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Toolkit

Started by geeb, 21:32, 29 November 17

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geeb

Hi

I had this program on the 9512 called Toolkit which was brilliant for undeleting old files I had erased by mistake. I simply use to change the 0s to Es in the file dump listing if I remember. That was an age ago and the 3" has fallen over. Anyone know of its real name or make or maybe somewhere I can get hold of a copy. I've searched on the net and can't find it. Struggling to think where it came from.

geeb [ scuzz ]
http://www.scuzzscink.com/amiga/car_001.htm

GeoffB17

Hello,

Not aware of anything * Toolkit.

The progs that I've used for that sort of job are the DU-v86, and Knife.   Either allow you to access the disk sector by sector, edit the data, and re-save.   Each does certain things better than the other, so DU has some facilities for automation which was useful when I was having to 'fix' some data on JonB's uIDE drives, but both would do the job for the task you mention.

I'm sure you'll realise, but the change you need to make to 'undelete' is the other way around.   The directory entry for a valid file has the first byte set to the user ##, i.e. 0 for user 0, going up to 0F.   When the file is deleted, all that happend is that this byte is set back to the 'null' format byte, which I think is E2, but is something like that.   So, to undelete a file, just replace that first byte back to the user ## of your choice (0 if you're not using user areas).  NB - larger files could be using more than 1 extent, so there may be more than one dir entry to watch out for, else you may not undelete ALL the file.

Locoscript is very similar, except that the 'Groups' use User 00 to 07 ONLY.   User areas 08 to 0F are used for the Limbo files (i.e. files deleted from User 0 are set to User 8, and so on).

Geoff

GeoffB17

Oh, once you've got a prog to do the job, you might check the boot sector of all your disks (Track 0, Sector 1) to see which are set to look for an .EMS and which might look for an .EMT.   Maybe no point in going further than marking the disk accordingly.   I'm not sure if the boot sector code has a checksum, so maybe not a good idea to edit it to EM? - but you could try it??

Geoff

geeb

Hi Geoff

The interface was basically a HEX viewer and I recall simply editing the last two numbers. You gotta remember that we are talking 1987-1993 here so my mind is a bit fuzzy. It was an excellent tool though cus it had loads of features that let me mess around recovering files I had destroyed by mistake.

I found the name of the company and the soiftware after a trawl of the web. Pretty sure it is this ... quote

'The PCW Toolkit provides a variety of functions to help you copy and recover data from discs in amounts varying from a few bytes through to a whole disc. In Command mode, for example,'

https://cpcrulez.fr/applications_CPM-util-moonstone-PCW_toolkit.htm

https://archive.org/stream/8000-plus-magazine-40/8000_Plus_40_300dpi_djvu.txt

[ You have to search the magazine article for Moonstone ]

My original PCW9512 actually blew up. Seriously.. I was trying to fix the thing and discharged across the tube , silly me and it just went up in smoke. I managed to sell the computer advertised as broken and let the original disks go thinking I would never need them again. I did make a copy of Toolkit. Some years later I was searching the internet for PCWs before Ebay took off and there was this guy in London giving away a PCW9512. I drove there and picked it up. Worked fine for ages till the belt broke. I wasn't about to blow this one up.

I bought another 9512 this year but failed to get the belt working. Fueled with enthusiasm I decided to have a go at the other and got it working on the 3" drive. Trouble was the disk with Toolkit on is broken so I need Toolkit to mend it. Chicken - egg sadly. Software like this is very rare I guess. I never give up though.

I put together a little feature on the website on mending the CP/M disks ... Thanks for all the help
http://www.scuzzscink.com/amiga/scuzzblog_december17/scuzzblogddecember17_0103.htm

scuzz

GeoffB17

No, don't think I'd ever heard of this Moonstone prog, although I had heard of Moonstone, in connection with some other PCW utilities regarding, I think, file transfer between PCW and PC, and some extra formats (slightly more space on the disk) that are now included in John Elliott's DU54 utility - still labelled as Moonstone, I think.

Checking the link you posted, I note the things mentioned that the prog will do.   I think one could - just about - do all the same things with the DU-v87 utility, just not as tidily maybe.

I've looked for the prog via the web, and no sign, so I don't know if it's anywhere to be downloaded.   maybe you've got the ONLY copy, so I hope you can 'fix' the disk.   What sort of disk is it, CF2 or CF2D?   Will the disk access at all?   What error are you getting?  Can you get progs from PC onto the PCW, if so, I can soon send you the DU prog, although I'm sure you can find it easily via the web.

Geoff

geeb

Hi Geoff

The disk is a CF-2 which must have fell over I would guess in 1994. I was struggling on the PCW9512 trying to print off a load of stuff and eventually the drive died. This disk labelled Toolkit was a copy that I used of the main software disk that I sold in 1995. This disk was kept because it also has some of my private accounts on there. When I place the disk in the 9512 after firing up Locoscript I do the old F7 and there is an attempt to read the disk but all I get on both sides is ' Disk format not recognised '. I cannot boot the disk. I am struggling to recall how I used the disk in truth.

Anyway like I say written on the disk it says ' Disk No Good '. So it must have fallen over and I just left it like that.

I have no way of communicating between PC and the 3" on the 9512

scuzz

GeoffB17

Hmm, the disk could be total u/s, or it could just be the first sector/track.

If you would be prepared to send me the disk, I could see what I can do with it, as it's a CF2 I could at least try?   I have a CF2 that no longer reads, and I've tried to access that with DU-v87, but I couldn't get anywhere - although, there wasn't anything either valuable or even interesting on the disk so I wasn't trying too hard.

Geoff, Guisborough, England

ComSoft6128

Hi Geeb,


I have found MFU (Master File Utility) by Moonstone Computing amongst my D20 discs here. I think that is what you are looking for. In total it comes to 344k so one 3" disc would be enough to copy it.


Cheers,


Peter

GeoffB17

Hello Peter,

I'd be interested in seeing this system, if you'd be willing to do me a copy.   I'd send you a 3" disk.

I'd assume that 340k is for two sides, and I'd suspect that the complete package comprises two versions, one for the PCW and the other for the 6128 etc CP/M.   Various other packages I got long ago came the same way.   I'd want ONLY the PCW version, but no problem to get both in case it's no longer clear which bits go with which version?

Once I'd got it, I could post appropriate image files for others?

Geoff

GeoffB17

BUT?   Moonstones's 'Multi-File Utility' is available via CPCRulez, this system is JUST for copying files etc between PCW/CPC and PC format, and involves creating a special disk with a format that can be accessed by both systems.   This may NOT be the toolkit that this thread was initially about?   MFU as describes on CPCRulez does include some utilities for checking/fixing some data on the disk, esp the boot sector (?), but does NOT seem to go as far as the 'toolkit'?

Could you confirm any of the file names on the disk you have?

Geoff

ComSoft6128

#10
Hi Geoff,


I didn't know that MFU was available from CPCRulez and I suspect that you are correct that it does not include the Toolkit. When I am in Glasgow this Tuesday I will have a look at the disc to check this. If you are still looking for a copy please let me know.


Cheers,


Peter

GeoffB17

Hello Peter,

I'd still be interested in seeing the 'Toolkit' package, but that may NOT be what you've got?

The MFU package (also referred to as '2in1') is just of help transferring files between PC and CPC/PCW and I can do this without difficulty in other ways (such as 22DISK), so there'd be no point to that.   Also, it's readily available via CPCRulez.

Thanks anyway.

Geoff

ComSoft6128

#12
Hi Geoff,

You were right, Toolkit is not part of MFU. I have posted a screen-shot so you can have a look at the directory of the disc.

GeoffB17

OK, the screen dump is a 'bit' of a help.

Seems we are looking at three - sort of - different systems here.

The 2in1 system is JUST for the transfer of files between PCW (CPC ?) and PC, using a special format disk (3.5 or 5.25).

The MFU system takes this somewhat further, this includes 2in1 but now allows transfer between various other CP/M formats as well.   Also, I think, the creating of the other format disks.

Both the above in effect do the same as the 22DISK system, although in a slightly different way.   If you've got 22DISK, then you don't need MFU or 2in1.

The TOOLKIT appears to be something quite different, this sounds like it's more akin to the 'KNIFE' package sold for the Amstrad machines via HiSoft, or the DU-V87 system (standard CP/M).   I have both of these, so my interest in TOOLKIT would be academic only.   These are disk/sector editors, accessing the raw data on the disk directly.

Just interesting that 'TOOLKIT' seems to have vanished!

Geoff

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