C64 disk dump?

Rhino

My dad handed me a box of my old floppies. Tons of C64 games and disks with my files. My C64 is broke though. Any way I can legally dump and use these on my PC? There are C64 emulators which we won't talk about; but how do I dump the raw disks? I can obtain a 5.25 floppy drive. But getting the data from floppy to disk into a format that is useful??

BlindZenDriver

There is no way of running those games without either a C64 (or of it's versions like the C128) or an emulator. Data files may be less of a problem but it depends of what file formats we talk about and even a simple text file will likely require conversion (I don't think the Commodore computers back then used ASCII or ANSI).

It might be possible to read the bits from discs hooking up a 5.25" disk drive to a PC but even that will require some hardcore knowledge since data are not stored the same way. Best chance is to look for tools and/or knowledge in the forums at the home of the emulators.

I'd say the easiest way forward is buying a 2nd hand C64 but remember you'll also need a screen that can be hooked up to it. Finally it may not be the discs you have in the box is readable anymore!

DrFrylock

The format of a Commodore floppy disk is not compatible with PC 5.25" drives and controllers - even with software. If you want to read those disks on something other than a Commodore, you'd need something like a Catweasel.

There is information here about some different options here.

If you want to transfer a whole disk, that can be very tricky without an original 1541 disk drive in working order hooked up to a PC. If you want to transfer individual files, I have used the modem-to-modem connection option before many years ago, but that still requires a working Commodore, plus two phone modems (which are now vintage items themselves).

EDIT: Also if you have a working C64, a monitor should be fairly easy to find - the output is a composite plug that will go into an ordinary television.

BlindZenDriver

DrFrylock wrote: »

I have used the modem-to-modem connection option before many years ago, but that still requires a working Commodore, plus two phone modems (which are now vintage items themselves).

If that route is to be taken I would imagine a Null-modem cable should allow for direct computer to computer connection, at least that is something I remember doing way back (providing of course the PC has a serial port which is not the case on the latest models, but there are solutions to that).