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ProDOS, Briefly

Applying the same validation ideas from DOS 3.3 to ProDOS's directory tree and volume-wide free-block bitmap

When your archive contains ProDOS disks alongside DOS 3.3, the validation strategy shifts. ProDOS replaces the flat catalog with a hierarchical directory tree, and its free-block map operates at a different scale.

Key Differences

  • Directory Tree - Hierarchical instead of a single flat catalog
  • Volume Bitmap - Tracks free blocks across the entire disk
  • File Type Metadata - Rich file type and creator info
  • Sanity Checks - Directory link validation, bitmap consistency

The core principle remains: what the filesystem claims must match what's actually allocated.

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