Action Frequently Asked Questions

This is a list of my recommendations to commonly asked questions. I'll try and add information as people request it.

Backing up copy protected disks
CD writing
Error Messages
Hotmail
How do I
Splitting files

Backing up copy protected disks

MFMWarp

The best tool for backing up a copy protected disk is a utility by Ferox called MFMWarp. This program can scan a disk at the lowest level and attempt to back it up. Often the copy protection itself cannot be copied so the copy will not work but a clever HD installer writer can write an imager which extracts the data from the disk. Then you need to crack the game to remove the protection completely.

If you are sending an original to be HD installed, you should copy the disk using a normal disk to file utility (DIC, Disk2File or Tracktool etc) and if any tracks come up as read errors, they are most likely tracks with copy protection (or a really stuffed disk!). Use MFMWarp to copy these unreadable tracks to a file and send them to the installer.

The most basic use of the program is: MFMWarp READ <filename>

MFMWarp READ ram:ProtectedGame.MFM              ;Read disk to a file

MFMWarp WRITE ram:ProtectedGame.MFM             ;Write file back to disk

One other thing to note is MFMWarp requires the XPK package to be installed to compress the data. Get it on your local Aminet site, or try downloading xpk_User.lha or check out the readme.

For a detailed explanation check the WHDLoad imaging page.

CD Writing

What CD writer do you recommend for Amiga use?

The best thing is to download the demo of MakeCD (the latest version) and check out the Compatibility document. This contains all the information you could possibly want to know about Amiga CD writers, which systems to use, which writers, drivers etc. I once borrowed an external CD writer but couldn't get it to work on my 1200 (possibly the power supply couldn't handle the extra load and it just guru'd when plugged in).

If you would like any assistance with CD writing on the Amiga (using MakeCD), you can email teatowel@hotmail.com who will help you out. His system is running like a dream!

Error Messages

Unable to open your tool 'c:jst' (when starting an HD game)

JST is an AGA fix/HD installing system written by Jean François Fabre. JST is available on Aminet in the game/patch directory. Simply download the latest version and copy JST to your c: directory.

Unable to open your tool 'c:WHDLoad' (when starting an HD game)

WHDLoad is another AGA fix/HD installing system written by Bert Jahn. WHDLoad is available on Aminet in the game/patch directory. Simply download the latest version and copy WHDLoad to your c: directory.

Hotmail

I sent a file to xxxxx@hotmail.com and they never received it.

Hotmail has a limit of 1 meg per message. When a binary file is sent, it is encoded using Base64 or MIME which expands it even further (up to 25% bigger). Often the file gets so big that Hotmail simply bins it and often doesn't return a failure message to the sender. I traded with a Canadian who inserted Base64 text straight into the message body. At Hotmail's end it simply cut off anything after 1 meg, so I continually received corrupt files.

I recommend using a file splitter and keep the chunks 730,000 bytes or smaller. This means the data will fit perfectly on a double density PC disk, the message will be guaranteed to be less than 1 meg, and if an Amiga user has to take the files home on disk, they are already perfectly sized!

How do I attach a file to a message at Hotmail using an Amiga?

Sadly I do not think this can be done. Internet Explorer 3 requires an upload addon (it's built into IE4 and Netscape 4) and this isn't available on the Amiga. If someone does know how to do this, please contact us!

How Do I

How do I unpack these LZX archives? They come up as gibberish!

You need to download the LZX archiver from Aminet. If you are getting files displayed in your browser rather than offering you the option of saving them, right click on the link and choose Save Target As. You may find your (no doubt stupid Microsoft) browser appends something on the end like ..lz so MrDoRunRun_HD.lzx ends up as MrDoRunRun_HD.lzx..lz. If this is the case, just delete all the extra ..lz crap and then it should unpack the archive.

How do I read Mac disks on my Amiga?

Why would you want to? (Only joking!) The program you need is CrossMac. I have this program but have never used it so can't tell you much about it. It should work in the same way as CrossDos (see below).

How do I read PC disks on my Amiga?

The program you need is CrossDos. If you don't own an Amiga 4000 or a high density drive then you can only read 720k disks (which hold a maximum of 730,100 bytes). Versions 6 and below could not support long filenames and seemed to capitalise them all (ugly!). Version 7 corrected this and is the best way to transfer (smallish) Amiga and PC data!

How do I transfer ADFs back to Amiga disks using WB1.3?

The only program I know of that is capable of this feat is TrackTool (written by me! :) For various reasons, all the other programs I've seen call WB2.x functions to do the disk input/output. Tracktool can read or write an ADF from a disk but cannot handle compressed formats (as found on the now closed Lazarus). In those cases, you'll have to use UnZip or GZip to convert the compressed data back to an ADF file and then use TrackTool.

How do I write ADC/ADF/DMS/GZip/PKZip/ZLib archives back to Amiga disks?

DiskWiz is the program for you! It can handle reading from all these formats and writing to any file or device and will soon be able to create the remaining formats. At present you can only create ADC and ADF formats. It requires WB2.x or above to work!

Another program on Aminet called TransADF is also worth a look, but the latest version is quite unstable and it cannot handle ADC and DMS formats.

Splitting files

I have a large file and it won't fit on disk. What can I do?

Grab Splitz and Joinz from this site. This allows you to break up large files into chunks of any length you desire. For Amiga 1200 owners, you can split a big zip into 730,000 byte chunks to fit on a standard PC 720k disk (it *just* fits). Joinz will put it back together. The PC version is also online in the PC section.

For example, you have a file called 'ActionHD.lha' which is 1.5Mb. To split it into 730k chunks, type the following:

splitz ActionHD.lha Action 730000

This will make up as many files as required (3) called Action.001, Action.002 and Action.003. Copy these onto disks, take home, send over the internet, email etc. At the other end, put them all in a directory (or leave on disk) and type:

joinz Action

It will ask if the name is OK (you can change it if you wish) and then the file will be reconstructed.

Why do you like joinz so much? Surely AmigaDos Join is just as good.

I personally like Splitz and Joinz because I have both Amiga and PC versions, the format includes a checksum so you can see if the file is corrupt, and it is easy to use.

The only bugbear I have with it is on the PC side it doesn't support long filenames. If somebody has a better program which can work on multiple computers (I can't be bothered writing one myself) then please contact me!