Difference between revisions of "Atari STart Magazine Cover Disks"

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===Backstory:===
===Backstory:===
[[File:Heidi Format.png|thumb|STart Editorial introducing the Heidi Format]]
[[File:Heidi Format.png|thumb|STart Editorial introducing the Heidi Format]]
STart magazine ran from Summer of 1986 to April/May 1991. It usually used single-sided disks, but in November of 1989 they switched to a double-sided format but using a special bootsector that made them look like single-sided disks.
[[w:STart_(magazine)|STart magazine]] ran from Summer of 1986 to April/May 1991. It usually used single-sided disks, but in November of 1989 they switched to a double-sided format but using a special bootsector that made them look like single-sided disks.


This is called the "Heidi Format", and [https://archive.org/details/STart-Magazine-Issue-27/page/n7 they explain it in an Editorial note]. Instructions on how to use these disks are [https://archive.org/details/STart-Magazine-Issue-27/page/n63 on page 64 of the November 1989 issue].
This is called the "Heidi Format", and [https://archive.org/details/STart-Magazine-Issue-27/page/n7 they explain it in an Editorial note]. Instructions on how to use these disks are [https://archive.org/details/STart-Magazine-Issue-27/page/n63 on page 64 of the November 1989 issue].
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But the end result is that these disks are double-sided, but disk imaging software may mistake them for single-sided. This happened when all the STart disks were imaged, so existing collections of the disks are actually missing half the content.
But the end result is that these disks are double-sided, but disk imaging software may mistake them for single-sided. This happened when all the STart disks were imaged, so existing collections of the disks are actually missing half the content.
[[File:Heidi menu.png|thumb|The menu screen of a Heidi disk]]


=== Archiving: ===
I'm trying to organize locating and re-imaging these affected disks.
[[File:STart Heidi Disks.jpg|thumb|The affected disks]]
Thanks to the help of [https://twitter.com/ianmuttoo Ian Muttoo] in loaning me their disks, I've been able to archive all the affected disks.

[https://archive.org/details/start_magazine_heidi_cover_disks They're now available on the Internet Archive].

Method: I imaged the disks on a PC disk using a [[Kryoflux]], then used [https://github.com/keirf/Disk-Utilities Disk-Analyse] to convert the stream files into ST files.

I used [http://steem.atari.st/ Steem Engine 3.2] to create backups and extract their contents.

The December 1989 disk had a bad sector in the first track of the second side, but this seems to not have affected extraction.

I'm not certain if the archive format used (ARC) has checksums, or if it just produced corrupted output.


===Issues affected:===
===Issues affected:===
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|Vol 4 No 4
|Vol 4 No 4
|Yes
|Yes
|No
|Yes
|The first issue affected.
|The first issue affected.
|-
|-
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|Vol 4 No 5
|Vol 4 No 5
|Yes
|Yes
|No
|Yes
|
|
|-
|-
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|Vol 4 No 6
|Vol 4 No 6
|Yes
|Yes
|No
|Yes
|
|
|-
|-
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|Vol 4 No 7
|Vol 4 No 7
|Yes
|Yes
|No
|Yes
|
|
|-
|-
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|Vol 4 No 8
|Vol 4 No 8
|Yes
|Yes
|No
|Yes
|
|
|-
|-
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|Vol 4 No 9
|Vol 4 No 9
|Yes
|Yes
|No
|Yes
|Last issue to use the Heidi Format
|Last issue to use the Heidi Format
|-
|-
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===External Links:===
===External Links:===


*[https://archive.org/details/start_magazine_heidi_cover_disks Internet archive upload of the disks]
*[https://twitter.com/Foone/status/1071293137304248320 My twitter thread explaining the issue]
*[https://twitter.com/Foone/status/1071293137304248320 My twitter thread explaining the issue]
*[http://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?t=29634 Atari Forum thread about the issue]
*[http://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?t=29634 Atari Forum thread about the issue]

Latest revision as of 11:51, 6 February 2019

Backstory:

STart Editorial introducing the Heidi Format

STart magazine ran from Summer of 1986 to April/May 1991. It usually used single-sided disks, but in November of 1989 they switched to a double-sided format but using a special bootsector that made them look like single-sided disks.

This is called the "Heidi Format", and they explain it in an Editorial note. Instructions on how to use these disks are on page 64 of the November 1989 issue.

The last issue using the format was April 1990 (Vol 4, No 9) as explained in another Editorial Note

But the end result is that these disks are double-sided, but disk imaging software may mistake them for single-sided. This happened when all the STart disks were imaged, so existing collections of the disks are actually missing half the content.

The menu screen of a Heidi disk

Archiving:

The affected disks

Thanks to the help of Ian Muttoo in loaning me their disks, I've been able to archive all the affected disks.

They're now available on the Internet Archive.

Method: I imaged the disks on a PC disk using a Kryoflux, then used Disk-Analyse to convert the stream files into ST files.

I used Steem Engine 3.2 to create backups and extract their contents.

The December 1989 disk had a bad sector in the first track of the second side, but this seems to not have affected extraction.

I'm not certain if the archive format used (ARC) has checksums, or if it just produced corrupted output.

Issues affected:

Date Volume/Number Affected? Reimaged yet? Notes
October 1989 & earlier Vol 4 No 3 No Not needed
November 1989 Vol 4 No 4 Yes Yes The first issue affected.
December 1989 Vol 4 No 5 Yes Yes
January 1990 Vol 4 No 6 Yes Yes
February 1990 Vol 4 No 7 Yes Yes
March 1990 Vol 4 No 8 Yes Yes
April 1990 Vol 4 No 9 Yes Yes Last issue to use the Heidi Format
May 1990 - April/May 1991 Vol 4 No 10 - Vol 5 No 7 No Not needed

External Links:

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