21 Jun
2002
21 Jun
'02
7:50 a.m.
On Fri, 21 Jun 2002, Antonio Carlini wrote:
Unlike Antonio, I've had no such problems. If you have problems with one
computer, you might wish to move to a different machine to try this with.
Primary goal is
backup - TELEDISK should do that. Secondary goal is
to produce image files suitable for use with simh and E-11.
Backup implies an ability to restore, and, at least
for me, TELEDISK has problems doing that. On my system
(which at the time was a K6 233MHz machine) 3.5"
disks could be restored without issue but 5.25"
disks could not be reliably restored (this seemed
to apply to both 360KB and 1.2MB disks). I assume
that restoring RX50s will be no easier. Is the TELEDISK format freely available? If not,
restoring your disks may be difficult once the
last PC has expired!
I've seen a C program that decodes the 'normal compression' version of the
disk format floating around in source code on the internet. Looking
around, this seems to be it: http://www.conknet.com/~w_kranz/WTELEDSK.HTM
BACKUP/PHYSICAL has the advantage that you can at
least work out where each block ends up (since the
BACKUP source listings are available).
using 'dd' where possible is much easier
(If anyone has suggestions for "imaging"
360KB
floppies, 1.2MB floppies and RX50s using PC hardware
running Windows or Linux or NetBSD, I'm all ears.
Preference given to those with practical experience
of restoring the data afterwards ... I'm not keen
to run through several hundred floppies just on
the off-chance it will be worthwhile.)
1) If it's a true 360K or 1200K 5.25" disk or 720K or 1440K 3.5" disk, you
can just type 'dd if=/dev/fd0 of=disk.img' and get a copy of it, assuming
you don't have bad sectors (which teledisk handles more gradefully).
2) Something like teledisk would be fairly easy to construct on Linux/BSD
using floppy ioctl's, or INT 13h services on DOS/Winderz (non NT/2k/XP)
if you already know the disk format and the program doesn't have to do
the discovery (sides, cylenders, sec/track, etc).
-- Pat