ToToTEK.COM

Coffinspired · Joined: 15 Aug 2013 Posts: 12

Hello all,

I'm new to copiers, I have a GD6 and a GD7 (GD7 currently being repaired) and I'm very excited to be part of this hobby. I have been able to do a few things with my GD6 and I'm really impressed with what it can do- however I do have a few questions, and after reading through the posts here for several days I can't really find the answers without asking.

1. Are you guys able to fit SNES roms larger than 1.4MB on a single floppy? If so, how? I used a few format programs to format a floppy up to 1.68MB, but the GD6 won't read it, and it seems silly to have two disks for games that are just 1.56MB, etc, like Asterix.

2. When your floppy drive fails in your unit, is there a standard drive you must use to replace the bad one, or can you use any replacement floppy drive?

3. Is there anything else I should know about using my GD's that I may not as a noob? LOL

Thanks for everything and cheers, your forum has been super helpful, great to be here!

MottZilla · Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Posts: 765

You can format to 1600Kb by using the drive in the Game Doctor. You can fit up to 12 megabits on a disk this way. That means it's possible to fit aynthing 12 megabits of less on 1 disk, and anything up to 24 megabits or less on 2 disks, and 36 megabits on 3 disks.

However UCON64 typically will split files to 8 megabit pieces. You'd have to split the files another way to optimize storage. By using the 1600K format you can save 1 disk per game on any game larger than 10 megabits.

If your floppy drive dies, you can either try to repair it, or replace it with any other floppy drive that will fit. Sometimes you'll find the power or data connectors are not in the right place for how short the cables in the Game Doctor are.

The main advice I have is that UCON64 is your friend for converting ROMs to the correct format. Also be careful that sometimes disks are unreliable and you may have problems in a game due to loading problems. If possible use new floppy disks and avoid them getting dirty. Another thing is that there is a CD-ROM interface you can build for the Game Doctor SF7. With it you can load games much faster and pretty reliably.

Coffinspired · Joined: 15 Aug 2013 Posts: 12

MottZilla, thanks a lot for your reply. The format disk option in the GD6 has really been a help to me. I did notice in your reply, and now after using Ucon64, that I am indeed unable to split roms in larger sizes, in fact Ucon's output states it ignores the split size command...can you give me any tips as to how I can make larger split files, so games take less disks?

Thanks so much for your reply man. And I'm sharing what I've learned here with another friend who now owns a copier so your help has not gone unappreciated!

69mustang · Joined: 02 May 2012 Posts: 8

You could try converting the rom to the proper format/header type with Ucon64 then split the file with HJ Split and see if it works.

http://www.hjsplit.org/

MottZilla · Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Posts: 765

I made a program awhile back that should help. Just convert your game to GD3 format, then use the program to split it. http://thegaminguniverse.org/ninjagaiden4/gd7tool.zip

This chart shows how many disks a game will need in standard 8 meg pieces or in larger 12 meg pieces.

Coffinspired · Joined: 15 Aug 2013 Posts: 12

Thank you both very much for your responses. Mottzilla, the chart is also very helpful. Cheers!

teamvb · Joined: 18 Jan 2014 Posts: 25

about 15 years ago me and my friend try to convert a game to game doctor 3 ,we try hi ,lo ,pad image,spit,etc using ucon,snestool but nothing worked it was a 12mbit game (me and my friend has being using disk copier for day one (md,snes) after a while i got mad and tried it on my new doctor 7 uncoverted and it worked the gdf7 converted it ,so we copy to disk and it works on the doctor 3 ,the rom was pro fighter format i think,most relest was in smc on the bbs

FireBirds · Joined: 16 Feb 2023 Posts: 6

Hi.

Can not download this "gd7tool.zip"
Where can find this one?

Can you help me @MottZilla

Thanks.

Greetings FireBirds

MottZilla · Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Posts: 765

Updated URL.

FireBirds · Joined: 16 Feb 2023 Posts: 6

Thanks

Is this Tool not for 64M Files.

I see your Tool is not for 64M

---- 8M Parts | 12M Parts ----
| 24M 3 Disks | 2 Disks |
| 32M 4 Disks | 3 Disks |
| 40M 5 Disks | 4 Disks |
| 48M 6 Disks | 4 Disks |
| 64M 8 Disks | 6 Disks | ?????????
| 96M 12 Disks | 8 Disks |
--------------------------------

With your Tool come this message: unsupported Rom Size
Can you gd7tool upgrade with 64M in 6 Disks ?

i have now 8x1MB with ucon64.

ucon64 ignore split in 12M
NOTE: ROM will be split as Game Doctor SF3 ROM, ignoring switch --ssize

SF64UMKA.078
SF64UMKB.078
SF64UMKC.078
SF64UMKD.078
SF64UMKE.078
SF64UMKF.078
SF64UMKG.078
SF64UMKH.078

If only I knew how it works. Would I split the 64M file differently. Unfortunately, it doesn't work with HJsplit. Only the first file is loaded and the other files are not asked.

Greetings FireBirds

MottZilla · Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Posts: 765

The first file has a header that determines how it loads from each disk. It's been a long time so I don't currently have any details. The UCON64 source code could have details but I'm not sure.

I never tested 64M or 96M options as I never had a Game Doctor with that much memory. If I find the source code to the tool I can look into it. But I have many backup archives to look through and it will take some time.

dbjh · Joined: 02 Aug 2003 Posts: 167

Bishop702 · Joined: 17 Dec 2007 Posts: 29

I was reading the responses in this message and though I might be able to help. I have the GD7TOOL.ZIP if needed and can try to post it here.
The 12mbit files the tool makes ONLY load of the GD7 and not the GD6 or GD3, it will crash after the 1st file on those units.
For the GDF6 the files have to be split into 4mb files to be loaded off of 12mb disk, 3 per disk as it will crash after the 1st 12mb file. The GD7 loads them perfectly..
I am looking for the GD7TOOL.ZIP file now in my archives and will try to post it here when I find it.
Update: Found it!! Trying to attaching it to this message. Having some issues attaching it? doesn't seem to save it? Have it down to 284kb as a rar file archive, but it won't save?Anyone know why? Even tried to save it as a zip and a jpg to see it that would work and then it could be renamed but it won't. If anyone can tell me how to attach it I will try to post it again.
Hope this was some help.

Bishop702
Old School Gamer who used to sell these back in TORONTO.

dbjh · Joined: 02 Aug 2003 Posts: 167

Thanks a lot Bishop702 for the additional details.

MottZilla's updated link to gd7tool.zip (Game Doctor SF ROM Split) is working for me.

About attaching a file, have you checked Allowed Extensions and Sizes? gd7tool.zip is larger than 256 kB, so that probably explains why you could not attach it.

Bishop702 · Joined: 17 Dec 2007 Posts: 29

Thanks for the info dbjh for the info, I had it reduced to 254kb with winrar but either way I am happy people can get it..

And thank you for all your hard work keeping this site alive and all others, especially Tomy.. Sorry I forget all the names some times of the hard core contributors. I have some more lost info and some secrets to hack for you guys as I go through my archive.

I still love my 1st Game Doctor SF7 I bought from Tomy decades ago.