5.25 double density

[admin]

According to the datasheet (and schematic contained in the datasheet) that drive really does not have pin 2 connected (density select).  So, that drive will not be able to reliably read or write low density (DSDD) disks.

[Kirben]

Thanks for confirming, I ordered another 5.25" drive (360KB TANDON TM65-2L) off eBay which will hopefully work better.

[Kirben]

Using 360KB TANDON TM65-2L floppy drive now (manual).

What type and extraction tools should I be using for Double Density PC disks? unprotected game installation disks, with less than 360K per disk.

I'm using 48TPI type and tried low and high density settings in SCP.
If I use 360K type, the DiskView in HxC shows red ring around the edge, and I get incomplete files.
If I use C64 type, the DiskView in HcX looks all green, but I'm not sure how to extract the file contents.

SCP Images on Google Drive if required:
PoolDisk1c.scp - C64 type
PoolDisk1l.scp 360K type Low Density
PoolDisk1h.scp 360k type High Density

[admin]

What do you mean by "extraction"? If you mean reading files off a converted image then you would need some sort of virtual floppy file system handler, or you could use an emulator that can read/write IBM PC format.

You could try imaging with the TRS-80 disk type - but that is really the same as IBM-PC... but I though that might actually work with a 96 TPI drive too.

[SomeGuy]

Looking at the images, the first track on the second side is unreadable. The C64 format does not read the second side, so you don't see that error but you get unusable incomplete data.

I'd check for physical damage or dirt on the outer track of the second side. Perhaps clean the disk and try again. If there is no physical damage, something could have erased it. This does look like damage, and not copy protection. Specifically, the damaged area should contain part of your "install.exe".

Normally HxC should be able to extract files or convert your SCP image to an IMG format that WinImage can open.

Personally I prefer the PCE tools because it gives me much more verbose information logs about what it has found, and is much more stable than HxC. I'm not sure if they have added SCP support yet, although you can usually convert to KF format via HxC.

The problem is, most image converters will create an unusable mess when they encounter disk errors like this or copy protection, so you won't be able extract files.

Here is a "corrected" image file created from your SCP files, but note that install.exe is corrupt: http://lucasm.cf/?nmqyy

[admin]

Send me the .scp image to data@cbmstuff.com and I can tell you what's going on.

[Kirben]

What do you mean by "extraction"?  If you mean reading files off a converted image then you would need some sort of virtual floppy file system handler, or you could use an emulator that can read/write IBM PC format.  

You could try imaging with the TRS-80 disk type - but that is really the same as IBM-PC... but I though that might actually work with a 96 TPI drive too.

I meant extracting files from the Flux image file, I don't think any DOS emulators currently offer direct SCP image support.

I usually load the flux image into HcX and extract files via the Disk Browser option.

Looking at the images, the first track on the second side is unreadable. The C64 format does not read the second side, so you don't see that error but you get unusable incomplete data.

I'd check for physical damage or dirt on the outer track of the second side. Perhaps clean the disk and try again. If there is no physical damage, something could have erased it. This does look like damage, and not copy protection. Specifically, the damaged area should contain part of your "install.exe".

Normally HxC should be able to extract files or convert your SCP image to an IMG format that WinImage can open.

Personally I prefer the PCE tools because it gives me much more verbose information logs about what it has found, and is much more stable than HxC.  I'm not sure if they have added SCP support yet, although you can usually convert to KF format via HxC.

The problem is, most image converters will create an unusable mess when they encounter disk errors like this or copy protection, so you won't be able extract files.

Here is a "corrected" image file created from your SCP files, but note that install.exe is corrupt: http://lucasm.cf/?nmqyy

I checked the surface of the disk, and the outer track of second side looks darker, but not dirty. Unfortunately looks like the data has degraded or been damaged for that disk.

Where can I find PCE Tools?

Thanks for the corrected image.

Send me the .scp image to data@cbmstuff.com and I can tell you what's going on.

The first disk has been confirmed has faulty, and it looks the drive been dirty was causing issues too.

The rest of the disks seem to be reading fine with 360K type under SCP after cleaning drive, with all green for the Disk View in HxC.

A few disks are failing to list files with Disk Browser option in HcX though, check these SCP image on my Google Drive :
DragonFlameDisk1.scp
HeroLanceDisk1.scp
WarLanceDisk1.scp

The manual reports no copy protection is used, and they don't seem to be PC booter disks either.

[SomeGuy]

I should mention the PCE tools are commandline tools that accompany the PCE emulator and are not easy to use, but they have extra flexibility that is handy when analyzing lots of really odd disks. Also, they are not file extractors, you still need WinImage or similar.

PCE and tools are located here:
http://www.hampa.ch/pub/pce/pre/

It looks like the latest version of the PFI tool is
http://www.hampa.ch/pub/pce/pre/pce-2015...-win32.zip

Looking closer, they have indeed added SCP support, but they don't mention it in the --help text.

All three of the images you posted are infected with the STONED.MICHELAN.CORRUPT boot sector virus. This has corrupted the Bios Parameter Bock data that extraction tools like WinImage, and apparently also HxC, rely on to determine disk format. (But DOS itself doesn't always need that). That limitation also makes it impossible for these tools to automatically extract files from disks formatted with DOS 1.x and some early DOS 2.x disks.

Here are repaired copies with cleaned boot sectors:
http://lucasm.cf/?y2mxz

[admin]

Ha... I didn't know that HxC had file extraction capability. Thanks SomeGuy for helping Kirben out.

[Kirben]

Thanks for all the help SomeGuy, it will be very helpful with future disks. I relied too much on using HxC, and I will make sure to always try images converted to IMG under DOSBox too.