Would like to submit software

clh333

I have been collecting software titles since 1982 and recently went through them all to see what I have and how much of it still can be read from the disks.

I ran across your site when I went searching for PFS: First Choice. I have the manual for v.3.1 but could not locate the disks. While here I notice that I have some titles that you do not and wondered if I might upload them.

I'll need a little guidance as to what format these files should have: Do you want disk images or zipped compilations? Is there a preferred tool for creating either?

Thanks for your reply.
Charles Hudson
Cleveland, Ohio, USA

farisss

IMO, full dumped floppy disk or cd/dvd image is prefered if possible, as contribution guide says

SomeGuy

For non copy-protected disks in standard 360K/720K/1.2m/1.44mb formats we typically prefer sector images of the entire disk. These can be generated by a number of different tools. WinImage is a common tool for that job. Just be sure to write-protect the disks, as some OSes have a nasty habit writing to them when you don't expect it.

For non-copy protected 160K, 180K, 320K and some 360K images we often use ImageDisk because WinImage chokes on those formats.

Similarly, any non-PC disks that can be read in a PC system (such as TRS-80 and many CP/M formats) should be in ImageDisk format.

For copy protected PC disks, you will at minimum need to try and use CopyIIPC + Snatchit, although hardware tools such as a Central Point Deluxe Option Board/Transcopy, SuperCard Pro, or Kryoflux may be needed.

We also appreciate any manual submissions, although I know those are a hassle to scan in.

Thanks for choosing WinWorld!

SoftPCMuseum

Just to add on to your post, ImageDisk also supports many compression schemes since it preserves interleaving, among several other areas of the disk that WinImage doesn't touch.

clh333

SoftPCMuseum wrote:

Just to add on to your post, ImageDisk also supports many compression schemes since it preserves interleaving, among several other areas of the disk that WinImage doesn't touch.

Thanks for your suggestions; this is all new territory for me. I have the following tools at my disposal: CopyIIPC deluxe option board, SuperCardPro, Kryoflux, 486 VLB system with Promise, DTC or Maxtor controllers, PII system with ASUS mobo and on-board controller, 5.25 TEAC FD 55 GFR (3) and TEAC, Panasonic and Mitsumi 3.5 inch high density drives.

Unfortunately there are issues... At the moment none of the TEACs will read or write. I have cleaned the heads, tried different jumper settings and cables, controllers etc. without success. One of the TEACs was working (with the 486 system and the Promise controller) until it quit a few days ago. I have another drive on order from eBay but til then I am out of the water. And I don't know that the replacement will work, either. Neither the SCP or Kryoflux seems to be able to create a usable copy from the TEACs, either, although they do well enough with 3.5 inch drives.

I tried to create a disk from the images I downloaded the other day: I have a set of 6 high-density 3.5 inch disks containing Windows 3.11, and disk 1 has a bad track or sector. I downloaded Win3.11 from this site and extracted the image files. I also obtained Dunfield's ImageDisk (did you know there's an app called Disk Image from Dubaron? Not the same, as I found out.)

ImageDisk reads and writes files with ".imd" extension; the files in the archive have ".img" extension, and these are not interchangeable, either. I tried writing one of the .img files with SCP, but the file format was unrecognized.

From a suggestion on the SCP forum I obtained HxC software and converted the .img format to .scp. I could load the .scp image file and write it to disk but the resulting disk could not be read by my target system, the '486.

So I haven't figured this out yet. But I'll keep trying and I'll let you know what happens. Thanks again for your help.
clh333

SomeGuy

Well, it sounds like once you get one or more working drives you should be all set. We can handle any of those formats on this end.

Yes, ImageDisk only reads and writes its own format. The IMG and IMA files on this site are "raw" disk sector images. It is possible to convert raw images to Imagedisk Format, although it is a bit of a hassle: viewtopic.php?f=36&t=7010&view=previous

BTW, I would strongly suggest having both 1.2mb and a real 360K drive handy. Although 1.2mb drives are ok for reading and archiving, if you ever need to write 360K disks be aware that 360K disks written in a 1.2mb drive can not be reliably read in in a real 360K drive. They need to be written by a 360K drive.

clh333

SomeGuy wrote:

BTW, I would strongly suggest having both 1.2mb and a real 360K drive handy. Although 1.2mb drives are ok for reading and archiving, if you ever need to write 360K disks be aware that 360K disks written in a 1.2mb drive can not be reliably read in in a real 360K drive. They need to be written by a 360K drive.

I have two full-height Tandons that are currently in a Kaypro 4. The Kaypro motherboard is DOA so I have no idea what shape the Tandons are in.

My first computer was a Kaypro II, purchased in 1982 for the purpose of streamlining billing of my small business. I still have a number of disks from that era, but again, getting the info onto a secure medium is a remaining challenge.

I moved on to an AT&T PC 6300 in 1985; the primary issue was the availability of appropriate office software. I should have held on to both machines but gave them away when they were supplanted.

clh333

SomeGuy wrote:

BTW, I would strongly suggest having both 1.2mb and a real 360K drive handy. Although 1.2mb drives are ok for reading and archiving, if you ever need to write 360K disks be aware that 360K disks written in a 1.2mb drive can not be reliably read in in a real 360K drive. They need to be written by a 360K drive.

I have two full-height Tandons that are currently in a Kaypro 4. The Kaypro motherboard is DOA so I have no idea what shape the Tandons are in.

My first computer was a Kaypro II, purchased in 1982 for the purpose of streamlining billing of my small business. I still have a number of disks from that era, but again, getting the info onto a secure medium is a remaining challenge.

I moved on to an AT&T PC 6300 in 1985; the primary issue was the availability of appropriate office software. I should have held on to both machines but gave them away when they were supplanted.

clh333

Finished copying to my HD >500 3.5 and 5.25 disks containing (mostly MS-DOS, pre-Win 95) software titles, which was my original objective; i.e. to get them off the disks before they decay further and store them on DVD. There is overlap with your library, of course, but some notable exceptions as well. I also have most of the documentation, on paper, unfortunately, and with no easy way to scan it.

I can create disk images with Dave Dunfield's ImageDisk or Jim Drew's SuperCard Pro. I have a copy of WinImage but no license and would prefer not to use that method unless there is no alternative. In some instances I have almost all of the files from a disk but can not create a true disk image because of a faulty sector or file. In those cases a ZIPped file would have to suffice.
Most of these titles have rudimentary install routines if any at all.

Having said this I will upload a series of files originally released by Adam Osborne's Paperback Software company: VP-Planner, a Lotus-123-like SS; VP-Info, a d-Base variant; and VP-Expert, an early foray into expert systems. Take a look, give me feedback on the success of the uploads and their suitability, and I will go from there.

My thanks to the board membership for their contributions to the site and my sincere appreciation for their efforts to preserve a bit of computer history, of benefit even to trolls.

SomeGuy

Yes, please do upload them. ImageDisk and/or SuperCard pro formats are fine. In fact, for any non-DOS disks those are preferable. I have the tools to convert those to any other format as needed.

If it is a good, original disk dump then comparing them can still be useful. Many images on this site are in need of a redump.

Note that there may be some delays until new uploads get processed. I was already behind as is.

BTW, a sheet fed document scanner can make quick work of manuals from 3-ring binders. Bound manuals are a pain though.

ibmpc5150

Copy II PC Deluxe Option Board (TransCopy) / SuperCard Pro / Kryoflux are best solution to dump a lot of Copy Protected (Non-Standard) disk.

I don't recommend ImageDisk / Teledisk so much to dump copy protected disk.

Oh, 400K image exists, hehehe.

clh333

SomeGuy wrote:

BTW, a sheet fed document scanner can make quick work of manuals from 3-ring binders. Bound manuals are a pain though.

I have a sheet-fed scanner but most of the docs are bound.

clh333

SomeGuy wrote:

Yes, please do upload them. ImageDisk and/or SuperCard pro formats are fine. .

Uploaded 3 ZIP files containing SCP images of VP Planner, VP Info and VP Expert from Paperback Software. Please note that I think I uploaded the VP Info ZIP file identified as VP Planner, and vice-versa. Mea culpa.

Refer to the enclosed README files for identification of the contents.

-CH-

clh333

SomeGuy wrote:

Yes, please do upload them. ImageDisk and/or SuperCard pro formats are fine.

Any problems with the images I have uploaded so far? If not, I have another candidate: Lucid, a SS from DAC-Easy (Texas) which was advanced for its time.

-CH-

SomeGuy

The SCP files worked fine. Examining the images, only VP-Planner 1.0 was copy protected.

Interesting protection scheme, they have a ton of overlapping sectors crammed on one track, and somehow they all have valid CRCs.

I have posted them here:
https://winworldpc.com/product/vp-expert
https://winworldpc.com/product/vp-info
https://winworldpc.com/product/vp-planner

The only issue I ran in to was apparently you had not clicked the "upload completed" button on the VP-Plan upload. That prevents me from seeing the entry in the webby UI here. But since you mentioned it, I poked around and found the file in the upload folders.

clh333

SomeGuy wrote:

The SCP files worked fine.

The only issue I ran in to was apparently you had not clicked the "upload completed" button on the VP-Plan upload. That prevents me from seeing the entry in the webby UI here. But since you mentioned it, I poked around and found the file in the upload folders.

I just uploaded Lucid 3D. (I clicked the "upload complete" button this time.) The SCP image is of a 5.25 inch 360K disk. Let me know if there is any problem. Thanks.

-CH-

SomeGuy

That dump is incomplete. It looks like you used a 1.2mb (96tpi 360rpm) drive and only read the first 40 tracks without double stepping. Normally when archiving using a 1.2mb drive you should read all 80 tracks without double stepping. Although, when I know a disk is low density (48tpi), I prefer to just use a 360K drive.

clh333

SomeGuy wrote:

That dump is incomplete. It looks like you used a 1.2mb (96tpi 360rpm) drive and only read the first 40 tracks without double stepping. Normally when archiving using a 1.2mb drive you should read all 80 tracks without double stepping. Although, when I know a disk is low density (48tpi), I prefer to just use a 360K drive.

Used a 360 drive this time and I think the settings were wrong on the last pass as well - looks like I used C64 settings to copy a single-sided disk (Sargon) previous to the last submission.

SomeGuy

Ok, that looked good. No copy protection that one that I could see. Posted here: https://winworldpc.com/product/lucid-3-d/2x

clh333

SomeGuy wrote:

Ok, that looked good. No copy protection that one that I could see. Posted here: https://winworldpc.com/product/lucid-3-d/2x

OK, we're creeping up on it... Any suggestions for what's next? Things you're looking for? I've got tons of drivers.

-CH-