Disk overwritten... help?

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AmiNeo

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Hey guys I bought Syndicate from a nice fellow on ebay a couple of months back and it worked fine.
I recently managed to leave it in a drive with the write protect switch in the wrong position and accidentily wrote a file to the drive before I realised what disk was in it... :whistle:
The game will no longer boot so I'm assuming there's been a file overwriten... :huh: D'OH! :huh:

I'd rather not have to buy a second copy of the game just to get it running again, but it kinda sucks owning the game legitimately and not being able to play it. Anyone know of a legal way around this?


Thanks in advance! (y)
 
You can write the .adf image of a TOSEC archive back to the original disk.

That's all that can be done
 
That's strange because files don't copy like that unless it's a strange DOS format that shows up as a dos directory with any incorrect bitmap (saying there is 360k free for example when its not there's less) or by writing you mean a game was saving a game out and doesn't check the save game disk (writes to a particular cylinder for certain game save slots)

Now that we have that all out of the way LOL and even then it probably doesn't cover all the aspects, I'm sure someone near you can copy there original over your disk if you send it to them... Otherwise you can send it to me and I'll pull out one of my original copies, power up a machine, XCopy the disk then cyclone anything that is different with protection.

but, rkauer solution is probably alot quicker but it might not work unless you play with an entire set of disks from TOSEC?
 
@ AmiNeo

I have an original copy of Syndicate for the Miggy. I have to be very careful what I say here, for obvious reasons. I am making this offer purely to enable AmiNeo to restore his damaged disk, and not for other nefarious purposes.

I presume that it is disk one that has got screwed up...??

If I loaned my set of the disks out to you, would you have the means at your end to restore your damaged disk from my original?

I can't recall off-hand if the Syndicate originals were copy protected or not though. If they are, then a TOSEC ADF image may be the only way out, as rkauer suggests.
 
I think I have more then 1 set of Disks for this game, I'll check when I get home if so you can one of my sets FOC (y)

In fact I'm 99.99999999% sure as I got another set with some games I bought recently so I must have at least one spare set!

Steve.
 
When I bought Syndicate I immediately backed up the main discs and played from them. Same went for any game that didn't have copy protected disks (e.g. F1GP, Wing Commander, Theme Park etc)

If I remember correctly it may even have advised me to back up the disks in the manual.

Also, I doubt there is an issue in restoring the original copy from another original copy as AmiNeo already has the applicable license to use the software.

Also, I fail to see how anyone from Bullfrog/ Lionhead (or whatever they are called now) would be concerned about this. You could always try and e-mail Peter Molyneux to find out ;)

Cheers,
AndyC
 
I have a boxed copy of this game...4 disks plus manual. Yours for the cost of postage. I feel your pain mate, i did exactly the same thing with one of my Octamed Soundstudio installation disks recently :(
 
rkauer's solution is the best for you (in terms of time and speed).

Download the game from the internet and if it's possible you can write the new ADF or DMS file on top of the original disk (better to format it though, to see if the disk is ok with errors).

If the disk is not error-free (messages like, couldn't format cyclinder x, or checksum errors or even read/write errors), you can format a brand new floppy and install the game there. After that, you can, with a little surgeon, swap the magnetic tape over the new floppy in the original and voila! :)

That's how I fix a lot of original disks that they have errors (due to the old nature of that stuff).
 
Any way to tell if it can be copied to a miggy or disk to disk. can i try it with disk 2 for example and see? or would it be just disk 1 with the protection?
 
Put the disk image on the available media you have (CF on a PCMCIA reader, directly on HD using WinUAE + HD adaptor, serial transfer, you_name_it) and transfer it back to the same bogged disk.

Done.

The image is pretty much available everywhere.
 
Will give it a shot when i can.

Cheers!
 
Hmm.. i have no way of installing workbench on WinUAE so that method is out of the window...

The other 2 disks seem to copy no probs, looks like im gonna need to borrow a disk 1 afterall...
 
Which method of transfer you have from pc to Amiga? Use this method and write the image back to the floppy using TSGUI or the ADF writer of your personal taste.
 
Hey guys sorry for being late in responding I've been in the middle of a lot of family stuff... :nuts:


I have the ADF transfer Kit with the CF adaptor but I am missing the PC side of the software if it exists. I am unsure of how to use it.

I also Have WinUAE but unfortunately don't have workbench setup on it and have no image files to do so.

My A1200 doesnt seem to like my CF card as when it is used in the side slot (which I believe is a PCMCIA Cardbus (II?) slot) with the adaptor it is recognised but I can't format it and get an error message instead.
It also isnt recognising the the card as readable when it is FAT32 windows formatted, and I dont have access to a machine with an earlier OS than Vista to format it as FAT16.

I would try it on one of my A600s but Im still waiting to hear from Zetro RE: the 2 motherboards I sent to him for repair a few months back.

Besides an original copy I'm out of ideas unless anyone here can see a way around my problems. My CF card is a Kingston and I hear theyre not very reliable with the Amigas... could this be why? or can the A1200 just not read FAT32 atall? even if this was the case I would imagine it should still be able to format the card to its own file system...

Thanks again guys!
 
All Amigas can read FAT32 fine. Thanks to CF.device and FAT95. :bowdown:

If the card don't shows up on Amiga and on pc, then the card is busted. Return it to Amigakit or claim for another.

Once the ADF Transfer Kit floppy ran on the Amiga, the necessary software packs will be on the Amiga,
 
The card shows up but there is always an error when attempting to format it on the amiga.

It shows up and works on PC fine too... So would i be right in assuming i just need the FAT32 formatted CF card with the rom on it in the amigas CF slot, and run the ADF software?
 
Just the floppy from the Amigakit's kit and the pc-formatted card on a PCMCIA reader, that's all.
 
Cheers.

Sorry about the late response, been dealing with a lot of the usual family arguments that occur on the run up to the holiday season. and out every second possible trying to stock up on gifts. Haven't had a chance to set her up again yet but will do soon.

Anyone know what happened to Zetr0? Has he been active? Hes had 2 of my A600 boards for around 3 months now, and I'm not sure if hes got around to them. I've been intouch with him over the months but have been awaiting a response since my last message (about 3 weeks or more now) and heard zip. Just wanna kow the guy is doing okay. :)


Thanks again guys.

Seasons greetings to all! (y)
 
@AmiNeo

Zeets has been laid up with a case of the bad flu bug.

He's just getting back on-line a bit more again.

Drop him a PM - I'm sure he'll answer you (y)

Dave G :cool:
 
Thats okay, I was hoping to have them back intime for Xmas, but it may be a bit late for that now. He has my PM, I'll leave it to him in his own time. Atleast I know he's doing okay now.

Thanks Davideo (y)
 
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