For example, a word processing file could be copied to a floppy disk and opened on another computer or stored as a backup. For example, the diskette version of Windows 95 came on 13 DMF diskettes and was installed one disk at a time.įloppy disks were also a common place for users to store and back up their files. However, because most programs were larger than 1.44 MB, diskettes were usually required. If the program was small (less than 1.44 MB for the 3.5' floppy disk), it could be installed from one floppy disk. The history of the floppy disk and drive.Įarly computers did not have CD-ROM drives or USB floppy disks were the only way to install a new program on a computer or back up your information.I have no personal experience of this one but I did find this review and this page which contains a lot of useful information ragrding the Kryoflux, Supercard and other boards and utilities for reading and preserving floppy disks. (that example is imaged from a 360K 5.25' MS-DOS boot floppy)Īnother device is the Supercard Pro. Which you can then mount $ sudo mount -o loop test.img /mntĤ201.CPI CHKDSK.COM DISKCOPY.COM FDISK.COM JOIN.EXE NLSFUNC.EXE SYS.COMĥ202.CPI COMMAND.COM DISPLAY.SYS FIND.EXE KEYB.COM PRINT.COM TREE.COMĪNSI.SYS COMP.COM DRIVER.SYS FORMAT.COM LABEL.COM RECOVER.COMĪPPEND.EXE CONFIG.SYS EDLIN.COM GRAFTABL.COM MODE.COM SELECT.COMĪSSIGN.COM COUNTRY.SYS EXE2BIN.EXE GRAPHICS.COM MORE.COM SORT.EXEĪTTRIB.EXE DISKCOMP.COM FASTOPEN.EXE IO.SYS MSDOS.SYS SUBST.EXE

For example, imaging a 360K disk goes something like this: $ dtc -ftest.img -d1 -k2 -v300 -i4 -e40 It is more involved than a native supported drives of bygone days but it does work. img) files from old 5.25' MS-DOS disks on my up-to-date i7 computer.

I have used this device to create image (. Linux, Mac, Windows and AmigaOS are supported. It comes with a command-line program and a Java graphical front end for those who prefer to point and click. Unlike the FC5025, the Kryoflux has write support. There is a device available from the Software Preservation Society called a kryoflux which is a USB disk controller and can be used to create image files from many disk formats such as MS-DOS, Apple, Commodore, etc.

Floppy disk reader best buy