Serial.TOS

Because  of  the whole serial number  problem,  I  asked  Soren 
Michelsen  in Aalborg if he could make a quick  little  program 
which would report the disk serial number and allow a change.

This is the result.  

You can check if a disk has a unique serial number.
  
You  can  also  check  if  a  formatting  program  is  behaving 
correctly by seeing whether it is issuing unique serial numbers 
to copies.  To do this,  format two disks.  Compare the  serial 
numbers.  If they are identical, delete the formatting program. 
It  has been written incorrectly;  you will eventually  confuse 
TOS by using disks with similar serial numbers;  you will  lose 
data, especially if you use folders.

You  can also check if a copy program produces correct  copies: 
the copy should have a unique serial number (different from the 
original).  Sometimes,  however,  you want to have the original 
number  on the copy:  for example,  in order to make copies  of 
certain copy-protected disks. SERIAL.TOS lets you check it out.

You  can also make double sided disks out of single sided  copy 
protected program.  Just copy the original with a RAM disk from 
the single sided to the double sided disk,  and then change the 
DS disk's serial number so that it is identical to the original 
single sided disk.  Be sure to copy the "hidden" information on 
tracks 80, 81, or 82 (use any good sector editor for this).
 
All in all, a very useful little program.
 
There  is a whole chapter of information on serial numbers  and 
how  they work (and problems if they are not unique)  in  "YOUR 
SECOND MANUAL" (Y2M) April 1988 version). For a free copy, send 
me a blank disk with postage.
 
Thanks to Soren, 
 
Andreas Ramos 
68UG
Jaegergaardsgade 142.2 
8000 Aarhus C 
Denmark 
 
68000 User Group / Aarhus  / BBS 06109777   
Lydatronics      / Aalborg / BBS 08113834 
 
These are the two ST BBS's in Denmark. Contact us here.
24 Hours. All Weather. 300/1200/2400 Baud.