System - user manual TRASK DOCTOR v1.2

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║ TRACK DOCTOR v1.2  ║
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  I am glad to welcome you again, dears.
SPECTRUM users and everyone who associates with them
feels. I (PAUL ATRIDES) represent on
your court its new development - a program
'TRACK DOCTOR'.  [This text, like the
I wrote the program at the beginning of 1994 and about the program
I had never heard of ADS-type systems at that time. Ho-
after I saw them, my opinion
that at the moment TRACK
DOCTOR is the best at “rescuing” information
has changed. And in general for everything written below
Please don't hit me too hard.]               
 - Why is it needed? - You ask. - Yes
same DCU!!                                 
  This is what we will talk about now. When
I bought DCU 2.12, I thought I bought it on-
a reliable 'cure' for your floppy disks. BUT!
My joy did not last long. One day at my
Nya the floppy disk with my sources got corrupted
assembler programs, and DCU could not
'extract' information from it, nor do
bad sectors become readable again (again
the formatted track remained unreadable,
without beingat the same time 'messed up' physically)! And
I had to FORMAT this disk. Via
several months THIS happened to another
floppy disk, but I was no longer that 'yellow-
Rotym', analysis of DCU 2.12 and Beta controller
Disk (based on the book by N. Rodionov and A. Larchenko)
showed the imperfection of the first (and perhaps
and all DCU of subsequent versions, do not approve
I'll take it - I just don't have those). Yes
it turned out that the controller distinguishes between non-
how many reading errors.  Do you know what it is
does that mean?  Right. This means that in some
cases you will never (!) be able to count
information from the sector, and in others - read
steal it completely, and very often,
without distortion (even if IGNORE is selected
!). All these TR-DOS and DCU errors (unfortunately
niyu) are reduced to a 'reading error'. All this
plus the desire to return the 'lost' disk -
that made me start working on 'TRACK'
DOCTOR.  I hope you will remain so until...
free.  And I promise to continue working on
improving  'TRACK DOCTOR'.  B
in the future I want to turn it into a more powerful
diagnostic system that can
can tell you absolutely everything about what you need
you a floppy disk and, if necessary, cure it.   
                                          
PROGRAM FEATURES.          
                                          
  The program we offer to your attention
is a development of the DCU theme. But she knows
Much better than its ancestor - DCU.  
                                          
 'TRACK DOCTOR':              
- supports 4 drives;               
- distinguishes between several types of reading errors,
  which, as far as I know, others do not do
  similar programs;                     
- corrects almost all of them;          
- allows a person to decide his own fate
  all errors;                            
- 'treats' only those tracks for treatment
  which received the person's permission;      
- restores renumbered tracks; 
- allows you to bring the track number to the full
  view: physical track number + number
  sides (as when formatting floppy disks in
  shadow monitor 'SCORPION');          
- produces system information from a floppy disk;- allows you to correct and restore
  beat her.                                
                                          
 WORKING WITH THE PROGRAM.           
                                          
  After loading, information will appear on the screen.
information about the author and date of creation of the program.
  Also, your unceasing attention will be
The main menu of the program is offered. Choice
item is carried out using the ENTER key,
return to the main menu from any submenu -
SPACE.                                    
                                          
First item, 'SYSTEM'.          
                                          
  Allows you to look and, if necessary,
Dimo, restore system information to
floppy disk You will be told the current drive, name
disk in it as well as the type of disk.            
 If the disk is not formatted (in life
it does all sorts of things) or the system is 'corrupted'
sector smart program will tell you about it
(see MESSAGES). In this situation I (author)
I advise you to turn your attention to the second
main menu item.                     
  If the system sectorconsidered normal
If possible, you will be told the name of the drive and
information about him:                         
1.TR-DOS affiliation:                  
- if the disk has TR-DOS label #10, then this
'TR-DOS DISK WITH ....'                   
- if this mark is not present, then 'NOT TR-DOS DISK
WITH ...'                                 
2.Disk format:                           
- if there is no format mark, then 'UNKNOW FOR-
MAT.'                                     
- if there is a format mark, then 'STANDART
FORMAT'  and its parameters - the number of three
kov(Tracks)and sides (Sides).            
  If there is something wrong with your disk, then
the program will offer to adjust the information
mation. Namely:                          
                                          
'WRITE TR-DOS LABEL' - write TR-DOS
label?                                    
'HOW MANY TRACKS 40 80' - how many physical
icaltracks 40/80.                      
'HOW MANY SIDES TWO ONE' - how many hundred
ron 2/1.                                  
                                          
 Second item, 'RESTORE DISK'.       
                                          
  The main, and perhaps the most important point
programs.  It is used to treat floppy disks
saving information.  When choosing this
item a submenu will appear:                  
-'BEGIN' - start treatment;                
-'REPEAT' - set the number of auto-repeat
for read/write operations;               
-'MODE'  - setting the number verification mode
track: full numbering (in the title sec-
tors indicate the physical track number
and side number)('FULL') / normal TR-
-DOS numbering (only the number is indicated
physical track)('NORMAL')              
                                          
                                          
-'RENUMB' - this item appears only
in  mode'FULL'  and indicates my
before the program is it worth asking your
advice for incorrect track numbering
('ASK')  or renumber the car
automatically ('AUTO').                     
  After selecting  'BEGIN' work begins
'treatment' block. If you put it in the drive
not a TR-DOS disk, then the program will call you names
(to himself) and advise (out loud) to take this out
floppy disk 'out of the drive' or use
it has all the power of the item 'SYSTEM' (see you-
she).                                      
  If, suddenly, your floppy disk is 'sick'
system sector and my 'DOCTOR' cannot
understand what format he will have to use
to harass a sessionFORMATttherapy, then it will
veterinary council i.e. will ask you to enter co-
number of physical tracks and quantity
sides                                   
  And finally, the treatment begins. It sucks
consists of 4 main and 2 additional
operations. Basic:                       
                                          
- SCANNING TRACK - scanningcurrent
track;                                    
- READING INFORMATION - reading information
from disk;                                  
- CHECKING TRACK NUMBER - number check
track;                                    
- GOING TO NEXT TRACK - move to another
track.                                    
Additional operations:                
- FORMATING TRACK - track formatting; 
- WRITING INFORMATION - writing information.
                                          
  When processing each track, the
all basic operations and if not all O.K.,
then additional operations are performed.
Please take into account that, unlike the notorious 
'DCU' (may N. Rodionov forgive me) mine
'TRACK DOCTOR' handles more 'softly'
floppy disks.  In particular, he (my 'DOCTOR')
distinguishes several types of reading errors -
niya, and therefore with less losses 'extricated'
nods information from bad sectors! A
some 'glitches' that are beyond the DCU's control, click-
et 'like sunflower seeds'. And most importantly: 'DOC-
TOR' notformats the track if with it (three-
com) everything is fine.                       
                                          
      Third point, 'CHANGE DRIVE'.       
                                          
 With its help, you can easily and
effectively change the current drive. Floppy disk
must be inserted, however!           
                                          
        The fourth point, 'ABOUT'.         
                                          
 The funniest, or maybe not funny, and
dumb, or maybe not dumb, point,
which shows the version number and car name
tora.                                     
MESSAGES.            
                                
'BAD SYSTEM SECTOR' - bad system
sector i.e. it cannot be counted.       
'NO DISK IN DRIVE' - there is no disk in the drive
de.                                       
'DRIVE NOT ATTACHED' - attempt to select non-
connected drive or drive with non-
closed door. 'BREAK - WORK TERMINATED' - was pressed
BREAK key and operation is stopped.       
'TABLE SECTORS HEADING IS BAD ABORT/RETRY-
/IGNORE/SKIP' - invalid table for-
sector heads i.e. the program can't
vouch for the correctness of the track number and
sector numbers in the headers. The inscription in
is during the scanning operation
dexterity sectors.   You must choose
further actions: ABORT - interrupt 'le-
reading';  RETRY - repeat scanning
track; IGNORE - ignore scan error
formation, while in the future it is possible
situations when the computer itself cannot
determine your next steps and
asks you to help him (see below for more on this);
SKIP - go to work with the next step
com.                                      
                                          
'FIND DUBLICATE SECTORS ABORT/RETRY/IGNO-
RE/SKIP'  - sectors with identical
numbers. This situation may arise
in the process of scanning the track according to the following
reasons: 1. To a message about the table being unreliable
sectors you answered 'IGNORE', and therefore
this message may be incorrect (but
It may also be true!).             
 2. The track actually contains some
Name sectors (if the sector table
reliable)!  If you are sure that
your floppy disk is not copy protected
with such a brutal method, you can safely
select RETRY  or IGNORE and 'cure'
track. Unfortunately, all information from duplicate
It is impossible to save the damaged sectors! But
if this is still a defense, then all you have to do is
only ABORT orSKIP because after 'treatment'
the protection will be broken and the programs on this
the floppy disk will be hopelessly damaged.      
                                          
'SECTOR xx - BAD CRC ABORT/RETRY/IGNORE/
SKIP' - Invalid checksum per second
torexx,wherexx is the physical number of the sector
ra.The calculated checksum does not match
falls from the recorded one.  This is possible if
an error occurred while reading data or con-
trolley sum i.e. or damaged
how many bits (!), but all the rest of the information
tion is intact (!!), or all (!) information is intact
Yes, but the checksum is corrupted. The most
the reasonable answer in this situation is RETRY,
or set the number of reading repeats/per-
write more (see WORKING WITH THE PROGRAM) more.
If this doesn't help, feel free to answer.
IGNORE, although, be prepared for the fact that
several bytes (they 'consist' of bits)
may be somewhat damaged.  For example
measures, instead of 129 there will be 128 (the youngest is lost
bit) or instead of 2 - 130 (the old
big bit). But usually everything is 'O.K.'         
                                          
'CAN NOT READ SECTOR xx ABORT/RETRY/IGNO-
RE/SKIP' - it is impossible to read sector xx
'Classic' reading error meaning
complete loss of data or lack of data
th sector.  It makes sense to answer RETRY
(an attempt is not torture), but most likely it is
will not help and you will have to answer either
IGNORE (data of this sector in the buffer is storedare filled with 0), or interrupt treatment
ka/disk.  Please note that instead of 'bye-
treated' information (as in the previous
case) something is read from the disk to no one
unnecessary crap, and to avoid confusion
of wasting the disk, this crap gets clogged
zeros.                                   
                                          
'INCORRECT TRACK NUMBER ABORT/SKIP/REPAIR'
- incorrect track number, i.e. where
there must be a track number xx in the headers
it is indicated that this is track aa. Another mistake -
ka, which is 'too tough' for the DCU. Exactly
It's because of her that all this fuss has started. For
certificates What does the DCU do if it meets her?
I was never able to find out, but the external
the effect is amazing: the drive head is
goes back and forth trying to read data from
track that she can't find (Rodio-
new uses microcontroller command
'search with checking track number'), gives
error message, response IGNORE all
starts from the beginning, but with a different sec-
torus  And then it becomes quite interesting: th-
the dexterity gets on the first track it comes across
(also the 'search ..' command) and format-
et(!!) it, repeats when recording
'cartoon' reading.  ButLet's go back to 'TRACK
DOCTOR'y. ABORT and SKIP here they work like this
the same as before. REPAIR will continue
understanding of the treatment program, all information from
this track is 'saved' as if it is 'nor-
small' track, it is formatted (with normal
small number) and the information is recorded
at him. Yes, all of the above applies
to the situation when, when setting parameters
treatment set MODE:NORMAL. Then this 
really a mistake. If you selected MO-
DE:FULL, which means the current track has a normal
normal TR-DOS numbering (without specifying the number)
measure of the side) and they expect from him a complete number
walkie-talkie (indicating it), for example this
numbering is done by the shadow service monitor
SCORPIONa when formatting. And if at
FULLyou will set RENUMB:AUTO, then
you won’t see the inscription being used here at all -
those - will be automatically selected
REPAIR. 'DISK WRITE PROTECTED ABORT/RETRY' - disk
Write protected. I hope it's clear without words.
If you do not remove the protection from the disk, you will
admire this inscription until you're stupefied,
unless, of course, you decide to selectABORT.   
'CAN NOT WRITE SECTOR xx ABORT/RETRY/IGNO-
RE/SKIP' - I can’t write sector xx.
Press RETRY until you are sure that it is
no use.  Any other answer means
loss of information previously read from it 
                                          
sector before formatting or all (except
already recorded) information on the track. Fuss-
Sounds when there are physical errors on the disk - tsa-
marks, dents, etc. - or on branded wheels -
We are U3OT.                                  
   That's basically all. Don't you remember-
home                                      
                                          
 (C) PAUL AtRIDES         
                                
 1994, 1995, Russia, Samara.   
 "StARS OF KELADAN"       
    Last edition 23.11.1996