Difference between revisions of "Atari STart Magazine Cover Disks"

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(Created page with "=== Backstory: === 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...")
 
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=== Backstory: ===
===Backstory:===
[[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.
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].
This was reportedly to make them still work in single-sided drives (at least the top half)


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.
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I'm trying to organize locating and re-imaging these affected disks.
I'm trying to organize locating and re-imaging these affected disks.


=== Issues affected: ===
===Issues affected:===
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|+
|+
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|Yes
|Yes
|No
|No
|Believed to be the first issue affected.
|The first issue affected.
|-
|-
|December 1989
|December 1989
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|}
|}


=== External Links: ===
===External Links:===


* [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]
* [https://www.atarimagazines.com/software/startsoftware.html Collection of existing disk images]
*[https://www.atarimagazines.com/software/startsoftware.html Collection of existing disk images]
* [https://archive.org/details/start-magazine?sort=titleSorter Internet Archive collection of STart Magazine issues]
*[https://archive.org/details/start-magazine?sort=titleSorter Internet Archive collection of STart Magazine issues]
* [http://www.atarimania.com/atari-magazine-start_24.html AtariMania collection]
*[http://www.atarimania.com/atari-magazine-start_24.html AtariMania collection]

Revision as of 22:59, 23 January 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.

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.

I'm trying to organize locating and re-imaging these affected disks.

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 No The first issue affected.
December 1989 Vol 4 No 5 Yes No
January 1990 Vol 4 No 6 Yes No
February 1990 Vol 4 No 7 Yes No
March 1990 Vol 4 No 8 Yes No
April 1990 Vol 4 No 9 Yes No
May 1990 Vol 4 No 10 Yes No
June 1990 Vol 4 No 11 Yes No
July 1990 Vol 4 No 12 Yes No
August 1990 Vol 5 No 1 Yes No
September/October 1990 Vol 5 No 2 Yes No
November 1990 Vol 5 No 3 Yes No
December 1990 Vol 5 No 4 Yes No
January 1991 Vol 5 No 5 No? No It's not certain if the January 1991-April/May 1991 issues are affected
February/March 1991 Vol 5 No 6 No? No
April/May 1991 Vol 5 No 7 No? No Last issue.

External Links: