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Need help regarding Amiga software

Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 6:17 pm
by Nightfaery
Amiga IS Commodore so nehneh. Does anyone know how to use X-Copy? I have a basic knowledge of it but I was trying to use a virus killer, and lo and behold the virus killer had a virus. So scanning it through X-Copy I found it was bugged with red numbers. So I did what I thought was fix it and, um, ended up formatting the disc. Whoops. So could someone tell me how to use it properly? I know how to copy, check the discs but that's about it. Pwease help. Thanks.

Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 7:45 pm
by andy vaisey
You do mean X-Copy for copying disks? If so, when my version showed "red numbers" it usually meant sectors of the disk that it had trouble reading and/or contained errors - original software included built in errors as a form of copy protection. Was it an "original" disk you were using in X-Copy?

Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 11:09 am
by Ian Osborne
If memory serves, X-Copy had a deep penetration mode which could copy almost anything. Is that what you're using?

Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 2:12 pm
by andy vaisey
Ian Osborne wrote:If memory serves, X-Copy had a deep penetration mode which could copy almost anything.
I also seem to remember "nibble" copy which also had quite a good success rate...

Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 3:42 pm
by Nightfaery
The reason I use X-Copy is because it's the only software I know that has a disc scan. I mean the Amiga has always been one for crashing games as the floppy tape is so delicate, but I'm finding more and more games are crashing, and as I'm old enough to understand putting batteries on your tongue is not good for you I wanted to see if I could see whether it was the system or the discs. Hence why X-Copy came into it. Of course if Workbench has something then I will happily use that, it's just the last thing I wanna do is get a new copy of say, Lemmings II and find it's actually me Amiga that's old and withered. Which would be upsetting as it was my father's. :(

But yes the disc I accidentally formatted wasn't a big loss, it was free with Amiga Format or something like that and had some PD game on too. When I tried to run it and selected the programme in the Workbench screen, it said it couldn't read sector 101 or summert like that so after doing a check I got a few red 6s, and then idiot me accidentally wiped it (at which point I get bitter because I should be able to understand this no problem if it weren't for.........). I think basically what I'm trying to say is, I want to learn about my Amiga, because if it breaks down or if me games mess up I'll know what the problem is. Common sense really. It's the same with me C64 because smacking it in when the colour goes won't work all the time. Obviously the Commodore machines were built for gameplay and leisure so doing any checks like you would with a PC don't come easy.

Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 5:53 pm
by andy vaisey
If different games are crashing regularly, then I would suggest it's a hardware fault not a problem with the disks.

Can you explain/describe what you mean by "crash"? What happens?

Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2008 7:36 pm
by Nightfaery
Sure. I'll tell you which part in each game it crashes if it helps as I've been testing them. I found some games freeze some games crash:

SimAnt - Just before the menu pops up it crashes
Settlers - In the animation after the drawbridge falls down it crashes
Lemmings II - the screen where the music starts freezes, the production name (DMA?) just flashes funny colours and the music just plays. Doesn't go to black though it just sticks there
Gulp - loading just freezes and does none else apart from have a freaky fish stare at me

I haven't tested many games yet as I am too addicted to Turrican II (and am considering copying that in case I wear the tape out).

When it crashes though it does the whole, music freezes flashes white then goes to black with a red bar saying, error press left mouse to continue. Whilst writing this I ran upstairs and put Settlers on, here's what happened:

Load
Animation as normal
Insert Disc II - used DF0 (I have DF1 FYI)
Blacksmith animation normal
Drawbridge animation normal
After, music freezes on one note, flashes to white a coupla times before it goes to the error screen:

Software failure Press left mouse button to continue
Error 8000 0003 Task: 0002AC18


If it is a hardware problem, can it be fixed? I am handy with a screwdriver and I'd rather do it so I know the machine. Also is it a coincidence it happens more with multi-disc games than single disc games? There are some games that I know work perfectly and I've never had any trouble like Turrican II (1 disc) and Megalomania (2 disc) so I would be more worried if they started to crash.

Sorry if this doesn't make much sense.....

Just had a thought, what I could do is write a log of what games work and what crashes, and how and where they crash. That way there could be a more visible link.

Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 5:27 pm
by andy vaisey
Tried booting from your external drive, instead of the internal one, to see if the same thing happens?