Preventing Disk Volume Tracking in Windows on MSX disks

Champion (435)

21-07-2022, 18:12

When you open an MSX disk in Windows, Windows will immediately write a disk-id in the boot sector, which can interfere with some copy protection schemes used back in the days.

This so-called "Disk Volume Tracking" can be disabled by using this registry setting:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ System\ CurrentControlSet\ Control\ FileSystem\ NoVolTrack

However, I don't know what to put there as a value for MSX discs... has anyone got an idea?

By enribar

Paragon (1208)

21-07-2022, 18:16

A read only floppy disk it's not enaugh?

By wimpie3

Champion (435)

21-07-2022, 18:30

By sdsnatcher73

Prophet (3953)

21-07-2022, 18:32

The OEM System Name differs between various BDOS implementations. So a disk formatted on a Sony it will be different than from a Philips and even different Sony machines / floppy interfaces can write different values. Games can have either the value of the MSX system they used or even something to indicate the game or developer.

By wimpie3

Champion (435)

21-07-2022, 19:29

Aha, and is there a way to read the name from a floppy?

By sdsnatcher73

Prophet (3953)

21-07-2022, 19:44

Yeah just check the boot sector, some info (from MS-DOS but very much applicable to MSX except for the boot code obviously)

By sd_snatcher

Prophet (3659)

22-07-2022, 03:08

wimpie3 wrote:

If the disk is write-protected it's not possible for windows to write anything to the disk. The protection is implemented by the drive, not the operating system.

By wimpie3

Champion (435)

22-07-2022, 09:57

Yeah but I want to write on the disk without Windows adding stuff automatically.

By sdsnatcher73

Prophet (3953)

22-07-2022, 10:36

You can identify the OEM name in the boot sector. Like I said it should be possible to do this for floppy’s formatted on your MSX. It could be possible to create a list of all values from different MSX models by formatting a disk image in openMSX on all supported models.