CP/M disks
#1
I just ordered the SuperCard Pro, as soon as I get it, I'm going to try backing up a huge variety of CP/M disks. I collect and restore S-100, and CP/M computers as a hobby, and have many different formats. I also have an 8" drive setup, with a microsolutions compaticard IV that I use to read/write these 8" disks. It will be interesting to see backing up with the SCP and reading on the Compaticard IV, as well as the original systems. I also have the other flux card, HxC2001, and an FC5025. My 8" setup has the older utilities anadisk, 22disk, and uniform on it, and I currently make images with imagedisk from Dave Dunfield.
I have over 200 computers, and can try using this on commodore, apple, trs80, ibm, and others..

Kipp
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#2
I have never tested 8" drives. All CP/M disks with the index for starting/ending tracks, so if the 8" drives are the same, then you should have no problems at all.
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#3
I have been trying to copy Heathkit H8 CP/M boot disks. My SCP has a Teac 55gfr attached to it. I have tried copying to image file and then image to disk. Tried both blind and non blind. Issue: disks don't boot, although if can see data. I suspect tracks 0 and 1 are not being written correctly as those are the boot tracks.

Possible causes:
Disk drive alignment differences, using 1.2m drive to read/write but 360k drive to boot, no choice for drive type in copy utility (used 360/720K).

Other things I've tried:
Used a ibm-PC 360k drive to read/write the disk, no joy. Was going to use the boot drive of the H8, but I can get either drive select or motor on, but not both.

Any ideas of what else to try?

Thanks,
Kipp
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#4
All of the CP/M disks I have seen are FM and use the index mark to start/stop the tracks. You should be able to use the C64/128 settings and copy the disk with blind mode checked. Do you know anything about the disk structure for the Heathkit disks? Are they standard single-sided 160K FM?
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#5
(02-17-2014, 10:46 AM)admin Wrote: All of the CP/M disks I have seen are FM and use the index mark to start/stop the tracks. You should be able to use the C64/128 settings and copy the disk with blind mode checked. Do you know anything about the disk structure for the Heathkit disks? Are they standard single-sided 160K FM?

I believe they are double sided 320K. I will try your suggestion, will the c64/128 setting copy both sides?
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#6
According to the SVD site, the H8 uses hard-sectored disks. From what I've read, this means they have an index hole for every sector as well as for the track itself.

Can you confirm this? Should be easy to tell by spinning the disk within the jacket and looking at the index hole.
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#7
(02-17-2014, 11:59 AM)LordCrass Wrote: According to the SVD site, the H8 uses hard-sectored disks. From what I've read, this means they have an index hole for every sector as well as for the track itself.

Can you confirm this? Should be easy to tell by spinning the disk within the jacket and looking at the index hole.

Mine has the updated soft sector controller H37, I believe.
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#8
(02-17-2014, 12:33 PM)kyeakel Wrote:
(02-17-2014, 11:59 AM)LordCrass Wrote: According to the SVD site, the H8 uses hard-sectored disks. From what I've read, this means they have an index hole for every sector as well as for the track itself.

Can you confirm this? Should be easy to tell by spinning the disk within the jacket and looking at the index hole.

Mine has the updated soft sector controller H37, I believe.
Yep, and it uses Qume 142 disk drives, same as IBM PC. I tried copying PC-DOS 2.1 and it boots and runs fine on a original IBM-PC. So my SCP system must be working.
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#9
So, the drive connected to the SCP is a 1.2MB drive for sure and not a 360K drive? There is a difference in TPI.

The C64/128 setting does not duplicate the backside of the disk. You would need to use the 360K setting and make sure the TPI (in pull-down menu) matches your drive.
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#10
(02-17-2014, 05:03 PM)admin Wrote: So, the drive connected to the SCP is a 1.2MB drive for sure and not a 360K drive? There is a difference in TPI.

The C64/128 setting does not duplicate the backside of the disk. You would need to use the 360K setting and make sure the TPI (in pull-down menu) matches your drive.

Yes that is what I have been doing. I'm going to try to compare tracks zero and one on the original and the copy, to see if there is any difference. I can use the H8 to copy the original to the copy and it then works. So, the destination disk is good.
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