MFA2WorkShop Apple II Hardware Development

wDrive firmware v1.0b4 Beta

Posted on June 23, 2020 kboo 0

wDrive new firmware version 1.0b4 Beta.

 

—  Integrate tools to write floppy disk from disk images(protected, non-protected)

—  Bug fix

 

Maybe many wDrive users know how to convert their disk images to floppy! The only and simple mean is “use copy program”. Actually, wDrive do nothing as it only performing as a floppy emulator. This work for non-protected disk or there is appropriate copy program for protected disk. However, no copy program exist for most of the protected disks.

 

wDrive’s new firmware integrated tools,”modified locksmith fast copy” and “edfwrite”, to help to write disk images to floppy. 

 

For non-protected disks or disk images, user can use “locksmith” to copy the disk images from wDrive to real disks or real disks to disk images in wDrive.

 

For protected disk images, “edfwrite” is used to transfer the disk images to floppy. “edfwrite” able to access the files in wdrive and write the disk image to floppy in disk drive. As there are many different protection schemes in apple disks, edfwrite cannot handle all of them. The quarter track, half track and time critical protection are not supported.

 

edfwrite only handle “edf” disk image format which was developed by kboohk a few years ago. It was converted from edd files and can be covered many copy protected disks. However, it didn’t handle some copy protections such as quarter track and time critical protect. We include a file conversion tool in our webpage to convert disk images to edf. Apart from edd to edf, it can also convert from woz images.

 

Operation

1.Use locksmith fast copy:

-for non-protected disks/images: dsk,po,do,nib,woz

-boot to wdrive’s boot menu

-move to desired file and press Ctrl-C

-commands:

R:change the master drive

W:change the target drive

S:set start track

E:set end track

V:enable/disable verify on copy

H:enable/disable half track

P:change parameters

C:start copy

Ctrl-V:verify master drive

Ctrl-Q:exit and reboot

 

Note: 1.copy disk image to real disk. load dsk, po, do nib, woz file in wdrive.

      2.copy real disk to image. load a blank woz file in wdrive.

      3.when copy to image, pls use fast SD card to perform better write.

      4.dsk,po,do only support sector write, cannot use to copy to image.

      5.use drive A for wdrive and B for real floppy disk.

 

 

2.Use edfwrite:

-for protect/non-protect edf images

-boot to wdrive’s boot menu

-move to desired edf file and press Ctrl-W

 

Note:1.to generate edf file, pls visit: http://www.mfa2lab.com/fconv/. select edf as the target format and upload edd or woz image.

     2.fakebit,eg The PrintShop Companion, edf cannot pass since wdrive had not implement fakebit for edf image. But can pass when it transfer to real disk.

     3.quarter-track, eg. Frogger, cannot pass in edf image and real disk

     4.time critical,eg Pooyan, cannot pass in both edf image and real disk. Pooyan expect appropreiate data within limited time after move track but edf and edfwrite unable to synchronize each track.

     5.use drive A for wdrive and B for real floppy disk.

 

To Download the Firmware, go to the following location: wDrive Firmware v1.0b4 Beta

 

To Install the Firmware Update:

1. Prepare an SD card loaded with the firmware file (wdrive.bin & wdmain.dat) in the root directory of the card.

2. Press and hold both the left and the select key, then reset the wDrive by pushing the reset button.

3. After resetting the wDrive, the wDrive’s display screen should show the message: “Release key….”.

4. Release the keys and the wDrive will start to update the firmware and finally reboot upon completion.