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MSA (.msa)

.msa file signature | application/vnd.msa-disk-image

MSA (Magic Shadow Archiver) is a disk image format created for Atari ST systems by the Magic Shadow Archiver utility and preserved by the Atari community. It is used to store exact copies of floppy disks for archiving, emulation, and software distribution, especially for vintage games and applications. The format is largely legacy, and files should be handled cautiously only when obtained from untrusted sources, as with any disk image.

Safe

Magic Bytes

Offset 0
0E 0F

Sources: Apache Tika

Extension

.msa

MIME Type

application/vnd.msa-disk-image

Byte Offset

0

Risk Level

Safe

Validation Code

How to validate .msa files in Python

Python 
def is_msa(file_path: str) -> bool:
    """Check if file is a valid MSA by magic bytes."""
    signature = bytes([0x0E, 0x0F])
    with open(file_path, "rb") as f:
        return f.read(2) == signature

How to validate .msa files in Node.js

Node.js 
function isMSA(buffer: Buffer): boolean {
  const signature = Buffer.from([0x0E, 0x0F]);
  return buffer.subarray(0, 2).equals(signature);
}

How to validate .msa files in Go

Go 
func IsMSA(data []byte) bool {
    signature := []byte{0x0E, 0x0F}
    if len(data) < 2 {
        return false
    }
    return bytes.Equal(data[:2], signature)
}

API Endpoint

GET /api/v1/msa
curl https://filesignature.org/api/v1/msa

See the full API documentation for all endpoints and parameters.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a .msa file?

A .msa file is identified by the magic bytes 0E 0F at byte offset 0. MSA (Magic Shadow Archiver) is a disk image format created for Atari ST systems by the Magic Shadow Archiver utility and preserved by the Atari community. It is used to store exact copies of floppy disks for archiving, emulation, and software distribution, especially for vintage games and applications. The format is largely legacy, and files should be handled cautiously only when obtained from untrusted sources, as with any disk image.

What are the magic bytes for .msa files?

The magic bytes for MSA files are 0E 0F at byte offset 0. These bytes uniquely identify the file format regardless of the file extension.

How do I validate a .msa file?

To validate a .msa file, read the first bytes of the file and compare them against the known magic bytes (0E 0F) at offset 0. This is more reliable than checking the file extension alone, as extensions can be renamed.

What is the MIME type for .msa files?

The primary MIME type for .msa files is application/vnd.msa-disk-image.

Is it safe to open .msa files?

MSA (.msa) files are generally safe to open. They are classified as low risk because they primarily contain data rather than executable code. However, always ensure files come from a trusted source.