Simon the Sorcerer -disk error!

[lillPiP]

Hi!

I'm just installing this game and unfortanely I get errors on the last disk! Anyone able to help me in somehow?

[Harlbro]

I don't know how many games I've picked up recently on Ebay, a fair few actually. Pretty much every second game game has some type of error on at least one of the floppies

Then there is WHDLoad telling me my own original disks I've so carefully stored, have errors on them too!!!

(Sorry, I know this doesn't help, but I know where you're coming from...)

[lillPiP]

Maybe it would be better to make a copy of all games to a cd..

[Darklight]

I've bought a few games recently, and every now and then, they get errors.  I bought Monkey Island 2 and Indiana Jones & The Fate of Atlantis (had them for PC, not Amiga), both still boxed, but somehow one of the disks for Monkey Island 2 had managed to get an error on it.  The problem is, with magnetic media (disks, tapes, etc) even if they're safely locked away in a cool, dark place, they're going to get errors because of the natural magnetic field caused by this planet.  Unfortunate, but that's the way it is I guess.
Now, for trying to get your Simon the Sorcerer disk working, make sure you try it in a different drive for a start, one of the drives in my A2000 picked up errors on disks every two seconds, the other one didn't pick up any  :lol:
Also, when it comes up with the 'error on block 1728' or whatever, click retry a few times, you never know if it will keep reading.  
Lastly, if you read the CAPS FAQ, it talks about how to retrieve data off old floppies that have errors.  They reckon that the 'Spin and Blow' method works well.  By that, you have to keep the disk door open, and spin it around by the center metal piece, blowing into the disk to try and get rid of any dirt or foreign objects, etc.  Make sure you don't spit in there though  :lol:  :-o

I've had that get a couple of floppies to work before, so give it a go.  Otherwise, the other option is to try and download just the disk that's not working.  Obviously it's not the best solution, but under your circumstances, it should be alright.  Anyway, good luck with it  :-)

[TjLaZer]

Well as a last resort, if you own the original game you can try to get a backup copy of the bad disk from someone else or just get a WHDLoad of the game.  This would be legal since you own the original game!  Also most data disks of cracked games should work with the original disk 1!  Try that...  PM me if you need any help.

@Darklight

I know what you mean!  Most original games I get are bad or have errors on them.  Some are DOA and the worst thing about it is it can damage your other disks!  I was told that the ones that make noises and do not read can have small metallic particles come off on the read/write heads, then when you put in another original disk, the particles can scratch up that disk rendering it inop!!  Be careful, and use disk head cleaning kits often.  Thats what I do.

[ckillerh3]

Hi -

Dave Haney published a program called Disk Salve 3 that can be used to salvage disks.  I've used it on occasion to make a copy that works.