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Re: LocoLink: Unable to Load PCW Program

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Hello,

Right!

The normal PCW boot disk contains code in the boot sector, and this lookes 
for the *.EMS file on the disk.   However, some later versions of the 
system, and this may well include the 95xx series, changed to .EMT, and this 
could mean that the boot sector would be changed to suit.

If you are moving the file for LocoLink from a machine that expects .EMS to 
one that expects .EMT that this could well cause part of the problem.   If 
you have a disk that normally does boot, that tells you which variety you 
need, otherwise use a disk editor to check what's in the boot sector.

Maybe you can just change the .EMS to .EMT to suit the boot sector of the 
disk that normally boots.

Next, as far as I know, the 95xx series CAN boot from a 720k disk, if that 
is so, then it should be able to boot from a 3.5" as well as a 3", assuming 
the disk has the correct boot sector on it.   For my PCW, I am putting a PCW 
format onto 3.5" disks, including the necessary boot sector, although I'm 
not booting as my machine is a PCW8256 currently with a 5.25" A: and a 3.5" 
B: (the 3" A: SSSD drive is working but presently disconnected).   The 
system expects a SSSD 40T boot disk, and I use 5.25" disks formatted to that 
for booting.   However, to achieve the boot, the drive MUST be recognised as 
A:.   I suspect that your drive may be hardware set as B:.   Given the 
maching, maybe this can be changed on the drive, or maybe it can be changed 
with a twist in the cable (to swap around the drive select lines) like in 
many PCs where most recent floppy drives are manufactured as B: and made to 
appear as A: via the twist in the cable.

Regarding the copy protect, this depends on if the disk is a maxell type, or 
a panasonic type.   The former has a little red lever at each side of one 
end, you need to use an implement to move the little red lever to one side 
to open the hole through the disk.   The panasonic type has a white plastic 
piece that must be pushed into the disk, again to open up the hole through 
the disk.   Either way, the result is a clear hole through the disk which 
the led/sensor in the drive can detect.

For more info, and a number of 'experts', check out the cpcwiki.eu website, 
and the forum there.   Although it's primarily the CPC machines, and games, 
there is a section for the PCW.   A chap there called 'Bryce' fixed my 3" 
drive for me, even though it meant a total disassembly of the stepper 
motor!!   From that site, you could even PM to me via 'GeoffB17'

Geoff

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LocoLink: Unable to Load PCW Program Andrew Ferguson <andrewferguson500@gmail.com> - 2016-01-02 06:14 -0800
  Re: LocoLink: Unable to Load PCW Program Enrique Garcia <enriquegg@gmail.com> - 2016-01-03 00:40 -0800
  Re: LocoLink: Unable to Load PCW Program "Geoff Barnard" <geoff@jgb17.co.uk> - 2016-01-03 15:26 +0000
    Re: LocoLink: Unable to Load PCW Program Andrew Ferguson <andrewferguson500@gmail.com> - 2016-01-04 10:32 -0800
      Re: LocoLink: Unable to Load PCW Program "Geoff Barnard" <geoff@jgb17.co.uk> - 2016-01-04 23:17 +0000
      Re: LocoLink: Unable to Load PCW Program "Geoff Barnard" <geoff@jgb17.co.uk> - 2016-01-04 23:50 +0000
      Re: LocoLink: Unable to Load PCW Program "Geoff Barnard" <geoff@jgb17.co.uk> - 2016-01-05 00:37 +0000
      Re: LocoLink: Unable to Load PCW Program "Geoff Barnard" <geoff@jgb17.co.uk> - 2016-01-05 17:05 +0000
        Re: LocoLink: Unable to Load PCW Program Andrew Ferguson <andrewferguson500@gmail.com> - 2016-01-06 08:23 -0800
          Re: LocoLink: Unable to Load PCW Program "Geoff Barnard" <geoff@jgb17.co.uk> - 2016-01-06 18:39 +0000
            Re: LocoLink: Unable to Load PCW Program Andrew Ferguson <andrewferguson500@gmail.com> - 2016-01-06 12:59 -0800
              Re: LocoLink: Unable to Load PCW Program "Geoff Barnard" <geoff@jgb17.co.uk> - 2016-01-06 23:00 +0000
                Re: LocoLink: Unable to Load PCW Program Floppy Software <floppysoftware@gmail.com> - 2016-01-07 11:27 -0800
                Re: LocoLink: Unable to Load PCW Program Andrew Ferguson <andrewferguson500@gmail.com> - 2016-01-07 13:11 -0800
                Re: LocoLink: Unable to Load PCW Program Matthew Phillips <spam2011m@yahoo.co.uk> - 2016-01-07 22:45 +0000
                Re: LocoLink: Unable to Load PCW Program seasip.webmaster@gmail.com - 2016-01-07 15:17 -0800
                Re: LocoLink: Unable to Load PCW Program "Geoff Barnard" <geoff@jgb17.co.uk> - 2016-01-08 00:42 +0000
                Re: LocoLink: Unable to Load PCW Program seasip.webmaster@gmail.com - 2016-01-08 06:23 -0800

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