Re: Backing up Math Blaster Plus

["mdj" <mdj.mdj@gmail.com>]

Doug_M wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I've got an original copy of Math Blaster Plus on 3.5inch floppy.  I
> want to make a backup of this disk so I have a working copy to use.
> Locksmith (at least the copy I have) doesn't work with the 3.5inch drive
> so I've been trying to make a copy with Copy }{ Plus (v9.1).
>
> There is no parameter entry in Copy }{ Plus for Math Blaster Plus so
> I've tried the manual bit copy and manual sector copy with no luck.
> Does anyone know what parameters to use?

Math Blaster plus was an 8-bit title wasn't it? I have a couple of
suggestions:

1. See if the title can be 'copied' with a standard copier. I realise
it won't work, but it gives clues as to the protection method employed

2. Hack it. The first track at least should be readable using Copy ][+.
You can usually disassemble the code fairly easily and determine the
nasty spot.

I say this because generally speaking, 8 bit titles on 3.5" disks
didn't employ very sophisticated protection schemes as the
controller/disk combo you were likely to get on an 8bit Apple II can
vary quite a bit, therefore titles rely only on SmartPort calls to
communicate with the device.

IIgs software on the other hand could pretty much assume that everybody
had an Apple 3.5" drive connected to the disk port, and as a result
could use all sorts of trickery just like 5.25" disks.

Sometime not long after the introduction of the IIgs Apple stopped
distributing documentation for the 3.5" drive. Company policy at the
time was the copy protection was bad news and everyone should use the
standard Apple II operating systems. It didn't stop programmers from
disassembling the SmartPort code in the IIgs ROM and figuring it out
anyway though :-)

If you can copy it with the standard utilities and have means to create
a disk image, send it to me and I'll have a go cracking it - it's been
years since I've scratch cracked an Apple II title :-)

Matt