Ultrasatan - Question About Files and Moving Data

OJCAtari · July 20, 2015

Hello,

I spent a lot of the weekend reading up about the Ultrasatan but I still have some questions I want to be 100% sure of before I make any mistakes.

What I have:

> Atari ST520

>STFM

>2.5mb Upgrade

>TOS v.1.02

>GEM v0.13

>AES v.1.20

Ultrasatan Cased (external) and Ultrasatan ACSI cable V 1.1:

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipPaIIMWpGqA1IoaE2qrt5rQ_vKN72Nxos4tnrl6

Atari UltraSatan and SatanDisk SD Card READY TO USE

This is what I know or think:

The card is already partitioned into sections of 200mb.

The Files - I'm not asking you where to download them, but I assume they need to be converted first into TOS or .PRG? So is there a convertor program? I found a .img file but I also found a load of .swr files and the names seem to represent what I am looking for but I haven't tried using them yet.

Then I guess I need to move the files to the card with a program?

I assume the 2nd card slot can be used to move games from a normal sd card (not setup to work with TOS) between the two SD cards but there is probably a Atari ST program you need to use when you are moving files within the atari st and not on your PC.

Thanks,

Oliver

P.S. Are we allowed to talk about where to get the games from? FYI I have some 1000 disks and I plan on sharing e.g. giving back to the community in case I have something that's not online.

ParanoidLittleMan · July 20, 2015

Partitions of 200 MB are OK, considering that TOS 1.02 can handle max 256 MB partitions. But still not clear what partitioning type you used.

It may be TOS (AHDI, Atari) type or DOS type, or TOS/DOS compatible . Later we will be back on this ...

From disks side, PRG, TOS, APP, ACC, INF are just same files as any other. You can not convert some disk image file to PRG . They are different type. PRG is just a file, while ST or MSA (most used image extensions by Atari ST users), IMG, DSK is floppy disk image (IMG may be something other too), what contains complete floppy, with all files on it, + system area (Bootsector, FAT, ROOT dir) .

So, if you want to transfer/copy files from some floppy, or from floppy image file, you need to open that floppy somehow. Basic case is to do it on Atari: insert floppy, open icon A, open icon C, and copy files to some folder on C .

If it is game, don't expect that it will work after it from SD card. In most cases will not. I will not go now in reasons, that's longer story.

In case of disk image you have diverse ways: using some utility what can open floppy images on Atari self. Doing it on PC Unfortunately, my site is not accessible at moment, so I will give links later.

"I assume the 2nd card slot can be used to move games from a normal sd card (not setup to work with TOS) between the two SD cards but there is probably a Atari ST program you need to use when you are moving files within the atari st and not on your PC." - well, that's wrong assumption. If you insert in any SD slot card "not setup to work with TOS" you will be not able to access files on it. To moving files between 2 SD cards on Atari self, both must be partitioned in system usable with TOS - so those 3 types, mentioned at top.

TOS/DOS compatible partitioning is easiest to use, and you can do lot of things on PC - what means higher speed and some other benefits.

Yes, we are allowed to talk about where to get games. There are even threads with listed sites.

I give you one link: http://atari.8bitchip.info/fromhd.php - may not work at moment, but will soon for sure ...

OJCAtari · July 20, 2015

@Dragonstomper

Thank you for this, I am little clearer now.

To clarify the SD card I have: http://www.ataristsales.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=193

This SD card is MS-DOS (FAT16)/ATARI TOS ASCI partitioned so is readable on modern computers as well as the Atari ST running a SatanDisk, UltraSatan or similar SD card based hard drive emulation hardware.

So to recap, I understand the file system a bit clearer now and you clarified the ability to use a normal SD card in the machine. I assume I can move the files using the following: http://atari.8bitchip.info/drimus.php

Actually moving the files off disk to sd might not be so easy - Therefore me actually sharing my collection might not be so easy?

ParanoidLittleMan · July 20, 2015

I'm not Dragon, but assuming that U talk to me

I looked that link, and have to say some negative things: some make money by selling cheap cards with little + work - copying on from other, partitioned, installed cards. So, you pay 20 $ + shipping for 4 GB card, what costs normallly max 10. While you can get card + SW for partitioning and driver installer + free support and updates for max 20 Euros total (SW is 10), instantly, without waiting - assuming that U are in some city where can buy card.

There are mistakes in that page: UltraSatan can much more than 4 GB. I have 16 GB card, and can use it's full capacity (FAT32 part included). Satandisk can max 2GB .

It.s not visible, but Im sure that used driver is ICD, and it is not TOS/DOS compatible. But you can check it in diverse ways: read what writes on Atari screen after reset. Try card on PC with card reader. If can see first partition in Windows, then it is TOS/DOS compatible. If not, try this: http://atari.8bitchip.info/drimus.php- ah, you found it already. OK . Btw. works not in Windows 8 .

That program has support for Atari type partitions. And you can do diverse transfers, imaging etc.

What you have on floppies, and if there is a lot of then will take lot of time too. I was in that process 2 decades ago, when I imaged all my Atari and Spectrum floppies.

There are diverse utils for that purpose - can do on Atari or PC. See on my site some ...

You can do images, or copying all files from floppy/image in some DIR. In case of games will see that some have no visible files - then making image is only way.

Something for fun, when you have 2.5 MB RAM: http://atari.8bitchip.info/imgrun.php

Saying "normal SD" is not best idea. In case of Atari we have FAT16 partitions by DOS and by TOS partitions too, but parameters are different. TOS/DOS compatible makes it accessible on PC and Atari, but needs special hard disk driver on Atari, what is part of package. On PC you can access it directly, because it is seen as regular removable DOS hard disk. Windows has some stupid restriction, and sees only first partition, but that can be fixed.

U can move files with linked util, but more comfortable is with TOS/DOS compatible.

OJCAtari · July 20, 2015

Sorry @Paranoid (I saw DragonStomper but that's the rank).

I'm ok with paying for the SD card. The guy who owns the site is really helpful and he's gone above an beyond to help me with my ST. A bit like yourself. I actually posed this questions to him first but he's been busy.

Ok my only last issue was the fact that program doesn't work on windows 8 (does it work with compatibility mode?) and yes I see the first partition is visible as described above.

Thanks again,

Oliver

ParanoidLittleMan · July 20, 2015

If you can access first partition directly, then it is TOS/DOS partitioned. And you don't need Drive Image - well for first partition. Of course, it is not exactly legal, what seller does, but let's go further ..

Drive Image actually works in Win 8 and compatibility mode, as someone at AF posted today. I'm new with Win 8, and did not try it - XP is still my main PC OS.

Solving access to multiple partitions in Win 8 is possible, but may be little complicated. I recommend that search about in forum at 8bitchip info, and generally.

ParanoidLittleMan · July 21, 2015

P.S. Are we allowed to talk about where to get the games from? FYI I have some 1000 disks and I plan on sharing e.g. giving back to the community in case I have something that's not online.

There is serious demand for some titles, and we have diverse lists of wanted floppy images. Images of originals in first place, what means images which can store copy protections too (Pasti/STX without special equipment).

For instance at Atarimania forum .

There are some games without good source - all available cracks are bad: Son Shu Shi , Jinks .

If you have lot of originals, look first at Atarimania what is already imaged, and focus on what is not .