Diagnostic Command is it Bugged?
Back in the 80's I created a Disk Protection system, exploiting a potential bug in the Firmware of the µPD765A Disk Controller. Looking into this more with todays tools, it seems that the disk record and this specific command isn't implemented as per the specification. Is it my misunderstanding or is there a bug that's gone unnoticed?
µPD765A Disc Controller – Primer
The µPD765A was a prevalent Floppy Disk Controller for many a home computer in the 80's. The Amstrad CPC was no exception. This is a primer for Writing Z80 assembler to access the controller direct. that I'll use for later articles on old school hacking. Want to know more?
Amstrad and ZX Spectrum DSK Tool
I found myself needing a command line tool to investigate and extract files from DSK Image files used by Emulators, after archiving my own 1980's hack disks. I wrote my own and made it opensource for you to use, amend or even improve on if it helps your projects.
DiscSys – XOR
DiscSys was a commonly used Disk Protection format in the 80s for the Amstrad CPC. For a protection system it was very basic, relying on modifying track and sector information to non standard formats to prevent copying with the supplied tools. Though it was very trivial to bypass the protection system and copy the disk anyway. Whilst reminiscing about the past, I discovered a small flaw with implementation in the game XOR, here's what I found...
Speedlock 1987
Speedlock '87 was a prolific Tape Protection System and Turbo Load for the Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum. In this post I look at the protection system and how to hack to it using the same tools available to me in 1987 as a young teenager.
Amstrad CPC Themed 2024 Calendar
Who doesn't like free stuff? How about a free to download PDF 2024 Calendar showcasing some of the best Loading Screens the Amstrad CPC had to offer back in the 80's? Be the envy of every die hard Spectrum and Commodore fan worldwide.
Multi Mark – For Stubborn 3″ Disks
I'd purchased some Three Inch disks from a well known Retro Seller some months ago, but today I was able to take a look and format them for use. Unfortunately due to their age, they had corruption on the media. My usual toolset didn't help, cue... Multi-Mark from Tom and Jerry of GPA
GreaseWeazle 0.24 Update
With the latest update to GreaseWeazle 0.24 comes with a raft of changes and new command line syntax. This article will go through the technical changes and point you to an updated bash script to take advantage of the latest firmware.
GreaseWeazle Trouble Shooting Update – Amstrad 3″ Disks
Are you experiencing the following error? Reading Track 0.0...Command Failed: GetFluxStatus: No Index This article covers some of the troubleshooting to help you get that drive up and running to enable your GreaseWeazling adventure!
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