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EMUFDD V31 – USB USER MANUAL
The most reliable and configurable Universal Floppy HW Emulator
ALL-INCLUSIVE PROFESSIONAL INSTALLATION SERVICE AVAILABLE
Custom/non-standard floppies analysis & development available
USB Version Network Version
Section 1. DATASHEET
Section 2. HARDWARE INSTALLATION
Section 3. INTRODUCTION & EMULATION CYCLE
Section 4. SOFTWARELESS MODE STORAGE
Section 5. VIRTUAL-FLOPPY MODE STORAGE
Section 6. LOADING INTO EMUFDD'S MEMORY FROM USB
Section 7. SAVING FROM EMUFDD'S MEMORY TO USB
Section 8. FORMATTING EMUFDD'S MEMORY AND USB
Section 9. LOADING A CONFIGURATION
Section 10. SWITCHING CONFIGURATION
Section 11. SOFTWARELESS MODE ON/OFF
Appendix A. SUPPORTED FLOPPY DISK DRIVE INTERFACES
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Section 1. DATASHEET
Retrofit services for the industry, from the machinery to the solution
EMUFDD Tech-Homepage : Designer & Customer Support :
www.embeddedsw.net [email protected]
EMUFDD scores a unique 100% rate of successful floppy replacements:
• we freely help customers, before purchasing, in collecting all the needed infos;
• we provide floppy analysis service to identify/backup/emulate all floppy disks;
• we provide free software capable of doing universal backup of floppy disks;
• we provide free software capable of full floppy drive virtualization.
ALL-INCLUSIVE PROFESSIONAL INSTALLATION SERVICE AVAILABLE
We're able to come to you and directly retrofit all kind of existing industrial machinery,
quickly, safely and at an affordable price:
• no need to change the CNC/PNC/control;
• no need to change any electronic;
• backup/digitalization/testing of all kind of data/program floppy disks;
• backup/digitalization/testing of all system/boot/recovery floppy disks;
• absolutely no need to rewrite programs;
• new programs saved directly on EMUFDD;
• shortest production stopping time;
• EMUFDD training of the worker.
DIMENSIONS
HEIGHT [H] 1'' = 2,5 cm
WIDTH [W] 4'' = 10,2 cm
DEPTH [D] 5,3'' = 13,5 cm
WEIGHT 300 g
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HARDWARE
INTERNAL MEMORY TYPE 1.5 MB FRAM non-volatile memory
INTERNAL MEMORY RELIABILITY 1014 R/W cycles = 438.000 h = 50 years 24/7
POWER ON TIME Less than (<) 500 ms
USER FRONT INTERFACE USB keys with FAT format – 100 floppy disks
Ethernet 10T network – unlimited floppy disks
FLOPPY REAR INTERFACE 34 pin flat cable (3.5'' & 5.25'') + 5V power supply
26 pin flat cable (integrated power supply)
26 pin slim cable (integrated power supply)
USB 1.0 standard external floppy
SCSI 50 pin standard floppy
SOFTWARE
FIRMWARE RELEASE Revision 31 (September 2016)
CONFIGURATION 100% Jumperfree / Plug'n'Play
FIRMWARE UPGRADE SUPPORT Yes
NETWORK SOFTWARE XP, Win7, Win8, Win10, Server, x32 & x64
ENCODING FM / MFM / custom on request
SPEED 300 rpm / 360 rpm / custom on request
DATA CLOCK From 125 Khz (the old 8”) up to 500 Khz (the modern 3.5”)
SUPPORT Softwareless Mode: FAT12 – 360KB / 720KB / 1.200MB / 1.440MB
Raw Image Mode: Any existing standard or custom on request
SOME COMMON
EXAMPLES...
80/2/18x512 – MFM: 500 KHz – 300 rpm – 1.440MB
80/2/15x512 – MFM: 500 KHz – 360 rpm – 1.200MB
80/2/9x512 – MFM: 250 KHz – 300 rpm – 720KB
40/2/9x512 – MFM: 250 KHz – 300 rpm – 360KB
MORE LESS
COMMON
EXAMPLES...
83/2/18x512 – MFM: 500 KHz – 300 rpm – 1.494MB
80/2/32x256 – MFM: 500 KHz – 300 rpm – 1.280MB
80/2/5x1024 – MFM: 250 KHz – 300 rpm – 800KB
80/2/18x256 – MFM: 250 KHz – 300 rpm – 720KB
80/2/16x256 – MFM: 250 KHz – 300 rpm – 640KB
OLD & RARE
EXAMPLES...
80/2/5x1024 – FM: 250 KHz – 300 rpm – 800KB
80/2/18x256 – FM: 250 KHz – 300 rpm – 720KB
80/2/32x128 – FM: 250 KHz – 300 rpm – 640KB
80/2/16x128 – FM: 125 KHz – 300 rpm – 320KB
NEED MORE? Ask customer support for help in identifying your floppy disk!
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“Is EMUFDD compatible with my machinery?”
“Yes, because EMUFDD it's the best existing professional emulation product. We will:
• provide you extensive pre-selling support and specifically analyze your target;
• configure a 100% custom EMUFDD solution, just for you;
• help you remotely during the installation, using live Skype connection.”
Gallery of custom EMUFDD installations worldwide
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Section 2. HARDWARE INSTALLATION
EMUFDD installation works like any other real floppy drive installation:
• 2.1) connect the power supply;
= +12V power supply (not connected) Optional
= two GND lines (joined, connect one or both) Required
= +5V power supply Required
• 2.2) connect the 34pin flat cable.
= pin-1 mark (flat cable / connector)
No system driver or additional software needs to be installed on the host system.
Be sure to match the connector pin-1 mark with the flat cable pin–1 mark !
Sometimes flat cables are inverted. Please check whether the cable is
coloured/marked at pin-1 (standard) or pin-34 (inverted) !
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Section 3. INTRODUCTION & EMULATION CYCLE
EMUFDD is equipped with 1.5 MB of internal FRAM non-volatile memory:
• no need to keep the USB key plugged in;
• top-quality data storage and memory reliability (10
14
read/write cycles);
• unlimited permanent internal memory (no battery, fully RoHS).
More than 50 years of non-stop read/write emulation at full speed.
Each EMUFDD can be used by different users with different skills:
• normal users can be allowed to load-only floppy disks (playback);
• advanced users can have full access to the program floppy disks;
• special floppy disks can be permanently write protected;
• simplified access available: 1 USB key = 1 floppy disk.
Just ask for your version, fully customized for your everyday's usage !
At power-on EMUFDD immediately (less than 500ms) begins its emulation cycle:
• the emulation engine waits for reading or writing requests from the host system,
and any read/write floppy disk access will turn the ACT_LED on;
• the display continuously shows the On-Line sequence: [– ] / [ –] / [NN], where
NN is the current floppy disk number, (from 00 to 99).
Snapshot of a display On-Line sequence (NN = 01).
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Section 4. SOFTWARELESS MODE STORAGE
Data can be loaded/saved into/from EMUFDD's memory using any USB key. No special
software or partitioning is needed to access and copy'n'paste all the floppy disks. The
softwareless mode, a.k.a. “Translation”, splits all the floppy disks into subdirectories
and each “emufddNN” subdirectory (NN from 00 to 99) will be handled as the root of a
different floppy disk:
USB key
↔
↔ EMUFDD (floppy NN)
X:\emufddNN\dir1\file1.ext
↔
↔ A:\dir1\file1.ext
X:\emufddNN\dir2\file2.ext
↔
↔ A:\dir2\file2.ext
X:\emufddNN\file3.ext
↔
↔ A:\file3.ext
X:\emufddNN\file4.ext
↔
↔ A:\file4.ext
... ...
The translation feature:
• is available for 360 KB, 720 KB, 1.200 MB, 1.440 MB floppy disks;
• is available for both loading and saving;
• will truncate filenames to 8+3 short form (Longname.ext → longna~1.ext);
• can be enabled/disabled at anytime without reconfiguring (SECTION 11 ).
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[top window] USB key (H:) in the PC server
[bottom window] EMUFDD (A:) in the machinery
[top window] USB key (H:) in the PC server
[bottom window] EMUFDD (A:) in the machinery
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[top window] USB key (H:) in the PC server
[bottom window] EMUFDD (A:) in the machinery
[top window] USB key (H:) in the PC server
[bottom window] EMUFDD (A:) in the machinery
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[top window] USB key (H:) in the PC server
[bottom window] EMUFDD (A:) in the machinery
A diff between the original disk#00 in the USB key (H:\emufdd00\cpyteca.cmd) and its
“translated” version by EMUFDD (A:\cpyteca.cmd) shows that there's no high-level
difference in the directory structure and the attributes of each file:
Name / Size / Creation time / Modify time / Access time
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Section 5. VIRTUAL-FLOPPY MODE STORAGE
Data can be loaded/saved into/from EMUFDD's memory using any USB key. No special
software or partitioning is needed to copy'n'paste all the floppy disks. The virtual-floppy
mode, a.k.a. “ISO FLOPPY IMAGE FILES ”, splits all the floppy disks into image files
(mounted on any PC using free software VFD) and each “emufddNN.img” file
(NN from 00 to 99) will be handled as the low-level snapshot of a different floppy disk:
USB key
↔
↔ EMUFDD (floppy NN)
X:\emufddNN.img
↔
↔ <floppy> track0/side0/sector1
↔
↔ <floppy> track0/side0/sector2
...
Virtual-Floppy image files:
• are available for both loading and saving;
• are a low-level snapshot of the floppy disk surface;
• allow unlimited emulation of any floppy disk (system, bootable, custom, …);
• can be directly mounted as virtual floppy drives by free software VFD;
• can be directly imported as backups of real floppies by free software OmniFlop;
• can be enabled/disabled at anytime without reconfiguring (SECTION 11 ).
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[top window] USB key (H:) in the PC server
[bottom window] EMUFDD (A:) in the machinery
[top window] USB key (H:) in the PC server
[bottom window] EMUFDD (A:) in the machinery
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[top window] USB key (H:) in the PC server
[bottom window] EMUFDD (A:) in the machinery
[top window] USB key (H:) + VFD (B:) in the PC server
[bottom window] EMUFDD (A:) in the machinery
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[top window] USB key (H:) + VFD (B:) in the PC server
[bottom window] EMUFDD (A:) in the machinery
A diff between the original disk#00 in the USB key (B:\cpyteca.cmd) and its
“translated” version by EMUFDD (A:\cpyteca.cmd) shows that there's no high-level and
low-level difference in the directory structure and the attributes of each file:
Name / Size / Size on disk / Creation time / Modify time / Access time
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Section 6. LOADING INTO EMUFDD'S MEMORY FROM USB
• 6.1) plug the USB key in and go Off-Line: press LOAD;
• 6.2) OFF-LINE_LED turns on and the display shows [CH] while checking the
USB key for floppy image files (and subdirectories, if translation is on).
Should no USB device be plugged in, the displays shows [nd] and
EMUFDD switches automatically back to On-Line mode;
• 6.3) the display shows the current floppy number. Select the floppy to be loaded
changing the current number (short DOWN/UP pressure = –1/+1, long
DOWN/UP pressure = fast rewind/forward). Missing floppies are shown as
[NN], existing floppies are shown as [N.N.].
Only existing floppies can be loaded, pressing LOAD;
• 6.4) the display, while loading, shows [LO] and LOAD_LED / ACT_LED turn
on, until loading end. Any loading error immediately stops loading and
display shows [Er]. Successful loading ends with display showing again
current floppy number and LOAD_LED / ACT_LED turned off;
• 6.5) being no button pressed, after 5 seconds, EMUFDD automatically switches
back to On-Line mode. Feel free to plug the USB key safely off.
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Plugging the USB key off while loading will not damage the USB key but
will force EMUFDD to reset with an inconsistent internal memory !
Loading completely overwrites EMUFDD's internal memory.
The previous floppy, if not backed up before, can't be recovered !
CLICK HERE FOR A VIDEO-DEMO: LOADING INTO INTERNAL MEMORY FROM USB
Load + Save can be used to create, without using a PC, multiple copies of
an existing floppy on the USB key. For example: load NN and save it as
NN+1, NN+2, NN+3, …
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Section 7. SAVING FROM EMUFDD'S INTERNAL MEMORY TO USB
• 7.1) plug the USB key in and go Off-Line: press SAVE;
• 7.2) OFF-LINE_LED turns on and the display shows [CH] while checking the
USB key for floppy image files (and subdirectories, if translation is on).
Should no USB device be plugged in, the displays shows [nd] and
EMUFDD switches automatically back to On-Line mode;
• 7.3) the display shows the current floppy number. Select the floppy to be saved
changing the current number (short DOWN/UP pressure = –1/+1, long
DOWN/UP pressure = fast rewind/forward). Missing floppies are shown as
[NN], existing floppyies are shown as [N.N.].
Both missing and existing floppies can be saved, pressing SAVE (missing
ones are created, existing ones are overwritten);
• 7.4) the display, while saving, shows [SA] and SAVE_LED / ACT_LED turn
on, until saving end. Any saving error immediately stops saving and display
shows [Er]. Successful saving ends with display showing again current
floppy number and SAVE_LED / ACT_LED turned off;
• 7.5) being no button pressed, after 5 seconds, EMUFDD automatically switches
back to On-Line mode. Feel free to plug the USB key safely off.
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Plugging the USB key off while saving will damage the USB key.
Plug the USB key off only after the OFF-LINE_LED (red) turns off !
Saving completely overwrites USB key's destination.
The previous floppy, if not backed up before, can't be recovered !
CLICK HERE FOR A VIDEO-DEMO: SAVING FROM INTERNAL MEMORY TO USB
Load + Save can be used to create, without using a PC, multiple copies of
an existing floppy on the USB key. For example: load NN and save it as
NN+1, NN+2, NN+3, …
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Section 8. FORMATTING EMUFDD'S INTERNAL MEMORY AND USB
• 8.1) plug the USB key in and go Off-Line: press SAVE;
• 8.2) OFF-LINE_LED turns on and the display shows [CH] while checking the
USB key for subdirectories (format is allowed only when translation is on).
Should no USB device be plugged in, the displays shows [nd] and
EMUFDD switches automatically back to On-Line mode;
• 8.3) the display shows the current floppy number. Select the floppy to be
formatted changing the current number (short DOWN/UP pressure = –1/+1,
long DOWN/UP pressure = fast rewind/forward). Missing floppies are
shown as [NN], existing floppyies are shown as [N.N.].
Both missing and existing floppies can be formatted pressing SAVE+LOAD
(missing ones are created, existing ones are overwritten);
• 8.4) the display, while formatting, shows [FO] and SAVE_LED / LOAD_LED /
ACT_LED turn on, until formatting end. Any formatting error immediately
stops formatting and display shows [Er]. Successful formatting ends with
display showing again current floppy number and SAVE_LED /
LOAD_LED / ACT_LED turned off;
• 8.5) being no button pressed, after 5 seconds, EMUFDD automatically switches
back to On-Line mode. Feel free to plug the USB key safely off.
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Plugging the USB key off while formatting will both damage the USB key
and force EMUFDD to reset with an inconsistent internal memory. Plug the
USB key off only after the OFF-LINE_LED (red) turns off !
Formatting completely overwrites USB key's destination.
The previous floppy, if not backed up before, can't be recovered !
Format is allowed only in softwareless mode (when translation is on)
Check the supported formats (SECTION 4 ).
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Section 9. LOADING A CONFIGURATION
EMUFDD configuration is plug'n'play and absolutely jumper-free. It's also possible to
configure the emulator with up to 100 different configurations and switch, at run-time,
between them. The first 10 configurations (c0÷c9) can be loaded with any custom
setting, the other 90 configurations (0.0÷9.0) are fixed presets.
• 9.1) load a valid “emufdd.cfg” file into a USB key;
Configuration files for any machinery/floppy drive/floppy disk will be provided for free,
only after purchasing, writing to the customer support (EmbeddedSW, 7/7 direct line
with the designer of EMUFDD) at [email protected]
• 9.2) plug the USB key in and go Off-Line: press LOAD;
• 9.3) the device will auto-reset (all leds blink very fast) and the display, while
changing configuration, shows [cc]. Any configuration error immediately
stops auto-reset and display shows [Er];
• 9.4) load a valid floppy into memory (SECTION 6 ) or, if format is supported,
format EMUFDD's memory (SECTION 8 ).
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Section 10. SWITCHING CONFIGURATION
• 10.1) with no USB key plugged in press SAVE+DOWN+UP;
• 10.2) select the new configuration (NN = c0÷c9, 0.0÷9.0) changing the current
number (DOWN/UP pressure = –1/+1). Missing configurations are shown
as [cN], existing configurations are shown as [c.N] and [N.N].
Only existing configurations can be loaded, pressing SAVE+LOAD;
• 10.3) the device will auto-reset (all leds blink very fast) and the display, while
changing configuration, shows [cc];
• 10.4) load a valid floppy into memory (SECTION 6 ) or, if format is supported,
format EMUFDD's memory (SECTION 8 ).
Example 1: Your device needs two (or more) different kinds of floppy disks. Base
configuration (c0) is assigned to the boot disk, the following ones (c1/c2/...) are assigned
to user programs with different formats (720 KB, 800 KB, 1.440 MB, ...).
• device is powered up;
• user selects base configuration and loads the boot image;
• user selects another configuration and loads/saves user programs.
c0 (BOOT) c1 (720 KB) c2 (800 KB)
Example 2: You own more different devices and need to use the floppy on only one of
them at a time. Each device is assigned a configuration and you buy only 1 EMUFDD.
• EMUFDD is connected “on the fly” to device-i;
• user selects configuration-i and loads/saves a batch of work;
• EMUFDD is disconnected from device-i and user goes on to the next one.
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c0 (DEVICE-0) c1 (DEVICE-1) cN (DEVICE-N)
Connecting an EMUFDD “on-the-fly” it's very easy. You only need to modify, on each
machinery, the floppy flat and power supply cables with longer ones, coming out from
the machinery/control. After this modify, connecting/disconnecting the EMUFDD will
be as easy as connecting/disconnecting a USB key and fast, since there's no more need to
open the machinery to reach the floppy cables.
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Section 11. SOFTWARELESS MODE ON/OFF
The softwareless mode translation feature (SECTION 4 ) can be enabled/disabled at
anytime without reconfiguring the device.
• 11.1) with no USB key plugged in press SAVE+UP;
• 11.2) the current translation configuration is shown as [tN]
(N = 0/1 = disabled/enabled). Pressing SAVE+UP again causes the
translation configuration to switch;
• 11.3) the device will auto-reset (all leds blink very fast) and the display shows the
new translation configuration [tN].
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Appendix A. SUPPORTED FLOPPY DISK DRIVE INTERFACES
34pin 3.5” floppy: Supported
50pin SCSI floppy: Supported
26pin floppy: Supported 26pin slim floppy: Supported
5.25” & 8” floppy: Supported
USB 1.0 floppy: Supported
The bullet-proof EMUFDD emulation is available on all the known floppy disk drive
interfaces, from the oldest ones to the most modern ones. Supported interfaces are
emulated with a wide portfolio of solutions: (1) being natively supported; (2) using
custom adapters manufactured by us; (3) using industry-strenght standard adapters.
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