will xcopy copy original game disks?

ed777 · 10 July 2021, 13:52

i seem to remember that it would not do this. i could copy cracked games only. is this right?

Mad-Matt · 10 July 2021, 14:13

That's right. all the commercial disk copiers were junk. The only way to reliably copy an original protected disk was to use the diskcopy command supplied with Workbench. If the copy still has issues, Diskdoctor would sort it out.

torsti76 · 10 July 2021, 14:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mad-Matt

That's right. all the commercial disk copiers were junk. The only way to reliably copy an original protected disk was to use the diskcopy command supplied with Workbench. If the copy still has issues, Diskdoctor would sort it out.

At least tag this as being ironic...

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Marcuz · 10 July 2021, 15:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by ed777

i seem to remember that it would not do this. i could copy cracked games only. is this right?

No, it depends on the disk's format, and whether there is a copy protection or not. However, the success ratio is kinda low.

torsti76 · 10 July 2021, 15:14

You can try with cyclone and the external drive dongle. But this also won't copy everything.

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Nobby_UK · 10 July 2021, 15:15

Some games would let you think you had a copy
only to laugh at you and call you a Pirate later on

zipper · 10 July 2021, 15:36

My Syncro Express II / III did copy everything I tried. At worst it could take 30 - 40 minutes and several tries. It was hard dependent on the floppy drives, they should run at similar speed as the system tried to syncronize the drives. Sort of wishful thinking - the result wasn't a true clone like what the industrial copiers do.

ed777 · 10 July 2021, 16:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcuz

No, it depends on the disk's format, and whether there is a copy protection or not. However, the success ratio is kinda low.

i meant with copy protection on games, like street fighter 2 (i tried copying that i remember) , etc.

jotd · 10 July 2021, 16:45

some custom mfm disk formats could be copied. for instance Zool could be copied but it had a codewheel. icopiable mfm format were probably more reliable than kongtracks prevented standard track rips but then warpers came

but longtracks or special copylock/speedlock tracks could not be copied without cyclone or such.

DJ Mike · 10 July 2021, 17:49

I've always been fascinated by disk protections and longtracks and whatnot. As I understand it, the Amiga's built in floppy drive couldn't write longtracks as the controller won't physically pulse at the speed/bitrate required. Did Cyclone hardware force the drivespeed down so the head can write the data over a longer amount of time?

TjLaZer · 10 July 2021, 18:01

Some of the best copiers were the ones that got updates for what were called Parameters. They would list all the games it would copy. It would replicate the errors or "crack" the game so it would work.

jotd · 10 July 2021, 19:03

cracking doesn't count

Yes cyclone used special hardware to instruct DF1: to slow speed down. AFAIR you could only read with DF0: and write with DF1: (or any other external drive)

Worked pretty well for a lot of games I tried. Specially on copylocks where it displayed some kind of smiley at track 0 head 1 because it probably recognized the widespread format.

torsti76 · 10 July 2021, 19:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by jotd

cracking doesn't count

Yes cyclone used special hardware to instruct DF1: to slow speed down. AFAIR you could only read with DF0: and write with DF1: (or any other external drive)

Worked pretty well for a lot of games I tried. Specially on copylocks where it displayed some kind of smiley at track 0 head 1 because it probably recognized the widespread format.

One of the hardware's tricks also is that it effectively swaps the read and write signal lines of the external drive to replicate the copy protection exactly.
In effect, the external drive is used in a completely out-of-spec way.

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10 July 2021, 13:52	#1
ed777 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: exeter uk Posts: 28	will xcopy copy original game disks? i seem to remember that it would not do this. i could copy cracked games only. is this right?

10 July 2021, 17:49	#10
DJ Mike Registered User Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 40 Posts: 100	I've always been fascinated by disk protections and longtracks and whatnot. As I understand it, the Amiga's built in floppy drive couldn't write longtracks as the controller won't physically pulse at the speed/bitrate required. Did Cyclone hardware force the drivespeed down so the head can write the data over a longer amount of time? Last edited by DJ Mike; 10 July 2021 at 18:12.

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10 July 2021, 14:13	#2
Mad-Matt Longplayer Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Lincoln / UK Age: 44 Posts: 1,846	That's right. all the commercial disk copiers were junk. The only way to reliably copy an original protected disk was to use the diskcopy command supplied with Workbench. If the copy still has issues, Diskdoctor would sort it out.

10 July 2021, 15:14	#5
torsti76 Registered User Join Date: May 2018 Location: Germany, Baden-Wuerttemberg Posts: 387	You can try with cyclone and the external drive dongle. But this also won't copy everything. Gesendet von meinem XQ-BT52 mit Tapatalk

10 July 2021, 15:15	#6
Nobby_UK Registered User Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Liverpool Posts: 2,595	Some games would let you think you had a copy only to laugh at you and call you a Pirate later on

10 July 2021, 15:36	#7
zipper Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: finland Posts: 1,837	My Syncro Express II / III did copy everything I tried. At worst it could take 30 - 40 minutes and several tries. It was hard dependent on the floppy drives, they should run at similar speed as the system tried to syncronize the drives. Sort of wishful thinking - the result wasn't a true clone like what the industrial copiers do.

10 July 2021, 16:45	#9
jotd This cat is no more Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: FRANCE Age: 52 Posts: 8,160	some custom mfm disk formats could be copied. for instance Zool could be copied but it had a codewheel. icopiable mfm format were probably more reliable than kongtracks prevented standard track rips but then warpers came but longtracks or special copylock/speedlock tracks could not be copied without cyclone or such.

10 July 2021, 18:01	#11
TjLaZer Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Tacoma, WA USA Age: 52 Posts: 1,915	Some of the best copiers were the ones that got updates for what were called Parameters. They would list all the games it would copy. It would replicate the errors or "crack" the game so it would work.

10 July 2021, 19:03	#12
jotd This cat is no more Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: FRANCE Age: 52 Posts: 8,160	cracking doesn't count Yes cyclone used special hardware to instruct DF1: to slow speed down. AFAIR you could only read with DF0: and write with DF1: (or any other external drive) Worked pretty well for a lot of games I tried. Specially on copylocks where it displayed some kind of smiley at track 0 head 1 because it probably recognized the widespread format.

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