PC-98 preservation needs a reader and image format appropriate to the disk. Do not assume that a modern USB floppy drive can read every disk merely because the plastic shell fits. Keep untouched read outputs and use separate copies for conversion, installation and gameplay.
Record the physical source
Photograph the disk label, note its order in a multi-disk set and record the computer or imaging hardware that can read it. Inspect for visible damage or contamination before inserting it into a working drive. Treat read errors as evidence to retain, not messages to hide by repeatedly formatting or converting the medium.
For a hard disk, document the machine and interface, partition information and boot configuration. Avoid initializing it when a modern operating system does not recognize it. Preserve a whole-device image before file-level experiments where the available tool supports that approach.
Understand image containers
The PC98 disk tools project supplies format-aware conversion and manipulation utilities. Read the tool's supported formats and limits before using it. Conversion changes the container representation; it does not automatically repair missing sectors or reproduce features the source image never captured.
Neko Project II Kai's documentation lists supported content formats and how disks are mounted. Keep image extensions, expected geometry and disk order in the notes. Multiple disks are a set of separate media, not automatically parts of a single file that can be concatenated.
Capture and verify
- Assign each physical disk a stable identifier and preserve its original label text.
- Use suitable reading hardware and save the original output without editing it.
- Retain the tool version, settings and any read log.
- Calculate checksums and compare repeat reads when the source permits.
- Create a working copy for emulator testing or format conversion.
- Boot and test a meaningful later loading stage, including disk swaps and saves where relevant.
A checksum identifies a particular file; matching two copies proves that they are identical, not that every original sector was captured correctly. A successful opening screen is also incomplete evidence when the program loads later scenes from another disk.
Keep a conversion chain
For every transformed image, retain the parent file, converter version and exact options. Name outputs clearly so a normalized or modified gameplay image cannot be mistaken for the preservation master. Check the resulting image in the intended emulator before writing it back to physical media.
If a format represents information that another format cannot, preserve the richer source even when a simpler output is easier to use. Where a title uses unusual media structures, consult a title-specific or tool-specific preservation procedure. Avoid claiming that ordinary file extraction preserves all low-level disk behavior.
Restore and data hygiene
Work on a disposable image when installing software or changing CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT. Copy important original files first and retain the working system disk. A save state can preserve emulator execution temporarily, but ordinary saved-game files and the underlying disk image are more portable records of user progress.
For an emulator test, use the baseline guide. For a real machine, verify the model and hardware configuration before restoring media. A write-back test belongs on a suitable expendable disk or replacement device, not on the only surviving original.
Sources and review
Reviewed October 11, 2026. The linked manufacturer and project documentation establishes supported behavior. The diagnosis checklists and preservation suggestions are original editorial guidance. Menus, services and project support can change; verify the linked instructions before an irreversible change.