Image File Fails to show any files
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Mayne Mihacsi
Sep 4, 2025, 6:36:18 PMSep 4
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I produced (rather, the mfm Beagle Board did) an image from a DOS hard drive of around 40Mb. Copied it from the USB where I confirmed it is, to my Win 10 PC successfully. Used WinImage to open the file, and it identified it as having only 1 Dos partition. But upon opening it showed Zero files and Zero length. I used the DEbian command structure correctly and it produced an image for 40MB. The disk has Dos 5 and many files on it.
While extracting it did not show any errors and completed successfully.
Here is the command used:
setup_mfm_read
mfm_read --analyze --emulation_file emufile_a --extracted_data_file Quantum_Q540
It was then cp to a mounted usb stick that was used to transfer to the PC.
Any ideas?
-Mayne
David Gesswein
Sep 4, 2025, 8:11:37 PMSep 4
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You didn't show the command output that might of provided more info. If its
xebec format add --xebec_skew to the command. I think mfm_util will
work agains the emulator file to create a new extracted data file.
Some other controllers may need other manipulation of the image.
If you need me to take a look at it upload the emulator file to
https://www.pdp8online.com/upload/abuploadab.html
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xebec format add --xebec_skew to the command. I think mfm_util will
work agains the emulator file to create a new extracted data file.
Some other controllers may need other manipulation of the image.
If you need me to take a look at it upload the emulator file to
https://www.pdp8online.com/upload/abuploadab.html
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MFM Discuss" group.
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Mayne Mihacsi
Sep 4, 2025, 8:57:38 PMSep 4
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David….surprise but pleased the inventor replied…..
I will upload the file for you. I have about 20 mfm drives I want to reclaim. I spoke about this before when I ordered the board from you. I admit I have been getting frustrated since a) I am not a Linux person so the command and OS structure is foreign, and 2) out of the marked hard disks that describe what on them and the drive type - they fail to be unlocked by the Beagle board. Pilot error? Sure. Maybe. But I have word by word followed the advice of several YouTube demonstrations.
So when I get back to things tomorrow I will upload and run the command again supplying the command result. Though this last one completed successfully.
Until tomorrow…
Thank you
Mayne
Sent from my iPad
> On Sep 4, 2025, at 5:11 PM, David Gesswein <d...@pdp8online.com> wrote:
>
> You didn't show the command output that might of provided more info. If its
> To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mfm-discuss/aLoqt/k5WO%2BACI48%40hugin3.
I will upload the file for you. I have about 20 mfm drives I want to reclaim. I spoke about this before when I ordered the board from you. I admit I have been getting frustrated since a) I am not a Linux person so the command and OS structure is foreign, and 2) out of the marked hard disks that describe what on them and the drive type - they fail to be unlocked by the Beagle board. Pilot error? Sure. Maybe. But I have word by word followed the advice of several YouTube demonstrations.
So when I get back to things tomorrow I will upload and run the command again supplying the command result. Though this last one completed successfully.
Until tomorrow…
Thank you
Mayne
Sent from my iPad
> On Sep 4, 2025, at 5:11 PM, David Gesswein <d...@pdp8online.com> wrote:
>
> You didn't show the command output that might of provided more info. If its
David Gesswein
Sep 5, 2025, 8:29:36 PMSep 5
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What computer is the disk from?
The Microbee format was added for a CP/M computer so thats the sample image I
have. You said your disk is DOS so it must be another computer that uses the
same controller/format.
Since the sample image I have is CP/M thats not going to help figuring out
your problem. If you want you can send me your emulator file and I will take
a look.
> > To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mfm-discuss/aLoqt/k5WO%2BACI48%40hugin3.
The Microbee format was added for a CP/M computer so thats the sample image I
have. You said your disk is DOS so it must be another computer that uses the
same controller/format.
Since the sample image I have is CP/M thats not going to help figuring out
your problem. If you want you can send me your emulator file and I will take
a look.
> Thank you
> Mayne
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
> > On Sep 4, 2025, at 5:11 PM, David Gesswein <d...@pdp8online.com> wrote:
> >
> > You didn't show the command output that might of provided more info. If its
> Mayne
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
> > On Sep 4, 2025, at 5:11 PM, David Gesswein <d...@pdp8online.com> wrote:
> >
>
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David Gesswein
Sep 5, 2025, 8:43:17 PMSep 5
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Just did a saerch for Toshiba MK56. Found online
Model # Interface Heads Cyls. Sect. WP Com LZ Capacity
MK56FB MFM 10 830 17 0 830 72MB
Do you know how many heads your drive has? The emulator only detected 8.
If it really has 10 then that would be why its not decoding properly.
There are some controllers which only encode 8 heads in the sector header
but can support drives with more than 8 heads.
If your drive has 10 heads you can try
mfm_read --format Microbee_WD1002_05 --sectors 17,1 --heads 10 --cylinders 830 --header_crc 0xffff,0x1021,16,0 --data_crc 0xffffffff,0x140a0445,32,6 --sector_length 512 --retries 50,4 --drive 2 --head_3bit --emulation_file emufile_a --extracted_data_file 090525_Toshiba_MK56
If you want me to see if fourth head bit is somewhere in header read disk with
mfm_read --heads 10 --cyl 830 --drive 2 --transitions_file 090525_Toshiba_MK56.tran
compress the file and upload to location in previous email.
On Fri, Sep 05, 2025 at 09:32:47AM -0700, Mayne Mihacsi wrote:
> > To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mfm-discuss/aLoqt/k5WO%2BACI48%40hugin3.
Model # Interface Heads Cyls. Sect. WP Com LZ Capacity
MK56FB MFM 10 830 17 0 830 72MB
Do you know how many heads your drive has? The emulator only detected 8.
If it really has 10 then that would be why its not decoding properly.
There are some controllers which only encode 8 heads in the sector header
but can support drives with more than 8 heads.
If your drive has 10 heads you can try
mfm_read --format Microbee_WD1002_05 --sectors 17,1 --heads 10 --cylinders 830 --header_crc 0xffff,0x1021,16,0 --data_crc 0xffffffff,0x140a0445,32,6 --sector_length 512 --retries 50,4 --drive 2 --head_3bit --emulation_file emufile_a --extracted_data_file 090525_Toshiba_MK56
If you want me to see if fourth head bit is somewhere in header read disk with
mfm_read --heads 10 --cyl 830 --drive 2 --transitions_file 090525_Toshiba_MK56.tran
compress the file and upload to location in previous email.
On Fri, Sep 05, 2025 at 09:32:47AM -0700, Mayne Mihacsi wrote:
> Thank you
> Mayne
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
> > On Sep 4, 2025, at 5:11 PM, David Gesswein <d...@pdp8online.com> wrote:
> >
> > You didn't show the command output that might of provided more info. If its
> Mayne
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
> > On Sep 4, 2025, at 5:11 PM, David Gesswein <d...@pdp8online.com> wrote:
> >
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MFM Discuss" group.
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Mayne Mihacsi
Sep 5, 2025, 9:42:12 PMSep 5
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David…
One issue is I do not have the original Western digital controller the drive was formatted for. So trying to reboot from a WD1003 or WD1006 will not work. I have a WD1002 on its way to verify this.
It is a Intel Motherboard-based hd as they all are that I have. No CP/M stuff.
Here is the drive and in my writing is Type 37 and 10 heads.
One issue is I do not have the original Western digital controller the drive was formatted for. So trying to reboot from a WD1003 or WD1006 will not work. I have a WD1002 on its way to verify this.
It is a Intel Motherboard-based hd as they all are that I have. No CP/M stuff.
Here is the drive and in my writing is Type 37 and 10 heads.
Mayne Mihacsi
Sep 5, 2025, 9:43:59 PMSep 5
to mfm-d...@googlegroups.com, mfm-d...@googlegroups.com
Well the issue might be a difference in controllers. I have been trying to boot it on a WD1003, 1004, or 1006 to no avail. When I get the WD1002 I will try that.
>
> Just did a saerch for Toshiba MK56. Found online
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Mayne
Sent from my iPad
> On Sep 5, 2025, at 5:43 PM, David Gesswein <d...@pdp8online.com> wrote:
Sent from my iPad
>
> Just did a saerch for Toshiba MK56. Found online
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Mayne Mihacsi
Sep 14, 2025, 10:10:19 PMSep 14
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David….
You offered to look at the emu file for me previously. Are you still up for that? I will upload 2 files onto the link you gave me tomorrow.
I got the drive controller that Debian reported, a WD1002, and tried booting the drive directly but the BIOS displays only “Hit F1 to Boot or F2 to run the Setup”.
So it does not boot. Also the image file though it is over 50MB shows nothing in it with Diskimage.
Mayne
Sent from my iPad
> On Sep 5, 2025, at 5:43 PM, David Gesswein <d...@pdp8online.com> wrote:
>
> Just did a saerch for Toshiba MK56. Found online
> To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mfm-discuss/aLuDo7fvFsp3xvJ2%40hugin3.
You offered to look at the emu file for me previously. Are you still up for that? I will upload 2 files onto the link you gave me tomorrow.
I got the drive controller that Debian reported, a WD1002, and tried booting the drive directly but the BIOS displays only “Hit F1 to Boot or F2 to run the Setup”.
So it does not boot. Also the image file though it is over 50MB shows nothing in it with Diskimage.
Mayne
Sent from my iPad
>
> Just did a saerch for Toshiba MK56. Found online
David Gesswein
Sep 14, 2025, 10:34:44 PMSep 14
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Yes I can take a look. May be a little delay depending on how free time goes.
> To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mfm-discuss/2D0F97EF-8A92-4954-A463-F1E75E7DF447%40frontier.com.
mmih...@frontier.com
Sep 15, 2025, 1:38:41 PMSep 15
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David...
Just uploaded the emufile_a to the drive for your inspection.
When you can get to it.
Mayne
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Just uploaded the emufile_a to the drive for your inspection.
When you can get to it.
Mayne
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David Gesswein
Sep 15, 2025, 9:19:35 PMSep 15
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That image is 8 heads and in previous reply I said I think your disk is 10
heads and gave a command to force reading as 10 heads. Did you try that command?
> To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mfm-discuss/00ab01dc2667%248ff46dc0%24afdd4940%24%40frontier.com.
heads and gave a command to force reading as 10 heads. Did you try that command?
Mayne Frontier
Sep 15, 2025, 10:28:04 PMSep 15
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No I did not as type 37 is 10 heads. If I need to force it I will do so with the right command. Can you provide that? I will run it again.
Mayne
> On Sep 15, 2025, at 6:19 PM, David Gesswein <d...@pdp8online.com> wrote:
>
> That image is 8 heads and in previous reply I said I think your disk is 10
> To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mfm-discuss/aMi7JEks7jtevHKN%40hugin3.
Mayne
> On Sep 15, 2025, at 6:19 PM, David Gesswein <d...@pdp8online.com> wrote:
>
> That image is 8 heads and in previous reply I said I think your disk is 10
David Gesswein
Sep 16, 2025, 9:50:44 AMSep 16
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Using Linux fdisk against the image it says
partition 4
Start-C/H/S: 0/1/1
End-C/H/S: 384/9/17
partition 1
Start-C/H/S: 385/0/1
End-C/H/S: 828/9/17
So looks to be 10 head.
The command was in the quoted text below. Recopied here.
mfm_read --format Microbee_WD1002_05 --sectors 17,1 --heads 10 --cylinders 830 --header_crc 0xffff,0x1021,16,0 --data_crc 0xffffffff,0x140a0445,32,6 --sector_length 512 --retries 50,4 --drive 2 --head_3bit --emulation_file emufile_a --extracted_data_file 090525_Toshiba_MK56
If you send me the emulation file from above command I can see if I can improve
auto detection of the extra heads.
> To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mfm-discuss/F1F8679D-9B62-4FAB-9923-C8CE4DF7EE69%40frontier.com.
partition 4
Start-C/H/S: 0/1/1
End-C/H/S: 384/9/17
partition 1
Start-C/H/S: 385/0/1
End-C/H/S: 828/9/17
So looks to be 10 head.
The command was in the quoted text below. Recopied here.
mfm_read --format Microbee_WD1002_05 --sectors 17,1 --heads 10 --cylinders 830 --header_crc 0xffff,0x1021,16,0 --data_crc 0xffffffff,0x140a0445,32,6 --sector_length 512 --retries 50,4 --drive 2 --head_3bit --emulation_file emufile_a --extracted_data_file 090525_Toshiba_MK56
auto detection of the extra heads.
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