The XL/XE self test

[re-atari]

Most people would probably agree that the SA+Bit Writer is (or at least it was at the time) the most powerful, A8 based, device for making backups of copy protected disks. Nir Dary mentioned once that he could copy his whole collection (and he is a very big collector) with it, except for the SAII disk.

I recall a diskbased product called 'The Chipmunk' (they advertised in Antic and Analog), that could remove the disk protection scheme from literally dozens and dozens of SW titles. A friend of mine had a copy, testing it with my original 'Mig Alley Ace' we managed to create a working, yet non-protected backup of the game. The Happy enhancement could backup this game as well, but the backup just wouldn't work. I presume you could use the predefined backup schemes on the Happy software disk for this, but we never tried it.

 

Somebody mentioned once or twice about modern variations of european mods with very advanced copy-protected capabilities. I'm afraid I'm not familiar with them. In theory, and with the current technology, you can easily do lots of thing that you couldn't even dream at the time (put a very fast CPU/MPU, plenty of RAM and Flash ROM, etc).

Aside of the already mentioned Speedy's, I know a product called Copy Card 7.0 existed. I'm in the dark as to how capable it was by itself, and how compatible it was to the Happy enhancement software. I never was very much into 'backing up' anyway, the increase in speed was more my thing. Games never got me revved up, they still don't.

 

re-atari

Edited July 7, 2007 by re-atari

[Kr0tki]

What is the differences between the Rev 3 & Rev 4 in the link you presented? Does Rev 4 have the upgraded test?

Rev 4 is from the XEGS, so I presume it contains additional code to run Missile Command if the keyboard is not plugged in.

 

I can't remember the name of the ftp site but it was something to do with 'pigwa.net' (it was a polish ftp site) i think that one or two AA members on this forum (A8) might know how to get on this ftp site

Well you did remember! ftp://ftp.pigwa.net

Edited July 7, 2007 by Kr0tki

[ijor]

A friend of mine had a copy, testing it with my original 'Mig Alley Ace' we managed to create a working, yet non-protected backup of the game. The Happy enhancement could backup this game as well, but the backup just wouldn't work. I presume you could use the predefined backup schemes on the Happy software disk for this, but we never tried it.

 

Microprose never made very advanced on-disk copy protections. The Happy should be able to copy every single Microprose disk. Some of their latest titles do need a PDB, but that's not the case of Mig Alley Ace, at least on the versions I've seen.

 

Note that some earlier Microprose disks don't run at all on the Happy, not even in Unhappy mode. Not sure if this is one of those, I would need to check. But if so, it would happen in the original as well, not only on the copy.

[carmel_andrews]

Re- Atari.... i've heard of the speedy o/s...it certainly wasn't that as this speedy went into the 1050 and not the xl or xe machine

 

The Speedy o/s if memory serves me right (from what i read about it in TGR) had a built in MLM and also built in C-Sim (I don't know if this C-Sim was able to handle non standard tape loaders)

 

It was just a standard speedy 1050 (or at least that's what the instruction manual said)

 

In regards to the other u/g's (Happy/lazer etc), I believe, unless i am much mistaken, they all follow a standard protocol, the protocol is based on the Atari/Percom standard which goes back to the old (and unreleased) 815, Atari were going to release this DD along with the original A8, for reasons best known to atari they decided against it, Percom saw the drive at some computer fair and though that better could be done and they made their drive 100 p/c compatible with the 815 and made an agreement with Atari about ensuring that all 3rd party A8 compatible drives are Atari/Percom compatible

 

The protocol itself is based on the part of the A8's memory map called 'DCB' or Device Controller Block (mainly used to interface Disk communication betw. the disk drive and any dos based o/s the A8 had) however, the system could be adapted for use with other forms of i/o, like Cassette, printers etc (if you've ever seen the cassette loader of some of the 'non standard' tape loaders like English software, Novagen, EA etc you'll notice that they also use the DCB and not IOCB for loading tape/cassette data into memory)

 

All or most of the 1050/810 u/g's also follow the Atari/Percom protocol

Edited July 9, 2007 by carmel_andrews