Use msx floppies on PC

Resident (47)

12-10-2020, 19:03

I often saw the question on the Internet about using msx floppy disks with a PC. The solution was never given that this is possible with RuMSX. I can do that with vista and with windows 7 and with an internal and an external disk drive. It is not possible with openMSX or with blueMSX, but it is easy with RuMSX. This also includes a disk manager and then you can create dsk files on the PC from an MSX diskette on the PC. Why is that not generally known?

Par Takamichi

Hero (651)

14-10-2020, 16:22

Perhaps because RuMSX can't read diskettes that Windows doesn't recognize like protected ones and some Takeru ones. Also like Diskmgr warns, reading/writing a write-unprotected MSX diskette with PC might destroy its header and causes the software to be unbootable.

Par Gloriou

Master (204)

14-10-2020, 16:44

I believe because some people might think if the PC can't read it means that it has a problem while the pc can't read MSX formatted floppies, they miss that!
Also because Rumsx unfortuantely isn't well-known as both bluemsx and openmsx.

Par msx4ever,com

Resident (47)

15-10-2020, 10:04

@ Takamichi
I can start RuMSX and it will start a MSX diskette in de A: drive of the pc
Autoexes,bas or autoexec.bat will start and start the menu of the disk or the game or whats on de disk.
All other programs can start too as if you work on a MSX.
Run"loader.ldr
Enter
And it will start on the pc with RuMSX
I can use all software on that MSX diskette as if I work on a MSX
I can write to the disk and change it and later use that disk on a real MSX
I have more than 200 different MSX diskettes, and they all work on the internal floppydrive of the pc as if I work on a MSX
Protected diskettes that don't work on a real MSX won't work on a pc either offcourse.
But protected diskettes that work on a MSX work on a pc too.
A external diskdrive didn't work and I do not know why, but the internal works with all MSX diskettes as if I work on a MSX
I have windows 7 at one pc and vista on another and they use all 200 msx diskettes as if they are MSX computers with RuMSX
I places a film with RuMSX starting Nemesis 1 on a diskette on a pc, NOT from a dsk file
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lN7Njx932gM

I did NOT format de diskettes on the pc, they are all old MSX diskettes which I used for years on the MSX
They work nice on the pc with a normal pc floppydrive and RuMSX
With diskmanager that came from the same website as RuMSX I make dsk files from real MSX diskettes and make diskettes from dsk files for a real MSX

Par msx4ever,com

Resident (47)

15-10-2020, 10:14

@Gloriou
On http://www.lexlechz.at/ you can find RuMSX and diskmanager to make dsk files from real msx-diskettes on a pc or vica versa. PC's can read msx floppies and use them as if the pc is a MSX
I do not know why but it doesn't work on a USB external diskdrive, it works on the internal diskdrive.
Linux users promote openMSX but that is not for common people to use.
I put one msx flop after another in the pc and game as if it is a MSX... with rumsx

@ Takamichi With that diskmanager almost all dsk files... thousands are made with that program.
There are not much programs to make dsk files from real msx diskettes... diskmanager from lexlechz is the most used one. It writes diskettes on pc that can be used on MSX and vica versa
With my 200 msx diskettes I can't do much with openMSX or blueMSX, but with RuMSX I put one after anaother in the pc and play. Vista and Windows 7
Read more on msx4ever.com

Par Gloriou

Master (204)

15-10-2020, 13:37

Yes, I know that you can make MSX using the combination of Rumsx and diskmanager.
I did make some disks using the USB external drive just for your information. Your drive might not working properly.

Par Manuel

Ascended (19682)

15-10-2020, 13:38

Which protected disks did you try?

Par meits

Scribe (6573)

15-10-2020, 14:51

Many external USB diskdrives will do a bad job with MSX disks. Internal drives are way better at that. So if you use an external USB diskdrive which doesn't work, that's normal.

Par Briqunullus

Paladin (770)

15-10-2020, 16:42

I have chosen to do it the other way around. I have made images from all of my disks and I have put a Gotek drive in my MSX. This is a quick and easy way to share my floppies between MSX and PC.

Par msx4ever,com

Resident (47)

15-10-2020, 23:58

A internal diskdrive in the pc is the best. Sometimes a USB external drive can't handle 720 kb disks.
With a internal diskdrive a pc can work like an MSX with RuMSX
I like to use the fysical MSX disks on pc too.
Using one flop after another is not like klicking on one dsk file after another.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8RS7xdB7tI
I think RuMSX is the only emulator that can do this.

Par msx4ever,com

Resident (47)

16-10-2020, 00:07

Many dsk files do not work on a real MSX
These dsk files ain't MSX diskimages
Many rom files can't work on a real MSX
These ROM files ain't MSX rom files
This way a MSX on PC isn't a MSX emulation, but emulations of machines that do not excist
The real MSX image is one that works on a real MSX too
If it doesn't work on a real MSX, it ain't a emulation
I try to have only REAL emulations that all work on real MSX computers
If I download a dsk file that doesn't work on a MSX... I delete it... it has nothing to do with emulating MSX