Update for GOTEK Firmware | MSX Resource Center

The most unreliable part of the MSX is probably the floppy drive. The drives are getting old and unreliable.
They can be replaced with pc drives but a nice alternative is a Gotek drive.

The Gotek drive emulates an floppy drive. It connects to the floppy cable just like a regular pc floppy drive. So if the MSX is able or converted to use pc floppy drives, it can also use the Gotek drive. Instead of floppies it uses a regular USB flash drive.

By default the Gotek comes with 7 segment display on which you can see the number of the image selected with the buttons on the Gotek.
It is possible to replace this with a lcd or oled screen so you can see the filename of the image selected.

It is also possible to connect a speaker to emulate the stepping motor sound for those who miss it.

The standard firmware on the Gotek is not very useful, but luckily there are alternatives. First there is the HXC firmware.
This costs 10 euro and allows the Gotek to read HXE images from the USB flash drive. DSK and DMK images can be converted to HXE with the included tool.

Alternatively there is the open source FlashFloppy firmware. With the FlashFloppy firmware it is possible 360k and 720k dsk images directly from the USB flash drive. It can also use HXE images so it's still possible to convert DMK images to HXE and use those.

Because it connects to the floppy controller in the MSX is also emulates the actual speed of the floppy drive. This means it's pretty slow compared to using floppy images with a mass storage device like the MFR of Carnivore.
However it is a lot cheaper and it also supports most (perhaps all...?) copy protections.

The Gotek drive can be bought quite cheap from places like Aliexpress.

Relevant link: HXC firmware
Relevant link: Updated FlashFloppy firmware

Thanks to Keir Fraser for the firmware (Flash Floppy)

Media browser (2)

Comments (37)

Enlighted (6067)

06-06-2018, 10:52

FlashFloppy firmware sounds very interesting to me... Especially if it really can be used to play 320KB and 720KB DSK-files directly without need for renaming or converting, it seems well worth a try considering the price of the devices. Hmm... I actually even have a spare OLED display as well as TTL level RS232 at home, so I think I just have to order one to test it.

By Bastion Rebel

Expert (93)

07-06-2018, 07:01

hello
new version v09.20a yesterday

I do the usage tests to see

By Bastion Rebel

Expert (93)

07-06-2018, 07:54

Testing

READ / WRITE Ok

FORMATING Ok

CHANGE DSK FILE ON THE FLY Ok

Thanks to Keir Fraser

GOOD FOR MSX

By Bastion Rebel

Expert (93)

07-06-2018, 14:22

Problem with 360ko DSK in V09.20a in V09.19a DSK 360ko is OK !! waiting for upgrade..

By Bastion Rebel

Expert (93)

11-06-2018, 17:57

new version V09.21a working with MSX

do not forget to use the file FF.CFG and pay attention to the box always in MINUSCULE

host = msx

otherwise DSK 360ko will not work !!!

Good FUN...!!!

By Bastion Rebel

Expert (93)

20-06-2018, 17:29

New version V09.22a
test on MSX
SD 360ko Ok
DD 720ko Ok
Change from dsk to fly Ok
Thank you

By Bastion Rebel

Expert (93)

07-07-2018, 08:46

New Version V09.23a
Test All is Ok

Thx

By Bastion Rebel

Expert (93)

10-07-2018, 17:41

New Version V09.24a
Test All is Ok

Thx

By x-nen Aivalahostia

Paragon (1543)

11-07-2018, 10:41

Hi,width the flashfloppy firmware, is posible create a new empty disk image using an MSX?

By Bastion Rebel

Expert (93)

12-07-2018, 20:41

create Blank dsk with diskmanager and using file ...
new disk image / disk capacity /format
2 sides .... 720ko
MSX-DOS boot sector...

and write to disk

By gdx

Enlighted (6215)

13-07-2018, 00:00

You also can probably copy any DSK and format it with your MSX.

By x-nen Aivalahostia

Paragon (1543)

13-07-2018, 09:52

Thanks,
but using only an msx is posible create an new empty disk image?

By gdx

Enlighted (6215)

13-07-2018, 12:46

An MSX can not put any dsk into the Gotek.

By Bastion Rebel

Expert (93)

18-07-2018, 17:48

New Version V09.25a
Test All is Ok

Thx

By Bastion Rebel

Expert (93)

24-07-2018, 17:24

New Version V09.26a
Test All is Ok

Thx

By Bastion Rebel

Expert (93)

31-07-2018, 18:49

New Version V09.27a
Test All is Ok

Thx

Supporter (11)

13-08-2018, 23:49

Just tried it my self with flashfloppy V09.27a, and it works on my MSX 1 (dont want to mess up my turbor and msx2+)

Only the msx mania collection doesnt seem to work, the files are 360 kB just like MSX DOS 1 disk which does work. I realy don't see whats wrong

Champion (380)

14-08-2018, 07:44

MarcoB wrote:

Only the msx mania collection doesnt seem to work, the files are 360 kB just like MSX DOS 1 disk which does work. I realy don't see whats wrong

They seem to have the wrong mediacode. See here
So it will probably work if you change the F9 in F8 in the bootsector with a hex editor

Supporter (11)

14-08-2018, 22:42

Thanks Philip, i will give it a try. If it works i create a small program to update the whole collection

Supporter (11)

15-08-2018, 00:39

Unfortunately, it doesnt seem to be that simple
Effect stays the same. I think more needs to be changed.

I changed the mediatype at position &h15 from &hF9 to &hF8 and effect is the same. I also changed the numer of sides on the second try..

When i say dir or files the first part is shown, then a read error is given. When i change the switch on the interface to 360kb the last part is garbage with the files command

Champion (380)

15-08-2018, 11:06

The sectors per fat (at &h16) also seems to wrong. I checked some 360k disks and they all have 2 instead of 3.

Edit: They actually used 3 sectors per fat, which seems weird for a 360k disk. This makes the directory listing start at sector 7 instead of 5.
Strange disks...

Edit2: It works when I add 360k worth of zero's to the end of the disk:
dd if=/dev/zero bs=1k count=360 >> mania033.dsk
So it seems these disks are 720k disks with the last 360k cut off

By gdx

Enlighted (6215)

15-08-2018, 11:32

To the 1DD support, edit the text file FF.CFG and replace "host = unspecified" with "host = msx" (in lowercase). I think also that mediatype must be correct.

Supporter (11)

15-08-2018, 11:34

host is already as msx, other 360kb disks work fine

Paragon (1702)

24-08-2018, 01:06

There is a MSX2 with a Gotek on eBay, if i had some spare cash then perhaps i would buy it? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Philips-NMS-8245-MSX2-computer-wi...

By Bastion Rebel

Expert (93)

26-08-2018, 18:56

New version V0.9.28a all test on MSX is OK

THX

By Bastion Rebel

Expert (93)

09-10-2018, 20:21

New version V0.9.30a all test on MSX is OK

Scribe (4106)

09-10-2018, 20:45

You're very hardworking! Thanks for so much effort!

By Bastion Rebel

Expert (93)

28-10-2018, 10:18

New version V0.9.31a all test on MSX is OK

By Bastion Rebel

Expert (93)

30-10-2018, 18:10

New version V0.10 all test on MSX is OK

Resident (58)

02-11-2018, 12:30

Quote:

First there is the HXC firmware.
This costs 10 euro and allows the Gotek to read HXE images from the USB flash drive. DSK and DMK images can be converted to HXE with the included tool.

A small correction - when using the HxC firmware on a Gotek there is no need for conversion. The firmware supports a wide range of disk formats - DSK included - natively.

By Bastion Rebel

Expert (93)

05-11-2018, 19:07

New version V0.11 all test on MSX is OK

By Bastion Rebel

Expert (93)

28-11-2018, 08:37

new version V0.12 all is OK for MSX

By Bastion Rebel

Expert (93)

03-12-2018, 17:33

new version V0.13 all is OK for MSX

By Bastion Rebel

Expert (93)

09-12-2018, 11:03

new version V0.14 all is OK for MSX

By Bastion Rebel

Expert (93)

10-01-2019, 18:46

new version V0.15 all is OK for MSX

Scribe (4106)

10-01-2019, 19:31

Thanks Bastion!

By Bastion Rebel

Expert (93)

04-02-2019, 18:45

New Version V1.0 All is Ok for MSX