFERS DS0: was necessary. Maybe this is because I'm using version 2.2 of the diskspare.device (the version used on AUI_103.ADF to mount AUI_104.ADF in DS1: ).

Edit: I've just checked the ADFs extracted from your new DiskSqueeze archives using uaeunp and there are no changes from those extracted from your original archives -they're still corrupted. I'll try extracting the Diskspare images from both your original and updated AUI82 archives to an FMS device tomorrow.

[asymetrix]

Hi I may have a solution.

In Winuae:

copy mountlist to DEVS: (linked here)
restart

create a custom ADF

in shell type:

mount DA0:
addbuffers DA0:
format drive DA0: name test
echo DA0: >ENV:DSQusr

run DiskSqueeze, select unpack, select AUI82.DSQ, click custom
done

just keep mounting DA0: and addbuffers DA0: each time you need to use DA0: disks.

please test if this works for you too.

[prowler]

I've cracked it!!!

I have uploaded a zip archive containing the AUI82.adf Diskspare formatted coverdisk image and disk scan image to the EAB File Server in the Collection/Coverdisk/Amiga User International subfolder. The filename is Amiga User International Superdisk #082 [Ext].zip for consistency with the other Diskspare formatted coverdisk images.

The .adf was extracted directly to a file on my hard drive mounted as an FMSDisk device from the original AUI82.dsq archive uploaded by asymetrix using the Amiga DiskSqueeze application running under my preferred version of WinUAE! FMSDisk is BRILLIANT!!! The disk scan image is that uploaded by asymetrix.

The lack of support for accessing the emulated floppy drives via custom device drivers and mountlists evidently doesn't extend to emulated hard drives!

Edit: @asymetrix: I don't think your suggested method would have worked for me either, unfortunately.

[TCD]

Nice one prowler

[prowler]

Originally Posted by asymetrix

Now my question is what happens when I press the convert to DMS option ?

The Convert button initiates a search for DMS images to convert to DSQ - not the other way around, unfortunately.

Originally Posted by asymetrix

in shell type:

mount DA0:
addbuffers DA0:
format drive DA0: name test
echo DA0: >ENV:DSQusr

please test if this works for you too.

I'm sorry if it appeared that I had dismissed your suggestions yesterday with no intention of trying them, but I had already succeeded in extracting the Diskspare formatted disk image to a file when I read your post.

I still think that without updating my emulator, any attempt I make to access the emulated floppy drives via a custom device driver and mountlist is doomed to failure, but the addbuffers command line intrigues me. It might just work.

I have spent most of my spare time today writing up some notes on the method I used to dump that disk image, but I will try the addbuffers command line in one last attempt to get a Diskspare formatted disk image mounted in DS0: recognized before I give up on it.

[prowler]

Originally Posted by asymetrix

in shell type:

mount DA0:
addbuffers DA0:
format drive DA0: name test

please test if this works for you too.

It didn't work for me.

Running WinUAE, I inserted the AUI82.ADF Diskspare formatted Coverdisk image (983040 bytes) in floppy drive DF0: and a floppy disk icon appeared on the desktop labelled "DF0:NDOS".

I copied diskspare.device to DEVS: together with a mountlist with the following entries:
DS0:
Device = diskspare.device
Unit = 0
Flags = 1
Surfaces = 2
BlockSize = 512
BlocksPerTrack = 12
Reserved = 2
Interleave = 0
LowCyl = 0
HighCyl = 79
Buffers = 25
BufMemType = 0
StackSize = 600
Priority = 10
GlobVec = -1
DosType = 0x444F5301
#

In a shell, typing
mount DS0:
addbuffers DS0:
produced the response
DS0: has 25 buffers

Typing
List DF0:
produced the response
No information for "DS0:": not a valid DOS disk
plus the usual requester with the message "Not a DOS disk in device DS0"

When I tried formatting the disk using
SYS:System/Format drive DS0: name Empty NoIcons FFS
the disk in DF0: was formatted instead; i.e. the disk icon label changed from "DF0:????" to "Empty", and when I ejected the floppy, I discovered that the first 880K of the disk image was reformatted as an 880K empty AmigaDOS disk and the last 80K was left untouched. At no time did a DS0: floppy disk icon appear on the desktop.

This did not come as a total surprise, as I really didn't think it would work. The only thing which did surprise me is that the floppy image was written to at all! When the hard drive access light on my PC started flashing during the disk formatting, I thought maybe it would work after all, because no such thing happened when I tried to extract the AUI82 DiskSqueeze archive to DS0: three days ago and the floppy image remained unchanged. On that occasion, an additional floppy disk icon did make an appearance after Disksqueeze had unpacked the archive, but the label never changed from "DS0:????".

One further thing I did try today was to copy the 983040 bytes AUI82.ADF Diskspare formatted Coverdisk image to AUI82.HDF and mount it as a hard file in WinUAE (using Surfaces=2, Reserved=2, Sectors=12, Block-Size=512), then at the Workbench I used Thomas Rapp's TSGUI V2.5 b14 (11.1.2011) to dump an image file of that hard disk, which matched the original AUI82.ADF file exactly!

Of course, for those with Diskspare floppies to contribute to the EAB coverdisk hunt, this test doesn't prove that TSGUI can dump them mounted in a Diskspare device in a real Amiga, but it's got to be worth a try!

In the meantime, thanks to FMSDisk, my Amiga emulator can at last readily be configured to convert all Disksqueeze coverdisk archives to ADF.

[asymetrix]

Great news!

Ah, yes - I never did get to access DFx: directly, but always indirectly like using DA0: / DS0:

The reason why I changed from DS0: to DA0: is because mounlist ALREADY EXISTS FOR DS0: maybe its getting confused which to use ?

Try using a different name and the "XXX:???" still remains, just another disk pops up onto workbench.

This was tested on real A1200.

Think DS0:/DA0: like an assign to DF0: but you cannot deal with DF0: directly, just via the device.

when I add the ADF here, i still get DF0:??? and DS0:NDOS icons on workbench.

Then typing mount DA0:

no effect

then typing addbuffers DA0:

superdisk icon pops onto workbench, DF0:???, and DS0:NDOS icons remain unchanged.

I really do think you should try again with a different device name, when you get a formatted disk in DA0: your close.

I think creating a custom adf in Winuae has the similar HD specs ?
Great things is the disk can be formatted to DA0: !

But now, does the new adf[ext] -> copied DA0:, disksqueeze to adf have exactly same as original headers ?

cheers

Prowler, can you attach the latest AUI82 ext ADF here ?

cheers - just want to check something..

[prowler]

Originally Posted by asymetrix

I really do think you should try again with a different device name, when you get a formatted disk in DA0: your close.

For all my experiments, to keep things simple I have only ever created two interchangeable mountlists, each for a single device only: one for FF0: based on dmsdisk.device and another for DS0: based on diskspare.device

In these circumstances, the device name is irrelevant - it's the other entries which are important.

Originally Posted by asymetrix

But now, does the new adf[ext] -> copied DA0:, disksqueeze to adf have exactly same as original headers ?

The [ext].adf files are Diskspare formatted 960K disk images with 12 sectors per track instead of the usual 11; hence the requirement for the Diskspare device driver. These images are 100% dumps of the logical format of the Diskspare coverdisks, so all original headers, etc. are preserved.

Originally Posted by asymetrix

Prowler, can you attach the latest AUI82 ext ADF here ?

Here you go:
http://eab.abime.net/attachment.php?...2&d=1313189531

[prowler]

Toni has released an updated version of his uaeunp Win32 command line program which can extract the ADF images from both the recently uploaded Superdisk DiskSqueeze archives directly.

Hi Guys,

Is the list of mission AUI disks at the start of the thread still up to date?

I've got disks 20,24,25,29,35,and 38 ADF'd if they are still needed

[prowler]

Yes please, Mr.Oakley!

The list in the opening post is fully up-to-date except that SuperDisk 82 was ADF'd by me recently.

All those you have are still needed, so you can upload them if you would be so kind.

No Probs, I will do that now.

Dumb question I suspect, is this still the place to upload to?
ftp://eab.whdownload.com

With the username and password from the EAB File Server thread?

[prowler]

The new EAB File Server FTP login details are here.

Note the new FTP address. Use the Uploader account login username and password, and put your files into a folder with your registered EAB username.

Thanks.

Thanks Prowler.

The ADFs are on the way up now

[prowler]

Thanks for your contribution to the coverdisks archive, Mr.Oakley!

[wizard1]

Hi All, Just me asking a stupid question here, I have AUI Userdisks 1 to 7. These are not the same as Superdisks right?. I also have AUI Superdisk 26, but I have not tried to make it an ADF yet. I`m only getting back into Amiga stuff after many years. So Much to relearn!!.
Cheers
Wizard1

Originally Posted by TCD

Okay, the second coverdisk hunt is on

First the MIA list :

Amiga User International Superdisk #001
Amiga User International Superdisk #019
Amiga User International Superdisk #026
Amiga User International Superdisk #036
Amiga User International Superdisk #093 - #096
Amiga User International Superdisk #098

(if you think that are many missing disks, note that AMR has none and TOSEC only 19 superdisks )
Well, not much else to say except : Happy hunting

Also missing : The Great AUI Utilities Disk No. 1 - 6

Btw : You can find quite a few coverdisk scans in 'Misc/Scans/Diskscans/Magazin disks/Amiga User International' as well