Commodore Disk Archive Project

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Commodore Disk Archive Project	by Bill Degnan - 07/19/2007 16:58
Here are directions for using the MMC64 with RR-Net to make backups of Commodore 64/128 disk libary. See below for a link to get most of the files you'll need. NOTE: You will need to turn the C64 off and on after each successful image extraction. I am looking for a way to avoid this, so far nothing I have tried works. For this reason, it might be best to use a C128 because you have the reset button. 1. Purchase a MMC64 and RR-Net from http://protovision-online.de (In Germany). The MMC64 fits into the cartridge slot of the C64 (or 128). The RR-Net attaches to the MMC64. It has an ethernet jack. 2. Format a SD-memory card, FAT 16 or 32. 3. Download "Warp Copy." The software contains 2 components. One is WARPCOPY06.prg which is to be run on the Commodore c64. The other component is warpcopy.exe which is to be run on a modern Windows PC. Together they work to perform a special kind of TCPIP-like network. I moved WARPCOPY06.prg to the SD card. I installed the PC version of the warpcopy program. You may want to add warpcopy to your firewall rules, allow data to pass through your ethernet card. 3.5 Get a copy of MMC64_Recovery_V110.zip. With this file you can perform a MMC64 Bios upgrade to V1.10. You will need this to make the TCPIP connection and to extract D64 files using the card. Unzip and install recovery.prg on your SD memory card. At this point you should have warpcopy06.prg and recovery.prg on the SD card. 4. Set up your C-64 with a 1541 disk drive. Test everything to make sure your drive and cables work, etc. Insert a known-working diskette with a program(s) on it. 5. Carefully attach the MMC64 with RR-Net and SD card installed into the cartridge slot of your C64. Carefully connect an ethernet cable to the RR-Net jack, and connect the other end of the cable to your PC. I have two ethernet cards in my PC to allow me to leave the systems connected indefinitely. 6. Activate the PC software. You may need to change the default IP address from 192.168.0.64 to 192.168.0.101 (for example) and hit enter. If you can leave as is, skip this step. Sometimes the IP .64 is not available. Experiment for yourself. 7. Turn on the C64. If everything is working two things will happen 1) The RR-Net's right-hand light will shine, the left-hand light with blip every 3 seconds or so. If it does not, this is a clue that your network connection may not be active. I went into the "Network Connections" and turned on "allow other internet users to connect through this internet connection" in the advanced properties section. You should notice that your "Local area connection" icon will have activated if you've been successful. 2) The MMC64 Interface Bios 1.0 screen will show. 8. From the interface menu, select F1 - Start Filebrowser. Use the menus to locate and run recovery.prg. This program will upgrade your bios to 1.1. There has to be an easier way, but I can't find one. There in an bios upgrade file available, but I could not get it to work. 9. Resart the C64/1541 drive. Enter the MMC64 filebrowser again, this time start up WARPCOPY06.prg. 10. Once in the program, hit N to change the IP address. If you changed the default IP address (see step 6 above) use Inst/Del to backspace over the "64" and replace with 101 so that your IP is 192.168.0.101, (port 6644) just like your PC's Warpcopy is using on the other end. In theory at this point you have created the connection between the two systems. 11. Verify that there is a commodore disk in the 1541. Using Warpcopy on the PC click on the "directory" button. The program should return a diretory of the diskette. The time to read a disk is about 5 seconds. You may wish to take a few minutes to reflect to yourself of the possibilities! 12. Lastly, click on the Read Image button. Warpcopy will ask for a filename, and then perform a disk image extraction from the diskette in the 1541 drive to the destination file on your PC in about 20 seconds! Here are some useful files, plus the start of what will be a massive D64 library, more on that later. http://www.vintagecomputer.net/commodore/64/ Reply
Update to Disk Archive Project	by Bill Degnan - 12/24/2007 00:02
This project is still active. Many disks have been archived and uploaded. Some of the first few D64's may not work correctly, as I was perfecting the process. Please advise if you run into a bad D64. Reply
LUG Archive Now Online	by Bill Degnan - 07/01/2009 08:13
I have started archiving and uploading the entire collection of diskettes from the Lower Bucks County C64 User Group, a club based near where MOS and Commodore once operated in Pennsylvania. This archive is a glimpse into a pre-WWW electronic community. When I am done the entire collection of disks, starting from #16 (Jan 1986) through December 1991 will be available. I have uploaded so far the first three years. To use these disks, you will need a way to download and extract D64 (C-64 disk images). If anyone has disks 1-15 I would greatly appreciate D64 copies if they're available. LUG also had a companion BBS, presumably where this archive would have been available. I am unsure if anyone in our group was a member of LUG back then...anyone? The disk archive also contains a large number of Compute! and Compute! Gazette disks which I will also upload. These disk images can be found elsewhere now, but I will upload these in the event that there were customizations specific to this group. Because these were public domain disks, I have not protected the directory, and you don't need an account on my site to download the files. The archive starts with disk M016. I am unsure if the earlier disks still exist. LUG Archive Reply
Thank you	by Donald Vally - 06/09/2012 12:03
Thank you for your archive of this valuable resource. I am still fascinated with all the software for the Commodore 8 mit systems. Reply
8050 Disk Archive .D80 format	by Bill Degnan - 01/28/2013 16:24
I have begun archiving 8050 format disks into .D80 format using CBMxfer and ZoomFloppy with IEEE adapter added. The majority of the software created originally for 8050 drives was intended for the B Series line of (B-128, CBM 256-80, etc), but there are also SuperPet and 8032 titles mixed in as well as general Commodore techs' testing programs and diagnostics here. SuperPet Boot Disks Chicago B128 User Group Disks (including a few that are not already on zimmers.net) B-Series .D80s (some may work on 8032) P500-related Demo Disk .D80 format Note that I have purposely put duplicates in a few places, and some of the disks are already de-compressed into directories containing the PRG and SEQ files, should you not have the ability to read .D80 images. Reply