Re: Extracting files off “unknown” 8 inch disks. Any thoughts…

[Jay Jaeger]

> On Mar 22, 2017, at 23:08, Chuck Guzis via cctech <cctech at classiccmp.org> wrote:
> 
>> On 03/22/2017 08:39 PM, Terry Stewart via cctalk wrote:
>> 
>> Chuck, in the highly likely event of the formats NOT being common
>> CP/M or DOS ones (i.e. ones I could probably manage), I'll give these
>> guys your email (-:
> 
> Tez,
> 
> Here's what I would do in your situation.
> 
> If the disks are hard-sectored, forget it, unless you have the system
> that wrote them.
> 

Not necessarily.  For example, I have used a Catweasel board to recover hard sectored Data General floppies.  But it is certainly much harder, particularly if the format is not known in advance.


> If they're soft-sectored, dig through your pile of PC "tweeners" using
> Dave Dunfield's "TestFDC" and see if you can find one that does
> single-density.
> 
> Then hook your 8" drive to the PC and use his ImageDisk to grab a copy.
> 
> That way, you can tinker with the image to figure out what's going on.
> Failing that, you can pass the image to the list here and see if it
> rings any bells.
> 
> http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/img/index.htm
> 
> --Chuck
> 
>