Re: Help needed to transfer Apple 2 disks to virtual disk images on PC

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

Jean-Fran�ois Morin writes ...
> 
> Hello everyone,
> 
> When I was a high school (secondary school in Quebec) student, I used
> Apple 2 computers at school, but I virtually lost contact with that
> computer. A few years ago, I found an Apple 2 computer with monitor and
> two disk drives at a flea market, which allowed me to use again my old
> Apple 2 disks. However, I had to get rid of it little time thereafter,
> before discovering the existence of Apple 2 emulators.
> 
> By now, I am properly equipped in terms of Apple 2 emulation, but I
> don't have anything anymore to read my old Apple 2 disks (because of
> hardware incompatibility between Apple2 and PC disk drives). If you are
> equipped to transfer Apple 2 disks to virtual disk images, and are
> willing to help me, please notify me accordingly. Of course, I will pay
> all shipping and mailing expenses.
>

     Your best bet is, probably, to download existing disk image files
from one of the sites listed below:

Asimov- #1 archive of Apple II games and utilities in
  emulator DSK and file formats; plus emulators and emu info 
  ftp://ftp.apple.asimov.net/pub/apple_II/

Asimov Mirrors- sites which mirror Asimov
  ftp://apple.cabi.net/pub/apple_II/
  ftp://mirror.aarnet.edu.au/pub/apple_II/
  ftp://mirror.apple.asimov.net/pub/apple_II/

Uni-kl.de  Apple2 U. Kaiserslautern-- II/IIgs games, utilities, and
  emulator wares
  ftp://ftp.uni-kl.de/pub/apple2/



For example, you could go to ...

ftp://apple.cabi.net/pub/apple_II/images/games/ and check out the
adventure/, rpg/, etc. folders there. Except for .txt files, you should
download practically all files as binary. If you are using Netscape
instead of an FTP program, right-click on the file name and select "Save
Link As" to download & save a file.

     If a file is in plain .dsk form (name ends in ".dsk"), it should be
a ready-to-use disk image which your emmulator will treat like a disk.
Most disk image files are maintained on ftp sites in compressed .dsk.gz
form. If a downloaded file is in .dsk.gz or .zip form, use WinZip to
un-compress it. One way or another, you want to end up with a .dsk file.
If you end up with a .nib file, it will, probably, work okay with the
emulator, too.


     There is at least one good reason for looking for disk images
before looking for someone to convert your diskettes. If your collection
includes originals or direct copies of originals, it will probably be
necessary to make deprotected copies before creating disk image files.
(A good check for whether or not a diskette is ready to be converted is
whether or not the diskette can be copied by a fast copier like Disk
Muncher.) Depending upon the particular product, deprotection can be
fairly time-consuming.

     Creating a disk image from an unprotected 5.25" diskette takes a
minute or so. Converting a stack of diskettes to image files is going to
take a while. Since the images need to be on PC diskettes and since it's
a good idea to test most images, more time is involved in transfer and
testing. 

     If converting some diskettes is necessary because you can not find
disk images on an archive site or because a diskette contains a saved
game, it would help to list the games, etc. you want converted and
whether or not each diskette is an original. This will make it easier to
find someone who is interested in helping.




Rubywand