FASTHACK'   EM V3. 0

By David Martin, Seabrook, Tx

Copyrighted The Transactor 
Reprinted from The Transactor 
November,1986

      Fasthack'   em, one of the most ppopular disk copiers, by Mike J.  Henry of the Basement Boys Software, is the program that started current trends in disk copiers.   In a manner of speaking, this is the one the others are trying to beat, and currently, no one has come close(but read on).

     The program is quite good and does come with some rather interesting programs supporting Commodore drives as well as the MSD dual drive.   At a retail cost of $29. 95, I found it very good value for the following three reasons. 

     First, the program does support a fast load program that is the only one currently available, to my knowledge, that will work on both the 1541/71 as well as the MSD.   The program is intelligent and, when activated, selects the type of drive in use and works accordingly.   This is nice because I can now load programs faster on my MSD, which also allows more storage than the 1541. 

     Second, the program supports a method in which the user may disconnect the computer from the drives(MSD or 2 1541/71'   s) and still copy disks.   Fasthack'   em will then take over the drives and allow copying without the computer.   Now, you can fool your friends with C64 multi-tasking as you use a word processor at the same time, or something like that(I usually use my modem while all this is going on).  However, remember not to let them see the disconnected cables from the drives. 

     Third, the program not only supports the use of 1541/71'   s in C64 mode, but will support them in C128 mode as well.   I hope to see the C128 support expand more and more in the near future.   Currently, the program will copy a double sided 1571 disk in a little over a minute.   A little note here about speed; the program will copy most disks in under two minutes, and sometimes under three, depending on the amount of data and/or degree of protection.  
However, Fasthack'   em does have a few drawbacks from an otherwise well thought out program.  

     First, the program currently does not support any form of disk utility such as disk editors or scanners.   These would be very helpful in exploring the disks that Fasthack'   em will not copy.   At times, when copying disks, a parameter change within the nibbler might help a user create the backup, hence the need for disk scanners and editors.   Currently, users are unable to do so and must experiment with the various copy programs on the disk.   Secondly, the program parameter copier, of which a majority of programs have duplicated, will often display instructions for copying disks and then exit to BASIC.   It would be nice if the parameter copier would execute as a copier without having to load the various other programs in the Fasthack'   em arsenal. 

     The program Fasthack'   em comes from a very reliable author who plans on expanding FasthAck'   em in the near future.   I highly recommend this program for MSD dual drive owners, as it supports that drive quite well.   This alone makes it well worth the purchase price for MSD owners, as no one other than Basement Boys produces such a great MSD utility product.   Also, the auto copy feature that does not require the computer is nice for us lazy users, or people who wish to make multiple backups(sigh, if only we could get it to put the disks in!).

     Although I greatly enjoyed the usage of Fasthack'   em, I must say that its lack of utilities is giving some of its competition an edge, and hopefully we will see it expand and be more valuable in the near future(I am told that Version 4. 0 will support some utilities).

     For MSD dual drive owners, I do recommend the purchase of this product since it currently is the best and only supporter of the MSD.   However, for 1541 users, it does not really support them to the full extent that it should, utility wise(which would extend its ability to function).  I am ranking this program a nine on the 1-10 scale due to its lack of available features. 

                                                 By David Martin, Seabrook, Tx
                                                 Copyrighted The Transactor
                                                 Reprinted from The Transactor
                                                 November,1986