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Creating hard disk images

If you want to create yourself new hard disk image, then you must do that in 3 steps :
- add IDE or SCSI controllers to a machine
- create an empty hard disk image
- format this new hard disk image

To run hard disk images, see this page.

To transfer "normal" files from disk image to hard disk image , you can use the COPY command of MSX-DOS 2; extern tools are required to transfer files from your PC hard disk to a MSX hard disk image.

SCSI hard disk images are not compatible with the Sunrise IDE hard disk images.

First step : add IDE or SCSI controllers to a machine

- click on
File / Cartridge Slot 1 (or Slot 2) / Insert Special / IDE
or File / Cartridge Slot 1 (or Slot 2) / Insert Special / SCSI

- select one of the 3 available IDE controllers : Sunrise / Beer / GIDE
or one of the 3 available SCSI controllers : Mega-SCSI / Wave-SCSI / Gouda SCSI

You need also to select the SRAM size for Mega-SCSI or Wave-SCSI.

For more infos about the 3 IDE systems and the 3 SCSI systems, see this page.

Second step : create an empty hard disk image

- go to File / Hard Disk

As you have added an IDE or SCSI controller, the menu can now be used and is a little different for each IDE or SCSI type.

- go to the Primary Controller or the only one available controller

You access to this sub-menu :



- click on Insert New Disk Image
- select the size of your new hard disk image
- type a new name in the filename field and click on the button "Open"

Third step : format the new hard disk image

Sunrise IDE
- insert ideutils.dsk in the first floppy drive (now recognized as B:)

(other option : create a MSX-DOS 2 formatted dsk file with the following files : MSXDOS2.SYS - COMMAND2.COM - IDEFDISK.COM - IDEFLOAD.COM and insert it in the first floppy drive)

- start the emulator
- on the commandline, run the command IDEFDISK (or other HD formatting application)
- in IdeFdisk, you can set up partitions as you wish

A quick setup is:

* [A]utogenerate partition table (Press space when done)
* [W]rite partition table to medium (Press space when done)
* [I]nitialize all ENABLED partitions (Press space when done)
* [Q]uit

- on the commandline, copy MSXDOS2.SYS and COMMAND2.COM from the floppy (B:) to the hard disk (A:)
- eject the floppy and restart the emulator


Beer IDE
- create a dsk file with all the BEERFDSK files
- insert this disk in the first floppy drive
- start the emulator
- when you are in MSX-BASIC, type RUN"BEERFDSK.BAS" and press on RETURN


GIDE
- write and use a specific tool to make the partition


MEGA-SCSI and WAVE-SCSI
- insert mginst.dsk in the first floppy drive (now recognized as B: - A: is reserved for the SRAM)
- on the commandline, type INST1 or INST2 to install MSX-DOS1 or 2 on the SRAM and initialize the SRAM
- reset the MSX
- to assign drive letter to the hard drive, use the ESET tool (it will also change the drive letter for your floppies)
- reset the MSX
- to format the hard disk image, use SFORM-1 under MSX-DOS 1 or SFORM-2 under MSX-DOS 2
- don't forget to copy MSXDOS 2 on the hard disk !


GOUDA SCSI
- insert novaxis.dsk in the first floppy drive (now recognized as B:)
- press on GRAPH when booting the MSX to ignore the hard disk
- go to the hddutils subdirectory and start the NFDISK tool
- press on the spacebar to access to the partition menu
- create only one partition if you don't have changed the default settings of the hard disk (*)
- write this partition and quit the NFDISK tool
- after the reset, copy MSXDOS2.SYS and COMMAND2.COM from the floppy (B:) to the hard disk (A:) by using the MSX-BASIC command COPY

(*) the setup menu is accessible by pressing on the DEL key when booting

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