FDS games go bad over time, it''s a fact of life ??? what is the best/cheapest way I can backup my FDS games and then rewrite the disk when it goes bad. (I know at the very least I will have to mod my disk system)
There's a well-written tutorial here http://www.famicomdisksystem.com/tutorials/disk-dumping/dumping-disks-with-fdsloader/ which requires a slow PC (Pentium II should do) with a parallel port and an FDSloadr dump cable. Same site has tutorials on building a dump cable, and modding the FDS, though I don't think you'll need to mod it just for dumping.
Alternatively there's Chris Covell's method, which turns the game data into audio http://www.chrismcovell.com/TapeDump_Controls.html but that requires a method to play NES backups, like a powerpak.
Why does it have to be a slow pc? wouldn't a parralel port to Usb adapter work?
The Fdsloadr program is really finnicky. USB adapters do not work, and I also couldn't get newer computers that had parallel ports to work either. An old Pentium 2 I found loaded with real DOS (not DOS prompt) is the only thing I could find that would work.
FDS games don't really go bad over time.
Quote from: GohanX on August 12, 2012, 08:05:49 pm
The Fdsloadr program is really finnicky. USB adapters do not work, and I also couldn't get newer computers that had parallel ports to work either. An old Pentium 2 I found loaded with real DOS (not DOS prompt) is the only thing I could find that would work.
Any other programs that are not as good that would work? I just don't have any crappy computers around.
Fdsloadr is it, unless you got your hands on an actual disk copying disk, then you wouldn't need a computer to backup anything.
I'd offer to write one for you, but I've only found one working disc copier image, and it won't copy itself.
If anyone needs or wants a copy program on disk, send me a PM.
kyuusaku said he was working on a cable that would use USB to dump disks, presumably working with modern PCs http://forums.nesdev.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=7818&start=15 but as far as I can see there wasn't any word of progress since.
80sFreak said that his in-development FDS RAM adapter replacement would in theory be able to support connecting to the disk drive which I imagine would allow for dumping, but that it would require extra chips.
AFAIK kyuusaku's USB dumper never got finished.
Quote from: 80sFREAK on August 13, 2012, 06:37:24 am
Ummm... should i support "red box" in RAM adapter replacement?
I'd likely buy one if you did ;D Even if not, I'd still be tempted to get one, but as a much later priority, since a backup of a system known for frequently failing would be great.
Quote from: ericj on August 13, 2012, 06:43:18 am
AFAIK kyuusaku's USB dumper never got finished.
Ah, that's a shame. Do you know why he didn't finish it? Lack of motivation or time, or just couldn't get it working?
Quote from: 80sFREAK on August 12, 2012, 10:53:12 pm
wow! good thing :) so you have disk utility?
I don't have a physical disk, but I have an image on my computer. I use FDSloader to load it into the RAM adapter, and once it's loaded I use it for creating the new disk.