PDI to DMK using DSK-PRO 10.4 with OpenMSX

Champion (429)

17-03-2017, 08:44

I did not know that DSK-PRO 10.4 works good with OpenMSX to deal with PDI files (Protected Disk Images).
What was my surprise when I tried to read a PDI file (Inside a DSK image), and write it to DISK B (with a DMK image).
Then a boot it with this DMK file in drive A and it works perfectly.

I converted several PDI files from Brazil to DMK ones. Now you can run it using OpenMSX and check the protection it has.

In the link below you can find all DMK files I have created. There is a disk version of Nemesis that runs without mapper or megaram. It reads the data from the disk during the game. It is the first protected disk found in Brazil. Created by some ghost.

So, DSK-PRO, with OpenMSX can convert PDI files to DMK ones easily. Not all PDI files can be converted to DMK because the lack of support in OpenMSX for some low level commands.

Enjoy it people!

Download DMK files: https://1drv.ms/u/s!AlpEtfGjLbhmkwHUiZVE1dSyBv5e
Download DSK-PRO 10.4: https://1drv.ms/u/s!AlpEtfGjLbhmkhCOIzFUIhXSpWqe

By iamweasel2

Paladin (713)

17-03-2017, 17:12

Great ! Now we have a way to convert from PDI --> DMK. Thanks also for the DMK files, I'll check it out.

What PDI files couldn't be converted using openMSX?

By Manuel

Ascended (19468)

17-03-2017, 17:20

Which low level commands are not supported?

By sd_snatcher

Prophet (3659)

17-03-2017, 19:02

@cbsfox

Is it also possible to use openMSX to convert DMK to PDI?

By Manuel

Ascended (19468)

17-03-2017, 20:12

Just run dskpro using the DMK as source disk?

By sd_snatcher

Prophet (3659)

17-03-2017, 21:12

I thought about that, but who knows if it works for sure? Maybe there are some low level commands missing or some other incompatibility.

By Manuel

Ascended (19468)

17-03-2017, 22:37

The only thing still missing is deleted data marks (both read and write). Apparantly this is used by some Brazillian copy protection schemes.

By cbsfox

Champion (429)

18-03-2017, 05:22

Quote:

Is it also possible to use openMSX to convert DMK to PDI?

Answer: No, because OpenMSX doesn´t support this type of image. At least not yet. It would be great if the authors of OpenMSX give this support to it.

Quote:

Which low level commands are not supported?

Answer: OpenMSX doesn´t support the INTERRUPT command properly. It is used create sectors with CRC error in the data area.
In a real MSX computer with a real disk drive, to create a sector with CRC error in the data area, its necessary to SEND the WRITE SECTOR command. The writing starts but after the last data byte its necessary to send the INTERRUPT command to stop the writing of the 2 CRC bytes. So, the tool can create a perfectly sector, with all correct data but with CRC error in the data area. But in a real disk drive we are dealing with physical stuff and the timing matters. In a emulator, the coders must do a good job to support this thing.

Another command that is not supported by OpenMSX is the deleted data marks (both read and write). And the brazilian disk copier called FASTCOPY use this protection.

Quote:

Just run dskpro using the DMK as source disk?

Answer: Yes, use a DMK image as the source or destination disk. And with a PDI file inside this "disk°.And after that, use the option "File to Disk" in DSK-PRO. It will read the PDI file and write it to the DMK image.

Quote:

I thought about that, but who knows if it works for sure? Maybe there are some low level commands missing or some other incompatibility.

As I mentioned above, there are some low level commands that are not supported by OpenMSX. But it works for most of Brazilian Protected Disks. And of course, PDI format doesn´t support all kind of protections, because differently from DMK format which is focused in the creation of a complete protected image to be used in emulators, PDI format is focused in the creation of a protected image that can be restored back in a real disk using DSK-PRO.

Enjoy the news. Take a look at all DMK files in the link. Run the Disks in OpenMSX. they work perfectly.

By sd_snatcher

Prophet (3659)

18-03-2017, 14:05

Maybe I couldn't explain it very well. To convert DMK to PDI, the process would be the exact opposite:

1) Drive A: with DMK image on openMSX
2) IDE interface with hard drive image
3) The PDI image will be created inside the emulated hard drive
4) Run "disk to PDI image" option on DSK-Pro

Will it work, or is there some feature missing on openMSX that will cause it to fail?

By cbsfox

Champion (429)

18-03-2017, 15:05

That's true. In this case yes. You can create a PDI file from a DMK emulated disk.
The problem is that you can not test this PDI file in OPENMSX.
But yes, the conversion between DMK to PDI works ok, for most of the disks.
You are right....

By cbsfox

Champion (429)

18-03-2017, 15:40

So people, convertion between DMK to PDI is possible too guys!
My mistake....