China DOS Union

HD-Copy
　　HD-COPY became famous several years ago, and its functions are extremely powerful. Although most PCs are now occupied by Windows 95/98, I think those friends familiar with DOS still cannot forget the once-popular HD-COPY. When a floppy disk containing very important data has problems, you will surely try all kinds of tools to repair it, and in the end, the one you choose will definitely be HD-COPY. If, like me, you still feel attached to DOS, then why not review it together. Below we will introduce how to use it to copy disks, read problematic floppies, create IMG image files and read image files, how to format floppies with non-standard capacities, how to use it to maintain floppy drives, and how to view the file list on a floppy disk.

1. Copying disks
　　Using HD-COPY, you can copy a floppy disk's format and data completely unchanged onto another floppy disk. Compared with copying floppies under DOS, it has the advantages of being faster and keeping the disk format unchanged.
　　First insert the floppy to be copied into the floppy drive, then start HD-COPY. The cursor is by default on "Read", just press Enter. At this time the floppy's information and data will be read into the buffer.



　　Then insert another disk (that is, the target disk) into the floppy drive, move the cursor to "Write" and press Enter.



　　The data in the buffer will then be written to the target disk.

　　That is how to copy one disk, but what if you want to make many copies of the same floppy?
　　Just press Enter directly on "Format dest." and change the "-" or "+" after it to "*". HD-COPY will automatically check the target disk's capacity and whether it has been formatted. If the target disk and the source disk have the same capacity (for example, both are 1.44MB), the target disk will not be formatted and the data will be copied directly. If the capacities are different or it has not been formatted, the target disk will first be formatted to match the source disk and then the data will be copied.
　　
　　Likewise, change the "-" or "+" after "Expert mode" to "*". At this time HD-COPY will automatically check whether there is a disk in the floppy drive and whether it has write protection. If write protection is enabled, it will automatically copy the data; if write protection is disabled, it will automatically read that disk. If you want to copy a large number of floppies, it is best to enable write protection on all target disks, so you won't have to put the source disk in again to reread the data.

2. Reading problematic floppies
　　Have you ever run into this: you put a disk into the floppy drive, and when you try to copy out the files inside, an error prompt appears saying the file data is wrong. Then it's either Abort, Retry, or Ignore — really annoying. Better try HD-COPY.
　　HD-COPY's biggest feature is that it can repeatedly read problematic tracks many times, which greatly increases the chance of getting the files out. See, after reading several times, the red letter E turns into a green R.



　　Quickly insert another disk, copy that disk you just read, then copy it to the hard disk and it's OK.


HD-Copy
3. Image files
　　If you don't have a floppy disk on hand, what should you do? Wouldn't that be maddening! No problem — just make an IMG image file from the data you just read and save it on the hard disk. When you have a floppy later, write it to the floppy then.
　　Move the cursor to "Put to file" and press Enter. A blinking cursor will appear on the bottom line. Type BOOT.IMG and press Enter.

　　　　　　　

　　"Transfer to file ok" means the data has been saved. This file is just like making a mirror image of the floppy disk's format and data. Later you can use HD-COPY to write it to another floppy, so the data on that disk is preserved completely, exactly the same as the original floppy, without the slightest change. Then how do you read this file back? Move the cursor to "Get from file" and press Enter, enter the filename BOOT.IMG, and press Enter.

　　　

　　Put a disk into the floppy drive, move the cursor to "Write", and press Enter to start writing it to the floppy.

4. Formatting floppies
　　Using HD-COPY to format floppies can give unexpected results.
　　Its most notable features are fast disk formatting speed and relatively high quality. For problematic floppies, HD-COPY can keep reading and initializing the bad-track areas, so it can ensure the quality of the disk format.
　　Now low-density single-sided disks no longer exist. What you usually see are only 3.5-inch disks, generally with a capacity of 1.44MB. So we only need to format them as 1.44MB. Move the cursor to "Format destination" and press Enter, find "HD standard，18 sect，1.44MB" and press Enter, and it will start formatting the floppy.

　　　

5. Maintaining the floppy drive
　　After a computer has been used for a long time, dust can accumulate on the floppy drive head and make it unable to read data. To a large extent, this is also one cause of floppy disk damage. We can use a floppy drive cleaning disk to clean the dust off the floppy drive head.
　　Insert the cleaning disk into the floppy drive. Move the cursor to "Special Menu" and press Enter, then move to "Use Cleaning Disk" and press Enter. HD-COPY will start cleaning the floppy drive.


　　　

　　Put in the disk you couldn't read just now and try it — notice anything? The data can be read out now.

6. Viewing the file list
　　Sometimes after using HD-COPY to read a floppy disk, you can't clearly remember whether its contents are what you need, and having to quit HD-COPY and then type DIR is also very troublesome. Is there any way to directly see its file list?
　　Of course there is. Move the cursor to "Special menu" and press Enter, then move to the fifth line, "Display directory", and press Enter. Look, the filenames are listed, and you can even see the file attributes.

Very good, exactly what I wanted, thanks.

Great post, just like a long-awaited timely rain!

Strongly recommended for repairing damaged floppy disks, I've already successfully repaired them with it n times.

But as for "reading problematic floppies", I've never succeeded, don't know who has successful experience.

HD-COPY's functions really are very powerful. It's most suitable for formatting 1.68M floppy disks.

Hehe... thanks for everyone's support.... But my English isn't very good....

Master Rushi, thank you so much. I never knew how to use it before, and this time you taught me. Thanks.

Hehe~~ no need... no need... Being able to help everyone is my honor..

Thanks
it's that

Good, bump this first

Now I know. Thanks!

Many thanks