Short: Repairs Physically Bad Disks for Re-USE Author: Shirdash@www.dci.co.ir (Hossein Shirdashtzadeh) Uploader: Shirdash www dci co ir (Hossein Shirdashtzadeh) Type: util/misc Architecture: m68k-amigaos What is it? ----------- "Physical Disk Repair" or in short "PDR" is a utility to make bad disks re-usable for short term data transfer between computers. The aim is not to salvage data on a physically bad disks. When you have no time or access to purchase new good disks for transfering some data from you computer to your friend's one, thus you may need to use an old disk in your old drawer somewhere near the trashcan. After a quick format, you try to copy the data to those old disks, but suddenly you get a message like: "Block xxx has Read/Write error", which means you should really put it in the trash. But you may find most of the old disks suffer from the same problem and thus your friend have to wait a long time to let you purchase good disks tomarrow. This is where PDR maybe helpfull, you trun those rubbish disks into productive disks and will let your friend be happy ;) Requirements: ------------ It should run on any amiga but I have tested only on A1200,030,4Mfast. Features: --------- I could not find the like on Aminet, if you know there is a similar utility please let me know. Installation: ------------- Simple, only copy the contents of "S" drawer in the archive to your "S:" and add "Vajegan_Amiga.font" to your "Fonts:". Finally copy PDR itself anywhere you like and run it. (sorry for no installation script but i think its simple;) Acknowledgements: ----------------- Thanks to Thomas Thor, for his hints in some algorithms. I also wish to thank Kourosh Abadani, Dave Haynie and Goh Nesorge for their advices and notes on the matter. How to use it: -------------- simply use run the utility from workbench, and push the "Repair" button of it. Then put a bad disk (with no important data) in the DF0: and let to continue. PDR will ask you the scanning range. the defalut values will cause PDR to scan the whole disk, which may take a long time but if you guess the the range in which bad blocks exist, you can enter that range and PDR will repair it faster. Anyway after defining the scan range, PDR will scan and repair the disk. If you regret to repair, press "Exit" button or the close gadget. The operation will be canceled very soon and nothing will be changed. NOTE 1: PDR can not repair a disk which has physical errors on either blocks: 0, 880, 881. Because these blocks are vital for DOS. NOTE 2: If for some reason, the repaired disk is subjected to validation, you have to repair it by PDR again. WARANTEE: -------- RUN IT AT YOUR OWN RISK. PDR is a little hack and I can not be responsible for anything happen when using PDR. Document: --------- Sorry, so small and simple to document more, but I will help you if ask me. Why and How: ------------ This software is programmed in Kick-Pascal. I am searching for pascal programmers on the Amiga, if you are or know one please contact me or give me his/her email address. About Pascal: ----------- Most people say that pascal is dead or is not good for system programing, but I don't believe that. I think pascal is better than AMOS or BASIC or some other languges which do not seem to be dead. I think pascal is oppressed just like the Amiga. I am developing visual pascal for amiga called "Amiga Visual Pascal" or in short "AVP". It's demo version will be on the aminet as soon as I could complete it. Copyright matters: ------------------ (c) 1998, All rights reserved for Hossein Shirdashtzadeh. "PDR" is a "ShareWare", it means that if you like it or find it helpfull, please send me a small shareware fee which will let me send you further revisions of this utility in future. The shareware fee is US$ 10 or other equivalent currencies. Please send the fee in cash only to the following address: No. 132, Kerdabad, Jey st., Isfahan, Iran Zip code: 81599 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Please feel free to contact me and send suggestions to: No. 132, Kerdabad, Jey st., Isfahan, Iran Zip code: 81599 Email: shirdash@www.dci.co.ir My sig is: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ______"Vajegan" is The First Intelligent PERSIAN Editor For AMIGA_________ /// __ {---[ H. Shirdashtzadeh ]--{ TT /// * TT /<>\ } Proud AMIGA Pascal Programmer } _ * _ || K *_* || \_ / { A 1200, 030/50 MHz, 2Meg Chip { ((___)) ||___\\ ___// || ___// } 4M Fast ,HD 3.2G ,19.2K Modem } \\___/__((____))_{___/___II_{___/_______{ Iran, Isfahan, Nesf-eh-Jahaun { \X//"Every wise man is powerfull"_____{____ Shirdash@www.dci.co.ir ___{