[Coco] SoftLaw's VIP series

[coco at yourdvd.net]

I once wanted to make a backup of my SHAMUS disks, some 16 years ago.
While examining the code, I found it looked for a defective track (I
think it was actually a sector in the directory track on shamus), the
software then used the error code returned by the FDC as an index to
jump to the actually execution address. I think this was how it was,
but this was 16 or so years ago. Any, try using this link:
http://discover-net.net/~dmkeil/coco/software/cocodisk.htm
and downloading the defeater by carl englund - it eliminates the need to
patch anything: 
here is the info from dmk's site:
The Defeater
And other programs by Carl England
Copyright 1995 by Carl England
Model 	RAM 	     Filename 	Disk Type 	 OTHER 	        Size
COCO3 	128k ? 512k 	BOOT 	RSDOS 	  Type RUN "BOOT" 	32k

The "Defeater" is a disk copy program for copying "Copy Protected"
disks. Carl has added options to save & load a patch file that allows
making virtual disk copies of "Copy Protected" disks. A protected track
is read on a real COCO and then a patch (raw track data) is saved to a
normal RSDOS disk. Most "Copy Protected" disks only have a few
protected tracks. Each of these tracks can be read & patches saved to
the RSDOS disk for transfer to a emulator virtual disk.

Defeater can read and copy the normal tracks on the emulator. Once the
normal tracks are copied then the protected tracks are read on the
COCO. The raw track data is written to a RSDOS as "PATCH.BIN". Then the
RSDOS disk is put in the emulators real drive and the patch is loaded
and saved to the proper track on the virtual disk. This process is
repeated for each protected track "Defeater" finds. Once all the normal
and protected tracks are copied the virtual disk should boot exactly as
the original did. Most of the "Copy Protected" game disks on my site
were copied using this technique.

This same process can be reversed too, allowing you to make real disks
of "Copy Protected" virtual disks for use on a real Color Computer.
This disk also contains several other disk utilities written by Carl
England

    *

      BACK128K.BIN - A backup utility that uses all 128k of memory to
backup a disk in a single disk system with fewer disk swaps
    *

      BACK512K.BIN - A backup utility that uses all 512k of memory to
backup a disk in a single disk system with no disk swaps
    *

      COPY512K.BIN - A point and shoot copy utility to copy selected
files from one disk to another in a single pass, even on a single drive
system 

There are several other useful utilities on this disk too. 



> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: [Coco] SoftLaw's VIP series
> From: "Bob Devries" <devries.bob at gmail.com>
> Date: Mon, April 23, 2007 1:18 am
> To: <coco at maltedmedia.com>
> 
> In an effort to preserve my disk collection, I found that the SoftLaw
> VIP series of programmes are copy protected. It seems that one (or
> more) tracks are unformatted, and the programme looks for that when it
> loads. I'd like to be able to store working copies, and of course,
> also make them workable under MESS. Since MESS cannot emulate
> faulty/unformatted tracks, all I can do is patch the software to
> by-pass the check for those tracks. Does anyone have the information
> about how that was done, before I start digging into the code? See the
> next CocoNutz Newsletter for "The Colour Computer Software
> Preservation Project" (shameless plug). -- Regards, Bob Devries,
> Dalby, Queensland, Australia Isaiah 50:4 The sovereign Lord has given
> me the capacity to be his spokesman, so that I know how to help the
> weary. website: http://www.home.gil.com.au/~bdevasl my blog:
> http://bdevries.invigorated.org/ -- Coco mailing list
> Coco at maltedmedia.com http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/coco