Creating a new CP/M archive was Re: The Don Maslin Software Archive

[Randy McLaughlin]

From: "Kevin Handy" <kth at srv.net>
Sent: Saturday, May 14, 2005 6:19 PM
> Vernon Wright wrote:
>
>>For any newbies to the group:
>>
>>1. Don Maslin (San Diego, CA) collected what I believe is the largest and 
>>most complete archive of CP/M/S100 operating systems amongst us 
>>'hobbyists'.
>>
> It's beginning to sound like it might be easier to start a
> new archive than try to recover this one.
>
> Whatever is done, it should be easily distributed so a
> similiar problem does not happen again. If one site
> disappears, there should be several others ready to
> continue.
>
> Make all the images available over the internet, with
> instructions on how to create "physical" versions,
> as well as the software necessary to create them (source
> code preferred).
>
> Some of the disks would need special hardware to
> recreate, but that could be documented with the
> image, along with a list of anyone who has the
> necessary equipment and would be willing to
> recreate it for them.
>
> Set it up so that it is easy for anyone to supply such
> image files.
>
> Maybe at some point, Don's library could be merged
> back in.

Some disk formats are completely incompatible with standard PC hardware 
(such as Altair hard sectored disks).

Some disk formats are incompatible with some PC hardware, most PC's do not 
support FM - Single Density, some systems used formats that were specific to 
WD controllers and not compatible to the NEC (and NEC clones) used by PC's.

For formats compatible with PC controllers there is a utility called 
teledisk that is commonly used to backup/restore.  Anadisk is another tool 
that can extract the data.

For other formats there are a variety of methods including:

Catweasel - handles anything.

SVD - Semi-Virtual Diskette (http://www.rothfus.com/SVD/) that emulates a 
standard drive and requires a working classic computer to create the image.

Serial port transfer of disk image - Dave Dunfield has one for NorthStar and 
one for Cromemco (http://www.parse.com/~ddunfield/museum/)


There are plenty of other methods, the problem is finding/building the right 
hardware.


If anyone has disks that they would like to donate I'd be happy to help by 
either walking you through creation of the disk image or for most formats 
you can send me a disk and I can create a disk image.


Randy
www.s100-manuals.com