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Creating G64 images from original Pirates

For creating G64 images from your original Microprose Pirates disk you will need the following: Required hardware: - Windows 2000/XP PC with parallel (printer) port - 1541 disk drive with parallel port (hardware addon; drive ID set to 8) - XAP1541 parallel cable for connecting the two (other cables or USB solutions may also work) Required software: - "nibtools 0.5.1" copy program for Windows 2000/XP - "opencbm 0.4.0" Windows 2000/XP drivers for connecting to the 1541 - original Microprose Pirates disk Instructions: Connect your 1541/1571 to your PC using the XAP1541 cable (turn them off before connecting!) and run instcbm.exe from "opencbm" to start the driver. Now make sure your original Pirates disk is in the 1541 drive, open a Windows command shell (cmd.exe) and change to the "nibtools" directory. Then type in nibread -E36 side1.nib to copy the whole disk side (Ending Track 36). And nibconv side1.nib side1.g64 will convert it into the needed G64 file format. Repeat this with the backside of your Pirates disk. You should now have two G64 files: side1.g64 and side2.g64, each 333.744 bytes in size. Finally run instcbm.exe -r to unload the driver. If you want to create a working 1541 disk to play the game on a real C64 you may also need D64 images: nibconv side1.nib side1.d64 will convert into D64 file format (same with side 2). You should then have two D64 files: side1.d64 and side2.d64, each 175.531 bytes in size. The game will most likely not run from those G64 images. You have to apply patches for playing the game in WinVice and possibly on the real C64. You also need to have "True drive emulation" enabled for WinVice gameplay. To play the backup on the real C64 you should read the remaster instructions. Here is a complete sample console logfile of the NIB/G64 image creation.