Floppy Disk Image software recommendations

[Cloudschatze]

Can anyone recommend a good (free) floppy-disk imaging utility? I've found several options, but would like some experienced input.

I like that Winimage offers self-extraction, which might be the way to go for "dunce-proof" distribution. Alas, but were it free! (or I less cheap)

[NewRisingSUn]

WinImage is crap --- it doesn't handle disks with non-standard boot sectors (used by booters), and I've yet to see a program that handles read errors in a meaningful way --- like creating a log that says where (at which offset) in the disk image file bad sectors are, so you might later fix just these sectors in the image file using an Internet-downloaded copy.

I take it that you don't want to read copy-protected disks, because you'd be out of luck.

[Cloudschatze]

No, none of the disks are copy-protected, per se.

Perhaps creating floppy images isn't even the best solution? I could do compressed archives, but then, some of the Origin disks would useless due to their "sector mapping" or somesuch.

(Speaking of which, does anyone have an image for the first disk of the Ultima VIII: The Black Gate, to replace my corrupt one?)

[HondaSiR]

You mean Ultima VII-The Black Gate? I have the Ultima Collection CD, unfortunately in the Ultima7 directory the files are in one big static file (not by floppy groups). If you know which specific files you want I can try find and send it to you via email.

[Cloudschatze]

Err.. Yeah, VII.

I have a collection CD also, and have already attempted to re-create the floppy, to no avail.

[DrJ]

Ahhh floppy imaging..

The best image program I know is RawWrite. It's free and you can make perfect copies.

Enjoy!

[Cloudschatze]

Thanks for the link, DrJ!