click

this

ScuzzBlog: Diaries July 2023

Entry 25th July 2023: Post 1: Surf Squirrel ZIP - My ADF carrier.


Surf Squirrel ZIP - My ADF carrier.

So just how do I build up my ADF library for use on the emulator.
No doubt others do this a different way but this is how I do it.

First up as promised a copy of Amiga Computing Cover Disk 29.

Surf Squirrel ZIP - My ADF carrier.

Time to find the disk from the collection.

I have like 13500 disks and all are numbered
sequentially in a NOTEPAD document together with
their location in my disk box collection. This one
is in Disk Box 21 and I give the location.

Searching is easy because NOTEPAD has a find function
and you can use F3 to scan through each result.

So I retrieve Disk Box S21 - 'S' is for a single size box.

Disk Box S21 has a collection of early Amiga
Computing disks. It is not essential to keep
like for like together, but it helps.

The trick to any filing system is THE INDEX.
With an up to date index it matters not in
what order you store items.

In no time at all I find two copies of the disk.

Flicking thro' I also find SID V2.0.

Before using old disks I clean the floppy heads.

I also retrieve my current ZIP transfer disk.

Along with my USB stick I use for the Amiga.

I use this ESCOM A1200 that sits next to me
here in this room. It has an IDE hanging out
of the back on a ribbon. Just easy to swap
out IDE drives without taking the 1200 apart.

The SCSI is provided by using a HiSoft Surf Squirrel
that connects to the PCMCIA port on the 1200.

Connected to the Surf Squirrel is an Iomega SCSI
ZIP drive. Note they also made a Parallel Port
version. The Squirrel only works with the SCSI one.

The Iomega 100MB ZIP is more than adequate for Amiga
files. The drive can be formatted on the PC as long
as you have a configured driver using the CrossDOS
file system. Also have the normal ZIP driver for the
Amiga but remember the PC won't be able to see it.

Both drivers need to be in the DEVS/DOSDrivers drawer.

Images here have a different tint cus of camera
angle. I have no idea why. Shaky images, no tripod.

Older cover disks generated these large icons.

The contents of Amiga Computing Cover Disk 29.

I keep ADFBlitzer on the Workbench by Leaving Out
from the drop down menu. Note ADFBlitzer will not
work with WB1.3. Use TsGUI instead.

The option to copy a disk is to read. So place the
floppy in your drive. Always remember to write protect
disks as you may just hit write by mistake.

The requester now wants a location and a file name.
Through years of habit I always use Ram Disk:T.

The process takes about 40 seconds to read the disk.

OK we are all done. If the process seems a bit short
then try again. If the process is incredibly short
then the disk cannot be copied.

DOpus tells me there is an ac_46.adf waiting in Ram Disk:T
Sadly all ADF images are the same size. Even failed ones
so I keep a spare floppy and check by writing.

Never make one copy. Always make a spare.

I use DOpus to copy the files to a drawer on
the ZIP disk called July23. The capitalised text
indicates this is a PC file. You are limited to
8 letters/number file names and 3 letter file types.

You may want to check the contents of the original
and makes some notes. Note even Amiga Computing
made spelling mistakes. They are only human.

Just note the types of utility like programming.

OK I move downstairs where I have two PCs facing
each other. Kasumi and Risa, though Kasumi still has
her network name as Regina.

Trust me when I say it pays to have an old Windows 98
machine for early PC file management an user kit.

The black box Evesham XP machine retains the Amiga
vault of all my ADF images for transfer. XP is much
better at handling file management and networking
whilst Win98 is better at handling older file systems.

XP is kinda like a bulldozer.

I really only trust my USB sticks on earliest an XP
machine. Same goes with CD writing. So I have the two
PCs networked. I am working all the time on the XP
machine and accessing the Win98 machine like as if
it was just a drive on the XP computer.

I have twenty PCs here all networked including my A1200.

This is the E drive or ZIP drive showing the copied ADF images.

This is the XP machine showing the network connection
to Regina the Win98 machine. The second window shows
that I have copied the files to the Lexar G drive USB.

And finally I am back up here and on the Win7 machine
and the emulator is now using the ADF images copied
from the USB stick.

Not everyone has the luxury of what I have but if you
are dedicated enough it is still possible. Only the other
week a Surf Squirrel came up on the Bay. I find SCSI so
useful on the Amiga. I also would never fit a Gotek as I
just couldn't live without the DF0: as a true floppy drive.
My DF1: is an XL-Drive 1.4MB HD drive. I find floppy disks
so useful. I use the emulator purely to snapshot better
quality images for the website, and that is all.


scuzz site

If you can only see this CONTENT window
then click the image above for the full site

Last updated 25th July 2023

Chandraise Kingdom

Keep the Faith
scuzzscink 2023