Alignment Disk

[videofx]

I just found my Ami Alignment System package.

Will I be able to make a backup of the alignment disk?

The manual says NO so I thought I would ask the Guru

Thanks!

[admin]

You should be able to duplicate it properly right now, providing it was written using the index mark (which is likely with an alignment disk). The accuracy will only be as good as the floppy drive alignment is that you are using for your read/write drive. It should work. Try it and then check the difference it shows in alignment. I am guessing you won't see any difference.

[videofx]

You should be able to duplicate it properly right now, providing it was written using the index mark (which is likely with an alignment disk).

Thanks!

Can you please explain to us dummies the following:

1. How can I tell if a floppy was produced using the index mark?
2. are there other types of copy protection on Amiga?

[admin]

1) Unless you understand disk format you probably won't be able to tell if a disk was created using the index mark, but you could look at an image file that was made with bind mode on in the analyzer. Load the image and increment each track one by one. You will notice a series of AA's or 55's, following by a sync (44894489). This could be shifted by a 1-3 bits though. It will be pretty obvious if the disk was written with the index pulse as the start of the write data. For disks that weren't, you won't see the 55's or AA's, you will see random data for each track.

2) There were hundreds of types of protection. SuperCard Pro doesn't care about protection, it just cares about the raw flux data. In order to duplicate disks that were not written on the index mark, you have to read two revoutions and locate where the original writing started on the 2nd revolution and use that as the end of the data written. It's not too difficult, but there are a lot of cases to provide code for.

[videofx]

1) Unless you understand disk format you probably won't be able to tell if a disk was created using the index mark, but you could look at an image file that was made with bind mode on in the analyzer. Load the image and increment each track one by one. You will notice a series of AA's or 55's, following by a sync (44894489). This could be shifted by a 1-3 bits though. It will be pretty obvious if the disk was written with the index pulse as the start of the write data. For disks that weren't, you won't see the 55's or AA's, you will see random data for each track.

Thank you for explaining. Now when I get my Super Card Pro I will do like you say and bring the image up in analyzer. If its not Index mark can I send you my .SCP image so you can tell me if its copy protected? I only assume the disk is copy protected otherwise they wouldnt say the disk must be in DF0 in order for the program to work.

[admin]

Yes, you can make an image with blind mode off and send it. That's all that is needed to make a copy. So, even if you can't make a copy you can send an image with blind mode off and I will be able to use the data you send and make a copy. I can determine what it is needed to make the copier write back the data.