CPCDiskXP v2.1 released

[dcdrac]

Tried that one too get the same result, I have ordered some 720K discs and will give them a go

[Mochilote]

I supposed that all the usb floppy would support 720Kb, but I get the impression that it's not true: How to format floppy disk to 720K in Windows | Tech@Play


Couple of things to be aware – first, in order to be able to format floppy disk to 720K, you need to cover the hole in lower right corner (you can use masking tape), and second, if you are using a USB floppy drive, this might not work due to most USB floppy drives not supporting reading / writing 720K format.

this is the one I bought some time ago: Comprar USB portátil de 3,5 "1,44 MB Floppy Diskette Drive (External USB-FDD)
Comprar USB portátil de 3,5 "1,44 MB Floppy Diskette Drive (External USB-FDD)

[KaosOverride]

lol  My USB Floppy is also a DX.com one xD

But I have no problems under Win 7 x64 with CPCDiskXP, both the native floppy controler and the USB one...

I use the FORMAT A: /f:720 , give a try...

[Mochilote]

Looking a bit on Amazon seems there are many usb floppy drives that do not support 720Kb, people complain about it in the comments.


On the other hand there are others that clearly identifies and people confirms it in the comments, like this $9.99:
Amazon.com : HDE External USB Floppy Disk Drive : Computer External Floppy

[awergh]

I always did wonder if there was a risk of 720k disks not working with a usb FDD. I'm actually using an internal LS120 Drive but it worked just fine even though its not technically attached to USB.

[dcdrac]

Looking a bit on Amazon seems there are many usb floppy drives that do not support 720Kb, people complain about it in the comments.


On the other hand there are others that clearly identifies and people confirms it in the comments, like this $9.99:
Amazon.com : HDE External USB Floppy Disk Drive : Computer External Floppy

Just ordered one of these heres hoping....

[KaosOverride]

30 years to wait to be able to use/support the native IBM format with our CPC. 
Nice to know that finally work... (but at less 10 years too late).

Wait for the upcoming "Filesystem Overload" feature whichs lets you use 254ks (per side!!) of data on IBM CPC 3.5" disk with plain AMSDOS 

Pity is "read only" alaike at CPC side...

[TotO]

Hahaha... A 64 tracks floppy. 

[Mochilote]

New version with a bunch of new features 


CPCDiskXP v2.5.1 Changelog (since v2.5):

• DSK to Floppy - Now you can choose between two methods of writing to disk: "Low Level Driver" and "USB Floppy Drive". The option "USB Floppy Drive" will be only enabled when the format is compatible with the USB floppy writing method.
• GENERAL - Now the program is able to format the disk when writing on USB floppy drives. Now that the program format and write, is no longer necessary to preformat the disk from windows.
• GENERAL - Eliminated warnings that the Low Level Driver is not installed at starting the program. Now that you can write to USB floppy is not necessary to show the warning every time.
• DSKEditor - New feature/button to "Add Files From Another Dsk" (or zip containing Dsk's) to easily add files that are in other Dsk without extracting them. As you can add files from one Dsk format to another Dsk format, this is also a format converter.
• DSKEditor - Support for creating/editing two new IBM formats: Single Side, 42 Tracks, 168K (162K Free) and 65 Tracks, 260K (254K Free) [3.5" only, hack for AMSDOS]. Both can be written on USB floppy drives and both can be used / read in standard Amstrad CPCs.
• DSKEditor - Support for creating/editing a new PCW/+3DOS format: Single Side, 42 Tracks, 189K (182K Free). It can be written on USB floppy drives and it can be used / read in standard PCW or ZX Spectrum +3.
• DSKEditor - Support for creating/editing a new ROMDOS D1 format: Double Side, 80 Tracks, 720K (716K Free). It can be written on USB floppy drives.
• DSKEditor - Support for creating/editing a new CPC DATA format: Single Side, 57 Tracks, 256K (254K Free) [3.5" only, hack for AMSDOS]. It can be used / read in standard Amstrad CPCs.
• DSKEditor - Support for creating/editing a new CPC SYSTEM format: Single Side, 59 Tracks, 265K (254K Free) [3.5" only, hack for AMSDOS]. It can be used / read in standard Amstrad CPCs.
• DSKEditor - Now when creating a new Dsk you can filter the list of formats to choose from. There are 5 filters: "All Formats", "Amstrad CPC Standard Formats", "Amstrad CPC With Modified ROM Formats", "USB Floppy Drive Compatible Formats" and "Amstrad PCW / ZX Spectrum Formats". With these filters is very clear on which platform each format works.
• Thank you very much to KaosOverride, I always learn new things thanks to you :-)

[dcdrac]

Progress report got the new floppy drive and 720K disks they are formatting however neither CPCXP 2.5 nor 2.51 is detecting the drive

What options should I use to get it to do so

*UPDATE*

Drive getting detected changed to IBM setting.

Ok

Able to format 720K discs

The application seems to write to the files in Disk Editor but CPC cannot read them.

it seems to write the file gets processed and everything

is there a step by step guide for this?

[Mochilote]

Progress report got the new floppy drive and 720K disks they are formatting however neither CPCXP 2.5 nor 2.51 is detecting the drive

What options should I use to get it to do so

*UPDATE*

Drive getting detected changed to IBM setting.

There is no detection,  as you can read above "The option "USB Floppy Drive" will be only enabled when the format is compatible with the USB floppy writing method."

Able to format 720K discs
The application seems to write to the files in Disk Editor but CPC cannot read them.
it seems to write the file gets processed and everything
is there a step by step guide for this?

To test the floppy drive from windows, simply format a 720K with windows ("FORMAT A: /T:80 /N:9" or " format a: /f:720") and try to copy files with File Browser, txt´s or jpg´s and try to read them again.


Do not forget to cover with duct tape the high density hole of the floppy, to 'convert' it to a 720K Double Density.


The instructions for test CPCDiskXP would be:

• Download example Dsk: http://www.cpcmania.com/TestUSB.zip
• Execute CPCDiskXP and click the "DSKEditor" button
• Press the button 'Open' to open TestUSB.zip
• Press the "Write USB Floppy" button
• Select the drive (a or b) and click 'Write'
• Ready to be tested in a real cpc.

good luck.

[dcdrac]

that worked thank you and jut tried stormlord 2 files were read but think it must be a duff dsk will find an untampered uncracked version, going to try Targhan next.

traghan will need 2 disks

So I guess I extract from the original dks then copy over to he floppy?

[Mochilote]

that worked thank you and jut tried stormlord 2 files were read but think it must be a duff dsk will find an untampered uncracked version, going to try Targhan next.

The easiest way is to use the compacted games by cngsoft, all unprotected and compressed:
ftp://ftp.legio7.net/pub/cpc/mirror/urusergi.serverftp.com/BINs/Compactados%20por%20cngsoft/De%20cinta%20Original/


Cheers.

[dcdrac]

Thank so I guess somewhere out there is a utilty that will extract the files or the utlity itself has such an ability

[Mochilote]

Thank so I guess somewhere out there is a utilty that will extract the files or the utlity itself has such an ability

On "DSKEditor" there is a button "Add Files From Another Dsk" that do the trick. Simply create a new Dsk with IBM format and use "Add Files From Another Dsk" to fill it with existings dsks with games, etc.


And with compacted games by cngsoft, unpack the downloaded zip files and use "Add files" from DskEditor to use/add them to a new ibm dsk.

[dcdrac]

Did some myself I used Disc edit to extract some files then created a new dsk on the floppy and here are the results attached.

beyond the Ice Palace worked to a point but that could have been I was using a Plus to test.

You need to run GAMENAME.BAS for it work

[dcdrac]

Now I understand this and have go the kit working thanks you all for helping much appreciated.

will convert some stuff as I go long and see I can upload it

[dcdrac]

It has been a genuine pleasure seeing these old games come to life again on 3 1/2 inch flpooies

[Deeko]

Hi all,

Recently cleared out the loft and found my old non-working 464+ 

Along with it was an old disc box with a handful of 3.5" floppies so I've ordered this to archive as DSK image



It has the all important line "Date capacity: 720KB/ 1.44MB (Formatted)". I'll see if it's to be recommended once it comes and I've played about a bit with it.

*** For some reason I try posting the hyperlink it doesn't show in the preview or final edit, any ideas? Search for Proxima Direct® External USB Portable Floppy Disk Drive 1.44MB FDD on amazon.co.uk

[Mochilote]

Hi all,

Recently cleared out the loft and found my old non-working 464+ 

Along with it was an old disc box with a handful of 3.5" floppies so I've ordered this to archive as DSK image

Search for Proxima Direct® External USB Portable Floppy Disk Drive 1.44MB FDD on amazon.co.uk

The USB floppy drive can be used only to write floppies. To read (floppie to Dsk) you need a floppy drive on motherboard.

[Deeko]

The USB floppy drive can be used only to write floppies. To read (floppie to Dsk) you need a floppy drive on motherboard.

OK, so I couldn't use it on my XP laptop to read the 3/5" then. It would need to be used on a desktop pc which already has a 3.5" drive attached?

I have a non-working 3.5" drive and ribbon cables for my desktop. Do you think attaching these to it will be enough to read on the USB floppy drive?

Sorry for the noob questions, it's been a long time from using actual hardware, emulation can't give that part of the experience

[Mochilote]

I have a non-working 3.5" drive and ribbon cables for my desktop. Do you think attaching these to it will be enough to read on the USB floppy drive?

If you mean to disassemble the USB drive and use the drive connecting it directly to your motherboard, there are chances you can do it, of course.

[Cholo]

Alrighty, finally got my Mitsumi Slim USB Drive in the mail.

Got this exact one so i can confirm it works with 720k floppies:
K1 Mitsumi Slim External USB 2.0 1.1 1.44MB Floppy Disk Drive PC Laptop Notebook

Note: This has the EXACT same brown box as the one Mochilote has pictures off, so i assume its the same drive.

Anyways, i can confirm that it supports 720k floppies as i was able to format them on my Windows 7 pc with the tool Dcdrac linked to (thanks buddy):
http://www.denispetrov.com/format144/format720.exe

Wrote the TestDSK to 3,5" and ran it on my 6128 (uk version) to make sure the whole thing worked 

Quick "Tutorial":
1. Plugged the usb-drive into a usb port on the pc and Windows 7 installed it automaticly so i didnt need to use any drivers from the supplied mini-cd-r or need any help from the small "manual" that is included. Note that just like DVD drives and media cards the floppy drive dont appear in Explorer untill a medium is inserted (but you can still see the empty drive from My Computer of cause).
2. Double clicked on the Format720.exe and it asked to insert a floppy to be formatted.
3. Inserted a DD 720k floppy in the drive.
4. Pressed "Any key" and let it do its work. Pressed space to exit the program.
5. Ran CPCDiskXP and clicked on the "DSK to disc" button. Clicked on "Open" and chose the TESTDSK file. Chose "USB Floppy Drive" as write method. Finally clicked on Write Disk to begin the write.
6. Inserted the floppy into my 6128 external 3,5" drive, flicked the ABBA switch to make it appear as A: drive and loaded the game.
7. Got confused by the odd controls in Abadia Del Crimen