What is MIME type "application/vnd.msa-disk-image"?

A MIME type is a string that tells browsers and other tools how to handle a particular kind of file.

application/vnd.msa-disk-image designates a disk image file created by Magic Shadow Archiver.
This type wraps an exact copy of disk data, including partition schemes and boot sectors.
It is used for precise disk backups, system restoration, and complete disk replication.
Files using this format appear with the extension MSA.
Further details are available on the IANA MIME registration page.

Associated file extensions

.msa

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

When serving content with this MIME type, set the Content-Type header:


    Content-Type: application/vnd.msa-disk-image

HTML

In HTML, you can specify the MIME type in various elements:


    <a href="file.dat" type="application/vnd.msa-disk-image">Download file</a>

Server-side (Node.js)

Setting the Content-Type header in Node.js:


    const http = require('http');    
    
    http.createServer((req, res) => {    
      res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'application/vnd.msa-disk-image');    
      res.end('Content here');    
    }).listen(3000);

Associated file extensions

.msa

FAQs

What is the application/vnd.msa-disk-image MIME type?

This MIME type identifies disk image files created by Magic Shadow Archiver. These files, typically ending in the extension msa, contain a compressed or exact copy of a floppy disk's data, including its boot sector and file structure.

How do I open an MSA file?

You typically cannot open these files directly in a modern operating system. Instead, you need an Atari ST emulator (like Hatari or Steem) or the original Magic Shadow Archiver utility to mount the image as a virtual drive or write it back to a physical disk.

How should I configure Apache to serve MSA files?

To ensure users download the file with the correct headers, add the following line to your .htaccess file or httpd.conf: AddType application/vnd.msa-disk-image .msa. This helps client software identify the file as a Magic Shadow Archiver image.

Why does the browser download the file instead of displaying it?

Web browsers do not have native support for rendering or mounting disk images. Because application/vnd.msa-disk-image is a binary format intended for system restoration or emulation, browsers default to downloading the file for local use.

Can I convert application/vnd.msa-disk-image to other formats?

Yes, utilities like MSA Converter can transform these files into raw sector dumps (like .st or .img) or uncompress them. Conversion is often required if your specific emulator or hardware does not support the proprietary MSA compression.

Is the application/vnd.msa-disk-image format safe?

The container format itself is benign, but like any disk image (ISO, IMG), it contains executable code and data. You should treat downloaded MSA files with caution and scan them, as the software stored inside the disk image could potentially contain malware.

General FAQ

What is a MIME type?

A MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) type is a standard that indicates the nature and format of a document, file, or assortment of bytes. MIME types are defined and standardized in IETF's RFC 6838.

MIME types are important because they help browsers and servers understand how to process a file. When a browser receives a file from a server, it uses the MIME type to determine how to display or handle the content, whether it's an image to display, a PDF to open in a viewer, or a video to play.

MIME types consist of a type and a subtype, separated by a slash (e.g., text/html, image/jpeg, application/pdf). Some MIME types also include optional parameters.

How do I find the MIME type for a file?

You can check the file extension or use a file identification tool such as file --mime-type on the command line. Many programming languages also provide libraries to detect MIME types.

Why are multiple MIME types listed for one extension?

Different applications and historical conventions may use alternative MIME identifiers for the same kind of file. Showing them all helps ensure compatibility across systems.