File: '-HDI.TXT'       Version: 1.02        Help: Email to 'FutureSoft@gmx.de'
Date: 2023.11.03         Lines: 189       Author: TFM of FutureSoft

Manual for the Dobbertin HD20 hard disc backup application
----------------------------------------------------------

Purpose: This application is able to backup, verify and restore the Dobbertin 
-------- HD20 hard disc using floppy discs or the M4 SD card.

Requirements
------------
- Computer: CPC or 6128plus with at least 128 KB of RAM
-  Devices: Dobbertin HD20 hard disc and a 80 track, double-sided disc drive
-    Media: You need 33 empty floppy discs in Vortex format (verified ;-))
            Or you can use an already selected directory of the M4 SD card :-)

Overview
--------
Start this application and you will find yourself inside the main menu.
Here you can select options 1, 2, 3 and 9. Or press ESCape to quit.
Option 1 will allow you to backup your HD20 hard disc (complete or parts).
Option 2 will compare a previoudly made backup with your actual HD20 hard disc.
Option 3 will allow you to restore a previous backup to your HD20 hard disc.
Option 9 will enable you to select the first and last cylinder to be used.

1. Create a backup from the HD20 hard disc
------------------------------------------
After pressing '1' in the main menu you will be able to backup your HD20 HD.
Therfore you need 33 discs in Vortex format. It's a great thing to have them 
verified before their usage. Alternatively you can write to the M4 SD card.

First you will select the target floppy disc drive from 'A' to 'H' by pressing 
the correspinding letter from 'a' to 'h'. For M4 press 'n' or 'o' please.
Usually you would select drive 'B', that's the regular 2nd floppy disc drive.
If you have a M4 SD card, it's strongly suggested to use it. It's quicker!

After pressing 'B' in this example you get a message to put in an empty disc 
into the B-drive. Do that... then press Space. Or press ESC to quit.

Now the application will read a complete Cylinder (that's 34 KB) from the HD20
hard disc and write the data to the floppy disc. (This will repeat 19 times.)

After writing 19 cylinders to the disc you will be asked to insert the next 
empty target disc. Insert the next free disc and press a key...
This will happen until all 33 discs are filled up with 21 MB of data.

Eventually the application will display a message that the process of creating 
a backup was accomplished.
Now press any key to return to the main menu or press ESC to quit the program.

2. Compare a previous backup with the HD20 hard disc
----------------------------------------------------
After pressing '2' in the main menu you can compare an existing backup with the
actual contents of your great Dobbertin HD20 hard disc.
Therfore you need the 33 discs which contain the already made backup files.
Or select the M4 SD card directory in which you stored the backup before.

First you select the source disc drive from 'A' to 'H' or 'N' / 'O' for M4.
Usually you would select drive 'B' as source, the regular 2nd disc drive.
After pressing the drive letter ('B' in this example) you will get an message 
to insert the first floppy disc containing the backup data into drive B.
Now please insert the disc and then press Space. You can press ESC to quit.

Now the application will read a backup file from the disc and then compare it 
with the corresponding Cylinder of the HD20 hard disc. (Repeats 19 times.)
During this process the screen gets corrupted - no need to worry :-)

After comparing 19 cylinders with backup data you will be asked to insert the 
next disc (containing backup data). Now insert the next disc and press a key...
This will repeat until all data of the 33 discs was compared to the hard disc.

Eventually the application will display a message that the process of Comparing
was accomplished.
Now press any key to return to the main menu or press ESC to quit the program.

3. Restore a previously generated backup
----------------------------------------
By pressing '3' in the main menu you will start the process of restoring a
previously generated backup to the Dobbertin HD20 hard disc.
Therfore you need the 33 discs which contain the already made backup files.

Please select the source floppy disc drive from 'A' to 'H' by pressing the 
correspinding drive letter from 'a' to 'h'. Or press 'n' / 'o' for M4 SD card.
Usually you will select drive 'B' as source, that's the regular 2nd disc drive.

After pressing the drive letter ('B' in this example) you will get an message 
to insert the first floppy disc containing the backup data into drive B.
Now please insert the disc and then press Space. You can press ESC to quit.

Now the application will read 19 backup files from the first source disc and 
write them back to the HD20 hard disc.

After the first 19 cylinders have been restored you will be asked to insert the
next disc (containing backup data). Now insert the next disc and press a key...
This will repeat until all data of the 33 discs was restored to the hard disc.

Eventually the application will display a message that the complete HD20 was 
restored.
Now press a key to return to the main menu or press ESC to quit the program.

9. Setup
--------
The 'Setup' option allows you to define the first and last Cylinder to be used.
But please be careful here! The selected Cylinder numbers will be used for all 
options of this application.
The Dobbertin HD20 hard disc contains 614 Cylinders numbered from '0' to '613'.

First you will be asked for the 'First' Cylinder to be used. 
This can be a number from '0' to '613'.
Just enter the dezimal number, not bigger than '00613'.
If you press ESCape then the first Cylinder will be set to '0'.

Second you will be asked to define the 'Last' Cylinder to be used. 
This can be a number between '0' to '613' again.
Now enter the dezimal number, not bigger than '00613'.
If you press ESCape then the last Cylinder will be set to '613'.

In case you're using a range of Cylinders then please use them in a way that 
you have a multiple of 19. Because 19 files fit on one disc.

You can select a defined range of Cylinders to backup only one (or two, three) 
partitions of the hard disc too.

Always save and restore using the same Cylinder numbers please!

Error messages
--------------
There are few error messages, pretty much self explaining...


'Attention: There is NOT enough E-RAM available. Press any key.'
----------------------------------------------------------------
The OS can not access enough expansion RAM (E-RAM) to buffer the DIRectories.
Please free some E-RAM. For example by switching off the Wallpaper.


'Attention: The selected drive is NOT accessible. Press any key.'
-----------------------------------------------------------------
You did select an Target- or Source-drive which can not be accessed.
Please put a disc into the drive before using it. Or check disc for errors.


'Attention: The disc is NOT in Vortex 704K format. Press any key.'
------------------------------------------------------------------
The floppy discs to be used must be formatted in Vortex format.
Please use an double-sided drive with 80 Tracks and discs in Vortex format.




'Attention: Source file 'HD20-Img???' NOT found! Press any key.'
----------------------------------------------------------------
The applicatiion attempted to read a Backup-file from floppy disc, but the file
could not be found. Either the file does not exist / was never created.
Or you used the wrong floppy disc.


'Reading error on HD20 Cylinder ??? // Head ? // Sector &??'
------------------------------------------------------------
A sector of the HD20 hard disc could not be read. An reading error occured.
This is the case for some hard-discs which have bad sectors. No need to worry, 
as long as the sectors are always the same.

'Writing error on HD20 Cylinder ??? // Head ? // Sector &??'
------------------------------------------------------------
A sector could not be written to the Dobbertin HD20 hard disc. Some hard discs 
do contain such sectors. No need to worry as long as they stay the same.


'Diff.! Cyl: 0??? Track ?'
--------------------------
When comparing a previously generated backup with the current contents of the 
HD20 hard disc a difference was found! No need to worry if this happens only 
in case of bad sectors of the HD20. Else there IS a difference!

Attention:
----------
If you own an M4 expansion, then please use it for backup purposes.
It's way quicker compared to Floppy Disc and you won't need 33 disc changes!

To use the M4 SD card please choose the target / source directory before you
start this application.


Greetings to all of you!
Your hardware shall be blessed with love, light, peace and eternal integrity!

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