Disk Image Manager

Disk Image Manager (previously SPIN Disk Manager) is a Windows application for examining and manipulating disk images in the Extended DSK format used by many Spectrum and Amstrad emulators.

The application was intended to complement the SPIN Spectrum emulator but is a complete standalone application. Many of this tools features and functions were driven by the Spectrum Disk Preservation team which use this format and tool to help manage the selection and testing of disk images archived to The World of Spectrum and The TZX Vault.

These images are traditionally created with CPDRead under DOS but I prefer to use Simon Owen's fantastic SamDisk tool which works under Windows XP just great.

Features

Images

• Conversion between standard and extended image formats
• Identification of tool that created the image
• Fingerprinting with SHA1 hash algorithm
• Remember workspace files and position option

Analysis

• Display of extended disk parameter block (XDPB)
• Boot compatibility: Amstrad PCW 9512, Amstrad PCW 8256, Amstrad CPC 664/6128, Sinclair Spectrum +3
• Identification of disk formats (even when deskewed by image tools): Amstrad PCW 9512, Amstrad PCW 8256, (CF2/CF2DD variants), Amstrad CPC system, Amstrad CPC data, Spectrum +3, Ultra 208 (Chris Pile), HiForm 208/203 (Ian Collier), Supermat 192/XCF2, MGT SAM Coupe BDOS, SAMDOS, MasterDOS
• Identification of copy-protection schemes both signed and unsigned versions: Alkatraz +3, Frontier, Hexagon, Paul Owens, Speedlock +3 1987/1988, Speedlock 1988/1989, Three Inch Loader type 1/2
• Visual customisable map of space utilisation, track structure and controller flags
• Save map to bitmap
• Hex and ASCII display of sector data
• Search sector data for ASCII data

Modification

• Manipulation of controller flags, actual sector sizes and indicated FDC size
• Formatting and unformatting of specific sectors & tracks
• Compress out unused tracks and sectors option

Creation

• Formatting of new disk images to known formats
• Formatting of new disk images to custom tailored formats: Sides, tracks per side, sectors per track, sector size, first sector ID, interleave, reverse tracks, skew tracks, skew sides, gap read/write, gap format, directory blocks, block size, filler byte
• Writing of disk boot sectors as part of the image formatting process