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Questions

How does Floppy Image read a disk?
Which formats are supported?
What are the specifications for the different formats?
Why are some options in the settings greyed out?
How can I create image files compatible with Nero and other CD-writing software?
Can I duplicate copy-protected floppy disks with Floppy Image?
Can Floppy Image format floppy disks using the DMF format?
Can I create self extracting image files that work in DOS?
Can self extracting image files recreate bad sectors?
Which compression method is used by Floppy Image?
Are all versions of Floppy Image compatible with each other?

Answers

How does Floppy Image read a disk?
 

Floppy Image reads a disk track by track. Since Floppy Image reads a disk in this way it doesn't care about invisible files, filesystems or bootsectors as long as the floppy controller in the floppy drive supports the format of the disk. Amiga floppy disks are not compatible with PC floppy controllers and will therefore never be supported.

Consider the image below which shows the surface of a floppy disk (or a harddrive platter for that matter). The disk rotates around its center. The blue in the image outlines one track, the yellow one sector, and the red one gap. The gaps make up one sector and the sectors make up a track. A disk can have a different number of each of these which together describes the disk's geometry.

A floppy drive that reads this disk usually reads one track on one side and then the same track on the other side. The different sides of the disk is often referred to as heads. The chunk of data that is read each time a disk request is performed is called a cluster. Each cluster is made up of one or several sectors. Each sector contains more than just the data itself like ID information, synchronization fields, error correcting code, servo information, all of which we will not go any further into at this point.


Which formats are supported?
  Floppy Image supports the standard 720kB and 1440kB 3.5" formats, the standard 360kB and 1200kB 5.25" formats and the non-standard 1680kB (DMF1, DMF2) formats.

What are the specifications for the different formats?
 
360kB

40 tracks
9 sectors/track
2 sectors/cluster
5.25" DD

1440kB 80 tracks
18 sectors/track
1 sectors/cluster
3.5" HD
720kB 80 tracks
9 sectors/track
2 sectors/cluster
3.5" DD
1680kB
DMF1
80 tracks
21 sectors/track
2 sectors/cluster
3.5" HD
1200kB

80 tracks
15 sectors/track
1 sectors/cluster
5.25" HD

1680kB
DMF2
80 tracks
21 sectors/track
4 sectors/cluster
3.5" HD

Why are some options in the settings greyed out?
  These options are greyed out because they are not available on your Windows version. Upgrade to Windows 2000 or later to use these features.

How can I create image files compatible with Nero and other CD-writing software?
  Make sure you are saving the image files as IMG files and that you have checked the option in the settings to use "compatible" image files.

Can I duplicate copy-protected floppy disks with Floppy Image?
  Yes (Windows 2000 or later), make sure you read the floppy disk using the "emergency" mode and that you check the option in the settings to "recreate bad sectors" before you write the image file back to your new floppy disk. Some floppy disks use protection schemes that do not rely on bad sectors and might not work with Floppy Image.

Can Floppy Image format floppy disks using the DMF format?
  Yes (Windows 2000 and later), make sure that you are using HD (High Density) floppy disks when you recreate the floppy disk.

Can I create self extracting image files that work in DOS?
  No, Floppy Image and any created self extractor works only on Windows.

Can self extracting image files recreate bad sectors?
  No, you have to use Floppy Image to recreate bad sectors.

Which compression method is used by Floppy Image?
  When creating an image file of type IMZ or EXE the raw image file is compressed using bzip2 compression. Thanks to Julian Seward for making the sources of this compression algorithm available.

Are all versions of Floppy Image compatible with each other?
  Yes, although when using versions below 1.2 to create floppies from image files created with newer versions error messages can be displayed. These messages are a result of the new file format introduced in version 1.2 and are not serious.
 
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