Apple ][ Floppy Copy
We have looked at backing up old PC floppy disks, but what if you have some other old disks, such as the ones we had for an old Apple ][. While our Apple ][ has outlived many of the PCs we have had, it probably won't last forever, so we decided to convert our collection of disks to a format usable by an Apple ][ emulator on a PC.
Googling for a solution came up with a piece of software called ADTPro (ADT being Apple Disk Transfer). The software is freely available via the Web, but the person providing the software will also provide (for a fairly nominal cost) any additional hardware that might be required, and freely gives any help and advice you may need. Information is provided on the Web about how to transfer the ADT software to an Apple disk, but we purchased a disk, along with a communications card (which our Apple ][ didn't have) and a USB Com port for use on our PC (we used a netbook for the transfer).
We were using a USB Com port on the PC, so first we had to double-click on its driver file to install it.
Then we double-clicked on the supplied ADTPro executable to start the software on the PC
This is the initial ADTPro PC screen, and we clicked on Serial
At this point we did not have the USB Com port inserted, because we wanted to see what Com ports might be already assigned, but the drop-down shows that there are none.
Just for interest, this is the Bootstrapping tab - we made no changes to the default values.
Here we are inserting the USB Com port, and the 'found new hardware' message pops up
Now COM3 shows up in the ports drop-down, and since we only have one port showing we definitely know which one to choose.
Now we can connect the laptop and the Apple ][ with a null-modem cable.
Booting the Apple ][ on the ADT disk brings up this screen, and we select Serial (S)
The floppy disk that we wanted to copy was put in the second disk drive
On the Apple ][ selecting Serial causes it to run ADTPRO
On the next screen we select S for Send …
… then type the filename for the copy and press Return …
… then select the drive to copy (in my case Drive 2)
With Drive 2 selected, press Return …
… and the Apple ][ starts sending information block by block
On the Apple ][ the disk drive shows the activity light …
… and data is being received at the netbook via the USB Com port
The software on the PC (netbook) shows information being received.
If errors are found on the disk they will be reported on the PC when the copy is complete
The image of the Apple ][ disk ends up as a file with a .dsk extension
Then the Apple ][ software reports the transfer complete, and you are ready to use the disk image on an Apple ][ emulator.
