how do I back up and restore famicom disks?

[aclbandit]

I'm trying to find out how to back up and re-write my famicom disks, preferably somehow with my PC as the recipient of the backups as well as the restore-er.

I just wanna make sure that I don't lose my disks.

I've heard of FDSLoadr, but from what I can gather, it doesn't do what I need it to.

Anyone have any info about how to do this, or, indeed, at least what product(s?) I should be on the lookout for?

EDIT: Just as an FYI, I have attempted to Google this, and either info is scarce, or I suck at Google.

[AB Positive]

I'm on this myself, best I could do was find a homemade cable schematic (in japanese) for a system-to-system copier. it's pretty nuts.

[aclbandit]

I'm on this myself, best I could do was find a homemade cable schematic (in japanese) for a system-to-system copier. it's pretty nuts.

Which, of course, sucks and isn't what I want

I really want to A) Back up to PC, and then B)have the ability to re-write these backups to the original disks, in case the magnetism dies.

I looked into perhaps running a modified quickdisk drive, but the only QD drives on ebay are 300 bucks or so. So eph that, I guess.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Apparently there are/were famicom disk copiers in Japan and China around the time/prior to "game doctor" Famicom to Floppy Disk copiers started cropping up, but I would imagine that they're extremely scarse.



If you keep your disks in a dry, normal temperatured environment they shouldn't corrupt ... I've got about 20 FDS games and even the ones that are cosmetically in poor shape boot perfectly.

The trouble you'd go through to get or craft a copy device probably isn't worth it when compared to simply replacing any game that does ever happen to crap out on you.

[aclbandit]

If you keep your disks in a dry, normal temperatured environment they shouldn't corrupt ... I've got about 20 FDS games and even the ones that are cosmetically in poor shape boot perfectly.

The trouble you'd go through to get or craft a copy device probably isn't worth it when compared to simply replacing any game that does ever happen to crap out on you.

I hope you're right ^_^. I didn't think it would be simple or cheap, I just wondered if there was some way of doing backup to PC and restoration therefrom. My disk collection isn't very large, but likely will be soon. If it's going to be that tough, maybe it just isn't worth it.

But if anyone has info, I'll gladly listen.

[ccovell]

FDSLoadr does do exactly what you want, in that it can back up your FDS disks onto your PC. Writing them back to your FDS disks, however, doesn't work without removing the FDS' copy-protection circuitry.

Basically, if you can get FDSLoadr to run properly on your PC and you can make a Parallel-to-FDS-RAM-Adaptor cable, then I'd suggest using FDSLoader exclusively with your Famicom, eliminating any wear and tear on both your FDS drive and your disks. FDSLoader works really well in RAM adaptor emulation mode.

[aclbandit]

Sadly, it's the ability of being able to rewrite my backups that I'm looking for. You mentioned removing the copy protection from the FDS, I think mine is one of the old ones, which is apparently easier.

Would I be able to write back to the disks with an FDSloadr if mine will, in fact, do that?