Archiving RX50s with PUTR - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

17 May 2009

Tobias Russell <toby at coreware.co.uk> wrote:

...
  Thanks for the advice. I had already started by the
time I ready your
 reply so I have images for now, although it would be easy to go the
 extra step by mounting my images and extracting the individual files. I
 might have a hunt to see if there are any linux/unix utilities out there
 so I can automate exracting the individual files from RT-11 images. 
Count me as a voice against extracting the individual files. It's way 
better to make copies of the whole floppies. You can easily do the 
extraction afterwards if you have a program that understands the file 
system. And it will preserve the actual floppies as well, which can then 
be recreated by someone who don't have the tools either.
Also, if you have some bug in the extraction software, you still have 
the original around to repeat the process if you want to.

Also, there are file systems that PUTR don't understand, not to mention 
that there can be issues with preserving some kind of information when 
extracting files to another type of file system.
...

 If anyone is interested, the fruits of my labours can be seen here:

 http://www.pdp11.co.uk/2009/05/17/rt-11-rx50-disk-images/

 Quite a few of the files probably already exist in other archives but
 some of the stuff is probably new. I've not had a chance yet to look
 through the disks in detail but will annotate up the contents when I get
 a chance. 
Nice. Keep up the good work.

...
  I've just been given a set of microRSX 1.0
distribution RX50s so I will
 put those up next. 
That's something you don't want to point PUTR towards...

	Johnny

...

 Thanks,
 Toby

 On Sat, 2009-05-16 at 17:38 -0700, Lyle Bickley wrote:
  > Toby,
 > 
 > On Saturday 16 May 2009, Tobias Russell wrote:
> > > I have a large box of RX50 disks that I would like to archive onto
> > > modern media to ensure they are preserved. I've built up a machine
with
> > > a 5.25" floppy drive and install DOS and PUTR.
> > >
> > > Is the best method to archive them to:
> > >
> > > MOUNT B: /FOREIGN /RX50
> > >
> > > followed by:
> > >
> > > COPY/DEV/FILE B: [filename]
> > >
> > > for each of the disks I insert?
> > >
> > > I was pondering whether I should use the /BINARY flag on the copy, but
> > > I've not seen this mentioned on other webpages I have read.
 > 
 > Since PUTR "understands" multiple filetypes, I have found it is much
better to 
 > save the contents of each floppy (RX50) to a separate directory - but NOT as an 
 > image file, but rather as individual files. That way you can later use PUTR to 
 > create logical media of any form - say RL02, RX01, etc. from the captured 
 > files.
 > 
 > Assuming drive "B:" is your 5.25" drive, and the OS is RT11 you would
do the 
 > following:
 > 
 > MOUNT B: /RT11 /RX50
 > then
 > COPY B:*.* .
 > and you will have captured the individual files that were on the RX50.
 > 
 > When you reverse the process to recreate a diskette (RX50, RX23, RX01, etc.) be 
 > sure to use a SET B: type; i.e., SET B: RX23 
 > then
 > FORMAT B: /RT11 /RX23 (or whatever)
 > then
 > COPY *.* B:
 > 
 > NOTE: Be absolutely sure to  SET COPY BINARY before you do anything. For some 
 > unknown reason, the PUTR default is ASCII. (I have a SET COPY BINARY in PUTR's 
 > initialization file - to be sure I never forget to do it  ;-) 
 > 
 > Cheers,
 > Lyle
 > -- 
 > Lyle Bickley
 > Bickley Consulting West Inc.
 > http://bickleywest.com
 > "Black holes are were God is dividing by zero"
 >  

-- 
Johnny Billquist                  || "I'm on a bus
                                   ||  on a psychedelic trip
email: bqt at softjar.se             ||  Reading murder books
pdp is alive!                     ||  tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol