A script to create a bootable floppy from Blitz Basic 2 iso

TenLeftFingers · 17 November 2016, 00:30

Using the original Blitz Basic 2 floppy as reference, I've made a script to copy the same files from the public domain Ultimate Blitz Basic 2 iso (when mounted) to a floppy.

So now I have an original and my copy. The former boots, the latter does not.

According to diff on linux, the contents are identical with the exception of these root files (i.e. not in directories):

Code:

Disk.info - MISSING OR NOT IDENTICAL
Important.info - MISSING OR NOT IDENTICAL
ReleaseNotes - MISSING OR NOT IDENTICAL
ReleaseNotes.info - MISSING OR NOT IDENTICAL

Also, a file called ".info" in the root of the original disk is missing on the copy because I can't find it on the .iso.

Given that c,s,l,libs and devs are all present - why on earth would the floppy not boot? I'm guessing .info files wouldn't affect the boot process. The physical floppies themselves came from the same box.

Any help appreciated.

Contents of working floppy

Code:

$ ls -R
.:
acidlibs  Blitz2.info  defaultdbug  devs       help      Important       l     ReleaseNotes       s    Ted.info  userlibs.info
Blitz2    c            deflibs      Disk.info  help.dat  Important.info  libs  ReleaseNotes.info  Ted  userlibs

./c:
assign  copy  delete  dir  endcli  loadwb  makedir  mount  newcli  run

./devs:
mountlist  narrator.device  parallel.device  printer.device  serial.device  system-configuration

./l:
Disk-Validator  Newcon-Handler  Port-Handler  Ram-Handler

./libs:
diskfont.library  info.library             mathieeedoubtrans.library  translator.library
icon.library      mathieeedoubbas.library  mathtrans.library          version.library

./s:
startup-sequence

./userlibs:

Contents of non-booting floppy

Code:

$ ls -R
.:
acidlibs  Blitz2.info  defaultdbug  devs  help.dat   l     RELEASENOTES.INFO  Ted       Trashcan       userlibs
Blitz2    c            deflibs      help  Important  libs  s                  Ted.info  Trashcan.info  userlibs.info

./c:
assign  copy  delete  dir  endcli  loadwb  makedir  mount  newcli  run

./devs:
mountlist  narrator.device  parallel.device  printer.device  serial.device  system-configuration

./l:
Disk-Validator  Newcon-Handler  Port-Handler  Ram-Handler

./libs:
diskfont.library  info.library             mathieeedoubtrans.library  translator.library
icon.library      mathieeedoubbas.library  mathtrans.library          version.library

./s:
startup-sequence

./Trashcan:

./userlibs:

Diff output showing matching files on both disks (see first box in post for differences):

Code:

Files BB floppy/acidlibs and BB floppy defect/acidlibs are identical
Files BB floppy/Blitz2 and BB floppy defect/Blitz2 are identical
Files BB floppy/Blitz2.info and BB floppy defect/Blitz2.info are identical
Files BB floppy/c/assign and BB floppy defect/c/assign are identical
Files BB floppy/c/copy and BB floppy defect/c/copy are identical
Files BB floppy/c/delete and BB floppy defect/c/delete are identical
Files BB floppy/c/dir and BB floppy defect/c/dir are identical
Files BB floppy/c/endcli and BB floppy defect/c/endcli are identical
Files BB floppy/c/loadwb and BB floppy defect/c/loadwb are identical
Files BB floppy/c/makedir and BB floppy defect/c/makedir are identical
Files BB floppy/c/mount and BB floppy defect/c/mount are identical
Files BB floppy/c/newcli and BB floppy defect/c/newcli are identical
Files BB floppy/c/run and BB floppy defect/c/run are identical
Files BB floppy/defaultdbug and BB floppy defect/defaultdbug are identical
Files BB floppy/deflibs and BB floppy defect/deflibs are identical
Files BB floppy/devs/mountlist and BB floppy defect/devs/mountlist are identical
Files BB floppy/devs/narrator.device and BB floppy defect/devs/narrator.device are identical
Files BB floppy/devs/parallel.device and BB floppy defect/devs/parallel.device are identical
Files BB floppy/devs/printer.device and BB floppy defect/devs/printer.device are identical
Files BB floppy/devs/serial.device and BB floppy defect/devs/serial.device are identical
Files BB floppy/devs/system-configuration and BB floppy defect/devs/system-configuration are identical
Files BB floppy/help and BB floppy defect/help are identical
Files BB floppy/help.dat and BB floppy defect/help.dat are identical
Files BB floppy/Important and BB floppy defect/Important are identical
Files BB floppy/l/Disk-Validator and BB floppy defect/l/Disk-Validator are identical
Files BB floppy/l/Newcon-Handler and BB floppy defect/l/Newcon-Handler are identical
Files BB floppy/l/Port-Handler and BB floppy defect/l/Port-Handler are identical
Files BB floppy/l/Ram-Handler and BB floppy defect/l/Ram-Handler are identical
Files BB floppy/libs/diskfont.library and BB floppy defect/libs/diskfont.library are identical
Files BB floppy/libs/icon.library and BB floppy defect/libs/icon.library are identical
Files BB floppy/libs/info.library and BB floppy defect/libs/info.library are identical
Files BB floppy/libs/mathieeedoubbas.library and BB floppy defect/libs/mathieeedoubbas.library are identical
Files BB floppy/libs/mathieeedoubtrans.library and BB floppy defect/libs/mathieeedoubtrans.library are identical
Files BB floppy/libs/mathtrans.library and BB floppy defect/libs/mathtrans.library are identical
Files BB floppy/libs/translator.library and BB floppy defect/libs/translator.library are identical
Files BB floppy/libs/version.library and BB floppy defect/libs/version.library are identical
Files BB floppy/s/startup-sequence and BB floppy defect/s/startup-sequence are identical
Files BB floppy/Ted and BB floppy defect/Ted are identical
Files BB floppy/Ted.info and BB floppy defect/Ted.info are identical
Files BB floppy/userlibs.info and BB floppy defect/userlibs.info are identical

idrougge · 17 November 2016, 01:43

"Install df0:"

TenLeftFingers · 17 November 2016, 09:36

Can I distribute such a thing legally then? And, I'd still like to learn what the problem is if anyone has insight into that.

idrougge · 17 November 2016, 10:05

Yes you can. The bootblock is not the problem.

Anakirob · 17 November 2016, 10:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by idrougge

"Install df0:"

Don't tell me you forgot to install a bootblock, there's your problem.

TenLeftFingers · 17 November 2016, 11:05

I won't tell you that I forgot

) Install df0: fixes the problem.

I don't understand. On linux, everything is a file and file-by-file analysis can show differences.

Edit: looking up here I can see it makes non-file related changes required to make the device bootable: http://www.jaruzel.com/projects/amig...p/INSTALL.html

Thanks for the explanation.

idrougge · 17 November 2016, 11:14

Don't tell me Linux doesn't have this problem. Ever heard of GRUB?

TenLeftFingers · 17 November 2016, 11:15

Ever heard of dd?

Edit: You're right idrougge, dd copies the filesystem stuff too and not just the files so the two systems are very equivalent in this way.

BippyM · 17 November 2016, 12:12

Why don't you just use WinUAE FSUAE and do all the work on the Amiga side???

Or am I missing something?

TenLeftFingers · 17 November 2016, 12:15

I'm using an A1200 to write the script and test the disks so no need for FS-UAE (although I have it and it's great).

The reason I was using linux was to quickly diff the two floppy images to try and determine why one would boot and not the other. I'm sure it can be done on the Amiga but wanted to solve it quickly with knowldege I had.

But, as others have posted, it wasn't the correct litmus test anyway.

Daedalus · 17 November 2016, 12:22

Good work! Be sure to upload the script to Aminet so others can use it too. You can even include the Install DF0: line in the script for completeness.

TenLeftFingers · 17 November 2016, 12:50

Thank you! Yes, I've submitted an upload via their ftp process and I'll post the link here when/if I get notified.

idrougge · 17 November 2016, 13:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by TenLeftFingers

The reason I was using linux was to quickly diff the two floppy images to try and determine why one would boot and not the other. I'm sure it can be done on the Amiga but wanted to solve it quickly with knowldege I had.

http://aminet.net/package/disk/bakup/DirDiff

TenLeftFingers · 18 November 2016, 13:05

@idrougge, thank you. A great application and GUI based. I didn't know Cloanto created applications.

The script is uploaded to http://aminet.net/package/dev/basic/BlitzISOtoFloppy

Thanks to all for your help!

Daedalus · 18 November 2016, 14:20

Congratulations on your first Aminet release

Anakirob · 18 November 2016, 14:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by TenLeftFingers

@idrougge, thank you. A great application and GUI based. I didn't know Cloanto created applications.

Ever heard of Personal Paint?

Sir_Lucas · 20 November 2016, 20:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by TenLeftFingers

@idrougge, thank you. A great application and GUI based. I didn't know Cloanto created applications.

The script is uploaded to http://aminet.net/package/dev/basic/BlitzISOtoFloppy

Thanks to all for your help!

Congratulations on your first Aminet upload!!

Locutus · 20 November 2016, 21:09

Amusing to see that this Blitz BASIC CD contains quite some AmigaOS binaries.

Yet another source for that 'Trollingly construct AmigaOS from random files nobody cares about' script i really should write sometime :-D

17 November 2016, 09:36	#3
TenLeftFingers Registered User Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Ireland Posts: 800	Can I distribute such a thing legally then? And, I'd still like to learn what the problem is if anyone has insight into that. Last edited by TenLeftFingers; 17 November 2016 at 09:49.

17 November 2016, 11:15	#8
TenLeftFingers Registered User Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Ireland Posts: 800	Ever heard of dd? Edit: You're right idrougge, dd copies the filesystem stuff too and not just the files so the two systems are very equivalent in this way. Last edited by TenLeftFingers; 17 November 2016 at 11:34.

18 November 2016, 13:05	#14
TenLeftFingers Registered User Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Ireland Posts: 800	@idrougge, thank you. A great application and GUI based. I didn't know Cloanto created applications. The script is uploaded to http://aminet.net/package/dev/basic/BlitzISOtoFloppy Thanks to all for your help! Last edited by TenLeftFingers; 18 November 2016 at 13:58.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
[blitz basic] How much amiga-blitz friendly is this?	saimon69	Coders. Blitz Basic	105	21 April 2022 19:45
How does one create Blitz Basic compatible anim files?	earok	Coders. Blitz Basic	6	06 February 2017 16:54
Blitz Basic 2 game will not run from floppy	Bastich	Coders. General	2	15 January 2015 17:03
HOW TO: Create a boot floppy disk to load a bootable partition	NubeCheCorre	support.Other	3	18 February 2012 14:05
How to create a bootable floppy disk for Amiga?	UK-Wobbie	support.Apps	3	25 November 2011 19:03

17 November 2016, 01:43	#2
idrougge Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Stockholm Posts: 4,357	"Install df0:"

17 November 2016, 10:05	#4
idrougge Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Stockholm Posts: 4,357	Yes you can. The bootblock is not the problem.

17 November 2016, 11:05	#6
TenLeftFingers Registered User Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Ireland Posts: 800	I won't tell you that I forgot ) Install df0: fixes the problem. I don't understand. On linux, everything is a file and file-by-file analysis can show differences. Edit: looking up here I can see it makes non-file related changes required to make the device bootable: http://www.jaruzel.com/projects/amig...p/INSTALL.html Thanks for the explanation.

17 November 2016, 11:14	#7
idrougge Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Stockholm Posts: 4,357	Don't tell me Linux doesn't have this problem. Ever heard of GRUB?

17 November 2016, 12:12	#9
BippyM Global Moderator Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Derby, UK Age: 48 Posts: 9,355	Why don't you just use WinUAE FSUAE and do all the work on the Amiga side??? Or am I missing something?

17 November 2016, 12:15	#10
TenLeftFingers Registered User Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Ireland Posts: 800	I'm using an A1200 to write the script and test the disks so no need for FS-UAE (although I have it and it's great). The reason I was using linux was to quickly diff the two floppy images to try and determine why one would boot and not the other. I'm sure it can be done on the Amiga but wanted to solve it quickly with knowldege I had. But, as others have posted, it wasn't the correct litmus test anyway.

17 November 2016, 12:22	#11
Daedalus Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Dublin, then Glasgow Posts: 6,381	Good work! Be sure to upload the script to Aminet so others can use it too. You can even include the Install DF0: line in the script for completeness.

17 November 2016, 12:50	#12
TenLeftFingers Registered User Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Ireland Posts: 800	Thank you! Yes, I've submitted an upload via their ftp process and I'll post the link here when/if I get notified.

18 November 2016, 14:20	#15
Daedalus Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Dublin, then Glasgow Posts: 6,381	Congratulations on your first Aminet release

20 November 2016, 21:09	#18
Locutus Registered User Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Finland Posts: 1,187	Amusing to see that this Blitz BASIC CD contains quite some AmigaOS binaries. Yet another source for that 'Trollingly construct AmigaOS from random files nobody cares about' script i really should write sometime :-D

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)