electronizer Posted September 6, 2017 Share Posted September 6, 2017 I recently acquired some Atari "Hometax" disks, along with a disk that says "Medit and Forms." Have these programs been archived? I haven't tried reading the disks yet, need to get my 1050 out. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckybuck Posted September 6, 2017 Share Posted September 6, 2017 Hi electronizer! Nooooooo!!!!!!!!! They are even not listed in the Wiki!!!!!!!!! Big found! :-))) Serial => Atari internal eyes only! Not for the public... Have stickers of those! Would you share this with the community? It may be the: Atari Editor CX8105 (maybe replaced by the Atari Program Text Editor?) the lost to believe one... https://atariwiki.org/wiki/Wiki.jsp?page=Rarity%2010 WOW! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Allan Posted September 6, 2017 Share Posted September 6, 2017 Interesting. It would be great if you could archive them. Allan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
electronizer Posted September 10, 2017 Author Share Posted September 10, 2017 Okay, I tried to copy a few of these disks tonight. I'm probably not using the best method to do this; I'm just using DOS 2.5 on an 800XL with a stock 1050 and the duplicate disk option to copy the disks to blank images on an SD card via SIO2SD. The copy of "Medit and Forms" seemed to go okay: Medit and Forms.atr I also found this on archive.org: https://archive.org/details/AtariMEDITDraftManual The copies of "Hometax (program disk)" and "Hometax (screen disk)" also seemed to go okay: Hometax Program Disk.atr Hometax Screen Disk.atr However, I am not able to run either of these disks. The Hometax Program Disk beeps for a while, then freezes on an empty screen. The Hometax Screen Disk just gives boot errors. I was unable to copy the "Hometax Demo" disk. I eventually get an error 144. I did try to boot this disk directly in my 1050; it beeped for a while and eventually gave a blank screen. When the disk stopped booting, a screeching sound started coming out of the speaker that sounded like a fax machine transferring data. I did cover up the write protect notches on all of the original disks, just to make sure I didn't accidentally write over them. I also have an extra demo disk, and original copies of the program and screen disks that I haven't touched yet. Anyone have any advice for what to try next? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+David_P Posted September 10, 2017 Share Posted September 10, 2017 Could be an OS issue, expecting the 800 OS, or potentially a BASIC issue... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DrVenkman Posted September 10, 2017 Share Posted September 10, 2017 The Hometax program disk loads up in Altirra with "400/800" set as system type and stock 1050 drive emulation. It gives you a welcome message and tells you to insert the Screen disk. When you do, it beeps for awhile and then Altirra crashes; the emulated system displays "Bad screen number". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Allan Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 Okay, I tried to copy a few of these disks tonight. I'm probably not using the best method to do this; I'm just using DOS 2.5 on an 800XL with a stock 1050 and the duplicate disk option to copy the disks to blank images on an SD card via SIO2SD. The copy of "Medit and Forms" seemed to go okay: Medit and Forms.atr I also found this on archive.org: https://archive.org/details/AtariMEDITDraftManual The copies of "Hometax (program disk)" and "Hometax (screen disk)" also seemed to go okay: Hometax Program Disk.atr Hometax Screen Disk.atr However, I am not able to run either of these disks. The Hometax Program Disk beeps for a while, then freezes on an empty screen. The Hometax Screen Disk just gives boot errors. I was unable to copy the "Hometax Demo" disk. I eventually get an error 144. I did try to boot this disk directly in my 1050; it beeped for a while and eventually gave a blank screen. When the disk stopped booting, a screeching sound started coming out of the speaker that sounded like a fax machine transferring data. I did cover up the write protect notches on all of the original disks, just to make sure I didn't accidentally write over them. I also have an extra demo disk, and original copies of the program and screen disks that I haven't touched yet. Anyone have any advice for what to try next? There are a few people here that are good at recovering disks that have errors. Plus the few of us that have a Kryoflux could try copying it. Allan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckybuck Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 Dam' right! :-) Further, founds like that should never leave the country, due to x-ray at the customs. A few days ago a good soul could save data, while altering the disk speed just on some special sectors... My biggest worries are about CX401-3, of course. Irmy at owner of the box and we have game over.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckybuck Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 (edited) Even the VTOCs do look strange for official disks... FORMS.BAS.txt Edited September 12, 2017 by luckybuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
electronizer Posted September 13, 2017 Author Share Posted September 13, 2017 @luckybuck yes, I noticed the strange directory listings! Where it says "#MEDIT & FORMS 42" (42 is the serial number printed on the disk label), I was wondering how they did that... Busy week but I'm hoping to have time to try again soon. Will probably clean the head on my 1050 and see if I can copy the backup of the screen disk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
electronizer Posted November 13, 2017 Author Share Posted November 13, 2017 Yesterday I tried to archive the backup screen disk: Same thing--when I boot the program disk and then switch the image to the screen disk, it says "bad screen number." Both the original and the backup screen disk seem to "skip" when copying in DOS 2.5. I hear "beep beep beep (pause) beep beep beep," rather than the long, continuous string of beeps between head movements when I copy a normal disk. Does this indicate any kind of copy protection? Is there a better copying tool I should try? I've used Disk Wizard before to create real floppies from atr images, so maybe I'll try that next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DjayBee Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 Try Disk Wizard II because it does not abort with read errors and does not fill missing sectors with whatever garbage currently is in the disk buffer. Disk Wizard II.atr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 (edited) Yep sector copy the disks or use the atx pro functions of APE or add the vapii dlls and try them... did you insert the proper screen disk, I think there are 3 or more... Edited November 13, 2017 by _The Doctor__ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 (edited) look carefully at your disks for screen disk 1 screen disk 2 screen disk 3... Edited November 13, 2017 by _The Doctor__ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 (edited) also be aware the 1050 was introduced in 1983 for the most part... the software might want strict 810.... not usually the case but a possibility if you have a pile of these do the serial numbers match up ie program serial 10 screen serial 10 etc... Edited November 13, 2017 by _The Doctor__ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
electronizer Posted November 14, 2017 Author Share Posted November 14, 2017 also be aware the 1050 was introduced in 1983 for the most part... the software might want strict 810.... not usually the case but a possibility if you have a pile of these do the serial numbers match up ie program serial 10 screen serial 10 etc... Good points! I recall hearing that the 1050 firmware needed an upgrade in order to boot some of the earlier copy protected disks. However, would it make a difference if I'm just trying to copy disks? I am trying to get one of my 800s shipped out so I can actually try booting the disk; it won't boot on my 800XL (although I suppose I could try booting with an 810 connected to the 800XL). I included pictures of most of the disks in the first post. The serial numbers don't match up between the program and screen disk. I do have a backup program disk, so I'll try archiving that as well. Maybe the backup program and screen disks are a match. Is there an easy way to examine the code in the screen disk atr I posted earlier and determine if it has gaps/errors due to the way I copied it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted November 14, 2017 Share Posted November 14, 2017 you need to run the fixxl or one of the translation disks I have uploaded here on AA first, that will replace the OS in your XL with Atari 800 OS, and yes some software required a real 810 to load, there were timing and other issues involved.. Here's a translate kit thread http://atariage.com/forums/topic/229218-two-versions-of-translator-disk/page-3?do=findComment&comment=3108494 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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