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Bung MGD1 4M - On FDS
What You’ll Need
- Fully Write-Modded FDS
- Multi Game Doctor 1 (4M or 8M) Unit
- MGD1 to PC Linker Cable
- MGD1 Formatted Images
- MGD1 to PC Linker v1.1b by Tomy
- PC with Parallel Port
- FDS Disks to Dump
Preparation
Download the MGD1 to PC Linker v1.1b program by Tomy and save it to your computer. Build or purchase the MGD1 to PC Linker DB25 to DA15 Cable.
In the computer’s Setup menu, set the Parallel Port to ECP.
Disk Dumping Steps
Step 1
With the PC turned off, connect the MGD1 to PC Linker Cable to the Parallel Port of the PC. Connect the other end of the cable to the back of the MGD1.
MGD1 - PC Linker Cable
MGD1 - Connected to PC
Insert the FDS RAM Adapter into the top of the MGD1 and connect the cable to the disk drive. Plug the power into your FDS drive.
Turn on the PC.
Step 2
Open the MGD1 to PC Linker software on your PC. Power on the MGD1 by connecting the AC Adapter cord (9VDC, Center Negative polarity).
MGD Linker v1.1
Step 3
In the MGD1 Linker software, you may need to adjust the Delay Time setting before it will allow disks to be dumped. Do this adjustment before the next step.
Step 4
Click Read FDS in the software. The MGD1 Linker software should display, Insert FDS disk to read when it is ready to begin dumping the disk.
MGD Linker - Insert Disk for Read
Instead of displaying Insert FDS disk to read, the program may display, Time Out Error! When this happens, click OK and then hit Cancel Operation.
MGD Linker - Time Out Error
Next, power off the MGD1 unit. You may retry the process again. Start by connecting the AC Adapter, adjust the Delay Time setting, and click Read FDS.
Sometimes, successful reading can be accomplished by clicking OK, clicking Cancel Operation, adjusting the Delay Time setting, and clicking Read FDS without cycling the power on and off.
Step 5
Once MGD1 displays, Insert FDS disk to read, you can insert the FDS disk you wish to dump into the FDS. The MGD1 Linker program will display, Receiving data from MGD…
MGD Linker - Reading Disk
The 7-segment LED on the MGD1 will spin clockwise once or twice, stop, and spin clockwise again. The first spin cycle is the disk data reading stage and the second cycle is the verification stage. The blue blocks on the MGD1 Linker program will fill up as the image is read by the software.
If there are any reading errors, the MGD1 will display them on the 7-segment LED on the front of the unit, with a flashing E followed by the two digit error code. These codes correspond to the same error codes that the FDS displays. After the error code flashes, eject the disk and re-insert it into the drive to resume dumping.
Step 6
Once your disk is successfully dumped, the program will display Checksum OK! and Write file OK!
MGD Linker - Dump Okay
You can click Cancel Operation on the MGD1 Linker program once the program displays this message since the file is saved to your computer.
The image will be saved in the same folder as your MGD1 Linker software, or in a directory of your choosing via the upper left-hand box. The image will always by default be named fc1234.a. The file must be re-named before dumping more images or the file will be overwritten.
MGD1 - Saved File
The MGD1 is now reset and ready for more disk writing or dumping.
The MGD1, unlike FDSLoader, is able to write and dump Game Doctor formatted images and disks. The MGD1 Linker program and MGD1 can only write and dump a single disk side per cycle. Images are formatted as .A, .B, .C, .D… (e.g. Mario.A, Mario.B, etc.)
The Time Out Error! is very common with this application. I found that adding an on/off switch inline on the AC Adapter made the task of powering on and off the MGD1 much easier.
The video below was created by Tomy at ToToTEK.com to explain how the MGD1 and MGD1 Linker program are used to read and write disks.
