Writing Virtual Drive programs

[Antti]

Hello there !

I've been usin DAEMON Tools for a while succesfully. Recently, I encountered a problem of needing a floppy disk drive, and as I have none installed on my machine (I use USB memory modules), I failed to proceed in the task specified.

If anyone here has any knowledge on HOW a program that emulates a drive works, I would be pleased to receive information. I am interested in writing a floppy disk drive emulator that would possibly operate on a specified directory (files written to the disk end up in the specified directory), and possibly support diskette images.

Can anyone point me to the correct direction ?

[Nemerov]

(The board-zombie has reanimated itself and begins to post again! )

I don't know a specific program which is capable of that, but did you ever think of not only emulating a single device, but a whole pc?
There're numerous programs available, mostly as trials, too. If your programs don't need much cpu power, this would be a solution, wouldn't it?
In most pc emulator, you've - of course, because it makes perfectly sense - a floppy image system.

[Antti]

Yes, the idea of using a Virtual PC software did come to my mind.

However, the reason why I need only a floppy disk emulation is that I use my computer to create boot disks, or driver diskettes, which I then pump into a CD for easier maintenance/longer durability. Many of the self-uncompressing diskette image executables fail to run if no diskette drive is available.

The Virtual PC solution is just too "huge" when only simplified floppy emulation is required.

I also know now that there is no such software available. Thus, if the writer of Daemon Tools could give me at least some a hint on how device emulation works, then I could write the software myself. I am competent in CS Engineering, but I lack hardware knowledge

[MJC3]

bad copy pro will make a floppy ISO go from there to mount it somehow

[the_ghost]

google the words " floppy disk drive emulator "
you'll find some programs that can emulate
a virtual floppy disk drive
also find a program that makes floppy disk images

and here are instructions on how to make your USB flashdrive bootable.

http://www.weethet.nl/english/hardware_bootfromusbstick.php

I dont know know if it works because My computer didnt come with floppy drive
either but I went out bought one. (very inexpensive nowadays)
I also use USB flashdives as well, so I know making macking a bootable
USB flahdrive works

hope that helps

[Lazybones]

http://chitchat.at.infoseek.co.jp/vmware/vfd.html works well.

Works well.. I also use it to make images that I later boot of my USB stick.

Very handy for programs like Symantec Ghost that have a built in floppy builder.

[Hearts_Dragooneer]

here is your virtual a drive time 2

this lets you make 2 fake a drives and lets you tweak and edit them all you want

actual site

http://chitchat.at.infoseek.co.jp/vmware/vfd.html#top

program download

http://chitchat.at.infoseek.co.jp/vmware/vfdsrc-050404.zip

please feel free to have fun at this time it is freeware
enjoy Peaceout for now lol