Copying real Atari disks to .ATR files

[xyz378537]

Hello, I have just bought an SIO2SD device because the floppy with my favorite games got damaged.

I have a question - is it possible to copy my real disks to .ATR files, so when they will get damaged i could re-write them.

My Atari is an 800 XL and my disk drive is 1050.

Thank you.

[AMenard]

Depends if they're copy protected or not.

You could always install a Happy mod in your 1050 or you could try the many already cracked .atr of your games that you can find on the web.

[_The Doctor__]

buy a bit writer.... that will do it... in the absence of that.... grab the images from the preservation threads... lastly try vapi, atx .pro imaging, and there is kryoflux, a8rawonv...

search them out and you will find even more options.

[xyz378537]

I don't think that they are copy protected, but I'm not sure.

 

 

buy a bit writer

What is a bit writer?

[+bob1200xl]

I assume that a disk with 'games' on it is not copy protected. So, all you need to do is create a disk in APE (90K SD, probably) and sector copy your real disk onto it.

 

This is how I do it on a SIO2USB adaptor. A SIO2SD may be different - anyone?

 

Bob

[_The Doctor__]

I've used ape to copy to the sio2sd but I've also just copied directly to the sd card with the x86 and copied with just Atari from floppy/hard disks to the sio2sd as well. Of course not copy protected

Edited December 5, 2017 by _The Doctor__

[mchorvat]

started and almost completed very similar project myself (800XL, XF551). copying few hundreds diskettes from my archive to ATR files. What worked best for me was to use sio2usb (http://lotharek.pl/product.php?pid=98), hooked it to notebook and run Aspeqt on Windows (or Respeqt on Linux/Raspberry PI). Then just run sector copy like copy2000 (supports 320k and Quad density disks). Worked like a charm. It's inexpensive (20EUR for sio2usb) and very effective solution.

Edited December 5, 2017 by mchorvat

[xyz378537]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I will try them out tomorrow.

Edited December 5, 2017 by xyz378537

[xyz378537]

My disks are copy protected...

[+Larry]

That makes things more complicated and more expensive. Cheapest solution is to download cracked versions. This would still require an SIO2PC or some other server device to get the images over to the Atari. If you want to copy the protected disks, then you need to make APE .PRO images using APE software. Or if you're good with copying to backup floppies, maybe the best overall solution is to purchase a Happy Drive internal mod for your 1050. IMO this is a better solution than PRO images, plus you get a nice improvement for your 1050.

[xyz378537]

I have some kind of mod on my 1050. It is called 1050 TOP DRIVE.

[redhawk668]

Another option is to create empty ATR disk images, copy them to the SD card. Connect the 1050 drive to the 800XL and daisychain the SIO2SD behind the 1050. Mount the empty ATR image on D2: In this case the 1050 is D1:, the SIO2SD is D2:. This should make it possible to copy a disk to an ATR. With a stock 1050 only single (90 KB) density and medium (127 KB) density is possible. With an XF551 double density disks should be possible. But, as people have mentioned here, downloading cracked versions of the games would be much easier. As you have an SIO2SD, just create a directory with the name Atari on your SD card and copy the ATR files in that directory. Then you should be able to mount those ATR files on your SIO2SD and load them at turbo speed.

[xyz378537]

i wanted to do something like this but I don't have a sector copy floppy.

[+skr]

i wanted to do something like this but I don't have a sector copy floppy.

Do you have a freezer? There is a way to create copies with it.

[xyz378537]

I have a freezer. But what am I supposed to do with it?

[scotty]

I have a freezer. But what am I supposed to do with it?

Put your beer in it for about 45 minutes. It gets it good and cold really quick!!

 

Sorry, could not resist.

[xyz378537]

OK. I found a program called MyCopyR 2.1. It is a sector copier. First on Sio2SD i select D1 and choose MyCopyR. Then I set the 1050 to be D2. I start the 800XL with OPTION key, then load MyCopyR then I set the SIO2SD to be D1 and load an empty ATR file. I switch the destination to be D1 and the source to be D2 and press the START button. It works flawlessly!

[SS]

OK. I found a program called MyCopyR 2.1.

Where did you find this utility and/or can you share it here please?

[xyz378537]

Where did you find this utility and/or can you share it here please?

I found it here, on Atariage.

Here is the link to the thread:

 

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/187936-converting-between-atr-formats/

 

When the menu appears just press the 'F' key and MyCopyR will start.

SECTCOPY.ATR

[AHA]

simple answer yes, i have copied a few games from atr to real floppy, also real floppys to atrs using my 810 drive and sio2sd... as long as they are not copy protected or have damaged sectors.

 

as previously stated, set real drive to 2 and use 1 on sio2sd

 

 

here are some usefull files

copy stuff.zip

Edited December 7, 2017 by AHA

[+Larry]

While it is easy to create ATR's with APE, is there some way to create and/or change the titles of an ATR using just the SIO2SD? I'm not aware of any way to do this.

 

I've looked at this for my own situation, and it looks like the easiest way to create the ATRs would be to use makeATR (PC utility) each time you wanted to create and then copy to that ATR. Or you can copy a "blank" ATR of the correct size to the card and then change the filename. But once the ATR is named and placed on the SD card, there doesn't seem any way to change the ATR filename except to take the card out and insert it into a card reader. Definitely doable, but seems quite a bit more cumbersome than using APE.

 

One frequently reads the objection to APE (etc.) that "I don't want to be tethered to a PC," but some how, some way, the PC seems still needed with any of the imaging systems.

 

-Larry

[_The Doctor__]

or you can use APE Prosystem to do the Atari disk drive directly to the x86....

 

You already know I'd like the Atari to do it all itself, and you would think it wouldn't be too hard to make it happen... but you always get the it'll take forever response.. which isn't true... I program the AtariMax 8 mbit carts in the Atari using fast SIO or Ramdisk, etc etc, and it takes a couple minutes, and yet all you here is you have to buy the usb programmer or it will take forever or this or that nick picky complaint. Personally you should be able to do it all either way. That way when the x86 takes a dump (like they always do) Your trusty Atari can continue on no problems, albeit slightly impeded.

Edited December 7, 2017 by _The Doctor__

[+hloberg]

glad someone mentioned APE prosystem. I recent had a computer reset and had to reload my APE. everything work except prosystem can't find a COM port. I have the USB APE and had this working before but can't remember what it was I did to get it to work. Any thoughts what I may missed?

[sup8pdct]

I personally used SCOPY from SDCS to ape tho if it found a bad sector, it would stop. Those with bad sectors, i used the BB disk edit program or superdos. Also had 1050, xf551 and couple on std mechs on BB floppy board to try and read all sectors. Some took a lot of work.

 

James

[xyz378537]

MyCopyR skips bad sectors and copies them anyway.