17 Dec
2005
17 Dec
'05
2:48 a.m.
Date: Sat, 17 Dec 2005 00:20:19 +0000 (GMT)
From: ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk (Tony Duell)
Subject: Re: Archiving Software
<snip>
> ImageDisk seems like a definite step in the right
direction - it's certainly
> done a brilliant job when I've tried it.
It's a pity the source code hasn't been
released. I really don't like
using programs that I've not read through...
Ahh, there's just no pleasing some people... ;-)
> Getting the data off (and knowing you've
captured it all) and onto modern
> media is probably more important than what tools someone may use in the
> future to interpret the data. Providing it's all captured of course!
I would think that any archive format that is complete
enough to allow a
working version of the disk to be recreated for the original machine
would also allow individual files to be extracted given the right tools
(if only because recreating the a disk for the original machine, then
using it on that machine would allow you to do just that).
-tony
Well, that kind of misses the point of my original question. For a system-specific
bootable disk, imaging is probably the only answer since if you can't boot your
system you can't load the image into it (although Dave Dunfield has even done
this for several systems by loading the bootstrap & system file via the monitor
and console port). In the case of systems that can have both 5" and/or 8" FDDs,
it probably makes sense to image the 5" version since it's probably easier to
temporarily add a 5" drive to an 8" system than adding an 8" drive to the
PC.
What I was looking for were answers to the following problems:
1 - I have some hard-sectored disks for my Vector MZ; how do I archive those?
2 - Assuming I do, how do I or you recreate them?
3 - I have a SSSD 8" CP/M Visicalc distribution disk; how do I send it to you in a
way that you can re-create a 5" disk for your SystemX (especially if you only
have one serial port)?
4 - I have a version of Cromix+ for Cromemco on DSDD 8" disks, consisting
of one bootable disk and a tar file spanning three more disks; again,
what do I put on my site or email you so that you can install it on your
System 1 with only a 5" FDD?
5 - And just to round out the list, I have a copy of Unix for the Cromemco, which
is on one bootable 5" disk and a tar file on a DC600 tape. What do I do
with that (serious replies only pls :)?
mike