A-Max disks?

[prowler]

Originally Posted by Supamax

Hi again prowler,

Yes, of course. Powercopy will suffice (CrossMac was only needed to obtain a better copy, on fresh disks, of my "weak" floppies), but:
a) Powercopy is not easy to use
b) it's not cracked yet; I'm using an AR3 (Action replay 3) dump of Powercopy made by Boo Boo. He made some dumps for different machines (A600, A1200, etc.), so you could ask him an A1200 "release"
c) it would be *much* better with a native Mac floppy dumping utility. With such utility you could - under A-Max - recreate a floppy from the image. An image dumped by you or downloaded from the Web.

I'll ask Boo Boo if he could upload something suitable for this task. Thanks for the suggestion.

Originally Posted by Supamax

Of course, I will upload the images, no problem.
Regarding DISK2FDI, the last free version (0.9) couldn't dump them (I tried), but perhaps the new registered version can... however, once you have a .fdi image, can you dump it back to a real floppy?

Disk2FDI is an imaging tool only, so it is not intended for writing the images it produces back to floppy disks. To be fair, I don't think it is possible to restore some of the images it produces without extra hardware, given the tricks it performs.

I'm not really expecting an .FDI image from this type of disk, but hopefully something more like an .IMG file of size 800kB suitable for restoring to a 3½-inch floppy disk with an imaging tool similar to that used for Atari ST floppies.

However, any disk images you can upload will be useless to me without Boo Boo's "A1200 special release" Powercopy.

prowler

[Supamax]

Originally Posted by prowler

I'll ask Boo Boo if he could upload something suitable for this task. Thanks for the suggestion.

I, too, have the A1200 version somewhere (but never used it, of course, since I only have A500/A600s ). I can check and give you useful hints about the settings I used for the A-Max dumps.
However do read below .

Disk2FDI is an imaging tool only, so it is not intended for writing the images it produces back to floppy disks. To be fair, I don't think it is possible to restore some of the images it produces without extra hardware, given the tricks it performs.

I'm not really expecting an .FDI image from this type of disk, but hopefully something more like an .IMG file of size 800kB suitable for restoring to a 3½-inch floppy disk with an imaging tool similar to that used for Atari ST floppies.

Believe me, it would be *much less* hassle to use this God-blessed Mac dumping utility, if only we can find it .
We/I could do so (with 2 floppy drives. Better with 3 of them):
- boot A-Max
- boot the virtual Mac with the System Disk (I have one - Italian - as real 3.5" A-Max format)
- format a new empty A-Max floppy in the external floppy drive
- dump the System floppy to an image (compressed?) in the external floppy drive. Mmmm, this could not work if the dumping utility cannot save compressed image. Damn!
- (with CrossMac) extract the image file from the A-Max floppy to an AmigaDOS floppy/HD/CF, saving it for later use
- do the opposite in order to recreate a real A-Max floppy

EDIT: is there a way to have (in A-Max II.x) more RAM than the physical available? Perhaps hit knows how?

[Supamax]

I uploaded to the Zone the three floppies I dumped, along with Powercopy dumps (so anyone owning Powercopy will be able to create real A-Max floppies).

However, it would/will be really very useful to have a simple Mac dumping utility (simple enough to run on 1MB A600 + A-Max II.x).

[prowler]

Hi Supamax,

I'll have to post this here, as you have reached your limit for PM storage. Time for a clearout, mate!

Tomorrow, I will be in a position to upload an early version of Disk Copy for you to use in the A-Max emulation. It must be binary encoded to preserve the data and resource forks and then zipped to upload to the Zone.

You will need to extract the .bin file from the .zip file and then transfer this to your Mac emulation environment where you must decode the .bin file to get the Macintosh executable version of the Disk Copy utility.

Will you be able to do this?

prowler

[Supamax]

Originally Posted by prowler

Will you be able to do this?

You bet it!
With CrossMac I will transfer the binary file to an A-Max format disk.

What I don't know is how to dump a floppy in a file not bigger than the space available on the "destination" floppy...
Else, where do I save the dump??

EDIT: I could prepare my CF with an A-Max partition, so to see it under Mac emulation. But it's not easy and my life and days are a lot complicated without the need of doing that...!

[prowler]

Originally Posted by Supamax

You bet it!
With CrossMac I will transfer the binary file to an A-Max format disk.

What I don't know is how to dump a floppy in a file not bigger than the space available on the "destination" floppy...
Else, where do I save the dump??

EDIT: I could prepare my CF with an A-Max partition, so to see it under Mac emulation. But it's not easy and my life and days are a lot complicated without the need of doing that...!

Could you not dump the floppy image on the desktop of your A-Max emulation, and from there binary encode it and compress it before copying it to your "destination" floppy?

BTW, let me know when you can again be contacted by PM.

prowler

[Supamax]

Originally Posted by prowler

Could you not dump the floppy image on the desktop of your A-Max emulation, and from there binary encode it and compress it before copying it to your "destination" floppy?

I only have a 1MB A600...
Any ideas?

Have you some experience on how to access hard disks from within A-Max II.x?

BTW, let me know when you can again be contacted by PM.

Now!

EDIT: wait, I forgot I have an A500 with 2MB internal memory (total RAM: around 2.3 MB)! I suppose I could use it...

Damn, I'll have to fill another table with retro-things!

[prowler]

Originally Posted by Supamax

Have you some experience on how to access hard disks from within A-Max II.x?

No, sorry.

Originally Posted by Supamax

Now!

Originally Posted by Supamax

EDIT: wait, I forgot I have an A500 with 2MB internal memory (total RAM: around 2.3 MB)! I suppose I could use it...

Yes!

Originally Posted by Supamax

Damn, I'll have to fill another table with retro-things!

Go on, mate. You know you want to!

[Supamax]

Mmmm, before using my A500 (half-dismantled) I'll have to check the Insider 2 expansion board.
The NiCd battery leaked, so I have to desolder it & clean the board .
Then I will try. *sigh*

Hey Peter, did you download the files I uploaded? If you try the .adf System Disk you can see exactly which version it is and send me the right Disk Copy for it. Let's hope it works with my System .
The v4.2 hanged my emulated Mac, but perhaps it is because it tried to allocate 1.4MB RAM. It is a "stupid" program, since it allocates 1.4MB anyway, without even checking if it's about to dump a smaller floppy .

[prowler]

Originally Posted by Supamax

Hey Peter, did you download the files I uploaded? If you try the .adf System Disk you can see exactly which version it is and send me the right Disk Copy for it. Let's hope it works with my System .

The v4.2 hanged my emulated Mac, but perhaps it is because it tried to allocate 1.4MB RAM. It is a "stupid" program, since it allocates 1.4MB anyway, without even checking if it's about to dump a smaller floppy .

Yes, I have downloaded them. That's a good idea to look at the System disk image to get the required Disk Copy version.

Couldn't you try running A-Max within WinUAE? I've had it running in WinUAE, so I know it works, but I haven't done much with it.

But now that you've dumped A-Max-formatted disks to extended ADF images, perhaps these could also be used with WinUAE and mounted by the emulation?

prowler

[Supamax]

Originally Posted by prowler

Hey Supamax,

Couldn't you try running A-Max within WinUAE? I've had it running in WinUAE, so I know it works, but I haven't done much with it.

But now that you've dumped A-Max-formatted disks to extended ADF images, perhaps these could also be used with WinUAE and mounted by the emulation?

prowler

Of course, that's one of the first things I thought of!
Why else would I have created the .adfs ?

And there's more: The .adfs were created with Powercopy running under WinUAE
I thought it was clear... sorry

[prowler]

So, won't running A-Max within WinUAE give you the memory you need to dump the disk image? This will save you getting your A500 onto the table.

[Supamax]

Originally Posted by prowler

So, won't running A-Max within WinUAE give you the memory you need to dump the disk image? This will save you getting your A500 onto the table.

He he, yes but *only* when transferring images (.img, .image, etc.) to A-Max floppies. Not vice versa. And it will be tricky (see below (*)).

Since I wanted/needed to dump a real A-Max floppy (with Excel on it), WinUAE will be of no use for it...

(*) This is the procedure for dumping a real A-Max floppy in a way so that it can be put back (later) on another real floppy, by another user in another distant land ():
- if your A-Max floppies are very "used", copy them to fresh floppies with the aid of CrossMac (which perfectly handles the A-Max format)
- load Powercopy on your Amiga. If you haven't an original Powercopy then you have to use a cracked version (which doesn't exist yet) or a temporary AR3 dump made by our friend Boo Boo
- with Powercopy, make a dump of the A-Max floppy on a drawer of your HD/CF. This is tricky! Read the Powercopy manual! The best setting (so far) for A-Max floppies is Sector Nibble, Index Copy OFF
- move the drawer (containing the saved tracks) to your PC and archive it (zip/rar/whatever)
- start WinUAE with a hard disk configuration, in which you have previously installed Powercopy (using the extended .adf available for download somewhere. I can re-upload it if needed)
- NOTE: before booting up, ADD another "hard disk": the PC drawer containing the A-Max floppy's tracks (those ones obtained with Powercopy on the real Amiga)
- after HD bootup, load Powercopy from HD and AS SOON as it has loaded "insert" in WinUAE's DF0: the Powercopy extended .adf mentioned above. After a few seconds, Powercopy will find the "original" floppy and will start correctly
- eject the Powercopy .adf, create a new custom (extended) .adf and insert it in DF0:
- set the DEV: path accordingly with the location of your Powercopy drawer (the drawer containing the A-Max tracks)
- set DF0: as destination and DEV: as source
- set copy mode as Sector and Index mode as Auto, then start copying
- unfortunately (this is why I would like another way to dump images within A-Max II) the copy could/will have some bad tracks, because Powercopy under WinUAE is not timing-perfect as on a real Amiga (and the same happens with Rawread. Perhaps this can be fixed with a specific WinUAE configuration). So you have to: try your new .adf in WinUAE, under A-Max emulation. "Duplicate" it on another Mac floppy (emulated, of course). You can do that by dragging the floppy icon on another floppy icon (of a formatted floppy. Formatted under A-Max). If it can be copied with no errors you're done, your .adf is good!
If not, you have to reload the .adf in WinUAE and copy the bad tracks with Powercopy. Repeat until you have a good .adf. I know, it's a pain in the a**.
NOTE: the "bad tracks" are only in the .adf. The Powercopy tracks dumped in your real Amiga are almost surely good.

Now: if you don't want to create an .adf (you simply want to recreate a real floppy), then you have to:
If you have an original copy of Powercopy:
- put the Powercopy drawer (containing the dumped A-Max tracks) somewhere on your Amiga
- set the DEV: path accordingly with the location of your Powercopy drawer
- set DF0: as destination and DEV: as source
- set copy mode as Sector and Index mode as Auto, then start copying
If you have Boo Boo's AR3 dump of Powercopy:
(you need a CF/PCMCIA adapter, and a CF card)
- do not connect yet the PCMCIA card
- load Boo Boo's dump
- cancel (2 times) the Powercopy's original disk request
- when you see the alert about a not found CF0:, insert your PCMCIA card
- bring up the Powercopy window (you can see it at the bottom of the screen)
- set the DEV: path accordingly with the location of your Powercopy drawer
- set DF0: as destination and DEV: as source
- set copy mode as Sector and Index mode as Auto, then start copying

Now you have your nice, fresh and working A-Max floppy

Pheeew!

[prowler]

Hey Supamax,

Thanks for that effort, mate!

I'll study that tomorrow, find your other disk imaging thread and post a request for Boo Boo's A1200 version of Powercopy. And in the meantime, I'll see what early version(s) of Disk Copy I can come up with for you.

Good night,

prowler

[Supamax]

Good night, prowler .

Take your time, it will require some days to understand/master it.
But I hope that the "other" method (using Disk Copy) will work, so it will be much easier and faster for anyone wanting to create or dump A-Max floppies.

Supamax

[dlfrsilver]

The amiga supports in hardware GCR reading. it's a fact written in the amiga disk drive book.

[cosmicfrog]

good early mac emulator for the pc is SheepShaver

I used to have some amax disks, might still have them, think 1 had mac write on
never had any hardware though and probably used xcopy nibble to copy the disks

[prowler]

Originally Posted by cosmicfrog

good early mac emulator for the pc is SheepShaver

I used to have some amax disks, might still have them, think 1 had mac write on
never had any hardware though and probably used xcopy nibble to copy the disks

Hi cosmicfrog,

More information please, mate! Especially about your A-Max-formatted floppies and method of copying them.

Thanks,

prowler

[cosmicfrog]

sorry was a long time ago, will try and find them

but remember never every haveing any hardware apart from an a500
might hav done something simple like format disk in amax then copy it
but that would`t explain how i got them in first place

[prowler]

Originally Posted by cosmicfrog

sorry was a long time ago, will try and find them

Thanks, cosmic. It was a long time ago for all of us, mate. We'll be grateful for anything you can find.