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How to copy FDS 2.8" disk
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rbudrick



Joined: 26 Mar 2004
Posts: 373

PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 5:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

eastbayarb wrote:
Is there a tutorial on modifying a Quick Disk for use on the FDS drive? Can an Amstrad Quick Disk drive be somehow used to back up FDS disks?


I have often wondered if my MSK QD drive or an Amstrad or an MZ-1500 could copy FDS disks. I don't have the Amstrad, but I have the others, but haven't gotten around to tinkering with them enough to find out. I think the easiest way would be to put the magnetic disk in the FDS disk into a QD casing to find out. Also, I have no clue how to work the MSX QD drive.

Quote:
Check this out:

http://www.famicomworld.com/forum/index.php?topic=1575.0

Very interesting indeed!


Yes, I have often used this technique to copy and write the copying programs to new disks and to copy FDS images to new disks, since the write feature of FDSLoadr doesn't actually work, as far as I've seen. Using a combination of Copy Master and FDSLoadr with a Venus TGD6 is the best method, I've found.

I have images of Copy Master, Copy Tool, Tonkachi Editor, Tonkachi Mario, Disk Hacker 1.3, and Disk Keeper. There's still images I don't have, like Disk Hacker 2, and the previous Disk Hackers, along with some others I can't think of right now.

-Rob
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RGB_Gamer



Joined: 01 Oct 2007
Posts: 879

PostPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 4:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

nice to know that tomy now is officially selling mgd1 to pc cable and fdsloadr ram cable.
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rbudrick



Joined: 26 Mar 2004
Posts: 373

PostPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 6:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

eastbayarb wrote:
nice to know that tomy now is officially selling mgd1 to pc cable and fdsloadr ram cable.


Yes, I just noticed that myself! I wonder why he's not selling the other FDSLoader cable. Tomy?

-Rob
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RGB_Gamer



Joined: 01 Oct 2007
Posts: 879

PostPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 6:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

rbudrick wrote:
eastbayarb wrote:
nice to know that tomy now is officially selling mgd1 to pc cable and fdsloadr ram cable.


Yes, I just noticed that myself! I wonder why he's not selling the other FDSLoader cable. Tomy?

-Rob


Interestingly, before he started officially selling the mgd1/fdsloadr RAM cables, he sold me both of these and I guess I got the ball rolling on this. He told me he wasn't able to make the FDSloadr disk cable.
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rbudrick



Joined: 26 Mar 2004
Posts: 373

PostPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 8:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tomy, the FDS Loader FDD cable is somewhat simple. You need to install a port for an AC adapter to plug in. FDSLoadr needs 5 volts, but can run on 4.5. Most universal AC adapters do not have a 5 volt setting, but almost all have a 4.5.

As for the port itself, it can be easily made with spare SNES AV cables (make sure all 12 pins are there, scart cables should work). A small hole drilled into the AV cord leaves room to house the AC port, or it can be mounted as a small piece that hangs off the finished cable.

-Rob
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Tomy
Site Admin


Joined: 02 Aug 2005
Posts: 414

PostPosted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 5:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

rbudrick,

Yes, I can make fdsloader for FDD. Because my PC can't get it work (timming problem), if I sell it, then I can't promise if work on customer's side. That's why I don't make it.

eastbayarb,

I'll tell you more when I'm back next week. Because I'm afraid you don't know how to use it. Please follow the picture to plug fdsloader cable in ram adapter.

Don't revert to plug it in ram adapter. The fdsloader cable lenght a bit short, too long is not good for data transfer.



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rbudrick



Joined: 26 Mar 2004
Posts: 373

PostPosted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 5:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, that is the problem with FDSLoader cables...sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. Using another computer usually works. Once you find the right computer, it works every time, though. The RAM adapter cable is usually easier to get to work. Make sure you use EPP mode, adjusted in your BIOS. This is often the problem for many people.

My FDSLoader cables are only about 18 inches long, but the parallel cable I use to connect it to the computer is 6 feet.

-Rob
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RGB_Gamer



Joined: 01 Oct 2007
Posts: 879

PostPosted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 8:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Has any conversion program been made to convert .FDS to MGD1 format? I want to write .FDS to my famicom disks using the MGD1 + PC cable
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madman



Joined: 07 Jul 2006
Posts: 598

PostPosted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 9:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's pretty easy to figure out once you compare the two files. I wrote one a couple years ago but I'm not sure if I still have it. IIRC, there is just some padding in the .FDS file that the MGD format doesn't have and a few other bytes of info.
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RGB_Gamer



Joined: 01 Oct 2007
Posts: 879

PostPosted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 12:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ok I guess I will just open up a hex editor and compare the two. Do you have any idea what file extension mgd format FDS images are? Also, I got my MGD1 + FDS + MGD1 to PC cable setup ready. Now what is the procedure to back up a disk using the MGD1 linker tool? I insert an FDS disk and the LED displays a number the MGD1, and then starts spinning. I also tried another disk (Double Dribble) and inserted into the FDS, but the MGD1 displayed what looked like a backwards h. I also tried inserting Super Mario Bros 1 and the MGD1 LED displayed what looks like a t (or an e without the top line). The only game that was different was Castlevania 2 - I inserted side A, the LED on the MGD1 displayed a 1, then the red line went in circles, then a number 2 displayed. I then flipped the disk over and then it read E, then 0, then 5, then 2 again. I know these games worked, as I played them on the FDS before. Is there some sort of special method I need to do with the FDS + MGD1 before activating the MGD1 linker? Also, I don't know why I keep getting a Timeout Error. I have my parallel port (it is an old laptop with parallel port and it is set to EPP) set up fine and I am running XP. My MGD1 and FDS drive are both using Sega Genesis1 style AC adapters.


madman wrote:
It's pretty easy to figure out once you compare the two files. I wrote one a couple years ago but I'm not sure if I still have it. IIRC, there is just some padding in the .FDS file that the MGD format doesn't have and a few other bytes of info.
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RGB_Gamer



Joined: 01 Oct 2007
Posts: 879

PostPosted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 6:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

ok, i actually got the mgd1 setup to work. I have my parallel port on my old t41 thinkpad set to ECP, then I fire up the mgdlinker program and choose Read FDS and then insert an FDS disk to write to PC, or I choose Write FDS (with no disk in the FDS drive) and after the status bar goes to the right, only after it tells me to insert the disk do I do so. So the trick is to wait till it tells you to insert a disk.

For some strange reason, when I choose to write to a Nintendo brand FDS disk, the MGD1's LED reads E, then F, then E. It even does that with some of my bootleg disks, but does it with all Nintendo brand original disks.
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kyuusaku



Joined: 26 Jul 2003
Posts: 941
Location: .ma.us

PostPosted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

E, F, E sounds more like "Error $FE" than getting it to work.
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madman



Joined: 07 Jul 2006
Posts: 598

PostPosted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 6:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

eastbayarb wrote:
So the trick is to wait till it tells you to insert a disk.

The "trick" is not putting a disk in until the software tells you? Amazing.

The MGD1 is often fickle writing to certain disks. Some just don't work.
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rbudrick



Joined: 26 Mar 2004
Posts: 373

PostPosted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 6:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I took a look at all my first party Nintendo fds disks. They all have the write-protect tab removed, where my bootlegs all have them intact. I mentioned you should check this several times before. Wink Put a piece of tape over where the tabs were to write them.

-Rob
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RGB_Gamer



Joined: 01 Oct 2007
Posts: 879

PostPosted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 6:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

rbudrick wrote:
I took a look at all my first party Nintendo fds disks. They all have the write-protect tab removed, where my bootlegs all have them intact. I mentioned you should check this several times before. Wink Put a piece of tape over where the tabs were to write them.

-Rob


Yea that was the first thing I did (even though the tabs on the Nintendo disks and bootlegs look exactly the same). Still no go with Nintendo brand disks, and even some bootleg disks Ihave.

[/quote]
The "trick" is not putting a disk in until the software tells you? Amazing.

The MGD1 is often fickle writing to certain disks. Some just don't work.[/quote]

Yea i figured that out on my own, but yes, some disks just don't work.
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