Rookie Drive NX - virtual USB drive for MSX

As you all probably remember, few months ago we reported about Rookie Drive 720, what we could describe as the first MSX interface able to manage USB devices like pendrives or HD. Despite good reactions from the community, xavirompe was aware about its limitations, mainly the limited access to DSK files images of 720KB only.

During this time he has been working hard in order to improve this device and give the MSX community what they expect, so Rookie Drive NX is the result. Now Nextor is the operating system by default and, as a bonus, this new interface keeps all the features of the previous version so the ROM includes both functionalities. The main features are as follows:

Rookie Drive 720

USB port support for formatted devices in Fat12, Fat16 and Fat32.
Usage of disk images of 720kb.
Call commands to handle disk images.
It works on MSX1 and higher.

Rookie Drive NX

DiskROM of 320 kb (“reflasheable”) to boot the operating system.
USB port for storage devices (pendrive or hard disk) formatted in Fat12 or Fat16.
Typical functions of Nextor like Fdisk partition tool, multiple logical volumes, hot USB drives swapping and disk images mounting.

Common features

It features a flash memory which allows driver and/or diskrom updating.
The device includes a switch for ROM disabling.
Good write/read speed.

In development

Diskrom recovery, deletion and loading from the drive.
SymbOS driver.
CD-ROM access.

The interface will be on sale from the next 29th of April coinciding with RetroMadrid event. Price 50€ (shipping not included). Check xavirompe's profile to contact him and get further information or order your unit.

Relevant link: Rookie drive project site

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Comments (33)

By Hydragon

Paladin (751)

10-04-2017, 03:46

Kinda reminds me of Nowind USB Interface. I wonder what happened with the development on this, abandonded maybe?

By Piter Punk

Master (228)

10-04-2017, 03:57

Wow, this is very good news. USB mass storage support is a nice thing to have. How is the DSK images support?

By marcoo

Expert (111)

10-04-2017, 14:37

what is the price of this beautiful piece of hardware?

By enribar

Paragon (1209)

10-04-2017, 18:49

Rookie makes me dream: build a 2nd USB port and connect a 720 compatible USB Floppy Drive plus a pendrive, at the same time...
You can satisfy both past and future oriented users

By mars2000you

Enlighted (6486)

10-04-2017, 20:34

These news don't mention the Spanish site that is more complete: http://rookiedrive.com/es/inicio/

Especially the BASIC extension is missing in the English part, but you can check the MRC Wiki: https://www.msx.org/wiki/RookieDrive_BASIC

By sd_snatcher

Prophet (3659)

11-04-2017, 00:05

Does the Rookie Drive NX support 1.44MB floppy disks on the MSX?

By Pac

Scribe (7011)

11-04-2017, 11:49

Newspost updated with price.

By Wierzbowsky

Guardian (3606)

11-04-2017, 15:35

Nice hardware addon for any MSX! The use of 3 Euro Arduino Disk Module saves a lot of hassle when assembling the cartridge. From the drawbacks I can only see the missing 10/100uF electrolytic capacitor on the power bus and the lack of disk activity LED that could be quite useful.

And lastly, 1000V rated ceramic capacitors make it well protected.

I wonder what's the switch for...

By Wolverine_nl

Paragon (1160)

11-04-2017, 20:06

Is it only handling disk images that are on an usb-pendrive or is it also possible to handle files that are on the usb-pendrive directly, like on a pc?

By xavirompe

Resident (58)

11-04-2017, 23:07

sd_snatcher wrote:

Does the Rookie Drive NX support 1.44MB floppy disks on the MSX?

Rookie drive NX runs Nextor, Nextor will use the existing driver in your computer.

I not sure if this answer your question.

By xavirompe

Resident (58)

11-04-2017, 23:13

Alexey wrote:

And lastly, 1000V rated ceramic capacitors make it well protected.

I wonder what's the switch for...

True!!! I am still waiting for the capacitors..!!!

And yes, the original ideal comes form arduino!!!!

Well the driver uses CAPS led on the keyboard as activity led :-)

By xavirompe

Resident (58)

11-04-2017, 23:15

Wolverine_nl wrote:

Is it only handling disk images that are on an usb-pendrive or is it also possible to handle files that are on the usb-pendrive directly, like on a pc?

This version holds two "drivers" in the ROM, one that manages disk images (mainly for MSX1), and the other one that can access to the files in the USB pendrive (Fat12 and Fat16, for MSX2)

By xavirompe

Resident (58)

11-04-2017, 23:19

enribar wrote:

Rookie makes me dream: build a 2nd USB port and connect a 720 compatible USB Floppy Drive plus a pendrive, at the same time...
You can satisfy both past and future oriented users

Not at the moment!, because I test to run an USB floppy drive with out success... :-(

But it is posible to put two Rookie drive NX and use two pendrives or hard disk.

By xavirompe

Resident (58)

11-04-2017, 23:28

Hi guys!

About the switch, it is for enable or disable the SLTSL of the ROM, it's only for safety, if someone builds its own firmware it can be very useful.

I hope this can be useful.

By pceworld

Rookie (19)

12-04-2017, 04:08

If possable , help me hold one please !!

By xavirompe

Resident (58)

12-04-2017, 09:59

Please, contact me via my profile.

Thank you

By Wierzbowsky

Guardian (3606)

12-04-2017, 17:29

xavirompe wrote:

Not at the moment!, because I test to run an USB floppy drive with out success... :-(
But it is posible to put two Rookie drive NX and use two pendrives or hard disk.

The floppy drive may fail because of insufficient power from the board. The normal USB2 rating is 250mA and I've seen some drives that don't work reliably when connected to USB ports. Not sure how this board is connected to the MSX's 5V bus, so I can't explain this failure.

By gdx

Enlighted (6215)

15-04-2017, 10:40

These cartridges do not have a connector for an external power supply?

By Wierzbowsky

Guardian (3606)

15-04-2017, 14:18

The MSX's 5V should provide enough power for the USB drive. But it depends on how the 5V slot pin is connected to the Arduino board. If the connecting track is too narrow, it may not provide enough power for the floppy drive. Also the width of the "ground" track may be the factor.

I always use 2mm wide tracks for power and ground if the board needs a lot of power. For single chips 1mm wide tracks are more than enough. As an experiment I would connect power and ground pins of the USB socket directly to slot pins with wires (at least 1-2mm thick). If that doesn't solve the problem with a floppy drive, then maybe the board doesn't support it.

By Prodatron

Paragon (1843)

21-04-2017, 03:14

Today I ported the USB mouse driver from SymbOS CPC to the MSX
Really cool, that both Rookie drive (MSX) and the Albireo interface (CPC) are using the same USB controller (CH376).
Here is a short video, showing my OCM + Rookie Drive + an USB mouse working in SymbOS including the mouse wheel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA3ksGudkoo
Next step is to add mass storage support for USB harddiscs/memory sticks as well...

By edoz

Prophet (2482)

21-04-2017, 10:29

Very ... very very , very cool! So nice to have a good working USB mouse driver for SymbOS now also on the MSX. I really like this. Last week i was able to feel this myself on the enterprise machine. The USB mouse has a very high resolution in SymbOS and feels like a normal Windows mouse.. I already have a USB mouse (optical) connected to the joystick port of the MSX but that is less smooth compare to real USB interface On the MSX it's a huge difference.

I look forward to test it

By enribar

Paragon (1209)

07-07-2017, 23:24

Any news about the distribution of Rookie Drive?

By Prodatron

Paragon (1843)

15-09-2017, 02:00

Rookie Drive works fine with SymbOS:

Beside the USB mouse support it's now possible to connect USB mass storage devices to the Rookie Drive drive as well (which will be USB sticks probably, but I guess there is no reason why it shouldn't work with hard discs as well?) I tested it with a 32GB USB stick (FAT32 formatted).
I have to fix some issues, currently the mouse driver is disturbing the mass storage driver etc, but this is hopefully done soon.

By edoz

Prophet (2482)

15-09-2017, 11:13

NICE

By mars2000you

Enlighted (6486)

15-09-2017, 19:10

A new version of the firmware has been released on 13 September 2017. Forcing virtual drive emulation is now possible with the "D" key when booting in stead of the "7" key, and you can guess that there are many other improvements when seeing the following screenshots of the Help menu (when booting with "H" key pressed down):

For some reason (experimental state), the CALL FORMAT instruction is not displayed on the CALL HELP screen.

By xavirompe

Resident (58)

21-09-2017, 22:07

The last firmware version was released the past week. (Thanks to Victor Martinez)

Here is the download link rookie-drive-nx-firmware-update-2017-09-13

There are few changes:
In the boot loader:

Minor bugfixes
A better help screen, that shows all the available key combinations.
Key "7" (to force disk emulator) is now "D"

In the disk emulator driver:

Multi disk support (change the disk by pressing (1-9) or 0 to change to internal floppy disk drive)
Concatenated disk support (same procedure as Multi disk)
Enhanced compatibility, now compatible with lots of games, including Microcabin ones.

Now with these improvements Rookie drive will be the best disk emulator available for the MSX computers.

New tool ROOKDKS.COM, creates USBMSX.INI under environment.

By edoz

Prophet (2482)

30-12-2017, 11:01

Nice! I have to test this new firmware bdw. Rookie drive works great with usb mouse as well only downside is that it uses the same io address as the sunrise mp3 card ..could this be changed at the rookie side?

By OeiOeiVogeltje

Paragon (1433)

18-03-2018, 14:05

sooo
i have one too
what is the biggest stick i can put in there?
i had a 16 GB one
the rookiedrive partitioned it in 4 pieces
but i can only acces the first one?

By xavirompe

Resident (58)

19-03-2018, 10:57

I think this behaviour is by default in Nextor.

To map the other partitions you need to use MAPDRV.COM from Nextor fileset, it must performed on each boot, so the best way is call them in the AUTOEXEC.BAT.

Hope it helps
Xavirompe.

By OeiOeiVogeltje

Paragon (1433)

20-03-2018, 00:11

hmmm
nextor does not behave like that in the megaflashrom Sd from Pazos
it sees every partition without any hassle

By Pencioner

Scribe (1565)

20-03-2018, 10:55

OeiOeiVogeltje wrote:

hmmm
nextor does not behave like that in the megaflashrom Sd from Pazos
it sees every partition without any hassle

do we have different Nextor versions? My megaflashrom (two sd slots) will assign a letter only to first partition on each of card in both slots implicitly, if i have more than one partitions i need to add mapdrv calls to autoexec.bat explicitly

By Victor

Champion (509)

20-03-2018, 11:05

Pencioner wrote:

OeiOeiVogeltje wrote:

hmmm
nextor does not behave like that in the megaflashrom Sd from Pazos
it sees every partition without any hassle

You're right.

By Wolverine_nl

Paragon (1160)

10-04-2020, 08:37

is there any news coming from the RookieDrive campus? I feel it has more potential.

Rookie Drive NX - virtual USB drive for MSX

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