.dsk files 1
MSX computers work with cassette tapes, cartridges and floppy disks.
In general, MSX 1 computers work with cassette tapes and cartridges and MSX 2 and above mainly work with floppy disks.
MSX is almost always backwards compatible, so you can play MSX 1 games on an MSX 2
Not many people have an MSX2 + or an MSX Turbo R, so almost all games can be played with an MSX2
In short, floppy disks are the most important thing for MSX!
It is therefore wise to have a digital copy of each diskette, that is a dsk file.
A dsk file is always 360 or 720 kB.
For a single sided flop it is 360 kB and for a double sided flop it is 720 kB
You usually save that .dsk in a folder on the PC and with RuMSX you can always put it back on a physical floppy and use it on a real MSX or with RuMSX
Creating a dsk file from a physical floppy disk is child's play with RuMSX.
Making a physical diskette from a dsk file is also easy with RuMSX.
Below are some movies that I put on youtube.
Others use all kinds of separate programs or you must learn codes because their MSX emulator can't do it, RuMSX can.
You first format a diskette on the MSX or with RuMSX.
You cannot format and copy MSX floppies directly under Windows and why would you?
You can use RuMSX as MSX and RuMSX can do it just like MSX
That is a real MSX emulator that can do what an MSX can do and even more.
For a 360 kB dsk file a single-sided and for a 720 kB a double-sided diskette.
You then load the dsk file as B: disk drive and as A: the physical diskette. Copy b: to a: and you're done.
You can also download thousands of dsk files from the internet and you can use them with RuMSX, but you can also make physical floppies with them to use on an MSX.
If you have an MSX with a single sided drive, you can only use dsk files of 360 kB
You can use dsk files like a regular floppy disk and change, rename, kill and add files to it.
You can view and edit .bas and .ldr programs.
For example, you can put pokes and peeks in game-loaders and save them in the dsk file.
You can even create and save programs and programs in a dsk file as if you were working on a floppy disk.
If you want, you can later turn them into physical diskettes and use them on real MSX computers.
DSK files are a digital security of your physical diskettes, but you can also work with digital diskettes on your PC.
There are thousands of dsk files to download on the internet and on this website.
You will also see thousands of rom files, but they are not copies of diskettes, but of programs, usually games.
You cannot make physical floppy disks from a rom file and you cannot change and save them.
I see more and more rom files, even made from small basic programs, but you cannot change or modify them.
You can also create dsk files with programs and files from other dsk files or from a physical floppy disk.
This way you can create a dsk file with your best games and save it to a real floppy disk for your MSX or for use with RuMSX ofcourse.
This works just as easily as with real floppy disks.
Making a diskette with several small ROM files of your favorite games is much, much more difficult.
Of course preference is given to dsk files over rom files.
ROM files are very suitable for large games that take up an entire diskette or even several diskettes anyway.
For small files and games, you prefer to use dsk files.
Making rom files from small games and even basic programs is just idiotic.
Some believe that rom files are easier, because they (often) start automatically.
But that depends on the creator of the disk image, the dsk file.
I almost only have floppies that start automatically, so also the dsk files made from them start when you click on them.
The files in a dsk file are easy to adjust and you can make them start up automatically.
But you can also put pokes and peeks in that charger for extra lives for example.
If a dsk file does not start, it is up to its creator.
You can also create non-booting rom files.
Rom files are nice for very large games, small ones are much better in a dsk file, which you can also put on a physical diskette.
Years ago I made a menu that makes it easy to delete, copy and rename files.
You can use it to make and use diskettes with ten, twenty or more games.
I have not yet seen those possibilities with a rom file.
I am now translating that menu program and it will follow.
Creating a dsk file with an empty diskette to write or copy to is child's play for RuMSX.
Create a dsk file from a physical MSX diskette with RuMSX
Format a floppy disk on PC in just a few minutes with RuMSX and copy Nemesis 1 from dsk to it.
Using real MSX diskettes on a PC with RuMSX
In general, MSX 1 computers work with cassette tapes and cartridges and MSX 2 and above mainly work with floppy disks.
MSX is almost always backwards compatible, so you can play MSX 1 games on an MSX 2
Not many people have an MSX2 + or an MSX Turbo R, so almost all games can be played with an MSX2
In short, floppy disks are the most important thing for MSX!
It is therefore wise to have a digital copy of each diskette, that is a dsk file.
A dsk file is always 360 or 720 kB.
For a single sided flop it is 360 kB and for a double sided flop it is 720 kB
You usually save that .dsk in a folder on the PC and with RuMSX you can always put it back on a physical floppy and use it on a real MSX or with RuMSX
Creating a dsk file from a physical floppy disk is child's play with RuMSX.
Making a physical diskette from a dsk file is also easy with RuMSX.
Below are some movies that I put on youtube.
Others use all kinds of separate programs or you must learn codes because their MSX emulator can't do it, RuMSX can.
You first format a diskette on the MSX or with RuMSX.
You cannot format and copy MSX floppies directly under Windows and why would you?
You can use RuMSX as MSX and RuMSX can do it just like MSX
That is a real MSX emulator that can do what an MSX can do and even more.
For a 360 kB dsk file a single-sided and for a 720 kB a double-sided diskette.
You then load the dsk file as B: disk drive and as A: the physical diskette. Copy b: to a: and you're done.
You can also download thousands of dsk files from the internet and you can use them with RuMSX, but you can also make physical floppies with them to use on an MSX.
If you have an MSX with a single sided drive, you can only use dsk files of 360 kB
You can use dsk files like a regular floppy disk and change, rename, kill and add files to it.
You can view and edit .bas and .ldr programs.
For example, you can put pokes and peeks in game-loaders and save them in the dsk file.
You can even create and save programs and programs in a dsk file as if you were working on a floppy disk.
If you want, you can later turn them into physical diskettes and use them on real MSX computers.
DSK files are a digital security of your physical diskettes, but you can also work with digital diskettes on your PC.
There are thousands of dsk files to download on the internet and on this website.
You will also see thousands of rom files, but they are not copies of diskettes, but of programs, usually games.
You cannot make physical floppy disks from a rom file and you cannot change and save them.
I see more and more rom files, even made from small basic programs, but you cannot change or modify them.
You can also create dsk files with programs and files from other dsk files or from a physical floppy disk.
This way you can create a dsk file with your best games and save it to a real floppy disk for your MSX or for use with RuMSX ofcourse.
This works just as easily as with real floppy disks.
Making a diskette with several small ROM files of your favorite games is much, much more difficult.
Of course preference is given to dsk files over rom files.
ROM files are very suitable for large games that take up an entire diskette or even several diskettes anyway.
For small files and games, you prefer to use dsk files.
Making rom files from small games and even basic programs is just idiotic.
Some believe that rom files are easier, because they (often) start automatically.
But that depends on the creator of the disk image, the dsk file.
I almost only have floppies that start automatically, so also the dsk files made from them start when you click on them.
The files in a dsk file are easy to adjust and you can make them start up automatically.
But you can also put pokes and peeks in that charger for extra lives for example.
If a dsk file does not start, it is up to its creator.
You can also create non-booting rom files.
Rom files are nice for very large games, small ones are much better in a dsk file, which you can also put on a physical diskette.
Years ago I made a menu that makes it easy to delete, copy and rename files.
You can use it to make and use diskettes with ten, twenty or more games.
I have not yet seen those possibilities with a rom file.
I am now translating that menu program and it will follow.
Creating a dsk file with an empty diskette to write or copy to is child's play for RuMSX.
Create a dsk file from a physical MSX diskette with RuMSX
Format a floppy disk on PC in just a few minutes with RuMSX and copy Nemesis 1 from dsk to it.
Using real MSX diskettes on a PC with RuMSX